Community

WATCH: These dogs make this course look easy

Agility course setup for Canada Day celebrations

A group of canines helped mark the return of Canada Day celebrations in Kelowna.

The Central Okanagan Dog Agility Club (CODAC) had an obstacle course set up at Pioneer Gardens to entertain families enjoying festivities.

Over 20 dogs – and their owners – participated throughout the day, bobbing, and weaving through obstacles and tunnels, and making impressive jumps.

“It just works on the dogs thinking for themselves and it’s a team effort between the dogs and the owners,” Barb Joustra, with CODAC, told Kelowna10. “Definitely a bond and it gets stronger each time you work with your dog.”

Joustra works with her dog Viper, who is a four and a half years old Blue Heeler. She said Viper’s best at doing the weave poles … when he wants to.

She has been doing dog agility for 22 years and Viper is the fifth agility dog she’s worked with.

“I’m enjoying that I’m out active and it definitely helps me create that bond with the dogs that you would probably not normally have [if you didn’t] work with them.”

Another CODAC member, Karen Yuen, has only been doing dog agility for a year.

“I inherited a dog two years ago, so I had him during COVID,” Yuen said. “He came fully trained and now I’m the one getting trained.”

She said the dog agility community is great and was excited to display some of the skills she and her canine companion had learned.

“Just showing our skills and letting people know that your dog is not just a pet,” she said. “This is amazing because he uses his brain, and he has to think with me.”

Yuen’s dog is a Groenendael, a breed of Belgian Shepherd, whose name is Titan, from Clash of the Titans.

Families gathered to watch the hounds compete, all while enjoying live music in the park.

Published 2022-07-01 by Jordan Brenda

Get a fresh daily look

See what’s happening in and around our city, and the people who call it home.

Our newsroom abides by the RTNDA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and follows the Canadian Press Stylebook. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to send us a news tip, please contact us.

Kelowna10 is division of Pattison Media, and strives to achieve the highest ethical standards in all that we do.