This week was full of new experiences and learning for the kids in our Kids & K9s camp! This camp for rising sixth to ninth graders focuses on learning about reward-based training and teaching camper's dogs new skills and tricks. This week we had two sessions of this camp, each with 6 campers and 6 dogs.
On the first day of camp, each dog stays at home while the campers start their first day at camp to learn all about clicker training and using rewards to help teach canines new things. Sarah Babcock, our Chief of Education and Training, works with the kids and dogs throughout the week to teach new tricks and they even learned to run through our agility course! Though the dogs also learn other fun tricks like spinning in a circle, getting in a box and even to come when called, the highlight for the campers was learning how to run through the agility course with their dog. At the end of the week, each camper and pup did a demonstration for family and friends to show off all that they have learned throughout the week. Everyone in the audience watched as each dog scurried through tunnels, sat politley on the paws table, dashed up the a-frame, sailed through jumps and confidently strutted down the dog walk.
When asked how she enjoyed the camp, one camper happily replied, "It was awesome! I am so going to do this again next year!" We are thrilled that our campers and their canines had a wonderful week of learning and fun!
Caroline Radom is the manager of communications at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
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