The Canadian Kennel Club will be stopping in Weyburn on Sunday to hold their Canine Good Neighbour Program at Fido's Place.

This will be the first time in over 30 years that Weyburn will be having a Canadian Kennel Club recognized event.

The test is non-competitive and allows the dog and handler to demonstrate confidence and control in 12 steps. It assesses the handler and dog's relationship, together with the handler's ability to control the dog. Dogs are evaluated on their ability to perform basic exercises as well as their ability to demonstrate good manners in everyday situations.

"It doesn't have to be a purebred dog it can be just your family pet and what they are promoting is the fact that owners and pets are working well together and they've got good manners when they're going out in public," told CindyAnn Boehm, the Owner of Fido's Place. "It's a really great way to show that not all dogs are running crazy in these COVID times I guess."

The event on Sunday will be quite COVID-19 friendly as only one dog will be allowed in the facility to be tested at a time and the staff at Fido's place will ensure that all of the provincial rules, guidelines and protocols are followed. They will have everyone that is waiting for their dogs to be tested outside of the building and they ask anyone who attends to maintain a safe distance from others.

"This is one of the events that the Canadian Kennel Club does with everybody so anyone can actually register for this event," Boehm stated. "Of course there are guidelines. Your dog has to have all their vaccinations and they need to be over a year old. Every 15 minutes we are doing another test so you need to register for a certain time. We are running from approximately nine in the morning till about five in the afternoon."

The Canadian Kennel Club was founded in 1888 and is known as one of the top canine training organizations in the world.

Those who successfully complete the Canine Good Neighbour Program will receive an official certificate for their furry friend.

The 12-step test covers the following:

  1. Accepting A Friendly Stranger

  2. Politely Accepts Petting

  3. Appearance and Grooming

  4. Out For A Walk

  5. Walking Through A Crowd

  6. Sit/Down On Command and Stay In Place

  7. Come When Called

  8. Praise/Interaction

  9. Reaction To A Passing Dog

  10. Reaction To Distractions

  11. Supervised Isolation

  12. Walking Through A Door/Gate

The training program embraces both purebred and mixed-breed dogs and is fun, rewarding, and useful. It encourages owners to have a better and richer relationship with their dogs. The program also enhances community awareness of responsible dog ownership and the numerous benefits associated with dog ownership.

The cost for the event on Sunday is $35 for pre-registration or $40 at the door.

If you would like more information or would like to pre-register please call Fido's Place at (306) 891-9663 or email them at fidosplace@outlook.com

The event on Sunday, April 18th will run from approximately 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Fido's place is located at 325 Queen Street in Weyburn.

You can keep up with the latest at Fido's Place by visiting their official website or by following them on Facebook.