Interest 'Peak'ed in agility training

Eleven-year-old Connor Peak has been around dogs all his life, but it is his ability to work with Shetland Sheepdogs through agility training that piqued the interest of Animal Planet.

The cable network came to Bealeton in March to tape a segment featuring Peak and his dog, Foster.

The segment, “Dogs 101,” taped at Liberty Hill Pet Resort and scheduled to air this fall, highlights Shetland Sheepdogs, commonly known as Shelties.

Shelties are a herding breed known for having a hunger for sports, obedience and agility. The latter is a common ingredient that Peak and his dog, Foster, share.

Peak is Hyperlexic — a high functioning Autistic spectrum which overlaps with Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Aspberger’s to varying degrees.

He began showing an interest in agility at the age of five, taking a class at Mattaponi Kennel Club, in Woodbridge, where he did well but was working with the family’s senior dog.

After taking several years off and acquiring two younger dogs (both Shelties, Foster being one of them) Peak considered returning to the world of dog competitions.

Peak doesn’t let his autism deter him from trainings and competitions. He has worked with Foster in agility courses under the tutelage of several different instructors, including his mom, Karen Peak.

“Of all the sites where Connor has worked with Foster, Liberty Hill Pet Resort is the place he feels most comfortable”, said Karen.

Mary Ann Robertson, a former student of Karen’s, has owned and operated Liberty Hill Pet Resort for the past five years.

Holly Hammerle teaches the agility class at the resort, allowing Robertson to invest more time in the day-to-day operations.

Finding an agility course near Culpeper proves difficult.

There are several in Northern Virginia but closer to Culpeper they are harder to find. Other than Liberty Hill, the closest one is in Amissville.

Agility courses are fast paced and include jumps, climbing obstacles and tunnels where the dogs run the course, by owner commands, off-leash and compete for the fastest time with the fewest faults.

Prior to agility classes at Liberty Hill, Connor had been showing Foster in conformation and junior show for over a year.

“They team well together so, though agility requires concentration and training, it is a different type of mental work than obedience or rally, and was a logical next step. It seemed to fit Connor,” Karen said.

Highlighting different breeds of dogs for their “Dogs 101” series, Animal Planet sent out notices looking for Shelties and Karen responded, not knowing initially if the notices were valid.

“They were interested in showing Foster and Connor, being Autism Spectrum,” said Karen.

On March 29, Animal Planet filmed Peak with Foster and Robertson working the agility course, spread out on a small section of the 13 acres where Liberty Hill is situated.

Last summer Peak had his second and third agility class there and hopes to participate in more classes this summer.

Peak will be in two advanced programs this fall as he enters middle school but hopes to continue agility courses. If the combination proves too much, his mom says he will have to put agility on hold until summer.

Connor was excited about the opportunity to be on television but was certainly not bragging about it. Through his experience with agility, in light of his Autism, he knows that though some things will come easy to him other things will be difficult.

Amy Wagner covers church news for the Star-Exponent. Have a story idea? E-mail her at recopps2002@comcast.net