FANCY a few dance classes but just can’t find the right partner? Tired of dancing around aimlessly in your lounge room while your pets look on?
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Do not despair, because the newly formed and registered Great Lakes Sporting and Companion Dog Club has the answer for you - you just need to have a dog.
Dancing With Dogs (DWD) is a relatively new dog movement which only just reached the shores of Australia five years ago.
Off the lead but inside, dogs are taught to spin, do loops, weave between legs, and more.
Owners and dogs can strut their stuff to a range of music, demonstrating ‘obedience heelwork’ within a skilful, choreographed routine.
Involving owners and their dogs, the dancing can be conducted as singles (owner plus dog), pairs (two owners plus two dogs), and groups. See it in action, and you will want to join in. It is captivating.
Great Lakes Dog Club founder, dog trainer, dog dancer, and dog judge Tony Turner credits seeing a clip of an Olivia Newton John look-a-like dog dancing devotee with firing up his interest in the sport.
Looking for something exciting to share with his precious pooches (two golden retrievers), he came across the clip and knew it was something he wanted them all to be involved in.
The only hitch was that there was no one doing it in Australia.
Rather than let that stop him, he set about bringing the movement into the country with a group of like-minded dog lovers.
Today, competitions are held at local and statewide levels, with national competitions scheduled for next year.
Promoting the cause, Tony has just returned from a three month tour around the country demonstrating Dancing With Dogs, which can now hold its own at animal expos alongside dog experts such as Dr Harry.
Practicing their newfound dancing skills on a local level, Great Lakes residents and their dogs are meeting every Tuesday night between 7 and 8pm at Tuncurry’s Memorial Hall.
International domination aside, their focus is firmly on their first public appearances at senior citizen halls and community events.
Whilst dancing with your dog requires a certain amount of dog training skills, fear not – the newly formed Dog Club also runs lessons in dog obedience skills.
Away from the dance floor, the club recognises that the prime reason for its existence is to encourage responsible dog ownership, with the aim of offering better dog management in the region.
Every Tuesday, a dog training obedience class is held from 9 to 10am at Tuncurry’s dog park. In the interest of safety, newcomers need to arrive at least 15 minutes early for their dogs to be assessed.
Cost for these classes is a one-off annual fee of $10 for club membership, plus $5 for every class attended.
Trainers will be taught how to train their dogs, and as both dogs and trainers learn, they will advance to different levels according to their skill in a structured but individualised program.
As your relationship with your dog strengthens, you will be ready to ‘heel and toe’ together in no time.
Other popular club activities include Woof Walks, Dogs and Fitness, and Story Dogs – a successful program assisting children with reading difficulties to read… to dogs.
For those interested, please contact Tony Turner on 0403 640 576 or tony@ irony.id.au