Runt of the litter is a big star

Baxter looks like a normal dog. Wearing a blue bandana around his neck, he wags his tail and growls playfully just like any other pooch.

But Baxter, pet of Lisa M. Carl of Watertown, is something special. A yellow Labrador retriever, the 3-year-old dog has won nearly 90 awards in American Kennel Club Rally and Obedience events since his first show less than 10 months ago.

Obedience trials are a traditional AKC event that emphasize training of household dogs by owners. Baxter, who is just getting started in the obedience category, won Novice A and B titles with his mastery of exercises such as remaining in a down position for three minutes and walking in a figure eight.

A newer AKC category is the rally, involving a course of 10 to 20 stations at which handlers must communicate directions to their dogs. Handlers are allowed to make physical contact with leashed dogs at the novice level, while neither leashing nor touching is allowed at the advanced and excellent levels.

Baxter has earned rally titles in Novice, Advanced and Excellent classes. He has also received a Rally Advanced Excellent title, for which he had to qualify in both Advanced B and Excellent B classes at 10 individual rally trials.

The scoring is on a 100-point scale, with 70 points the minimum for qualifying. Baxter has received a perfect score three times and averages 98.5 points per trial.

He had a less than promising start. He was the runt in a litter of 12 puppies that came unexpectedly to Mrs. Carl's pet boarding service, A Doggie Doo, in Watertown. Baxter weighed only 2 ounces at birth, and when he was 3 days old a local veterinarian said that the puppy probably would not survive.

Three years later, it's clear that Baxter not only survived, but thrived. Mrs. Carl got an idea of how exceptional her pet was when she took him as her model to an Atlantic City, N.J., show for dog products in March.

Not only did Baxter win the award for best dog out of the 5,000 canines there, but he also was the object of a $5,000 purchase offer by a man from Germany.

More recently, he has accumulated ribbons, statues, chairs, blankets, dog beds and even a doggy jacket from his victories. This year on Memorial Day weekend, he took first place in four out of five categories at a dog show in Clayton.

These wins are the product of extensive training, said Mrs. Carl. Baxter learns his commands through the reward system, receiving vocal praise, patting or treats when he performs well.

Baxter's favorite treat is string cheese. He gets lots of exercise and keeps his weight down, even with cheesy snacks.

"If I don't give him a treat, he gets really upset," Mrs. Carl said.

Baxter's training equipment consists of fluorescent traffic cones, low fences, a suspended hoop and something called a broad jump, a long ramp that Mrs. Carl says is very difficult for dogs to jump over. She trains Baxter herself and runs alongside him during competitions to give commands.

When Mrs. Carl gives verbal cues — "come," "ready," "stay," "heel" and "good boy!" — Baxter responds accordingly. He also watches her left hand and her body language for cues, heeling when she walks and stopping when she halts.

"The hardest part isn't training the dog, it's training the individual," said Mrs. Carl. "You have to train yourself on the correct way to do things."

"Anybody could do just about anything with their dogs; it's just how much time they put into it," she said.

In addition to all his shows, Baxter goes to work daily with Mrs. Carl, who plans to open a grooming school within the next year.

Baxter also helps his owner with various seminars on dog behavior, often traveling to Ogdensburg and Syracuse for demonstrations.

"He's just very intelligent; he loves to work," Mrs. Carl said.

Baxter has had his share of tribulations. At one show in Syracuse, the yellow Labrador was bitten by a dog moments before he had to perform. During a competition exercise, Baxter stoically bore the amorous advances of a black Labrador who mistook him for his girlfriend, winning the admiration of judges for his perfect stillness.

"He's just been so incredible," said Mrs. Carl, as she led him through his paces. "I'm so fortunate to have him."

According to the AKC, Labrador retriever is the most popular dog breed in the United States. However, Baxter does not meet breed conformation standards and not be used for breeding. Still, it looks like he will have a busy future.

Baxter and Mrs. Carl will compete in a "Dancing with the Dogs" contest in September. The Olympic-style event, produced by the World Canine Freestyle Organization, pairs dog and human partners in choreographed routines for an overall effect that might best be described as a canine cha-cha.

Mrs. Carl demonstrated some typical dance moves by leading Baxter forward, backward, in a tight circle and through her legs. She wants to make it to the WCFO nationals in November.

Mrs. Carl hopes that Baxter will become the first dog to win 10 Tally Advanced Excellent titles. "We want to go down in the AKC book," she said.