My name is Josh McCleary and I love decoying dogs. I started my decoying career in 2002 in my best friend’s living room in an effort to overcome a fear of dogs I had grown up with as a result of being the victim of a dog attack . I wanted to master my fear and overcome it. I officially certified as a level 1 FR decoy in June of 2008 and then certified as a level 1 MR decoy in December of 2008 with the highest certification score of the group (including a level 2 MR decoy).
Outside of dogs, I’m a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Utah . I enjoy running long distances (up to 50 miles) and really like being outdoors.
1. What club do you belong to? Utah Protection Sports
2. When you were you certified? December 2008
3. What does mondioring mean to you? Above everything else, I think that it means fun!
4. What inspired you to become a mondioring decoy? One of my club members is actively training her dog in mondioring. I felt that I needed to become a certified decoy in order to become familiar with mondioring and provide her with a competent decoy on which to train her dog.
5. What is the most important thing to you as a decoy about decoying? For me it is a combination between safety and knowing the rules. I believe that these two things go hand in hand and are incredibly important for anyone wishing to decoy in any sport. Handlers spend hours and hours training and preparing their dogs for a trial. It is the responsibility of the decoy to be just as prepared and provide the handler a safe, impartial venue in which to earn a mondiring title.
6. With one word describe yourself as a decoy? Redrocket
7. Is safety for the dog and handler important to you? As mentioned above, dog and decoy safety is absolutely one of the most important things to me. The handler doesn’t really have anything near the risk that the decoys and dogs have. Their safety on the mondioring field is a product of their own actions.
8. Where did you start decoying? I started decoying in Jason Farrish’s living room in front of the sofa, but not on the rug.
9. Who got you into mondioring? My amazing club member Holly!!!
10. How can you describe your decoying? I believe that I am a fast, fair and consistent decoy. The last dog will get the same challenge that the first dog received.
11. Are you the training decoy for your club? I am one of the training decoys in my club.
12. As a decoy are you working for the judge? Of course, that’s your job as a decoy.
13. What other interest do you have besides mondioring? I have many other interests, most of which have something to do with the outdoors. I love running long distances, I enjoy shooting (both long-range and pistols) and am a member of the University of Utah Pistol team, I love to fish I love French Ringsport, I love parties and BBQ’s, I really like the color red…
