Leila Widgren
My beginnings and fascination with dogs started at an early age (around 7) when our first dog, a small border collie, used to stand in the front yard and bark at Barney the crow and enjoy it thoroughly when Barney imitated Lady by “barking” back. Lady had no formal obedience training, but reliably came when my Mom rang a small dinner bell (as did we.) Funny what you remember as a kid.
For a long as I can remember, we had a family dog. I started training in obedience and agility in 1998 when Butchie, a sweet rescued Shih Tzu, came to live with me. The day that he discovered that he was allowed to run as fast as he could in agility touched my heart. You see, he grew up in a local puppy mill for 5 years as a stud muffin before he was rescued by Geauga Humane Society and didn’t know what running and playing was all about. My heart was joyful to discover that he knew what running with the wind blowing his ears was and it grieved my heart when I realized that up until then he didn’t know that he was even allowed to run and play. This profoundly touched me and my approach to working with dogs.
I was highly involved in a canine obedience drill team for 5 years with Butchie and then Ollie, my second Shih Tzu, writing and teaching, and performing in the group drill team routines. Having a synchronized swimming background, with routines being choreographed in an artistic manner with the music, I longed to make this happen on the drill team. After leaving the drill team, I started dabbling in canine freestyle.
After trying another canine freestyle organization and being concerned about the dance step and prop coordination aspect of it, I found Canine Freestyle Federation (CFF) freestyle (where the emphasis is on the dog, not the handler) in 2008 and have been working very hard to bring it to Ohio and nurture it on the North Coast ever since. In May of 2013, our North Coast Canine Freestylers (NCCF) guild hosted the first CFF Freestyle titling event in the state of Ohio at Canine Affair Center. As President and co-training director of NCCF, it was wonderful to have 3 of our guild members achieve their Level 1 & Level II titles at our first show.
My artistic, creative, choreography, musical, and performance experience includes 5 years of being on a synchronized swim team, and then coaching, choreographing, and judging synchronized swimming for 9 years, working in the performing arts as a clown for 17 years, and playing piano and oboe as a youth and playing in our church bell choir for 25 years.
I am excited to share the sport of CFF Freestyle with you. Most dog sports center on the dog and handler team being told where, what, and when to demonstrate a skill. The beginning levels of CFF freestyle require that the freestyle team perform some basic skills (right and/or left side heel work, front work, pace changes, turns and/or pivots, and circles, serpentines or spirals) and leaves it up to you as to where, what, when, and how to do that. Herein lies the FREE in freestyle and is also at the same time --the big challenge. CFF freestyle is a training discipline, a journey that develops your relationship with your canine partner, and a dog sport all at once. It is simple, yet complex and there are many layers of depth and complexity to peel back. CFF Freestyle melds technical ability, creativity, and artistry. At the risk of sounding corny, CFF freestyle is a journey with your freestyle partner! I look forward to helping you and your canine partner on your freestyle journey as together you build on your relationship and connection with your dog and illustrate that bond in a routine and celebration of your dog work.
The bond that we have with our dogs is built on trust and mutual respect!
For a long as I can remember, we had a family dog. I started training in obedience and agility in 1998 when Butchie, a sweet rescued Shih Tzu, came to live with me. The day that he discovered that he was allowed to run as fast as he could in agility touched my heart. You see, he grew up in a local puppy mill for 5 years as a stud muffin before he was rescued by Geauga Humane Society and didn’t know what running and playing was all about. My heart was joyful to discover that he knew what running with the wind blowing his ears was and it grieved my heart when I realized that up until then he didn’t know that he was even allowed to run and play. This profoundly touched me and my approach to working with dogs.
I was highly involved in a canine obedience drill team for 5 years with Butchie and then Ollie, my second Shih Tzu, writing and teaching, and performing in the group drill team routines. Having a synchronized swimming background, with routines being choreographed in an artistic manner with the music, I longed to make this happen on the drill team. After leaving the drill team, I started dabbling in canine freestyle.
After trying another canine freestyle organization and being concerned about the dance step and prop coordination aspect of it, I found Canine Freestyle Federation (CFF) freestyle (where the emphasis is on the dog, not the handler) in 2008 and have been working very hard to bring it to Ohio and nurture it on the North Coast ever since. In May of 2013, our North Coast Canine Freestylers (NCCF) guild hosted the first CFF Freestyle titling event in the state of Ohio at Canine Affair Center. As President and co-training director of NCCF, it was wonderful to have 3 of our guild members achieve their Level 1 & Level II titles at our first show.
My artistic, creative, choreography, musical, and performance experience includes 5 years of being on a synchronized swim team, and then coaching, choreographing, and judging synchronized swimming for 9 years, working in the performing arts as a clown for 17 years, and playing piano and oboe as a youth and playing in our church bell choir for 25 years.
I am excited to share the sport of CFF Freestyle with you. Most dog sports center on the dog and handler team being told where, what, and when to demonstrate a skill. The beginning levels of CFF freestyle require that the freestyle team perform some basic skills (right and/or left side heel work, front work, pace changes, turns and/or pivots, and circles, serpentines or spirals) and leaves it up to you as to where, what, when, and how to do that. Herein lies the FREE in freestyle and is also at the same time --the big challenge. CFF freestyle is a training discipline, a journey that develops your relationship with your canine partner, and a dog sport all at once. It is simple, yet complex and there are many layers of depth and complexity to peel back. CFF Freestyle melds technical ability, creativity, and artistry. At the risk of sounding corny, CFF freestyle is a journey with your freestyle partner! I look forward to helping you and your canine partner on your freestyle journey as together you build on your relationship and connection with your dog and illustrate that bond in a routine and celebration of your dog work.
The bond that we have with our dogs is built on trust and mutual respect!