Members of the Cherry Grove K9 Search and Rescue visited Chautauqua County 4-Hers at Super Dog Saturday in April. Pictured are Donna Delahoy with Barney the German Shepard, Jan Covey with Joy the Standard Poodle, Jim & Jan Brigs with Trouble the Bloodhound, Lu and Jackie Peterson with Ripley and Reese the Chocolate Labrador Retrievers, and Lynda Slocum with Lucy the Labrador Retriever. Chautauqua County 4-H Members pictured in the front row are Matthew Brown, Liliana Neal, and Kaylee Hodge and in the back row Matthew Levan, Collin Gregory, Genevieve Smith, and Nicholas Cornell.

Members of the Cherry Grove K9 Search and Rescue visited Chautauqua County 4-Hers

Camaraderie & K-9's at 4-H Super Dog Saturday

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (April 18, 2019) – Chautauqua County 4-H Dog Project held Super Dog Saturday on April 13, 2019 at the Frank Bratt Ag Center. This annual event is a day devoted to learning more about the unique talents of dogs and to have some fun too!

At Super Dog Saturday 4-H youth were able to sign up for their show number for the upcoming show season at 4-H Acres. They also made a dog-themed grapevine wreath and played games including musical dog beds.

The 4-Hers welcomed special guests Cherry Grove K9 Search and Rescue. Cherry Grove K9 Search and Rescue provided a wealth of knowledge about how dogs are trained for search and rescue. The K9 group also explained how each different breed uses their nose for searching for the scent of a person, which of their dogs search for live people and for deceased people. Youth learned that dogs are trained to search on and off lead. The highlight of the day was when 4-H youth put the dogs to the test and hid around the grounds of the Ag Center and had to be “found” by the K9 dogs. The youth really enjoyed learning from the experienced members of the Cherry Grove K9 Search and Rescue and had many questions. Of course, they loved petting the dogs as well.

Youth in the dog project will be busy this spring attending weekly trainings to prepare for their shows at 4-H Acres this summer. Youth and their dogs learn the skills necessary to show in agility, grooming, handling, and rally obedience classes.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated April 18, 2019