News

Actions

Dog owners take advanced recall classes to make sure their dogs obey beach rules

Posted at 10:53 PM, Oct 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-02 23:31:49-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Some dog owners are taking action to make sure their dogs are obeying the law at the Oceanfront.

Earlier this year, News 3 reported on new signs spanning the North End reminding dog owners of rules at the beach.

One of those rules is for a dog to be under a handler's voice command at all times if it's not leashed. To make sure they are obeying the laws, some dog owners have been taking advanced recall classes at the beach with their four-legged friends. The classes are taught by Crystal Partain of The Freckled Paw.

The goal of the class is for dogs to be able to go back to their handler when called, regardless of any distractions.

Patti Alford got her puppy, Sadie, in January and said she's still learning the ropes, which is why the class was perfect.

"It's mostly for safety and being able to let her off the leash is a nice thing to do, but unless you know she's going to come back, you can't do that," said Alford.

The classes are three weeks long and there are limited spots. A new set of classes start the week of Oct. 7 in Virginia Beach.