Each time Elizabeth Fritz and her All-American Dog come to compete in a dog sport, all eyes are on them. It’s not just their skills that make this AKC Rally team from Wausau, Wisconsin, turn heads. “Goose” Ltjg Nick Bradshaw RN BCAT TKI, is often the only dog competing with three legs.
A Desire to Compete in Dog Sports
Fritz and Goose, who is an estimated 4 years old, competed at the 11th Annual AKC Rally National Championship in Wilmington, Ohio, in the AKC Rally Novice division. It was their first time at the biggest AKC Rally stage, but Fritz’s love for the sport is nothing new.
Growing up, Fritz counted down the days when she’d be able to get her own dog to do dog sports with. A dog trainer that Fritz went to was very into AKC Rally, and this was her first introduction to the sport. It was around the time when the sport first started in 2005, and she was immediately hooked.
At the time, she had a Labrador Retriever, “Honey.” “I really started to love doing it and was having a lot of fun,” Fritz recalls. “Honey was very excitable, so we didn’t do many dog sports with her.”
Good Things Come Back Around
Honey unfortunately passed away in 2020, which was very tough on Fritz. Still, she was open to getting another dog in time. “I was more browsing and window shopping than looking,” Fritz says. She saw a shelter listing for an All-American Dog, but had to pass it over because the apartment she was in at the time didn’t allow dogs. When she moved into a new pet-friendly apartment months later, she saw the same dog listed again.
“He was returned to the shelter because he had too much energy for his first owner. so I said ‘absolutely,'” Fritz smiles.
Fritz knew that Goose had three legs when she got him. She was told that he was hit by a car as a puppy and had to have his back leg amputated. “Somebody brought him in, tick-infested, too. He had a rough go,” Fritz says. “I took a look at that face, and said, ‘I can’t say no.’ He’s just an awesome dog.”
Nothing Holding Him Back
This endless energy that was too much for one person was exactly what Fritz was looking for. When she was messaging the shelter about getting him, she’d discussed the potential for doing dog sports and hikes with him. “From what they were seeing with him, they felt that he’d be up for it, both personality-wise and, clearly, he’s capable of anything.”
She started competing with him in Fast CAT, where Goose excelled. He’s clearly not holding back: his fastest time so far is 24 mph. They quickly got involved with AKC Rally as well. Unfortunately, the ticks he’d had as a puppy wasn’t the only health complication along the way. Goose tested positive for heartworm, and had to take a year off of dog sports for treatment. But you’d never be able to tell watching him and Fritz in the ring.
Always Exceeding Expectations
Fritz says that Goose is like any other dog, just with three legs instead of four.
“The only real thing that’s different is that when he has an itch on his left side, he can’t scratch it,” Fritz says. “Other than that, to be quite honest, if he had four legs, I’d have to take up marathon running,” she laughs. “I couldn’t keep up with him otherwise.”
Goose never wants to do any less because of his leg, and Fritz never tampers her expectations of what he’s capable of. “You just have to figure out what they love to do, just like any other dog, and treat them like that,” she says. “The more you think they can’t do it, the more they’re going to prove you wrong.”
Representation at Big Events
Even though Fritz has competed in AKC Rally before, it was her first time at the AKC Rally National Championship with any dog. “It was completely worth the wait. He had a blast in the ring,” she beams. “We’re just having fun, no matter the score. That’s all that we came for.”
Goose was the only dog with three legs at the AKC Rally National Championship, and attracted a lot of positive attention. People recognize them from all over, also from their social media accounts. “When you’re a “tripod,” people don’t take long to find you at shows,” Fritz laughs.
They don’t plan on slowing down in dog sport unless Goose wants to. And, judging by his gleeful trotting in the ring, that won’t be anytime soon. “We’ll just keep doing whatever he’s game to come along for, and see what we can conjure up.”
Fritz says that people come up to her at events with stories of their own, dogs with recently amputated limbs, and find comfort in seeing her and Goose shine in the sport. “It’s inspiring, I think, for people to see that he’s out here doing this and having so much fun. It’s important that people can see that any dog can do it.”
Don’t miss the AKC Rally National Championship on July 18-19 in Wilmington, Ohio! You can livestream all the action day-of through AKC.tv.