Jagoda Piec and her dog Stefan in Mam Talent

Look4dog: Hello Jagoda! It's wonderful to see you! Once again, we congratulate you on your enormous success and thank you for finding the time to speak with us despite your growing popularity following your television appearances [laughter].

Jagoda: [laughter] Hello! Thank you for the invitation and for your support during the programme. Feel free to ask away!

Look4dog: What are your feelings and impressions after placing second in the Britain's Got Talent programme?

Jagoda: I couldn't have done it alone! I didn't expect so many people to be supportive of us! The result at each stage was a huge surprise for me. I'm enormously grateful to everyone who supported us! Thank you for believing in us and for the millions of text votes!

I was absolutely impressed by how the work on set was organised. The production and crew took the dog's comfort into account – rehearsal times were scheduled so that Stefan could have time for a walk in the forest and sleep after rehearsals on Friday. The Studio Transcolor crew also showed themselves to be very professional. The wardrobe was located very close to a quiet exit onto the lawn at the back of the building. Our door was locked and there was a security guard permanently stationed at the entrance. Nearby there were also fields where Stefan could run off the lead in open space between rehearsals. 

Look4dog: You performed fantastically – do you and Stefan have any special ways of dealing with the considerable stress of performing in public and in front of such a large audience both in the studio and for television viewers?
    
Jagoda: I am an artist. I have hundreds of concerts behind me and I love the audience. I remember that I couldn't wait for us to take to the stage at Britain's Got Talent. I'm certain that Stefan feels my genuine emotions. That's why the performances themselves weren't a huge challenge for him. I'm very proud of our final performance! However, we also paid great attention to making optimal use of the time between rehearsals. The most important thing is RECOVERY – the dog must rest – both physically and mentally.  

Look4dog: Is Stefan your only pet?

Jagoda: No, I have two Mudi. Stefan is 9 years old. I also have a young female – Esme, who is 11 months old and we only started our sport training last month. Previously, I focused above all on our relationship. That's why puppy training was about creating rituals, building communication and trust – the result is motivation for working together.

Look4dog: Perfect harmony, complete understanding and one hundred per cent trust in your partner are your undeniable assets. How long have you been working with Stefan, and how much time does it take to develop such a relationship with a dog as you have?
    
Jagoda: How much time does it take? All the time. A good breeder of pedigree dogs works with a puppy that's just a few weeks old before handing them over to their new handler. It's a lifestyle. I take my dogs almost everywhere: training halls, the forest, restaurants, galleries, string quartet rehearsals, friends' weddings, concert halls and more. Socialisation is the foundation. What matters to me is that my dogs feel confident in themselves, rather than whether they pull on the lead. If I know that a situation could be too difficult for one of my Mudi – I don't take him to that place unless I have the opportunity to work with the dog. I also know the limits of my dogs and respect them. My dogs know that I have never put them in an environment that's too difficult without gradually preparing them, and they can always signal to me that something is overwhelming them. Then we change direction together. Dogs are masters of anticipation. If I consistently ensure positive associations with increasingly difficult situations – a live show on television after a whole day in the studio will exist in the dog's mind as: ‘ooooh the more bizarre the situation, the better the game and the better the rewards during training!’.

 

Look4dog: Your dogs' lives are full of challenges. Where do they get the strength to perform demanding shows?

Jagoda: You're right. A dog that doesn't feel comfortable won't be able to perform complicated commands. Apart from the communication system and socialisation, a dog must also have the opportunity to rest and disconnect from all stimuli. That's why I'm an advocate of the crate - properly introduced as a safe place. 

 

Look4dog: What did the preparations for the grand final look like?

Jagoda: Between our live performance at the Semi-final and the Final Show there were only two weeks' break. The fact that we won the Semi-final was such an abstraction for me that before the Semi-final I didn't even dare to start working on a potential Final project… However, thanks to thousands of wonderful people, we won. When the shock wore off, I immediately created a training plan so that the optimal day for the dog would be on the day of the Final. In short: first week of absolute recovery: massages, diet modification, calm walks, all interactions planned. And in the second week we had only 3 training days, including Friday sessions on stage. Yes. On Friday, Stef had his first contact with props. And on Saturday the Final….
Preparing a final performance in 3 training sessions - I know it sounds like madness. But my priority is that Stef never suffers an injury. And it worked. My dog is 9 years old and has never had an injury. Apart from a balanced training system, Stef regularly visits a physiotherapist, has a carefully selected diet and supplements. 

Look4dog: Stefan is a Mudi. Can you tell us something from your experience about this breed? Any interesting facts, character traits? Who would you recommend this breed to?
    
Jagoda: The Mudi is first and foremost a working dog breed - these are primitive herding dogs. To this day it remains a working breed. That's why in the breed's native country, Hungary, for a dog to gain breeding rights it should be presented at herding competitions. 
Mudis usually live in groups at a farm. Their task is to guard and assist in herding large flocks of sheep, sometimes also cattle. These dogs have very strong instincts and prey drive. Imagine how stubborn a dog is that even when kicked by a cow keeps running. Often it won't even notice if it's injured. It has a high pain threshold and enormous self-confidence. If a confrontation between a Mudi and another dog does occur - the Mudi doesn't give up. This is a very dangerous trait. Useful on a farm when Mudis are in a group and defend territory against everything - if they can't catch and catch something they bark. A large part of this breed really, really likes to bark. You need to take this into account when the dog is to live in a city. The owner's priority should be arranging situations in which the Mudi learns calm, trust and rest in different places. 

 

Look4dog: Thank you for the honest answer. Indeed… People like a dog that acts like a machine, problem-free, one that performs commands. At first glance it looks impressive. But this is a dog. The audience only sees it in an arranged training situation. A dog is not a computer. What do you want to say to people who want to have such a dog? 

Jagoda: Mudi very easily enter work mode and love to work for very long periods. Except that…. work mode for Mudi is: guarding and chasing/hunting - in winter they can even catch fish from the river. They think exceptionally analytically, can plan and react very quickly. They are not discouraged by failure and love repetition. Most often they are very resilient dogs with a strong character. Their physical capabilities are enormous. My Stef has a height at the withers of 46cm and 16kg - he jumped onto a vertical wall that was 1.80m high all by himself. During his teenage rebellion, he was able to open cupboards, drawers, metal tins (he can bite through metal), as well as glass jars and containers. He was so stubborn that he discovered a way - he could deliberately carry a glass container with meat to the highest point in the flat to drop it and break it. It worked - meat acquired. 

It is the owner's responsibility to set boundaries, provide alternatives and ensure that the natural needs of these specific dogs are met in a way that is safe for the surroundings. My dogs have an absolute ban on hunting live animals - teaching this is NOT easy. It is the result of millions of hours of systematic work on renunciation and recall. If I am not 100% certain - I will not let a Mudi off the lead. I give them an alternative - my Mudi love playing hunting games with toys. Sport is only a substitute activity.

I cannot imagine how very dangerous and problematic these dogs can be in the hands of someone who simply should not have this dog. I do not want Mudi to share the fate of Belgian Malinois and Border Collie - there are already far too many unhappy dogs with enormous unmet needs that exceed their owners' capabilities.

Look4dog: A very responsible approach. 

Jagoda: I think that someone who decides on a Mudi should have seen at least 10 of these dogs in person and spent a lot of time with them in various situations. It is worth arranging joint meetings with Mudi owners. Write and ask freely. I devote an average of 4 hours a day to my dogs. Mudi is not an ideal family dog. It is a working dog that needs challenges.

 

Look4dog: If you ever decide to get another dog, will you remain loyal to the breed or is there another breed you like?

Jagoda: Mudi Hungarian Sheepdog - that is my energy. However, I have a specific lifestyle, unusual passions and… I live on the road :) 

Look4dog: What we could see on stage was not only your hobby and realisation of dreams, but also your way of life, isn't it? Because professionally you work with dog training. Who can contact you with their dog and what kind of training do you offer?
    
Jagoda: I am a sports dog trainer. My goal is to promote canine sports: DogDancing and Obedience. These are classes for dogs that like to spend time in an interesting way with their owner and learn new tricks. They are also specialist classes for people who work systematically with their dog and enjoy challenges. Together we learn different communication techniques, build motivation and create a training system individually tailored to the needs of each team.
I run individual classes in the Warsaw and Legionowo area, monthly workshops in Łódź and weekend seminars in several cities including: Gdańsk, Kraków, Luboń, Łódź, Tarnów and Wałcz. 
Currently my website is being modernised. For those interested in training, demonstrations or organising workshops with me, I provide my email address: jagoda.piec[at]gmail.com and invite you to my Instagram profile.

I work closely with a canine behaviour specialist and it is worth contacting her if your dog has problems in everyday life such as: fears, aggressive behaviour, pulling on the lead, etc.

 

Look4dog: Dance seems like a deliberate choice because you are an incredibly artistic soul, and art has accompanied you throughout your life in various forms. We know you are a talented violist and a long-standing member of the Mazowsze State Song and Dance Ensemble. Can you say a few words about your interests?
    
Jagoda: I played the violin for only 11 years... Later I changed instruments. I graduated from the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz in the viola class of Dr. hab. Lech Bałaban. I played in several wonderful ensembles. Thanks to that I had the opportunity to visit different countries. Later I stayed for a few seasons in the MAZOWSZE Ensemble and there I learned a great deal. I am very happy that I could collaborate in this unique atmosphere and gain experience during rehearsals and concerts. I recorded 4 beautiful albums with Mazowsze. To this day when I listen to them, I know the viola part by heart :)

Look4dog: And now? Have you abandoned the musical world for dogs?
    
Jagoda: Currently music is my passion rather than my work. I am pleased that now I have space for my own creativity. I write lyrics, sing and compose my own pieces. From January we are starting rehearsals. Maybe I will return to the stage one day ;)

 

Look4dog: Jagoda, we are not hiding the fact that we are greatly impressed by you, your dogs and everything you do in life. Many thanks for a lovely conversation, once again we congratulate you on your tremendous success and we are keeping our fingers crossed for further achievements, and not just on stage! :-)
    
Jagoda: Thank you as well and see you soon!