On Sunday, Cynthia Bathurst from Best Friends came out to watch our Coliseum Class and what a class she watched! 36 dogs, all walking, jumping, running and working, without any fights! This is a big deal since some of the dogs in the class have leash or dog aggression issues or both. From 9:30-11:30 or longer, every Sunday, Cornelius “Dog Man” Austin, leads us on a course that runs from Figueroa and MLK blvd over to Vermont and back to the entrance of the Coliseum. We run the dogs through what we call our “urban agility course” over cement benches, walls, relay races and so much more! It’s a great work out for all the dogs and their handlers, one that Clancy looks forward to every week.
Cynthia leads the Safe + Humane Chicago program that promotes responsible dog handling by youth leaders for the community of dog owners who may not be able to afford traditional dog training classes. She is considering bringing a chapter to Los Angeles, where some of our youth handlers, Edgar and Jordan are being considered as potential leaders for their communities. Edgar discussed the challenges that he faces on a daily basis with his dog Queenie, living in Hawthorne where he is often approached by people who want to know if he is interested in fighting Queenie. Jordan lives near Crenshaw and has raised and trained his dog Pretty since she was a puppy. His goal is to become a professional dog training. A program sponsored by Best Friends in communities like South LA, Compton, Watts, Hawthorne, possibly Inglewood and Carson would do so much to prevent dog fighting, irresponsible breeding and animal cruelty! Stay tuned for more exciting information!