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4-H Dog Agility builds bonds and friendship between competitors

Posted at 5:37 PM, Jul 24, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-24 19:39:39-04

HELENA – 4-H members with their four-legged partners dodged and weaved through dog agility courses Wednesday Morning at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds.

Obstacle courses were set up and reconfigured through the morning to test the animals’ training, obedience and athletics.

The 4-H Agility Program teaches members skills for dog care, canine anatomy, grooming, and helps them explore dog-related careers.

Students MTN spoke with said it’s been a lot of work and a fun over the last year.

“Well we’ve been working on it all year. It takes a while for them to get used to all of the different obstacles,” said Mariah Olson with Last Chance Livestock 4-H Club.

Olson ran the courses Wednesday with an organizer’s dog named Oreo; her own dog had to retire due to age.

Olson said she’s learned a lot about dog behavior and training by running another animal.

Oreo did have a couple stumbles, but Olson said she wasn’t worried about a couple slip-ups.

“We’re not really competitive. We just come out here to have fun,” said Olson.