Julie B. Connerley/Special to Gulf Breeze News Toni Rohlke and her Tibetan Spaniel ‘Nike’ will be showing off their world-class skills during the Five Flags Dog Training Club Agility Trial this weekend at the Escambia Equestrian Center. Toni Rohlke can’t remember a time when her family’s home didn’t include a dog, and she still remembers her first – a German Shepherd named ‘Max.’

However, these days, Tibetan Spaniels rule the Rohlke homestead in Polynesian Isles outside Gulf Breeze, including the nation’s top-ranked AKC agility Tibetan Spaniel, ‘Nike.’ He will be competing in the Five Flags Dog Training Club Agility Trial on Nov. 27-29 at the Escambia County Equestrian Center in Pensacola.

But if you’re looking for him in the title books, please, search for him under his official name, ‘Delmar’s Just Do It for Tara.’

“I chose ‘Nike’ as his call name because he was fast as a Nike Missile,” smiled Rohlke, “and somewhat because of the Nike slogan, ‘Just Do it.’”

Rohlke, a member of the Five Flags Dog Training Club for 25 years, has been competing in agility for nine years, six with ‘Nike,’ who celebrates his eighth birthday Dec. 10.

Her other “Tibbies” – as the ancient oriental breed from Tibet is known – are ‘Boo,’ 11, and ‘Ziggy,’ 7. ‘Boo’ is the No. 3 AKC agility Tibetan Spaniel in the U.S., and ‘Ziggy’ earned his conformation champion title at age 2.

The breed served two purposes in its earliest history. Primarily, Tibbies were watchdogs for the monasteries, sitting atop the walls. An approaching threat, either two-legged or four-, would set the small dogs barking an alarm to the much larger Tibetan Mastiffs below. Those mastiffs would then take care of the problem.

Secondly, this breed was used as bed warmers. Many will burrow beneath the covers and curl up at your feet, keeping them toasty warm on winter nights.

Their name, though, is a misnomer. Called spaniels, they actually aren’t. Tibbies are related to other oriental breeds such as the Pekinese, Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzus. Intelligent and independent, they do not like to be told what to do. They have to think it is their idea.

So how does Rohlke divide her time and attention among her husband, Cliff; their Quaker Parakeet, ‘Gimpie;’ and three adorable, talented and sometimes demanding canines?

“Five Flags has several programs for its members and their canine companions,” Rohlke said. “I’m active in agility and rally obedience, participate in the TheraPaws program visiting a local nursing home, and am a member of the FFDTC’s County Canine Square Dancers.”

However, ‘Nike’ does have his quirks.

“He doesn’t like change,” Rohlke continued. “He barks at everyone who comes inside the house. And, he steals all the toys. He thinks they belong to him. He stole the shark Beanie Baby from Cliff’s computer and hid it, so I guess it’s Nike’s now.”

Cliff has his hands full also. He doesn’t go on road trips with Toni and the Tibbies but does ask that she leave at least one at home while she competes out of town.

“The house is a little too quiet when all three are gone,” he said.

If the Tibbies rule the house, then Cliff’s Japanese Koi rule outside. At last count, he could name all 100 who occupy a lush, serene 75-by-45-foot pond he created for his “kids” 20 years ago.

“It takes a lot of work to maintain the water level and ensure the fish are getting the right nutrients and that the birds aren’t getting the fish,” Cliff laughed. “But if you asked me what do dogs and fish have in common, it would be ‘they both take a lot of work!’”