I was invited to speak at the Centershot Program at Crossway Baptist Church, Springfield, MO. After the archery shooting, the kids had a chance to handle Josie on some retrieves.
This picture looks like I am handling Josie, but there is actually a kid in front of me receiving some helpful tips on dog handling. Fun time for the kids.
In Sept 2014, the dogs and I helped the Missouri Department of Conservation at the Great Outdoor Day event. We were at the Andy Dalton Shooting Range and Education Center in Bois D'Arc, MO. Kids had the chance to learn to throw the bumpers and send the dog for the retrieves. I had a dog blind set up and Josie liked working out of the blind.
I have the pleasure to volunteer and help out with some local organizations helping get kids introduced to hunting dogs. I regularly help out with the Missouri Department of Conservation when they have their Outdoor Days in September and when they do the Day at the Range in June for people with disabilities.
This is not a demonstration where people get to watch me work the dogs. This is an interactive event where the participants get to handle the dogs and learn how to work with a trained hunting dog. There are a lot of people that have never seen a trained dog doing field work or retrieving work. However, in this case they get to see the dogs and also handle the dogs. These are great venues for helping introduce others to the world of trained hunting dogs.
For the past several years, I have also provided hunting dog demonstrations at The Arc of the Ozarks "Hunt, Fish and Swap" meet. This event has grown tremendously and it has been a pleasure to help provide a seminar and demonstration for the event.
I have also taught a class during Second Baptist's Summer Arts Festival titled Dog Handling. Each week the kids were able to learn and experience handling the dogs. We started off the first week just walking the dog on lead and having the dog sit on command. We kept adding commands and by the third week, the kids were were the dog off lead, keeping the dog steady, and sending on retrieves. The kids really enjoyed the sessions and it was fun to know they were learning and enjoying the dogs. We had a devotion each week talking about different aspects of the relationship with the dog/handler and but also see the kind of relationship that Christ would like to have with us.