The best-behaved dogs in the region will be putting their best paw forward at the Obedience Dog Club of Bundaberg Trial this Saturday.
The community is encouraged to come along and enjoy the show as about 70 competitors from throughout the state take to the Diggers Soccer Ground fields.
The event has been supported through Bundaberg Regional Council’s micro grants program.
Obedience Dog Club of Bundaberg president Graham Crowden said it was the club’s first major event since Covid postponed the once twice annual trials.
“We hope we will have members of the community come and just watch,” Graham said.
“It’s quite a sight to see these dogs going through their motions.
‘They’re being judged by professional judges.
“They have to do each of the exercises that the judges have in place, they have to do it properly – it’s just a wonderful sight!
“We’d love to see a lot of people there.
“There will be a food van there and a coffee van there.”
The four-legged action starts at 8 am this Saturday, October 22 until midday when competitors will break to rest the dogs in the warmest part of the day.
Competition will then resume at 4 pm until complete.
Graham said obedience trials had become more accessible in recent times, with non-pedigree dogs now allowed to compete and all dogs required to be desexed, and the club was keen to share more information about its activities with locals.
“The things to bear in mind here is that this is not just a dog club that goes out and has all their members doing trials,” he said.
“We’re there and charge … to train any dog regardless of their breed, regardless of whether they are desexed or not.
“We do that as something for the community.”
Graham has trialled pedigree dogs himself in his 40 years in obedience training and competition however at the weekend his wife Theresa will trial their non-pedigreed poodle cross spaniel Winnie CCD, RN.
Winnie earnt her postnominals in competition, securing both Rally Novice and Community Companion Dog titles.
The Diggers Soccer Grounds can be found on Osborn Street, Norville with the Obedience Dog Club of Bundaberg trial kicking off at 8 am.
The event is supported by the Bundaberg Regional Council micro grant program and Graham said he learnt more about the process and how to lodge a successful grant application at a recent community grants workshop.
