UK9BG Club Member Spotlight: Amanda Poluck

Amanda has always been passionate about animals and animal sports. Her journey into competitive animal-partnered sports began in her teens and early twenties when she competed in Gymkhanas and Rodeos with her horse, Dundee. After retiring Dundee, she took a break from animal sports until she and her husband, Mickey, got their first dog together—an Olde English Bulldogge named Riddick.

While they knew that Olde English Bulldogges were bred to be healthier and more active than their standard English Bulldog counterparts, they were unprepared for the whirlwind that was Riddick. It quickly became evident that he needed a job to channel his endless energy, which led Amanda and Mickey to the sport of competitive weight pull. Since Riddick was Amanda’s constant companion, she suggested that Mickey handle him in weight pull to help strengthen their bond. Though she did not handle Riddick in many competitions, she played a significant role in his training for the sport.

Through weight pull, Amanda and Mickey met many fellow dog enthusiasts and discovered various other dog sports. While participating in a demo for one of Ultimate K9 Bodyguards’ Wild West Showdowns, they met Stan and Tammy Thankachen, who introduced them to the world of bite sports. They soon realized they had found a sport that harnessed the fire of their high-drive Bulldogge. When Riddick first tried bitework with Stan, all it took was a light poke to “harm” Amanda, and Riddick immediately sprang into action. From there, they joined the PSA club that UK9BG was forming. Though Riddick never competed in PSA, he earned a reputation as a “Malinois in a Bulldogge suit” due to his intense fight drive and explosive send-outs.

As Mickey became a training decoy for the UK9BG PSA club, Amanda also took on a key role in supporting the club. For UK9BG’s first few trials, she served as the on-field steward before eventually assuming the role of trial secretary. Her efforts allowed her clubmates to focus on competing without worrying about administrative duties. She has now been the trial secretary for the past eight UK9BG club trials. Amanda also stepped onto the trial field herself, competing with her husband’s Cane Corso, UK9BG’s Captain Ripley, and handling her from a PDC-SC to a PDC. The journey with Ripley was far from easy and required immense dedication from Mickey, Amanda, and the entire UK9BG team.

Amanda developed a deep appreciation for the obedience aspects of PSA. While she never competed in PSA with Riddick, she earned titles in Rally Obedience, Formal Obedience, and Nosework with him. Her experiences with Riddick’s love for sports and Ripley’s training challenges ultimately inspired her to shift her career direction. While already working in administration for High Tails Pet Resort—a large boarding, daycare, grooming, and training facility—she also began teaching dog training classes and private lessons. She now teaches a range of classes, from Puppy/Manners to CGN Prep and Rally Obedience, but her passion lies in working with fear-reactive dogs and addressing behavioral challenges. Additionally, she became the training director for the Western Canada Pull Club.

After Riddick’s passing in 2020, Amanda found her next working partner—another Olde English Bulldogge, Evolution’s Draken. She actively competes with him in her first love, weight pull, where he has achieved notable success. Draken has placed second in his weight class at championships under two different organizations and was named Dog of the Year for 2024 in the 90lb Class by the American Pulling Alliance. Amanda hopes to further showcase his skills at the International Weight Pull Association’s Championships in May 2025, which she and the Western Canada Pull Club will be hosting.

Amanda’s love for off-breed dogs presents unique challenges in bite sports. While Draken is not currently competing in PSA, he has earned multiple titles in weight pull, Rally Obedience, Formal Obedience, and Parkour, with plans to add NASDA and Nosework titles to his accomplishments. She also assists her husband with his new PSA prospect, John Wick’s Backup Plan vom Konigshaus—a fiery young German Shepherd Dog. 

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