Florida 4-H Dog Project
What is 4-H?
4-H is an educational program for boys and
girls ages 8-18. “Learn by Doing” is the 4-H slogan, and it
exemplifies many of the principles 4-H is based upon. 4-H’ers participate
in activities, events, competitions, and projects that develop and strengthen
life skills. 4-H also encourages youth to participate in community
service.
The Florida 4-H Dog
Project
Volunteer 4-H Leaders provide training
classes for 4-H members and their dogs, both purebred and mixed are welcome.
The 4-H year generally follows the public school calendar, or September
through May of each year. Enrollment to become a 4-H member is
required and information is available through your local County
Extension Office. Most County programs ask 4-H members to enroll in 4-H
and sign up under the 4-H insurance program (the cost of insurance is
one dollar per person- for the 4-H year). It is also recommended at
least one parent (or adult) sign up as a 4-H volunteer. We request 4-H parents
& leaders volunteer to work at Florida 4-H Dog Project sponsored events such as shows, seminars
and fundraising activities throughout the year. This is a great way to
contribute to the success of the 4-H program and a way parents can give back to
the 4-H program for the training their children receive. To locate your
County Extension Office you can check here on our Florida 4-H Dog Project website (www.FL4-H-Dog.com), if your County
is not listed check: http://4h.ifas.ufl.edu/Links/County4HPages.htm
During The 4-H Year
4-H instructors teach classes in Obedience, Agility,
Rally and Showmanship. If your child has any interest in dog training or
showing- 4-H can help them accomplish their goals. 4-H members can train their
dogs to become better behaved family members or 4-H members also have
the option of putting the skills they learn to use competing in
4-H Dog Shows. Several Florida Counties across the State hold 4-H Dog
Shows throughout the year, please check our website for show dates,
location and information.
Annual Florida
4-H Dog Shows
In recent years there have been several Florida 4-H Dogs
Shows offered in the Tampa area. A Fall Florida 4-H
Training Show is held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in
Tampa, in late October.
At this show judges offer exhibitors advice on improving
their show skills (instead of placements). This is a great training
experience for new 4-H members, and an opportunity for returning 4-Hers
to prepare for upcoming dog show competitions. The Florida State
Fair hosts the State 4-H Championship Dog Show in
February of each year at the State Fairgrounds. There is also a Spring
4-H Dog Show held at the State Fairgrounds in mid April with
competition in all show divisions.
Florida
4-H Dog Quiz Bowl
In
2006 Florida held
it’s First 4-H Dog Quiz Bowl competition! The primary
objective of the Dog Bowl contest is to provide an opportunity for youth
enrolled in 4-H Dog Project to demonstrate their knowledge of dog related
subject matter in a competitive setting where attitudes of friendless and
fairness prevail. It is also hoped that these contests will provide an
educational experience for both participants and spectators. The
Florida
4-H Dog Quiz Bowl is conducted in a game show style format. Questions are
designed to test the contestant’s knowledge of subjects such as dog
conformation and anatomy, canine health, and 4-H & AKC dog show rules.
Questions come from designated study materials (that will be listed
yearly on the Florida 4-H Dog Project website). These study materials
include publications such as: the Florida State Skill-A-Thon
Manual (for the current & previous 4-H years, info will be
posted on this Florida 4-H Dog Project website); AKC Complete Dog
Book For Kids; AKC Obedience & Rally Rules-
(regarding AKC dog show rules); and Florida 4-H Dog Show
Rules (listed on this Florida 4-H Dog Project website). Florida
Counties are encouraged to establish a library system, so their Quiz
Bowl contestants can check out materials to study and return the materials at
the end of each year. Each Quiz Bowl team consists of four contestants and an
alternate, the team will pick a Team Captain and an adult leader to help the
team. Teams can represent their County or 4-H Group, and multi- County teams can
also be formed. For more information on starting a 4-H Dog Quiz Bowl team in
your County please contact June Lyness at DogFan101@aol.com .
Dog Project Clinics & Seminars
The Florida 4-H Dog
Project offers several seminars and training clinics for 4-H members
during the year. Locations and dates vary, please check this website for
information. Training topics include Showmanship, Obedience, Rally &
Agility.
Training Classes Offered In 4-H
Training classes are offered to 4-H members and their
dogs in Showmanship, Obedience, Rally & Agility. In dog training starting
with Obedience first is always a good idea.
Obedience classes teach dogs basic control- which is the foundation for all the
other classes. While teaching your dog Obedience is an ongoing process (there
are many levels to advance through)- you need a good foundation before you can
go on to try other divisions such as Showmanship, Agility & Rally. In fact
it is recommended, beginning 4-H'ers have a very good start in
Obedience before they start learning Agility. 4-H dog training classes
are usually offered by the Counties at either free or reduced prices. If
you would like to take your child to additional dog training lessons,
please ask your 4-H leader for a recommendation of a child friendly
instructor in your area, that trains in a similar manner to your 4-H
class instructors.
Community Service
4-H youth are encouraged to
participate in community service projects. Through the Florida 4-H Dog Project, many
4-Her’s have the opportunity to have their dogs tested to become therapy
dogs. Therapy dogs are used in a variety of ways including visiting the elderly
in nursing homes, visiting children and adults in hospitals, and participating
in the schools’ reading to dogs program. Some County 4-H programs
encourage their 4-H members to become ‘puppy raisers’ for dogs who
may go on to become ‘service dogs.’ The 4-H member trains the dog to
be able to perform the types of skills needed to be accepted into the service
dog program. At the end of the training period, if the dog passes the test- he
will be accepted into the final training phase of the service dog program.
Check to see if your County participates in one of the Service Dog ‘puppy
raiser’ programs.
4-H In Florida
The overall objective of 4-H is the
development of youth as individuals and as responsible and productive citizens.
4-H projects offer learning experiences in many different subject areas for
young people. More than 45 project areas are currently available in
Florida. A range of activities such as public
speaking, camping, and judging events have been developed, providing 4-H'ers
with opportunities to practice and apply new knowledge and ideas.
To get more information on the Florida 4-H Dog Project please check all areas of our website:
www.FL4-H-Dog.com or contact: Sally Alford at horsepny@tampabay.rr.com . For
additional information on 4-H you can go on the State of Florida 4-H website:
https://4h.ifas.ufl.edu/index1.htm .
