Million Paws Walk
What a wonderful Sunday morning this was. Beautiful blue sky, pleasant
temperature and a terrific atmosphere as people and their dogs enjoyed this
RSPCA organised walk around the Milton Showgrounds.
The Dog Club played a major role in the event, providing helpers leading up
to the day and on the day itself. A stall displaying photographs of Club
activities and the many trophies won by members and our Mudd-on-the-Paws
Flyball team, gave people a chance to talk with Club members and to consider
coming along to our Sunday training days with their dogs.
The club's Demonstration Team gave a smooth, polished performance of the
skills learned by dogs and owners through the Dog Club. The Obedience
demonstration was very well received by the spectators and they saw the dogs
going through some complex routines both with and apart from their handlers,
performing sits, stands, drops and stays and showed the value and pleasure
of having a dog fully under control. The range of dogs performing so closely
together was also quite surprising to many spectators. To see a Rottweiler,
Toy Poodle, Kelpies, Border Collie, Cattle Dog, Cairn Terrier and Maltese
all mixing together and finishing the display by sitting side by side on a
very narrow Dog Walk 1.5 metres off the ground without their handlers, drew
much applause.
Following the Obedience demonstration, the team then showcased several
different Agility routines. These routines showed dogs working almost
entirely by themselves on a straight jumps course; and dogs running in
opposite directions through a figure-eight layout, jumping jumps together
but in opposite directions. With one dog being a Border Collie and the other
a Toy Poodle, this brought gasps from the onlookers as they headed towards
the jumps from opposite sides and appeared to be heading for a collision.
The final Agility course was a circular layout and the Rottweiler and
Cattledog chased each other around this much to the delight of the children;
and finished with a speed display around that course from a very fast
Kelpie/Weimaraner, Rex, which amazed everybody watching.
The final part of the display was a demonstration of Weaving through a
series of twelve weaving poles. Starting with the delightful Maltese and
progressing through all the dogs, this culminated once again in Rex giving a
super fast display which brought cheers from onlookers and was a fitting end
to what had been a wonderful display.
When the displays had finished, members of the demonstration team and
volunteers from the dog club set up 'stations' around the Walk for people to
try out their own dogs on the Agility equipment used in the display. These
stations were spread around the course and brought much delight to owners
and dogs as they tried out the tunnels, jumps, weave-poles and other
equipment while they participated in the walk. For most people it was the
first time they had ever had the opportunity for their dogs to experience
these types of equipment and it was greatly appreciated. For some it led to
the desire to attend the Dog Club to learn more about training and Agility
for their dog.
Many thanks to all of the Dog Club members who helped on the day. To the
members of the Demonstration Team, their helpers; and those many helpers who
manned the Dog Club Stall, the stations around the walk and assisted in
setting up and packing up of all the equipment that was used. It was a very
successful day and showed the Milton-Ulladulla Dog Training Club in an
extremely positive light.
