Written by Henna Kuusisto
In loving reminiscence of Herzhund Agent (17/12/2013 – 13/02/2026) “Boo Boo”
“Each choice, each alternative I made for 12 years of my life was formed by Agent.
He was my one real love. He was the canine that modified my life.”
I’ll always remember the primary day I performed with a Malinois.
The 12 months was 2013. I used to be launched to (now Bec’s canine) Knowledge one winter day while visiting K9Pro for some excessive depth periods with Steve. At the moment K9Pro was positioned in Kurrajong Heights.
Again then I had by no means discovered the best way to harness the facility of a canine by play, not to mention a canine as highly effective and fierce as a Malinois.
Knowledge flew by the air, chasing the tug and bit it exhausting. She thrashed and pulled the tug with vigor. She was so quick in all the pieces she did. The frenzy of adrenaline it gave me was addictive. Higher than any feeling or drug I might have ever imagined, I used to be hooked on this sense of energy and instantly knew this was my calling in life.
A couple of months later Knowledge produced her first (Herzhund A) litter, sired by none apart from Steve’s private canine Venom. I had expressed my curiosity in a pet from the litter.
In early 2014 Steve contacted me with some excellent news. He had a male or a feminine from the litter obtainable. Though a very good canine is an efficient canine, regardless of gender, I’m a sucker for males so with out figuring out something additional I opted for the male.
I had no thought what I used to be getting myself into, all I knew was that I wanted what I had skilled enjoying with Knowledge for these jiffy on that winter’s day. I wanted that in my life and I wanted it now.
I moved onto an acreage property, decided to offer one of the best I might, ought to I’ve the chance to personal a Malinois. I used to be dedicated to coaching by this stage to some extent that it might distract me from my day job.
February rolled round and I travelled as much as Sydney to choose up the male pup. Steve had labored exhausting with the Herzhund A litter imprinting and testing them, publicity and socialization coaching and implementing behaviour modification as wanted.
The A litter was a line breeding on the notorious Nordenstamm Hassan, maybe essentially the most titled Malinois in Australian historical past.
Agent was one of many two males within the litter. He was a big impartial pup, extraordinarily assured and observant. He had nice construction, motion, appears to be like and charisma. It was very clear he was a Hassan 2.0 each in temperament and appears.
Bec described him as “the one with the swagger” when he walked. From a younger age he thought he owned the world.
He was completely unphased by the two day journey again dwelling to Victoria, in excessive warmth and thru bushfire affected areas. He took all the pieces in his stride and was environmentally steady. He by no means fearful concerning the small issues in life. This was him as a wee little monster, taking all the pieces in his stride.
Little did I do know that at the present time had began a brand new period in my life.
Within the first months I discovered him tough to encourage. I believed that since I had obtained a working canine, nicely, a pup, it ought to simply….work! This might not be farther from the reality. Regardless of having titled my earlier canines efficiently and having had a number of years’ expertise in Steve’s Coaching In Drive system, I struggled exhausting, and Agent, being as impartial as he was, couldn’t care much less. Many coaching periods would find yourself with me in tears and Agent biting my pant legs to attempt to activate prey. That is the place Steve stepped in to assist me perceive the best way to flip the important thing to start out the engine. I had not lit the fireplace, I had not turned the ignition to make him need to practice with me. Pondering on reflection, a lot of the coaching we do is relationship primarily based. Steve all the time works relationship first.
He informed me “to fall in love” with Agent, and all the pieces else would handle itself.
After some again on forth by way of electronic mail I bought again on the horse so to talk and tried once more. This time the main focus was solely on our relationship, we took a while out from coaching to do different issues, we additionally labored on play, I began to know Agent’s pet peeves and likes. This in flip began to change his emotions and expectations throughout coaching. We turned a steep nook some weeks later, he turned depending on the nice emotions I gave him and withdrawing these was the final word punishment. He would begin to work in symbiosis with me, like we shared an unstated, widespread language. I moved, he moved, I responded, as did he. Like a dance, our partnership had begun.
He was a really succesful canine who gave me the power not simply to coach, however to make artwork. The vary of octaves I had entry to was huge. I might swap his vitality state excessive, low or anyplace in between. His depth was excessive and we had been capable of obtain a circulation state simply throughout coaching. I can’t say I’ve skilled such a state with many canines, let’s simply say, we had been on the identical wavelength.
A part of the rationale for this I later learnt was that he was working in pack drive for me. His funding was closely in me, not the toy or the sport. He turned hooked on listening to the phrase “Sure” that will predict the social interplay with me as reward.
The following two years I spent getting ready him for the game of IGP. They had been a few of the best instances in my life. Getting on the sector with him every day, though difficult at instances, was pure pleasure. It didn’t matter what was occurring on the time in my life, his capacity to provide 150% each session made it bearable. Throughout these coaching instances I might meditate and neglect all the pieces else that was happening round me. It was addictive. I used to be escapism from life itself.
I’ve by no means come throughout a canine that constantly exceeded expectations each single session. He gave unconditionally, his vitality was purposeful, he moved with intent, and his presence oozed energy. He was simple to channel whenever you knew how.
He was born to carry out. And carry out he did.
In 2016 I made a decision to maneuver to NSW as Agent cherished to coach the elements of IGP dogsport, which was banned within the state of Victoria. I believed he had expertise and that expertise must be displayed on the sports activities area. This meant altering jobs and taking over a brand new position in medication, beginning new in a distinct atmosphere 1000km from dwelling, saying goodbye to so many good individuals I had befriended over 23 years, shifting home, assembly new individuals and studying a distinct day by day dynamic. The modifications had been extraordinarily aggravating however obligatory.
I wished to provide him essentially the most fulfilling life doing all of the issues he cherished.
That 12 months he earned his BH-VT within the picturesque setting of Sydney Polo Membership. Regardless of a messy preparation, having been out of labor for 2-3 months with solely 3 weeks pre trial preparation he nonetheless managed to high the scores and placed on a present.
The following years had been his. He received a number of highest in trials in membership and nationwide stage trials in IGP dogsport. At his prime between 2017-2019 his expertise and expertise had been exhausting to match on the sector. As soon as individuals had discovered of him, he would appeal to a crowd of onlookers. That’s the method he appreciated it. He would puff his chest out and carry his legs a bit of greater when he realized individuals had been watching. In the event that they clapped he gave a lot additional. He was using the wave in 2019, all of the years of exhausting work, it was all coming collectively (or so it appeared).
He appeared unstoppable on the sector. This was Agent’s world and we had been all residing in it.
After which got here COVID.
COVID crashed many individuals’s goals and hopes. Many individuals misplaced jobs, properties and their lives because of the virus and excessive lockdowns instated by Australian authorities. Many individuals missed key occasions, weddings, births, deaths. It was really a horrible time, to not be forgotten.
Within the dogsport world, the lockdowns related to government-initiated management of the virus meant no extra trials. In NSW we weren’t allowed to go interstate nor maintain IGP trials till early 2021. This meant 2020 turned a clean 12 months, with no trials to coach for and canines in peak situation, being wasted. Many a canines had been washed out or retired from competitors consequently. It was very unhappy for everybody concerned who had labored so exhausting day and night time and travelled 1000’s of km’s per 12 months to arrange for occasions.
I gritted my tooth and was decided, when the trials opened up once more, we’d be prepared. I stored Agent busy as I knew he appreciated to work, making some promo materials for K9Pro together with the favored heeling sticks video.
Quickly sufficient the lockdown lifted, and we took our first alternative to journey to Queensland to an IGP helper workshop. I used to be so joyful to journey with him once more. We had a wonderful few days till the unimaginable occurred. I had an accident on the sector and tore my ACL, MCL and meniscus (referred to as “the horrible triad”) while doing sleeve work. I drove again dwelling with my knee swollen and bandaged up. The harm was intensive and required knee surgical procedure placing all of our hopes, goals and trials again on the bench, but once more. For a 7 12 months previous canine in IGP dogsport this was borderline catastrophic. I used to be fortunate he was nonetheless match and wholesome, however I used to be not.
This occasion assured one other 12 months off the sector and bench time for Agent as I couldn’t even maintain the leash to take him for a stroll!
His capacity and unwavering emotional help drove me to push myself to get well quick. He helped me with my train periods, and fortuitously, I might nonetheless practice him in some workout routines, while directing him verbally from a chair. I put a pet fence across the chair so I might play tug with him while seated, so he couldn’t entry me to bump my therapeutic knee.
Numerous physio and health club periods later and a small fortune of my life financial savings paid to speed up the surgical procedure and rehab I used to be again on my ft. Coaching begun in late November of 2021. I used to be decided to provide another go at trialing him. He was too good to not.
2022 rolled round and we had began getting ready for competitions. We travelled interstate for our first small trial. He travelling admirably and obtained and a very good ranking in his monitoring. I used to be happy and it gave me the additional motivation to arrange for the subsequent trial.
Throughout this journey I had observed he typically would turn out to be sore on his proper foreleg. The prolonged crate time throughout travelling appeared to be a set off together with jumps coaching. I had him labored up by his physio and rehab group nonetheless the formal work up confirmed nothing. We continued on, getting ready for trial.
We had all the time aimed excessive and so after a 2.5 12 months break naturally wasted no time and I entered him for the 2022 Nationwide WGSDCA IGP championship in Queensland. On the trial he obtained the very best obedience rating and placed on a terrific present, but once more, which was solely marred by my psychological trauma from hurting my knee.
I didn’t have a very good time on the trial, I don’t assume individuals notice how lengthy it takes to get well mentally from bodily trauma. Sadly we had been disqualified throughout the safety part for no out within the ultimate lengthy assault, and part of this system. As a substitute of locking up the sleeve as was described within the guidelines of this system, Agent’s excessive energy made it unimaginable for the helper to lock the sleeve, therefore no out occurred. This was simply trainable in preparation but it surely was one thing I had not educated for. I used to be gutted.
Through the trial the foreleg situation introduced itself once more and I used to be questioning whether or not we had missed one thing within the intensive work up.
Not lengthy after, Agent was recognized with a mast cell tumour. It is a widespread nasty malignant pores and skin most cancers. We needed to take time away from the sector (once more) to have the mass resected. I opted for no radiotherapy or chemotherapy as I wished him to take pleasure in the highest quality of life.
After a interval of rehabilitation he entered the trial area as soon as extra, however sadly by this stage his foreleg damage had turn out to be continual and I needed to pull him by the use of termination throughout the safety part. The damage was exacerbated all the time when it was time to enter the trial area.
I had it re investigated and we lastly obtained a analysis of continual bounce down damage within the elbow. That is seen in very athletic working canines by repeated use of the forelegs throughout leaping and quick route modifications.
This damage was profession ending and was recognized when Agent was simply shy of 9 years of age.
Over the last three years of his life, Agent loved semi retirement. He by no means absolutely retired however was educated each day in decrease affect workout routines like nosework, scent detection, swimming, obedience with out jumps, monitoring in addition to the occasional chunk from a helper.
He got here with me in all places, nothing modified in his life, he was nonetheless my primary. He was lively, stuffed with vitality and a drive to be reckoned with proper as much as the day of his dying.
I bear in mind simply 4 weeks previous to his passing, individuals commenting how superb he nonetheless appeared as he was heeling down the sector. I used to be getting ready him for an IGP article indication trial, he wished to return to trialling and this was to be his comeback at 12 years of age.
I take pleasure in coaching and trialling older canines and he was no exception. What a presence he nonetheless held as a drive of dominance on the sector.
Simply two months previous to the date of the trial, his preparation was minimize brief.
It was Friday the thirteenth. What an omen.
I bought dwelling from work and I knew instantly that he was not nicely. He didn’t bark as he often did once I got here dwelling. I bought out of the automobile and ran to him to let him out of his kennel run. He whimpered as I leant all the way down to say good day. He wasn’t operating round like and sniffing me as he often did to evaluate “the place I had been with out him” that day.
I appeared into his eyes and took a breath. It dawned on me that this was it. There was no warning, his time had come.
I rung SASH emergency to allow them to know we had been on our method. I cried and cried as I used to be driving to emergency that night time. There was a excessive probability that he wasn’t coming again dwelling.
I bear in mind on that ultimate night time with him, as I used to be sitting outdoors the clinic he was simply gazing me with loving expression in his eyes, panting softly. He spent on a regular basis mendacity down subsequent to me at my ft as tears had been streaming down my face hitting the bottom subsequent to him.
With all of the world happening round him, all he wished to do was be with me. His presence and shut involvement in all the pieces I did was what had carried me by the previous 6 years of trials and tribulations.
He had a mass on his spleen which had ruptured, his time had come.
I used to be scratching him and petting him and he was taking in each second, absolutely invested. He was an all or nothing canine, and with me he was all the time all in.
Throughout our 12 years collectively, he launched me to many good individuals, he made me develop my character, he pushed me and motivated me to succeed once I was at my weakest. He taught me a lot about love, hate, ardour, dedication and worry. He discovered humour throughout all essentially the most inappropriate moments.
He wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea, however he was my cup of tea.
Each considered one of my life choices for the previous 12 years was formed by him. It’s now really an finish of an period.
His reminiscence lives on in his movies, in individuals’s minds, hearts and in his youngsters.
I used to explain our relationship “because the love affair of the century”. I like you Boo Boo. At all times have, all the time will. Relaxation now my boy and luxuriate in chasing down as many helpers as you may, wherever your soul could also be.
