A plucky little dog that survived abuse and health problems rewarded the Plymouth couple who adopted her with an American Kennel Club title recently. Winning that title also set a record.

Pockets, a 15-year-old blue merle Australian Shepherd, is the oldest dog ever to earn a title in AKC competition, said owner Adam Conn.

Australian Shepherds are working dogs with strong herding and guarding instincts. They also are loyal companions with the stamina to work all day, according to the Web site for the Australian Shepherd Association, www.australianshepherds.org.

Pockets certainly fits that description, especially considering the life she has lived,

"Imagine being kicked out of your house, living alone for two years and then finding out you have a series of health issues that should kill you within the next six months," Conn said. "And, on top of all that, you are a senior citizen.

"Then imagine competing in a series of athletic competitions and beating others not even a quarter of your age. That's what Pockets had to endure."

When Pockets was around 8-years-old, she was housed in a concrete run, getting little exercise and even less companionship, Conn said.

Health problems set in. The beautiful little dog, who stands about 20 inches tall, became infected with heartworms, developed problems in her sacrum and neck and probably would have died had she not been rescued by the Massachusetts chapter of Aussie Rescue and Placement Helpline, he said.

The Conns found Pockets through the Helpline and moved with her to Minnesota. After a number of near-death experiences, Pockets bounced back, seeming to gain strength as she defeated illness after illness.

"That's when I decided to put a title on her," Conn said. "The AKC approved 'Rally' as a titling event as of Jan. 1, so I told her she'd get registered to compete."

Along with her registration credentials, obtained through the AKC's Indefinite Listing Program, Pockets gained a new name, Capezza's Pick Your Pockets, chosen in honor of the ARPH rescue chair who placed Pockets with the Conns, he said.

Conn, who is experienced in training dogs, helped Pockets prepare for the Kennel Club rally trial, which was held Sept. 23 in Hugo. As she trained, she earned the Canine Good Citizen Award from the AKC and served as the "friendly dog" with the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of the Greater Twin Cities, Conn said.

The rally gives dogs and their handlers the opportunity to follow a course of 10 to 20 stations, each designating a particular skill that must be demonstrated. Those exercises can range from having the dog and handler weave through cones to having the dog heel and sit while the handler takes a series of steps, he said.

Needing at least a score of 70 points to qualify, Pockets earned scores of 77 and 81 in the first two trials. She missed the mark in her third trial but rallied to earn a passing 72 in her final trial, taking home the Rally Novice title, Conn said.

"She has set the bar quite high, considering most competition dogs have retired well before the age of 12," he said.

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