Elicia began agility in 1994 with her Lab/Greyhound mix Jettie and within 2 years Jettie had earned her Agility Dog Championship title. Elicia’s training methods that she developed with Jettie and Suni are effective for all sizes, breeds and speeds of dogs. She builds upon the team relationship using her clear handling system and customizes training plans that best suit each dog/handler team. Elicia challenges all levels of dog/handler teams to reach their full potential with her innate ability to identify issues and problem-solve. Her versatile abilities include everything from helping to build drive and focus, to thinking on her feet to handle fast dogs. Elicia specializes in Course Analysis, developing the best handling plan for your team, and Mental Preparation, helping you to synchronize with your dog prior to entering the ring.
Elicia has since worked with over 50 different breeds of dogs, including Cairn Terriers, Llhasa Apso’s, to Bearded Collies and Great Danes. Her clients have qualified, competed and won regional and national tournaments, participated in AKC World Team Selection, and received countless titles including Championships in the various organizations, along with ranking nationally in their respected breeds.
Working full time operating Waltzing Paws, Elicia teaches private, group lessons, workshops, seminars and camps both nationally and internationally. She also lectures at nationals events, organizes and participates in agility demonstrations for local charity events, and develops Agility curriculums and Instructor Training Programs for all levels. Although a certified USDAA judge, Elicia spends the majority of her time teaching and competing.
Elicia owns four dogs, Leg-O, Iceman, Nika and BreeSea. She lost Suni in 2007 to Hemangiosarcoma. To honor Suni's name and career, she has teamed up with the National Canine Cancer Foundation to create the Suni Fund. The Suni Fund raises money to fund research on Hemangiosarcoma.
When she's not competing or teaching, you will find her working on agility projects such as a book/video called ‘Two Bodies, One Mind’. She has written articles for national and international agility publications and has been published and featured numerous times in the agility magazine "Clean Run". She recently served as the Agility Editor for the Australian Shepherd Journal magazine for two years, and is keeping her eyes on the future by training her young Border Collies Iceman and BreeSea, and her talented Australian Shepherd, Nika.
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Suni was my heart and soul, who at the age of 11 ½ died in the prime of her agility career of Hemangiosarcoma. As one of the most widely recognized agility dog icons on Animal Planet and top Agility Dogs in the world, she was not only a model representative for the USA at international events, but also for the Australian Shepherd breed.
Losing Suni to cancer left me feeling cheated – cheated out of a longer life together. Everyone knows their time with their beloved animals is limited. But, to be full speed ahead in prime form one day, and the next day save her life and be told she only has 1 to 4 weeks to live, just seemed wrong and unfair.
I wanted to continue making a difference in the world in honor of Suni, as we did during her life in the sport of dog agility. So even though her body may be gone, her spirit will live on in the Suni Fund. I have joined forces with the National Canine Cancer Foundation to fund Hemangiosarcoma cancer research.
She touched so many people’s lives both in and out of the agility ring, that I felt we could use this level of recognition to benefit others who might find themselves in a similar situation. I want to raise the level of awareness and education of this disease in order to save lives. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did.
As I went through the three extra ‘bonus’ months with Suni and doing everything possible for her treatment in hopes of a cure or buying quality time together, I came to realize just how many dogs in the sport of dog agility have died of Hemangiosarcoma. Most of the dogs, however, were not able to get the extra time as Suni did, because it was not diagnosed in time. Even more, there is still no cure.
A number of contributing factors can play into this, but no one know how to determine if dogs are predisposed to H.S.A. Certainly we need to find a marker so that preventative action can be taken. Also, if dogs are lucky enough to be diagnosed before the condition is too far gone, we need to find a treatment to cure them.
This is our purpose. The Suni Fund is focused on supporting grants for Hemangiosarcoma cancer research so that accurate diagnoses, preventative treatments and a cure can be found! I believe that any of the treatments and cures that we find for cancer in dogs will benefit cancer in humans as well, so what have we got to lose!?!
We need your help to save lives! Don’t let another animal die because we didn’t find a way to stop the cancer from killing them! Visit the Suni Fund website to make a donation now! (Click here)
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