This edition’s coverdog: Indie from the Pippia family, a Red Class dog and beautiful Golden Retriever.

Brush Farm Dog Training ClubTraining Grounds Location: Brush Farm Park, Corner of Marsden Road & Lawson Street, Eastwood

Mailing Address: 18 Railway Street, Baulkham Hills 2153 Clubhouse Phone: 9858 5281 (from 1pm Sundays) Website: www.brushfarm.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/BrushFarmDogTraining

BRUSH FARM DOG TRAINING CLUB INC. Established 1967. Affiliated RNSWCC (Dogs NSW) 1969

WHAT WE DO •  Brush Farm Dog Training Club is a non-profit organisation run by a dedicated team of volunteers, committed to

serving the local community and promoting responsible dog ownership. We teach people to train their dog to be socialised and obedient, and promote participation in canine obedience sports.

•  Each year our club delivers over 300 hours of training classes, trains over 500 dogs, & runs three trials, attracting over 250 competitors from across Sydney

•  Training provides a benefit to both dog owners and the wider community - dogs that have participated in obedience training are less likely to be surrendered to pounds and animal shelters due to behavioural problems or aggression than dogs with no training.

•  Attending training for just one hour each Sunday afternoon at Brush Farm Park will give you the skills to train your dog to be a happy, well behaved member of your family.

MEMBER INFORMATION •  Sunday training times: - (Please arrive half an hour early to allow time for vetting)

–  2:00 – 3:00 - Puppies, Brown, Green & White classes –  3:30 – 4:30 - Yellow & Red classes

•  New member registration – every Sunday from 1PM (without your dog) •  For sale at the Clubhouse - collars, leads, halters, dumbbells, bum-bags ,polo shirts, caps, snacks and drinks –

EFTPOS available. •  Training is rarely cancelled due to rain or extreme heat (35o C and above) – more often than not we are lucky with

the weather! If in doubt, please call the Clubhouse after 1.00 pm to check if classes are on— phone 9858 5281. Puppy class is always on rain hail or shine as it can be held indoors.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES •  Payable in February each year, and covering all training fees for the full calendar year:

–  Adult members $90 Pensioner members $75 Junior (under 18) members $75 –  Dual/family members $100 (one dog) $120 (two dogs) EFTPOS available.

GET INVOLVED •  General Meetings are held bi-monthly at Brush Farm Club House, Eastwood at 8.00 pm. All members are

welcome to come and have a say in our Club’s affairs. Supper is served after the meeting. •  Our Club is run by volunteers - please see Noel, Heidi or your instructor if you would like to assist by helping set up

the training equipment, serving in the canteen, working on our website, training to become an instructor, or assisting with a myriad of other jobs that makes the club run !!!

•  Steward at club trials – Approximately 20 people are needed on each trial day to set up equipment, marshal competitors, record results, staff the kitchen, and pack up. See Noel to join the Steward Squad.

Club Office Bearers President: Noel Reilly 9639 4291 Chief Instructor: Heidi Richardson 9801 8797 Treasurer: John Clifton Secretary: Linda Allen Vice Presidents: Anne Affleck, Anna Steinberg Dep. Chief Instructors: Greig Edwards, Kym Robins Assistant Treasurer: Louraine Canning Trial Secretary: Anna Steinberg, Karen Lamb Registrar: Karen Forsyth Canine Examiners: Bill Short, Colin Richardson Equipment Officer: John Clifton Editor ‘The Barker’: Natalie Leong

Committee Louraine Canning, Frances Canning, Bill Short, Angela Munge, Greig Edwards, Kym Robins, Colin Richardson, Karen Lamb, Janelle Woodward, Natalie Leong, Danielle Leong

Instructors Anne Affleck, Geoff Craine, Vivien Dunkerly, Greig Edwards, Peter Hewitt, Amanda Koolhass, Danielle Leong, David Marcellino, Anne Martin, Noel Reilly, Heidi Richardson, Kym Robins, Anna Steinberg, Janelle Woodward

Patrons: Mrs M McGarvey; Steve Austin; The Mayor of Ryde 2

PARTY TIME!

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EDITOR’S THOUGHTS Introducing Myself

Welcome to the Barker - the November edition (and my inaugural issue as editor)! 

Just a brief intro about myself… I have been a Brush Farm member (along with my sister, Danielle - you might have had the pleasure of her instructing your class) for almost five years now. We have three dogs who have benefited from Brush Farm classes - Crosby the (blind) black Labrador, Pippin the English Springer Spaniel and Rory the Golden Retriever. We also have an elderly Alaskan Malamute and two cats at home, meaning that our house is filled with lots of fur, drool, laughter and cuddles! 

Pippin is my special dog. He is an extremely sweet, joyful (and nervous!) Springer Spaniel - and I absolutely love the way that dog training has enhanced our relationship. I strongly believe that in choosing to share your life with a dog you are opening yourself up to a world of unconditional love, joy and companionship. Thus, don't we owe it to our dogs to give them the best life possible? Training is just one simple way to show to our dogs how much we appreciate them.  

I've loved being a member of Brush Farm these past few years and I'm excited to share my love of everything dogs while also helping out with the club in the role of Editor of the Barker. Please feel free to send me anything that you think would be appropriate for the newsletter - personal stories, news, photos, brags about how great your dog is, or even just random thoughts you wish to share to the club. Just email me: brushfarmbarker@gmail.com  

Finally, I would just like to say a huge thank you to Kerry - her hard work and effort over the years as Editor has consistently produced an informative and entertaining newsletter that as a member I have always looked forward to reading. And she has certainly made the role of Editor less daunting with her detailed handover notes! Thank you Kerry… your contribution to the club has been greatly appreciated and we wish you all the best on your adventure! 

- Natalie Leong

“We are different from other animals; it’s undeniably true. But while acknowledging that, we must acknowledge another truth, the truth that we are also the same. That is what dogs and their emotions give us – a connection. A connection to life on earth, to all that binds us and cradles us, lest we begin to feel too alone” - Patricia B. McConnell, For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend 4

CLUB NEWS

Congratulations to Heidi and Colin!

Noel presents Heidi and Colin with their 20 year badges at the AGM

Annual General Meeting

Brush Farm’s Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday 16th August. It was determined that Assistant Dogs and Royal Flying Doctors were the charities that the club would be donating to for the 2016/2017 financial year.

A huge thank you to the committee and club members who attended the AGM. The meeting is open is all club members so feel free to join us next year… it’s a way to get involved in the club and contribute to how the club is run.

Rally Obedience Trial

The club will be holding its final trial of the year on Sunday, 29th October. Volunteers for stewards are always welcome! Stewarding is a great way to learn more about the sport as well as helping out the club. Duties include marshalling competitors, time keeping, helping to set up courses, writing down scores and mostly just giving a helping hand to the judges. Lunch is also provided for you! If you are interested in stewarding, please sign your name up at the club house.

Remember there will be no training on this day (Sunday, 29th October)!

Important Dates

27th November – last training day of 2017 3rd December – Christmas Party for the dogs 15th January – deadline for contributions to the February edition of The Barker 4th February – first training day for 2018

Vale Mrs Margaret McGarvey 1931 - 2017

Sadly, Mrs Margaret McGarvey, one of our club Patrons passed away peacefully on 4th October 2017. She served as Patron for many years and her support for Brush Farm Dog Training has always been appreciated.

Nice work Amanda and Pitch Black!

Amanda and Pitch Black entered and passed the Brush Farm Rally O Novice Trial. They were awarded the club’s trophy for highest scoring member at the trial.

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TRIAL REPORT August 27th 2017

It was a beautiful day for Brush Farm’s 50th Anniversary Obedience and Rally O Trial. Trialling dogs from all over the state participated in a fantastic day of competition. Our wonderful club volunteers worked hard to ensure everything ran smoothly!

Here are some of our lovely stewards:

Stewarding is a fantastic learning experience and I strongly encourage everyone to give it a go at least once, whether you have a dog in Brown Class or Red! You get to watch a variety of dogs and handlers testing their skills, as well as learning from the judges as they work.

Speaking of judges, we were lucky to have a fantastic judging panel in attendance:

It was great to see dogs of all shapes, sizes and temperaments competing:

It was also great to see happy, relaxed dogs (and handlers!) enjoying the down-time in between competition runs:

It’s always a fun challenge just to participate in these events. But ribbons are nice as well!

Our judges: Mr Darryl Turley, Ms Deidree Anderson, Miss Vicki Etherington OAM, Mrs Veeni Craig, Mrs Maria Wheeler (Ms Pam Lyons not pictured)

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PROMOTIONS From July to October 2017

PUPPY CLASS GRADUATES

Annaliese & John Eymael - Bobbi (Mini Foxie) Chris Williams - Buddy (Poodle x Schnauzer) Jas Ulger - Mira (Husky) Nina Sriran - Simba (Labradoodle) Gwyn Bromhead - Bella (Labrador) Zachary & Leon Chan - Maple & Hazel (Cattle x Maltese) Chloe Rao - Leo (Labradoodle) Richard McLean - Bolt (Beagalier) Mark Delcuore – Luke (Cavoodle) Fiona Delcuore – Leia (Cavoodle) Rhian Jenkins – Indie (Staffy x Bull Arab) Frances Canning – Ember (Koolie) Tim Holman – Banjo (Border Collie x Kelpie) Brett Tarlinton – Ninety Nine (Border Collie) Annie Pan – Bison (Miniature Poodle) Steven Suh – Nacho (Pomeranian) Peter & Denise Chan – Logan (Malinois) Sylvana Carrett – Charlie (Border Collie)

BROWN TO GREEN

Chloe Rao - Leo (Labradoodle) Connie Merten - Amira (Border Collie) Elaine Woods - Bonnie (Boxer X) Simon Populin - Jago (German Shepherd) Brodie Purdon - Piwi (Kelpie X) Jas Ulger - Mira (Husky) Gwyn Bromhead - Bella (Labrador) John Eymael - Bobbi (Mini Foxie) Helen Hung - Marshmallow (Toy Poodle x Maltese) Emily Godden - Harry (Shih Tzu) Luca - Miso (Japanese Spitz) Karen - Nina (Rottweiler) Les - Rusty (Jack Russell) Carolina - Canela (Doberman) Paul Lewis - Chilli (Rhodesian Ridgeback) Liza Lewis - Oswald (Rhodesian Ridgeback) Alexander Pippia - Indie (Golden Retriever) Hugh Kim - King (Poodle X) Mark Usenke - Rose (German Shepherd) Debbie Champion - Sparky (Maltese x Jack Russell) Oliver Quinn - Bowie (Staffy) Naomi Shaw - Mallee (Staffy) Iyanah Hathiram – Rizzo (Labradoodle) Sheren Chadha - Gabbar (Maltese X)

Louisa Kelly - Sally (Cocker Spaniel) Michael Frith - Heidi (Lagotto) Ruth Packer - Zoe (German Shepherd) Kelvin Wong - Snoopy (Beaglier) Sam Rego - Wally (Shih Tzu X) Joanne Laskowska - Freddie (Cocker Spaniel) Stefan Kennedy - Leo (Beaglier) Jan Crook - Buddy (Cocker Spaniel) Melanie Li - Pepper (Shetland Sheepdog) Shirley Benn – Rocher (Kelpie x Border Collie) Danie Benn – Ferrero (Kelpie x Border Collie) Louis Lim – Louis (Labrador) Caitlin Sallway- Comet (Pharoah Hound X) Gordon Bromhead – Bella (Labrador) Sean Bailey – Wally (Shih Tzu x Maltese) Chris Tredwell – Jazz (Kelpie x Border Collie) Philip Au – Bobo (Cavalier) Andrew White – Champ (Border Collie X) Jackie Jenkins – Baxter (Staffy X) Emma Bradpeer – Jazz (Kelpie X) Ruth Shatford – Xenny (Labrador) Mark Chain – Zoe (German Shepherd) Neil Lewis – Zira (Kelpie x Cattle Dog) Brenden Meyer – Rocky (Cattle Dog) Nicole Meyer – Charley (Cattle Dog)

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PROMOTIONS From July to October 2017

GREEN TO WHITE

Bob King - Towser (Border Collie) Phil Rhetford - Titan (Kelpie X) Elizabeth Anderson - Zoe (Maltese X Poodle) Don Smyth - Bella (Kelpie x Cattle Dog) Karen Heath - Winston (German Spitz) Mack Apps-Tulip - Chumani (Border Collie) Jenny Fennby - Django (Samoyed x Kelpie x Border Collie) Margaret Vautin - Mozzie (Miniature Poodle) Kendra Xu - Jazzy (Shetland Sheepdog) Cliff Fenney – Django (Samoyed X) Max Usenko – Rex (German Shepherd) Edwin Cadisal – Jake (Cavalier) Lilian Guo – Rosie (Rottweiler)

WHITE TO YELLOW

Liz Gill – Papavoro (Lagotto) Kylie Williams – Kenny (Cocker Spaniel)

YELLOW TO RED

Edwin Yu - Kobe (Labradoodle)

HANDLERS’ DAY RESULTS

HANDLERS’ DAY 2 (JULY 2017)

WHITE 1st – Karen Parker Dolan and Banjo 2nd – Rosemary Murphy and Roxie 3rd – Chiauw Tjhin and Balto

YELLOW 1st – Alan Luc and Hopper

RED 1st – Sharon Pippia and Indie

EXPERIENCED 1st – Colin Richardson and Georgia 2nd – Greig Edwards and Cindy

Handlers Day is a competition experience for White, Yellow and Red Classes. Each handler and dog team is assessed individually against the criteria for their Class.

There are three Handlers Day events held each year. These are a great opportunity to put your skills to the test and see how all your hard work is progressing.

The Rene Todd Memorial Trophy is awarded to the handler/dog team scoring the highest aggregate number of points over all Handlers Days in the one year. This trophy will be awarded at the Dogs’ Christmas Party (Sunday, 3rd Dec).

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HANDLERS’ DAY RESULTS

HANDLERS’ DAY 3 (SEPTEMBER 2017) WHITE 1st – Kylie Gillies and Kenny 2nd- Chiauw Tjhin and Balto

YELLOW 1st – Rosemary Murphy and Roxie 2nd – Neil Bannon and Red

RED 1st – Deborah Higson and Pheebee 2nd – Tanya Cochran and Gemma

EXPERIENCED 1st – Colin Richardson and Georgia 2nd – Kym Robins and Lexie

Congratulations to all placegetters and to everyone who participated! If you would like more information about Handlers’ Day, have a chat to any of our helpful instructors. Here are a few photos demonstrating some of the skills that handlers should be focusing on:

Heeling with attention and on a loose lead

Sit and Down Stays

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IMPORTANT!

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SEIZURES What to do if your dog has one

Witnessing your dog have a seizure can be a terrifying experience. A seizure is a "temporary disturbance in normal brain activity that is usually accompanied by uncontrollable muscle activity". Seizures may be caused by many factors such as trauma, brain abnormality, or exposure to toxins. Some dogs will have just a single seizure during their life, while others may suffer a series of seizures and be diagnosed with epilepsy.

A dog experiencing a seizure may appear to simply have a shift in awareness (a brief loss of consciousness, blank stare, or hallucinations) or a full-blown seizure (typically the dog falls on its side, eyes glazed, muscles twitching erratically, with possible loss of bladder and bowel control). Prior to a seizure many dogs seem restless and anxious. Afterwards, they can appear confused and disoriented.

Most seizures are very brief (the average seizure lasts less than two minutes). The most important thing is DO NOT PANIC. Stay calm and watch your dog carefully (detailed observations are the most helpful for your vet!).

Make sure your dog is in a safe space - prevent him from falling down stairs and keep him away from sharp edges or dangerous objects such as electrical cords. Be sure to keep any other pets away as a seizing dog can provoke excitement or aggression in other dogs.

Contrary to what you might have heard, dogs are not in danger of swallowing their tongues during a seizure. Indeed, keep your hands clear of the dog's mouth as their muscle spasms may easily result in you being bitten.

Following the seizure the dog may be disoriented and agitated for several hours. Some dogs become temporarily blind. Ensure the dog is somewhere safe and quiet. It is advisable to keep children away as the dog may become irritable and snap (even if this is not something he would ever normally do).

Seek veterinary advice as soon as possible. If your dog's seizure continues for longer than 5-10 minutes, you should take your dog to an emergency vet immediately.

Sources: Canine Epilepsy Network, http://canine-epilepsy.net/index.html Vet Advice: Seizures in Dogs and Canine Epilepsy (Sophia Yin, DVM)http://thebark.com/content/vet-advice-seizures-dogs-and-canine-epilepsy Seizures - General for Dogs (Ernest Ward, DVM) https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/seizures-general-for-dogs 11

TRIAL RESULTS

Brush Farm currently has a total of 265 dog members.

You can meet at least 87 different breeds at our club. (I say “at least” because there are more than a few dogs of unknown parentage…)

OUR MOST POPULAR BREEDS: 1.  Labrador 2.  Border Collie 3.  Cavalier X 4.  Maltese Terrier X 5.  Labrador X 6.  German Shepherd 7.  Golden Retriever 8.  Miniature Schnauzer 9.  Australian Kelpie 10.  Jack Russell Terrier X 11.  Staffy

OUR MOST POPULAR NAMES: 1.  Charlie 2.  Poppy 3.  Simba 4.  Bella 5.  Buddy 6.  Coco 7.  Daisy 8.  Jackson 9.  Max 10.  Pepper 11.  Wally

CLUB STATISTICS AS AT 23RD JULY 2017

Greig Edwards Cindy Herding PT Title

Amanda Koolhaas Pitch Black Rally O Novice 1st Pass (Brush Farm, 27/08/17)

Alan Luc Hopper Rally O Novice Pass (92/100, Brush Farm, 23/10/16) Rally O Novice Pass (95/100, Brush Farm, 23/10/16) Rally O Novice Pass AND TITLE (75/100, Northern Suburbs, 14/01/17)

Janelle Woodward Mudgee CCD RE JE

Junior Courser Pass (151/200, NSW Lure Coursing Assoc, 3/9/17)

Poppy CCD RE JC

Junior Courser Pass AND TITLE (160/200, NSW Lure Coursing Assoc, 3/9/17) Coursing Ability Pass (195/200 and 1st Place, NSW Lure Coursing Assoc, 30/9/17) Coursing Ability Pass (170/200, NSW Lure Coursing Assoc, 2/10/17)

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BREED SPOTLIGHT LABRADOR RETRIEVER

The most popular breed in our club has also been the most popular dog breed in Australia, the USA, the UK and other countries for many years. Labradors… what's the big deal? Well, if you have been lucky enough to have been loved by a lab, you will already have a few ideas!  

Labradors tend to be happy, enthusiastic and loving dogs who are generally up for anything. They are one of the most versatile dog breeds around, known for being wonderful family companions and capable of working as assistance dogs, sniffer dogs, in search and rescue roles or in nature conservation, alongside police and armed forces… the list goes on!

Labradors have a notorious reputation for loving food. But this also means they are one of the easiest dogs to train! A willingness to please AND a love of treats is a great foundation for a training relationship. Labradors can do very well in dog sports such as competition obedience and agility, not to mention their traditional field of expertise - the world of retrieving and gundog trials. 

Despite their wonderful temperaments and trainability, Labradors do have a reputation for becoming boisterous and sometimes difficult to manage, particularly as young dogs (see the book and movie "Marley and Me" for a textbook case of crazy lab!). Many adolescent Labradors are sadly abandoned for being "out of control".  

Being smart and energetic, Labradors need plenty of attention, training, exercise and stimulation in order to mature into well-rounded family members. But if you persevere and put in the work, you will be repaid a thousand-fold with the very best canine companionship for many happy years!  

- Danielle Leong (Instructor & Labrador owner) 

Labrador Trivia

!  Labradors originated in Newfoundland, Canada as retrievers of FISH for fisherman. The original Labradors became extinct in Canada but the breed was developed in England as a shooting companion. !  The three Labrador colours - black, yellow and chocolate - can all be born in the one litter of puppies. Whether there is any difference in quality or temperament between the colours is a matter of opinion! !  In 2016, scientists reported that they had discovered Labradors have a genetic mutation that affects appetite regulation… which may explain their extreme love of food. !  Endal, a yellow lab and service dog in the UK, was able to respond to over one hundred types of instructions, including cash withdrawals from an ATM and grocery shopping. He is famous for helping his owner who was knocked out of his wheelchair by a passing car. Endal moved his unconscious owner into a recovery position and covered him with a blanket, retrieved his mobile phone, and then ran to get help from a nearby hotel. !  The oldest known Labrador, Adjutant from Lincolnshire, England, lived to the age of 27 years and 3 months!

Labrador links: http://www.labrescue.com.au/ http://www.labradorclubnsw.com/

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DANIELLE’S DOGGY DIARY

I'm always working on something with each of my dogs. I think it's so helpful to have training goals to keep myself motivated. And I firmly believe that regular training is important for my dogs' physical and mental wellbeing. Here's what I'm working on with my dogs right now!

First up: group stays! I have to confess to not being an enthusiastic trainer of stays. The key to stays training is separating distance (how far you are form the dog), duration (how long the dog has to stay still) and distraction (what else is going on during the stay) and making sure your dog is solid on each component before you combine them. Personally I love training distance and distractions. But I find the duration boring! However, having solid stays is important for group photos…

Crosby (7-year-old blind, black Lab) - Crosby doesn't have any major projects to work on right now as I have been a bit too focused on the Golden puppy. Last year I got him started in competitive Nosework. He has successfully completely all three Odour Recognition Tests which means he is able to alert on three particular odours (Birch, Anise and Clove). He has competed in a Level 1 Nosework Trial where he performed awesomely and just missed out on his title. He did come 2nd in the Container search and I was super proud of him!

So next year, we will be getting back into Trial prep for Nosework. At the moment we are just playing around with heeling games (both left and right side heeling) and tricks (such as lifting each foot on a particular verbal cue).

Pippin (5-year-old English Springer Spaniel) - My sister and I are working at getting Pippin ready to trial in Rally Obedience. He has one pass already from a few years ago (so he needs two more for his Novice title!). Pippin performs awesomely at home but struggles in other environments.

Pippin has a generally nervous temperament and a few scary incidents as he was growing up have given him a deep fear of unknown dogs, particularly off-lead dogs! For this reason, we are currently focused on his level of confidence and engagement. The main thing is that Pippin needs feel SAFE in any given environment. If Pippin can take in the environment (looking and sniffing around) and then play and perform tricks, we are in a good place to ask for more serious work (like a heeling pattern).

So with Pippin, it's about keeping training sessions short, fun, and high energy. And mixing these up with exploring and gaining confidence in lots of different locations.

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DANIELLE’S DOGGY DIARY

Rory (1-year-old Golden Retriever) - Rory has demanded a lot of my time recently! As a puppy, my priority has been Rory's socialisation and environmental exposure. I want him to be comfortable sitting at a busy café, walking around any urban environment and training at busy places like Brush Farm on a Sunday afternoon.

So this means that he has been lots of places… cafes, parks and anywhere that dogs are allowed! We visited friends and family and met dogs at Obedience classes at Brush Farm and other clubs.

My goal is for Rory to be happy and calm in all these places and to be able to focus on me whenever I ask. This is still a work in progress but the foundation is there!

Skills-wise, we are working on precision heeling for competition obedience. This is a months-long (years-long?) process but it’s a lot of fun. We do stationary work on heel position and body awareness… which is really just a bunch of fun tricks. And we work on energetic, motivated movement with lots of reinforcement.

I'm also in the midst of shaping his formal retrieve. Shaping is a training process that involves breaking down a behaviour into tiny pieces. You start off rewarding the first, most basic step (look at the retrieve dumbbell) and then incrementally ask for more and more of the pieces (nose touch the dumbbell, put your mouth over the dumbbell, hold the dumbbell for 1 second, etc). Rory now has a lovely dumbbell hold for several seconds. But holding and moving at the same time is a challenge… I'll keep you all updated on how we progress!

- Danielle Leong (Instructor)

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REMINDERS

2017 CALENDAR OCTOBER Sunday 1 - LONG WEEKEND – NO TRAINING Sunday 8 Training Sunday 15 Training* Wednesday 18 General Meeting Sunday 22 Training Sunday 29 - TRIAL – NO TRAINING

NOVEMBER Sunday 5 Training Sunday 12 Training Wednesday 15 Committee Meeting Sunday 19 Training Sunday 26 Training

DECEMBER Sunday 3 Dogs Christmas Party

* Puppy Classes commence and run for five weeks

• Please pick up after your dog. Pooper-scoopers, bags & bins are provided.

• Keep away from dogs tethered in the roped off area. Please remind your children that these dogs MUST be left alone when their owners are not present

• Dogs wearing Green Collars are aggressive to other dogs. Dogs wearing Orange Collars are not yet friendly towards people. Please give these dogs the space they need.

• Please do not leave your children unsupervised. Children running on the field can frighten and excite some dogs.

• All handlers must wear enclosed shoes. Handlers with inappropriate footwear will be asked to leave the grounds.

• Please keep your dog on a lead unless an instructor tells you otherwise.

• Dogs that have run off during off-lead exercises must be worked on a long lead, available for sale from the Clubhouse

• Senior class members are requested to ensure all club equipment is packed away before letting their dogs off-lead to play - a pack of exuberant dogs charging around the field poses a significant safety risk to volunteers still at work.

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