Published: June 11, 2008 07:36 am      

Dog training graduation held

Community News

The second Lake Cumberland Kennel Club (LCKC) dog training class of 2008 concluded June 2 with a final lesson, graduation and pizza celebration.

The six-week class, led by professional trainer Liz Norris from Frankfort, attracted 24 participants in two classes – one for puppies and one for adults.

The dog training series was held at the Hal Rogers Fire Training Center in Somerset and in partnership with the county facility, offered a special fee to dogs adopted from the animal shelter or the humane society.

Two dogs in the training classes were approved to begin as in-training therapy dogs with the Love on a Leash (LOAL) Therapy Dog program: Toby, a Corgi owned and handled by Gary and Debbie Bailey, and Oliver, rat terrier owned and handled by Bob Walther (who is already in the group with his rat terrier, Speckles).

Four other dogs from the community were approved during the June 1 testing to begin as therapy dogs in training: Freckles, spaniel owned and handled by Cliff Steele; Lilly, yellow Labrador owned and handled by Noel Watts; Angel, black Labrador owned and handled by Charlotte Keeney (a previous graduate from the LCKC classes) and Lacey Beckwith (also a graduate of previous classes and in the LOAL group) with a new dog, golden retriever, Baxter.

Lexington LOAL Chapter evaluator Nancy Hansen volunteered her time to evaluate all dogs.

Lake Cumberland Kennel Club is an all breed club affiliated with the American Kennel Club and holds monthly meetings on the third Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at the Hal Rogers Fire Training Center on Oak Leaf Lane.

The public is always welcome to their monthly meetings which include an interesting program about dogs and often times refreshments. Well-behaved dogs which are friendly to people and other dogs are welcome to attend on leash (no flexi-leashes please).

LCKC will offer additional classes in dog training during the coming year but no dates have been announced. Love on a Leash will also offer another therapy dog evaluation, probably in the fall. To be notified about the next series of dog training classes or the next Love on a Leash evaluation, e-mail Gloria Sams at:

gsams@kcp.uky.edu