Energetic dogs running through tunnels and flying over jumps is guaranteed to make people smile.<\/p>\n
And for the sixth year, the Durango Kennel Club will present its popular mood booster at Joe Rowell Park in Dolores on Aug. 1-3.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe love coming to Dolores, and so do our handlers and their dogs,\u201d said organizer Jenny Peterson. \u201cThe park is spacious, it\u2019s a little cooler with the river right there, and the town is very welcoming.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fifty competitors will compete this year, running All-American and mixed breeds through an elaborate obstacle course.<\/p>\n
Dogs of different skill levels are directed by handlers to negotiate pole weaves, climb A-frames, go through tunnels, run along teeter-totters, and jump over walls. The dogs are timed and judged on ability. For the masters class, no faults are allowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dogs love the tunnels the best,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cIt is the first thing they learn, and you can see the pure joy.\u201d<\/p>\n
A challenge for handlers is \u201ctunnel suck\u201d she adds, where a dog will forego a jump and dive right for the tunnel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey get sassy sometimes,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cSome of the incredible feats we ask them to do are not intuitive. It is all about the team work between the handler and the dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Training takes years of practice and patience, beginning when the dogs are puppies. Positive reinforcement is the training standard, and the word \u201cNo\u201d is avoided.<\/p>\n
An aspect spectators may not realize is the control handlers are judged on when dogs take on jumps.<\/p>\n
Dialing back the adrenaline-impulse for dogs is key to prevent overshooting a designated landing zone.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike steeplechase for horses, the dogs have to learn to collect themselves, and safely make the jump,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cFaster dogs have a tendency to fly over too far.\u201d<\/p>\n
The popularity of the event for competitors and the public has been growing, said town clerk Ann Swope.<\/p>\n
\u201cAttendance is more than 100 per day, and is going up as people realize how much fun it is,\u201d she said. \u201cThe kennel club loves it because we offer on-site camping and a good park rate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friday night\u2019s opening ceremonies under the lights are especially fun for the public, said Pam Leisle, trial chair for the event.<\/p>\n
As for the dogs, they are all winners.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen my dog Rumble made it to the finals under the lights, he was holding his head up high just soaking it in,\u201d Leisle said. \u201cBut mostly they get excited for the ice-cream afterwards, not the ribbon.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event fosters the coveted \u201cstay another day\u201d standard for tourism.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur competitors come early to set up because they love the area,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cAfterward, they hike the trails, go fishing or biking and eat in local restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n