There are a number of organized activities in the South Bay where you can get out in the sunshine, exercise your dog and stimulate your dog’s brain all at the same time. If you’re interested in learning the ropes on dog sports, the Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) in Milpitas has a number of classes that start this month.
If you and your dog are new to dog sports, you may want to enroll in HSSV’s Obedience for Dog Sports, beginning on Thursday, June 21 from 6:30 to 7:20 p.m. This class teaches you basic skills that will prepare your dog to participate in any dog sport such as agility, flyball, canine freestyle or disk dogs. The goal is to keep your dog focused among many distractions. It’s $175 for the six-week long course, with discounts for HSSV adopters. Proof of current vaccinations is required.
If you and your dog are ready for something more adventurous, the HSSV is offering both a Beginning Flyball class and a Beginning Agility class this month. The Beginning Flyball class starts on Saturday, June 16 and runs for six weeks. Flyball is a relay race for dogs, racing two teams at a time with four dogs each. Flyball is one of the fastest-growing dog sports in the U.S. and there’s even a North American Flyball Association. During the six-week course, you and your dog will be introduced to the fundamentals of flyball, including jumping the hurdles and learning to trigger the flyball box to retrieve a ball. You will also learn handling techniques and ways in which to motivate your dog on the course.
Find out what's happening in Campbellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Beginning Pet Dog Agility starts Wednesday, June 20, from 5:30 to 6:20 p.m. at the HSSV Milpitas campus. The class introduces your and your dog to the fun of agility by using positive reinforcement methods. As a handler, you learn how to better communicate with your dog and give your dog a fun and creative outlet for his or her energy. Both the Flyball and Agility classes are six weeks in length and cost $175 (with discounts for HSSV adopters). Basic obedience training is required and the Obedience for Dog Sports class is recommended as a prerequisite for both classes. For more information about all of these classes, visit the HSSV website.
Pet of the Week
Find out what's happening in Campbellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
This week’s pet is Broady, one of 20 beagles at the HSSV that were rescued from a research facility. Broady is 11 months old and is hoping to find a loving family that can introduce him to all of the fun things he’s missed out on. All of the beagles are perfectly healthy and are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. The research facility had them debarked.
Beagles are sweet-natured, gentle, playful and well-behaved with other animals and grown ups and kids of all ages. It’s no wonder that the beagle was ranked as the third most popular dog in the U.S., according to the American Kennel Club. An ideal home for Broady would be with another dog to help him learn the ropes of doggy etiquette and behavior. He’s currently living in a foster home and adjusting to being part of a family.
For more information on Broady and other beagles available for adoption, visit the HSSV website.
