Wendy Hodges
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Wendy brings her wide variety of dog passions and expertise to the Dog Alliance! She has over 23 years of experience with sighthounds, 14 of those years actively involved with lure coursing as a judge, trial chair, secretary, and lure operator. Additionally, Wendy is an AKC Evaluator and Judge across various categories including Rally, Tricks, Barn Hunt and more! She has trained dogs in agility, obedience, coursing, barn hunting, rally, therapy work, and trick dog. #WeDoAllTheThings is her motto!
Wendy has also been involved with Therapy Dog work, serving the community for almost 10 years. Her first Therapy Dog was certified in 2016and she started visiting schools in 2018. They spent the next 6 years volunteering in schools, logging 340 visits and 383 hours of service! Wendy’s second Therapy Dog was certified in 2022 and has currently logged 114 visits and 156 hours of service. Wendy and her therapy dogs have also done work with St. David's Heart Hospital, St. David's Children Hospital, St. David's Acute Care, Austin Lakes Mental Health, Cross Creek Hospital Psychiatric Facility, and The Arc of the Capital Area.
Wendy teaches a variety of classes with a range as wide as her interests, from Puppy Kindergarten to Advanced Rally and her favorite sport, Lure Coursing! For Wendy, the best part of lure operating is watching a hesitant dog go from shy and wary to running over 30 mph. In her words, “There is no other sport that gives an owner a greater appreciation for their dog’s elegance, form, power, and beauty than these games!”
Wendy has shown dogs at Regional and National Specialties across the country for Anatolian Shephard Dogs, Australian Cattle Dogs, Basenjis, and Whippets. In addition to showing dogs in conformation, she has participated and placed in Rally, Obedience, Lure Coursing, Racing, and Agilitywith her dogs. Wendy was on the show committees for multiple events and served as the Triathlon and Versatility Chair for the American Whippet Club's National. She has been to the AKC National Lure Coursing Championship (in addition to serving on the field committees) and the ASFA International Invitational and Grand National. Wendy’sdogs have qualified to compete at the AKC National Agility and Rally Championships several times.
Interests
Cheyenne's One Wing InThe Fire
CD PCD BN RAE MX MXB MXJ MXFCAX BCAT RATCHX6CZ8PCGCA TKP
PACH3 China Berry Blue
RE AX AXJ MXP10 MXPC PADP MJP10 MJPC PJDP PAX3 NF MFPS TQXP T2BP5 CAX RATN TKI
Running Hound Summer Wind
SC NF THD RATN CGC TKN VHMA
FC Tank!
BN RA MC LCX2 BCAT THDX CGC TKN
Titles earned on dogs not shown on AKC records include ASFA Field Championships, Oval Racing Champion (from NOTRA), Master Versatile Basenji awarded by the Basenji Club of America, several racing and dual performance titles to Jillian awarded by the Continental Whippet Association (see below). Tank! was the #1 AKC Lure Coursing Basenji in the US in 2014, and has won Multiple Best in Fields at AKC coursing. Jillian was in the top 10 of Triathlon and Versatility at 2 AWC specialties. All of my dogs have been nationally ranked in Barn Hunt, Agility, Rally, Coursing, and Racing at one time or the other.
Qualifications
B.S. and Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Texas, Austin
AKC Evaluator Tricks, Canine Good Citizen, Fetch
AKC Judge for Coursing Ability Tests
Barn Hunt Judge for the Barn Hunting Association – 2020-Present
Dog Training Seminars Attended:
Pat Hastings, Susan Garrett, Melanie Miller, Dr. Gary Johnson
Health and breed seminars at National Specialties