Shy Border Collie adopted from Dogs Trust Leeds becomes UK flyball champion 🐶
From nervous newcomer to national champion, one remarkable rescue dog is proving that second chances can change everything.
The 11-year-old was adopted from the York Road rehoming centre in November 2019 and amazed competitors when he and his team won both the British Flyball Championships and the UKFL Flyball Championships.
But his current successes are a far cry from his time at Dogs Trust, having arrived in the care of the charity with lots of energy and brains, but as a shy pooch who lacked confidence.
His new owner Julie and husband Phil welcomed Jax into their home alongside their other dog, another Border Collie, Alva.
Already involved in flyball, a fast-paced relay race where teams of four dogs sprint over hurdles, trigger a box to release a ball, and race back before the next dog sets off, Julia hoped the sport would help build Jax’s confidence and use some of his typical Border Collie intelligence.
Julia said, “When I saw Jax on the Dogs Trust website, it was love at first sight.
“When I introduced him to fly ball, although he could get worried about new situations, and getting things wrong at the start, with patience and by taking things slowly, he started to make wonderful progress.
“After three years of training, Jax and our amazing team won the UKFL and British Flyball Championships. These competitions are like the Olympics of our sport, and winning them has been a dream come true.
“Together, we’ve made a wonderful team, and it really shows you never know what a rescue dog is capable of.”
“If you’re ready to give a dog their ‘paw-fect’ home, we’re here to help.”
