Dog training invaluable to family dynamic

Julianne Bryant and Roo the 3 1/2-year-old English golden retriever enjoy the sunshine July 15 at Central Washington University’s Moore Hall in Ellensburg. Dog training invaluable to family dynamic

By Jake McNeal

sports editor

Canine wellbeing is an early skill that makes new best friends.

Kids 5 to 19 years of age can show off their hard work in dog showmanship, obedience and agility, and Susan Bryant can help bring about their 4-H expertise.

“In this group we focus on having fun with the dogs, learning good dog health and nurturing your lifelong family member as opposed to getting wrapped up with the ribbons,” said Bryant, who has been a teacher, school counselor and biologist, and homeschooling her kids is her favorite, particularly in STEM. “4-H is like any other thing and people want to win, but we try not to focus on that.”

Family 4-H groups can choose multiple projects like baking, beef, horses, hogs, sheep, goats, photography, sewing, robotics, rabbits, shooting and archery, and the parent becomes the project leader.

Bryant’s family moved to Kittitas County from Norway as her husband was a career Air Force officer, and when they arrived 4-H needed leaders in robotics. She always had dogs growing up, and got to know English goldens living in Europe.

Bryant’s daughter Amy, who “has been really into dogs” for about eight years, is a Washington State University nursing grad, and her younger daughter, Julianne, is thinking about something medical but, as she’s in high school, still has time to decide. Susan’s son, Gabe, was a long-time 4-Her in robotics, photography and foods/ nutrition, and is about to enter his first year of dental school at the University of Southern California.

Susan, Amy and Julianne Bryant and family 4-H friends Traci and Brynn Tegman went for a walk with Nala and Roo, English golden retrievers 2 and 3 ½ respective years of age, July 15 along the water near Central Washington’s

Moore Hall in Ellensburg. Central’s campus is revered for its shady pathways where canine trainees can socialize with other dogs, skateboarders and bicyclists.

“The campus is so perfect,” said Susan Bryant, who noted that English goldens tend to be shyer than American goldens. “During the ninemonth school year it’s perfect because you’ve got a lot of college students who will come up and say, ‘Hey, can I pet your dog?’ so that’s wonderful for the dogs.”

Nala hasn’t been shown yet, but she’s well on her way as obedience takes years of patience, where livestock handlers have brief windows before going to market. Dogs used to be shown each day of the Kittitas County Fair, but now they’re shown on a single day for the sake of rest and relaxation after lots of interaction with the public.

Kids as young as 5 to 7 can enter the Cloverbud program, depending on the project, and 4-H scholarships await kids active for years with accomplished record books. With dogs, it all starts in puppy training, grooming, giving vaccinations, leashing and collaring, deworming, feeding and applying basic first aid.

“I like it when they get it,” said Brynn Tegman, who likes to show off tricks and what her puppy Duke, also a golden, can do, including jumping through a hoop, when people come over and babysit him.

“That’s always so exciting, to ‘sit’ or ‘shake’ or ‘come’ or ‘drop it’ or ‘wait’ for the treat before they take it,” Traci Tegman said.

Kids keep record books that serve as summer writing projects and get them thinking about their projects, what they’ve learned and their expenses, and some have multiple projects. Traditionally 4-Hers work in shifts and parents help out in the concessions trailer, but there will be no such trailer at this year’s Kittitas County Fair after it caught fire and, though fortunately no one was injured, awaits replacement.

“Also a part of that is the judges asking them questions, and they get graded on that,” Susan Bryant said.

Brynn and Traci Tegman enjoy a walk with Nala, a two-year-old English golden retriever, July 15 at Central Washington University’s Moore Hall in Ellensburg.

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Traci and Brynn Tegman spend quality time with Nala, a two-year-old English golden retriever, July 15 at Central Washington University’s Moore Hall in Ellensburg.

“With the dogs they learn the parts of the dogs, and the judge will say, ‘Point to the stop,’ and that’s between a dog’s eyes just a little bit higher than the eyes, and you have that with all the species, or they might ask, ‘What do the 4-H colors mean?’ or they’ll ask, ‘What breed is your dog?’ ‘What AKC group is your dog in?’ or ‘Where was your dog’s breed first originated?’ so you have that across every species.”

Flyers welcoming new 4-Hers go up in schools, the 4-H Focus is an online newsletter put together by office manager Andrea Morse with descriptions of each project, and Morse links people with the club they’re interested in.

“When people are new moving into the county, they want to plug their kids into neat, worthwhile activities, and a lot of 4-H kids come from parents who were prior 4-Hers because it’s been around for a long time,” Susan Bryant said.

At dog fairs like the one Aug. 11, 15 and 17 in Yakima, there is showmanship, obedience, agility and costume dressing. Kids walk with their dogs through the air-conditioned 4-H building and greet the public at the Kittitas County Fair and, in preparation, there is a tradition to show dogs as therapy dogs in assisted living.

“For dog agility, the border collies just sprint it up, and they’re super fast,” Susan Bryant said. “Goldens will do it out of a love for you, whereas border collies love it so much that they’re doing it for fun.”

Showmanship involves bathing, grooming, trimming nails, cleaning ears and having kids dress professionally with closed-toed shoes and business attire while they’re showing.

“With the light-colored dogs you’re supposed to wear darker clothing because you want your dog to stand out,” Susan Bryant said. “If your dog’s dark brown or black, you want to wear light-colored clothes to have your dog stand out.”

Kids show the bite on dogs to prove the dog is in shape, has good confirmation and teeth cleanliness, and proof of vaccination and lack of flaws passable to puppies follow. Kids are also judged on temperament when handling dogs instead of getting upset at difficulty. Walking a dog on the left side, known as heeling, is different from showing horses that walk on the right.

“Typically in showing dogs you have to get strong in your other arm, which is kind of weird at first,” Susan Bryant said.

Kids also go to see Dr. Casey Kellar, a former 4-Her who founded Best Friends Mobile Veterinary Care in 2018, in Ellensburg.

“When they get out of 4-H, their career interests really span a gamut because you’ve been really into dogs,” Susan Bryant said. “Things that they learn with their dogs absolutely flow into lifetime pursuits. They’ll always have dogs, for sure.”

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From left, Julianne Bryant, Amy Bryant, two- and 3 1/2-year-old English golden retrievers Roo and Nala, Brynn Tegman and Traci Tegman enjoy an afternoon walk at Central Washington University’s Moore Hall in Ellensburg.