{"id":98073,"date":"2026-11-07T12:35:02","date_gmt":"2026-11-07T04:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=98073"},"modified":"2026-11-07T12:35:02","modified_gmt":"2026-11-07T04:35:02","slug":"life-after-a-new-leash-on-life-for-former-prison-officer-turned-dog-agility-trainer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=98073","title":{"rendered":"Life After: A new leash on life for former prison officer-turned-dog agility trainer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"text-primary article-summary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SINGAPORE \u2013 <!-- -->It is not just the dog that has to be fast in canine agility competitions. The handler has to sprint along, too, to guide the animal through the timed obstacle course.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But for Elsa Soo, a longstanding knee injury meant that when it came to navigating a course, other competitors left her in the dust. So rather than outrun them, she chose to outwit them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She came up with her own version of verbal cues to guide her 9\u00bd-year-old border collie Venus through the course.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Soo trained Venus to listen to verbal commands and independently search, recognise and commit to an obstacle, such as tight weave poles or sharp tunnel entries, without the 60-year-old having to physically nudge Venus into it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She would also stand back or remain in a centralised area of the ring while her dog tackled complex sequences some distance ahead of her.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cVenus learnt to listen calmly to my voice and worked things out systematically. Then I would pray that I do not fail her as she tried her best on the world stage,\u201d Soo said, laughing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">According to Agility Divertidog\u2019s results, the senior duo secured a very respectable fifth place at the prestigious FCI Agility World Championship (AWC) 2026 held in Turku, Finland, in September.<\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"responsive-iframe-base instagram instagram-embed\" title=\"instagram embed\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Ddzq_f9E0tm\/embed\/captioned\/?omitscript=true\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer;falseclipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;\" loading=\"eager\" data-testid=\"responsiveIframe\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI am 60. I have bad knees. Of course, I could not run as fast as a 25-year-old handler. So, I had to find another way. I did not want to fail my dog,\u201d the former prison officer told The Straits Times.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Now a dog agility trainer, she has a job quite different from the one she held during her 28 years with the Singapore Prison Service. But her passion for dogs has been a constant. Soo had worked with other dogs throughout her adult life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She joined the prison service in 1991 after helping her mother wind up her second-hand hardware business, as Soo had no intention of taking it over.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cSince (I was in) school, I always wanted to be part of a uniform group because I believed in discipline and structure. Besides that, the Singapore Prison Service also helped offenders turn over a new leaf and gave them a chance to rebuild their lives. That was something I have always believed in \u2013 giving people a second chance,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Soo was given the opportunity to work in the Singapore Prisons Emergency Action Response Force, but went on to break new ground when she became the first woman to undergo narcotics detection dog training with the Singapore Prison Service Dog Unit.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"font-primary-headline-md-semibold\" data-testid=\"article-subhead-test-id\">Canine partners that never went off the clock<\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She expanded her tactical expertise in protection work when she was seconded to the Police Dog Unit for a year, where she was deployed to the airport and customs checkpoints at the borders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cMy canine partner and I were part of the relocation of the patients from Woodbridge Hospital to the current Institute of Mental Health (in 1993). The prisoners, who were ordered by the courts to stay at Woodbridge Hospital then, had to be handled differently during the move,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe were also part of the team that made sure the refugees from Vietnam were properly repatriated out of Singapore when the Hawkins Road Refugee Camp officially closed in 1996. We had guard dogs with us to maintain order as the refugees were quite emotional then.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIt was after that that the dog unit was transferred to the police, and I went back to working with inmates in the Women\u2019s Prison, the Drug Rehabilitation Centres and the work release camps,\u201d Soo added.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"default inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/d77ed5f1282170d73425d66da797b32d694a9c7625d3a9b6482e9813e7c4b883?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/d77ed5f1282170d73425d66da797b32d694a9c7625d3a9b6482e9813e7c4b883?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/d77ed5f1282170d73425d66da797b32d694a9c7625d3a9b6482e9813e7c4b883?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/d77ed5f1282170d73425d66da797b32d694a9c7625d3a9b6482e9813e7c4b883\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/d77ed5f1282170d73425d66da797b32d694a9c7625d3a9b6482e9813e7c4b883\" alt=\"Soo with her four-legged colleague during her days as a prison officer.\" class=\"aspect-default flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover default article-default mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Soo with a four-legged colleague during her days as a prison officer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->PHOTO: COURTESY OF ELSA SOO<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The camps are structured Community-Based Programmes designed to prepare inmates for work and reintegration into society.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIt was by living and working with dogs that I realised that they are not just animals. The bond between a dog and a human is real. They know what we are thinking, and we learn to know what they are thinking too. So when I returned to the prison without a dog, I felt a certain loss,\u201d Soo said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">That was when she developed an interest in dog agility, a competitive sport where a handler guides a dog off-leash through a timed, numbered obstacle course.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In 2006, she started training with her pet schnauzer Whiskey \u201cbecause he was too active\u201d, and that was when she fell in love with the sport. But it was only in 2010 that she entered their first event.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Soo said that initially, when dog agility was still a hobby, she participated only in competitions held in Singapore and at weekends.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">However, after getting bitten by the competition bug, Soo decided to opt for early retirement from the Singapore Prison Service to pursue her interest in dog training and agility.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She cited the limitations of applying for leave and travelling overseas for competitions as reasons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThere were times when my leave was cancelled due to work commitments, and I had to forego the competition, which Sirius \u2013 my border collie then \u2013 was trained for. It was a shame,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Sirius came from a pet shop and was not specially bred for agility, but Soo began preparing him for the sport in 2015.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI was a novice at that time and had never trained a border collie, so I ran Sirius like I would a schnauzer, which was the wrong method. So I attended courses and seminars to learn the ropes, and became a qualified agility handler,\u201d Soo said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"default inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9685a671261eece35211a4325b686dcce6dc51b8c2e5827b79a3871fbd8fa57f?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9685a671261eece35211a4325b686dcce6dc51b8c2e5827b79a3871fbd8fa57f?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9685a671261eece35211a4325b686dcce6dc51b8c2e5827b79a3871fbd8fa57f?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9685a671261eece35211a4325b686dcce6dc51b8c2e5827b79a3871fbd8fa57f\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9685a671261eece35211a4325b686dcce6dc51b8c2e5827b79a3871fbd8fa57f\" alt=\"Sirius the Border collie was Soo\u2019s first dog to compete in an agility competition in 2016.\" class=\"aspect-default flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover default article-default mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Sirius the border collie was Soo\u2019s first dog to compete in an agility competition in 2016.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->PHOTO: COURTESY OF ELSA SOO<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Sirius became Soo\u2019s first dog to compete in 2016 \u201cbecause he took instructions well and did exceptionally at competitions\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"font-primary-headline-md-semibold\" data-testid=\"article-subhead-test-id\">Venus, the underdog<\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Having watched other teams compete at international events, Soo decided to get a border collie that was specially bred for agility and brought in Venus from Britain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIt takes two years to train a dog to be good at agility because it needs (time) to develop the skill, and we needed to wait for the dog to grow up. We do not want to train it too early because we do not want to harm its joints,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cBut when Venus arrived, she was timid and struggled to adjust to unfamiliar surroundings. She wasn\u2019t particularly playful, and honestly, she wasn\u2019t a fast learner either. My cousin even asked if I got the right dog because Venus refused to obey simple commands like \u2018sit\u2019 and \u2018fetch\u2019,\u201d Soo recalled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In 2019, when Venus was ready, Soo decided to go into a new venture. She started Starrelito K9 Training, a dog training academy, in March that year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Venus was two years and two months old when she competed in the World Agility Open Championships, her first international competition, held in the Netherlands in May 2019.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe were the first Singapore team to have participated at that level. However, the weather was not on our side because it was one of the hottest summers in the Netherlands at 39 deg C. The competition was postponed till the evening because animal welfare groups there were protesting,\u201d Soo said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The course was also set up on sand, which Singapore dogs were not familiar with, and which was taxing for the human handlers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Soo said that although Venus was not perfect, she managed to place 15th among 96 dogs in her category at her first outing, which was impressive for \u201ca young dog my cousin deemed stupid\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"default inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b3d77f64d3bf76a0b6805d6ba151f083936d4dc1f2167399f97646f7e8eefa40?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b3d77f64d3bf76a0b6805d6ba151f083936d4dc1f2167399f97646f7e8eefa40?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b3d77f64d3bf76a0b6805d6ba151f083936d4dc1f2167399f97646f7e8eefa40?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b3d77f64d3bf76a0b6805d6ba151f083936d4dc1f2167399f97646f7e8eefa40\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b3d77f64d3bf76a0b6805d6ba151f083936d4dc1f2167399f97646f7e8eefa40\" alt=\"Soo and Venus in action at the 2026 FCI Agility World Championship in Turku, Finland.\" class=\"aspect-default flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover default article-default mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Soo and Venus in action at the 2026 FCI Agility World Championship in Turku, Finland.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->PHOTO: COURTESY OF ELSA SOO<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Soo was herself in awe. \u201cI was up against all these world champions, some of whom were my trainers and others I idolised.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">There were usually two competitions held in Europe a year, but she decided not to go for the second one because it was expensive and Venus had already taken part in her first competition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThat decision was my biggest regret because the next year, 2020, was the Covid-19 pandemic, and there was a complete dearth of competitions both in Singapore and overseas until 2022. Venus and my other dog <!-- -->Chase<!-- -->, a cocker spaniel, missed out during their \u2018golden years\u2019, when they could have excelled,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">When they returned to competing, progress was slow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThen slowly came some clean runs, then more clean runs, and eventually, we started getting results,\u201d Soo said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The duo finished ninth at the European Open in 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Now aged 9\u00bd, Venus showed that being a senior dog would not stop her from beating her younger competitors, not even when handler Soo was unable to run as fast beside her.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/a785ea2f8fd2083a5d6a8cdb784aec706ee9e0a504d82ddf684d2b164a801f00?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/a785ea2f8fd2083a5d6a8cdb784aec706ee9e0a504d82ddf684d2b164a801f00?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/a785ea2f8fd2083a5d6a8cdb784aec706ee9e0a504d82ddf684d2b164a801f00?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/a785ea2f8fd2083a5d6a8cdb784aec706ee9e0a504d82ddf684d2b164a801f00\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/a785ea2f8fd2083a5d6a8cdb784aec706ee9e0a504d82ddf684d2b164a801f00\" alt=\"Soo jokes that her relationship with Venus is built on the dog\u2019s sweat and her blood after Soo tore a knee ligament and suffered hairline fractures in her ribs.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Soo jokes that her relationship with Venus is built on the dog\u2019s sweat and her blood after she tore a knee ligament and suffered hairline fractures in her ribs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">They placed fifth at the FCI AWC 2026, beating nearly 100 competitors from other countries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThere is no shortcut to that kind of relationship formed between a handler and her agility dog. In fact, I joked that it is built on sweat and blood \u2013 Venus\u2019 sweat and my blood \u2013 after having torn my knee ligament and suffering hairline fractures in my ribs,\u201d Soo said, laughing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Soo said that, like other dogs of her breed, Venus possesses an uncanny ability to read and interpret her handler\u2019s subtle movements, eye contact and tone of voice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cShe became very sensitive to my moods and was able to know what I wanted. It made it easy for me to adapt and come up with my own version of verbal cues during competition,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Soo was able to understand Venus\u2019 needs through her whines and eye movements, such as when she wanted to go for walks or when she was bored.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Depending on Venus\u2019 health, her next international competition, if she is fit to compete <!-- -->in 2027<!-- -->, would be her last.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThe grand dame will have to pass the baton to her younger \u2018siblings\u2019 in the Soo household, who have been eagerly waiting in the wings,\u201d Soo said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/life-after-a-new-leash-on-life-for-former-prison-officer-turned-dog-agility-trainer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><br \/>\n<center\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SINGAPORE \u2013 It is not just the dog that has to be fast in canine agility competitions. The handler has to sprint along, too, to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=98073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/98074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=98073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=98073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=98073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}