New year = new dog? Time for class
Some of my dogs have gone through several, some repeating old classes, others moving on to more challenges. We always learn something in every one we take.
The classes also are a lot of fun, providing a good bonding time for you and your canine.
And the South Bay and Harbor Area are blessed with some excellent class offerings and trainers.
Barbara Millman, a retired LAUSD special ed teacher, has been training dogs as an avocationfor many years now and offers an excellent beginning/introductory class at 8:30 a.m.Saturday mornings in the parking lot outside Dino's Pet Shoppe, 1724 Palos Verdes Drive
North, Harbor City (in the shopping center on the southeast corner of Western & PV Drive N, across the street from the Fresh & Easy).
A brand new class begins this Saturday, Jan. 7 (cost is $70 for 7 weeks). The first meeting is for owners only, so leave the dog at home. It's a time for the instructor to get to know class members and their specific dog-related issues better; she'll also go over the equipment you'll need to have (what style of collar, leash, etc.). You'll get plenty of one-on-one help in this class.
If Tuesday nights or Wednesday mornings work better for you, the Lomita Obedience Training Club offers obedience classes for all levels, from puppy manners to beginning and advanced obedience. The club, which is nonprofit and operates at Lomita Park under the city's parks department, will launch its new session of classes next week (week of Jan. 9).
(Photo above shows dogs in a long sit during one of the club's annual obedience competitions.)
About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.
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