Local dog obedience club held open competition Saturday

The Pahrump Valley Obedience Club (PVOC) held its annual obedience and rally trials on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 25 and 26 at Petrack Park. The judging was done by American Kennel Club (AKC)-trained and certified judges.

There are two arenas. The obedience arena competitions are based on scoring of performance through 20 ground located signs. The signs tell the dog’s owner what commands to give. Novice class requires dogs on a leash. Open class is off leash.

The rally arena is all about agility and obedience. The course includes jumps, scent accuracy and verbal and hand-signal commands. One agility test is for the owner to instruct the dog to leap over a hurdle.

In the scent phase, the owner imprints their scent on an object. The judge places it with a group of other objects on the ground. The owner then signals their dog to retrieve the touched object.The three levels of competition are novice, advanced and excellent.

Participants are not required to be members of PVOC. The only requirement is the dog must be registered with (AKC). Registration is not limited to pure breeds. There is a Rescue Dog classification and Dog classification for mixed breeds as well. The event draws entries from locals and others, including those from other states.

The PVOC is an educational nonprofit organization, which provides obedience classes four times a year.

Membership is also not required to take the class, however, there is a fee. Training consists of six weeks of one-hour classes for owner and dog, and the trainers for those classes are also AKC certified.

The class series cost is $50.The club’s goal is to encourage responsible dog ownership and provide a foundation for “good doggy” behavior at home, in public and formal competitions.

Classes emphasize positive training methods. They are designed to teach the dog owner how to effectively communicate with his/her dog. The dog then continues to learn outside of class and both owner and pet may enjoy a lifetime of well-behaved companionship.

The President of PVOC, Valerie Wolf said, “The first priority of the obedience training is to teach a dog attention skills. Bonding between the owner and their dog is very important and will carry over at home, out in public and further training.”

Wolf emphasized, “Dogs want to please their owners. Obedience training teaches the dog how. The training can start with pups as early as nine weeks old. There is no maximum age limit. You can teach an old dog new tricks.”

Membership in PVOC is also available. It is not just about training and developing a better relationship between the owner and their dog. Wolf explained, “You will meet people who share the same passion for dogs and who will provide support along the way.”

Membership includes monthly meetings, occasional lunch dates, a Christmas party, a trainers’ party and play days for members and their dogs. Dues are $10 a year. The club meets the third Tuesday of the month at Pahrump Station RV Park clubhouse behind Draft Picks on Highway 160. Meetings start at 7 p.m. For more information visit www.pvobedienceclub.com, email: pvobedience@yahoo.com, or call: (775) 253-5681.

Contact Creag Rowland by emailing creag.pvtimes@gmail.com.