By JASON GRAY
Foster's Daily Democrat Staff Writer
jgray@fosters.com
Melinda Kimball, left, and her dog, Cooper, a Jack Russell terrier,
play with a "bungee ball" as part of a demonstration for the Piscataqua Dog
Club obedience show Tuesday evening at Ellis Short Sands Park in York, Maine.L
(Beth Lorden/Democrat photo)
YORK, Maine—York Beach went to the dogs, the families, tourists, and random
spectators Tuesday night.
The Piscataqua Obedience Club and more than a dozen of its members brought their dogs to Ellis Short Sands Park for its 18th annual Dog Obedience Show. A ring of people in lawn chairs, sitting on the ground and standing surrounded a large grass area in the park, waiting to watch 15 dogs and their owners.
The 34-year-old club is a nonprofit organization that provides dog obedience training at low cost. They offer programs primarily to Seacoast area residents and classes in the fall, winter and spring.
Tuesday evening, club president Sue Walsh kicked things off. She noted dogs of any age can be given obedience training.
"Our philosophy is dogs can learn, regardless of age, breed or gender," Walsh said. Regarding older dogs she told the crowd, "You can teach an old dog new tricks."
A 9-year-old German shepherd, above, scales a high jump during
the Piscataqua Dog Club obedience show Tuesday evening at Ellis Short Sands
Park in York, Maine. Melinda Kimball, left, and her dog, Cooper, a Jack Russell
terrier, play with a "bungee ball" during another part of the show.
(Beth Lorden/Democrat photo)
The first group to follow their owners onto the lawn were 10 months old. The owners performed skills where they made their dog stay while they walked away, or sit while they walked away. One dog was apparently new to the program, and still could not resist running back to its owner most of the time.
After the first program, owners of the younger dogs watched the remainder of the show with the other spectators. Diane, a resident of Portsmouth, has trained three golden retrievers in the program. As she rubbed the belly of one of her dogs, she noted that the Piscataqua Obedience Club trainers had been "extremely knowledgeable and helpful."
Several people caught unaware of the dog event pointed and smiled in surprise upon stumbling on the festivities. Others driving along Ocean Avenue slowed, sticking their heads out their windows in attempts to catch a glimpse of the action.
Steve O'Brien, of York, provided his own dog show. He often brings his dog, Shamrock, whom he has dubbed "The Mayor," to Ellis Short Sands Park in the evenings. Over and over people walked by, asking about the dog as he lay on the ground. The two-and-a-half year old dog is 180 pounds, with six months left to grow.
"We come down here every night, all the kids pat him and so forth," O'Brien said. As he watched the dogs perform, he said he might consider enrolling Shamrock in a class.
The event culminated with a fly dog event. Teams of four dogs raced over jumps from one end to the lawn, grabbed a ball, and raced back. Two teams competed in the race. The crowd laughed, "Ohhed" and "Ahhhed" as the dogs raced and leaped at top speed. The dogs barked continuously as the waited to run. Fly Ball is one of few events they can bark in.
Among those observing the dog show were Brittany Morello of Worcester, Mass., and her boyfriend from York.
"It's nice coming from the city, to a town where there's a big emphasis on family and events that promote community togetherness," Morello said.