Therapy Dog Demo Day

I love dog demo days!

Every summer I try to organize a dog day at one of the care homes that I take the boys to visit. I gather a bunch of dog-sport friends and we cart out portable agility equipment and cross our fingers for good weather.

This year was a fabulous turn out, great dogs as always! Thank you to everyone that came out to participate, those that brought jumps and other equipment, and most of all to the staff and residents of Eamer Court for having us out!

Here are a few photos of the festivities. Sorry for the blurriness of some of them, use your imagination.

The whole crew!

We started with introductions and a couple tricks ...

Ruth and Bentley (English Cocker Spaniel)

Emily with Sophie (Poodle cross), Lily (Miniature Poodle), and Nym (Border Collie)

Gisele with Gina and Kate (Miniature Poodles)

Gwyn with Casper (Miniature American Eskimo) and Buddy (Poodle cross)

Dave and Kennedy (Standard Poodle)

Venessa with Sparky (Border Collie)

Kalie and Nola (Afghan Hound)

Jeannette with Gem and Bailey (Cairn Terriers) and Kody (Golden Retriever)
(Kody LOVES his Rally-O sidestep!)

And me and my boys!
(Romeo takes a bow)(Romeo backwards heeling)(Gio backwards heeling)(Gio spins)

Many thanks to Venessa and her superb trigger finger (guess clicker training is good for people as well as dogs, eh?!). She successfully got not one by THREE pictures of Gio and Gina doing their special trick!

Gina goes over ...

Gina goes over again ...

Then Gina goes under!

Yes, the pictures are accurate ... Gina doesn't just jump over Gio, she launches off his back. Such a good boy, Gio, for holding his stand stay! The dogs really like this trick, and the crowds love it, too!

Then on to some agility. Even the non-agility dogs get to play. The course is just a couple bar jumps, a high jump, a broad jump, a tunnel and a set of weave poles. (Here is where things get blurry!)

Lily (Miniature Poodle)

Sparky (Border Collie) Romeo (Shetland Sheepdog ... oh how I wish this picture were in focus!)Kody (Golden Retriever)

Kennedy (Standard Poodle)

Buddy (Poodle cross)Bentley (English Cocker Spaniel)
Nola (Afghan Hound)

Then the REALLY fun part ... socializing! This, folks, is what it is all about. Look at those smiling faces!



Thanks to everyone that came out, and special thanks to Kathy and the folks of Eamer for having us over to play!