Nathalie van Laecken
Born: September 2, 1975
Residence: Asse (Belgium)
- What do you love about sports with dogs?
What’s so great about playing sports with your dogs is the strong bond you form with them. You form a real team that works for each other and have so much fun together. Running full out.
Gives me a satisfaction and smile on my face every time my dogs are happy.
She happy = I happy
- What breed of dog(s) do you have and what is/are their name(s)?
Beagle = Melvin
The first in line. This began 12years of my canicross experience. Through the dog school I got to know people who participated in the sport. And so I got into it because Melvin also really wanted to run. A real driven beagle.
Who also got to run with many children. Always happy at the start.
German standing shorthair = Vedett +
Vedett my first experience with a feisty lady in the sport. She did everything gladly. With her my first experience in bikejoring. She liked to do everything. Running, stepping and biking. I had to give up my specialleke too soon. At 7 years to heart failure. 💖
Thanks to her, I couldn’t get enough and more came.
German standing shorthair = Lay’s
Lay’s started her life super and rolled right along in the sport.
Her first steps in the sport were very promising. She went like a rocket for the bike.
But was short-lived. At the age of 3 something appeared to be wrong with lay’s. After long and much searching what was wrong with her because really did not want to do the sport anymore while she had nothing traumatic for it. After many examinations it turned out that she acquired toxoplasmosis / neospora where her nervous system was affected. Because of this she has a lot of muscle pain. Also became night-blind and blind.
She has become our happy loyal supporter.
German standing shorthair = Odelle
Odelle the feisty lady was allowed to follow up our pack. She soon followed in the footsteps of Vedett.
A tremendously driven girl in the sport. Unbelievable how she keeps getting into her starting blocks. Not normal how driven she is. Always for the full 100% she goes for it. She never let me down. I’ve had a lot of great achievements with her and she always puts a smile on my face.
Scandinavian hound = Vodka
Vodka the brown fastdog we insisted on having. It had to be that one. And yes…it is exactly how it had to be. She the one with the spicy vedett side…they have so much in common. A true successor.
Vodka the young rambunctious in the pack with the super fun character will put her entry into the sport this year a little later due to corona in 2020. But will definitely come good. The training is going great. More and more confidence. Both biking and stepping she does super. We can not miss the feisty and very sweet lady in our pack.
- What sports do you play and how long have you been active in these sport(s)?
Started canicross 12years ago. Soon also sold to bikejoring and then stepping.
But after serious illness canicross is no longer possible due to physical complaints. So I fully applied myself in bikejoring and dogscooter.
- What are your goals for the future in this sport(s)?
Goals for the future…see what comes our way and every race nice goal to come around without any injuries and accidents also no biting incidents and have a nice race as a team.
Together a long happy life in our warm pack. And many outings with fun races.
- What is your greatest sports moment to date?
Every competition is always a great sports moment. Always fun first. Always first and foremost my dog. The rest is secondary.
But if I have to list 1 of many, it is my 1st BK win with Odelleke in 2017.
After long rigorous rehabilitation of 4 months with Odelle who had undergone tendon surgery. In which she is a bolt richer in her shoulder. Odelle performed super and we achieved the greatest reward.
- What is the funniest or least funny sports moment to date?
Funniest moments were at big mass starts with Melvin standing among all the big dogs and he acted like a hero chasing the big dogs.
Less fun moments that do happen from time to time were biting incidents. Both with Melvin and Vedett at an early age in the sport. Where this took me a few years to get them through mentally with confidence giving. But gave a huge bond.
- Can you give one tip to other canicrossers/steppers/bikers/sled dog mushers what is best to do/don’t do in this sport(s)?
First and foremost comes your dog and fun together.
The dog is not a robot you can set with buttons. Give trust and create a real team.
When there is less performance, it is not always your dog’s fault. There are factors that can be down to your base and everyone has a down day.
Always consider your dog on different courses, temperatures and distances.
- What is your favorite Fastdog product for your dog(s)?
We should be very happy….also to discover fastdog.
Since the fastdog products there have been better performance and workouts.
Here they love the recovery shake and power bonbons after every race or workout. A real reward.
They also get the salmon oil, fastfeet and greenlip mussel daily on their kibble or meat meals.
Thanks also to Aunt Els our faithful handler.
