Kudos to the Vancouver Farmers Market organizers, and their practice of allowing well-behaved dogs to attend. There are precious few venues where those of us with working dogs can go to train under realistic conditions.
For years, we’ve been regulars, usually with two of our Goldens. Currently we are working with Crunch and Jasper, getting Jasper ready to evaluate as a therapy dog. Crunch has been working the hospitals, jails, libraries, drug rehab and many other places over the years. Jasper, at age 2, is still very much in the training mode. The weekend of the Art Fair was wonderful for the dogs — huge crowds, lots of petters, and many other dogs, which we train our dogs to “leave it.”
We have one suggestion. Could someone please outlaw Flexi-leads, the leashes that extend to 16 feet or more? Just allow a standard six-foot lead for everyone’s safety. On several occasions with my dog at a perfect “heel” position, she has broken and when I look to see the problem, some dog on a “flexi” has its nose in her privates. This is also a tripping hazard for humans, as we see people interested in a booth and paying no attention to their dog running amok on a 16-foot lead. Outlawing these dangerous leads can only improve safety for everybody.
We love the market and the ability to train our dogs for their jobs. Thank you.
