Handled and owned by clay smith Retired in 2020
Grace was one of the first 2 dogs I showed in PSA.
Grace was one of the first two dogs I competed with in PSA trials, and she was truly something special—a high-drive female with relentless determination. Originally owned by Mark Clem, I trained and handled her before eventually acquiring her just before her PSA Level 1 debut. At that point, she had already undergone her first TPLO surgery but still had the heart of a competitor.
She was retired in 2020 after undergoing two separate TPLO repairs. The original plan was for Anna to show her in the 2020 PSA Nationals Level 1, since I was already handling Max and Kahn in PSA Level 2 scenarios. However, Grace had her own ideas—during the Midwest Regionals, she decided not to out for Anna, preventing her from qualifying for Nationals.
After that, Grace officially retired and now enjoys the good life with Anna. The two have become inseparable, and I couldn’t have asked for a better retirement home for her. She’s had the chance to travel, gain incredible life experiences, and enjoy the companionship of her best friend. Grace’s journey in PSA competition was unforgettable,
Grace funny story
This picture is from a separate trial but the very first trial I showed her in was in Arkansas at K9 Experience judged by Jerry Bradshaw.
I was new to PSA and it was my first trial. I was showing her and Max in the PDC Level. Grace was pretty fired up as normal and our obedience wasn’t the best performance ever but we would have had enough to pass.
However, in the critique area while Jerry was giving us feedback he said “…and she is going to the bathroom, go ahead and let her finish, but that is a disqualification.” As I looked down she was pooping right there, about 6 feet from Jerry.
From that point on, all my dogs are told to down in the critique area! Definite learning experince!
She had character and personality for days and I posted several videos to my tiktok profile with her.
She was affectionately referred to as Grace the Growlinois!
This video of her playing with a downed tree is a great representation of her personality.
Grace PSA Trial Logs
| DATE | LOCATION | EVENT | JUDGE | LEVEL | HANDLER | DOG | BREED | OB | PR | TOTAL | STATUS | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/4/20 | CANAL WINCHESTER, OHIO | TRIAL | JANET EDWARDS | PSA1 | ANNA POOL | GRACE | BELGIAN MALINOIS | 79.50 | 0.00 | 79.5 | NO PASS (NO OUT) | |
| 10/3/20 | CANAL WINCHESTER, OHIO | MIDWEST REGIONALS | JANET EDWARDS | PSA1 | ANNA POOL | GRACE | BELGIAN MALINOIS | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0 | PULL | |
| 9/6/20 | BOURBANNAIS, IL | TRIAL | KEVIN GOEDE | PSA1 | CLAY SMITH | GRACE | BELGIAN MALINOIS | 87.50 | 188.50 | 276 | PASS | LEVEL 1 - 1st PLACE |
| 9/5/20 | BOURBANNAIS, IL | TRIAL | KEVIN GOEDE | PSA1 | CLAY SMITH | GRACE | BELGIAN MALINOIS | 89.00 | 193.00 | 282 | PASS | LEVEL 1 - 1st PLACE, OVERALL HIGH OBEDIENCE, HIGH IN TRIAL, HIGH OWNER TRAINED, HIGH OWNER TRAINED CLUB |
| 4/14/18 | HEATH, OH | TRIAL | STEVE ROBERTS | PSA1 | CLAY SMITH | GRACE | BELGIAN MALINOIS | 61.50 | 0.00 | 61.5 | NO PASS | |
| 5/20/17 | CEDAR GROVE, MO | TRIAL | DARRYL RICHEY | PDC | CLAY SMITH | GRACE | BELGIAN MALINOIS | 62.00 | 83.00 | 145 | PASS | |
| 3/5/17 | LITTLE ROCK, AR | TRIAL | JERRY BRADSHAW | PDC | CLAY SMITH | GRACE | BELGIAN MALINOIS | 46.50 | 0.00 | 46.5 | NO PASS |
