LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Some of the dogs competing in agility competitions fall into the mixed breed category. But that is not how the United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA) classifies them.

"We call them 'All Americans,'" says Stacy Peardot-Goudy of La Porte, Col., a professional dog trainer with 15 years experience in USDAA trials. Her dog Secret is the 2001 silver medalist that will be competing beside her in Sunday's medal round of the Great Outdoor Games' Large Dog Agility competition.

Border Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs are the most popular breeds at the top level of USDAA trials. But as Peardot-Gouday said, all breeds are welcome to the competition.

"All Americans" are joined by other breeds such as Brittanys, Jack Russells, Golden Retrievers and others. However, not all breeds are suited for the sport since it requires dogs with physical stamina and owner loyalty.

For instance, watch a dog agility trial and you'll notice that both dogs and their handlers must be in top physical condition. Peardot-Gouday has an advantage, living at an elevation of 6200 feet in the Colorado Rockies.

"We hike together a lot and that high altitude and thinner air helps us get into shape much quicker," she notes. "It's very important for the trainer and the dog to become one like a well-oiled machine."

As difficult as it appears to prepare dogs for agility training, Peardot-Gouday points out that it's not unlike training them for anything else, from obedience to hunting.

"It's all about repetition and consistency," she says.

Peardot-Gouday got Secret when the dog was seven months old. At the age of 15 months, Secret won her first competition. Agility dogs reach their competitive peak between the ages of five and seven. Secret, a five-year-old, is a three-time national champion and the reigning Sporting Dog Challenge champion.