Features

The K-9 Search One canine obedience course begins its fall session at 9 a.m. on September 15, with Saturday morning classes offered at the Holly Springs Fire Department through October 27.

Each one-hour class provides an opportunity for dogs to learn appropriate social skills, meet and interact with other dogs and people, and gain confidence in themselves and their handlers, says instructor Judy Otto.

“Dogs are way out of their league when it comes to making big decisions like what to do in new situations, how to react when guests arrive at their home, and when to settle down and be quiet. As pack animals, dogs are much more comfortable when decisions are made for them by a pack leader — ideally, their owner!” Otto explains.

The class doesn’t just teach the dog what to do — it teaches him to respect and obey guidance from his handler — who is also his leader, protector, and provider.

When a dog understands that he can trust you to make decisions for him — to always be fair and consistent in your expectations — you have the right foundation for teaching whatever positive behavior you might want to tackle: Agility, flyball, rally, obedience trials, herding, hunting, search and rescue — there’s no end to the rewarding activities you and your dog can enjoy together, Otto points out.

Dogs attending the class will learn to listen, obey, and trust their handler’s commands, even in a strange place where they are surrounded by other dogs, people, and active distractions.

“The first time I attended a major five-day dog show, I was a nervous wreck,” confesses Otto. “There must have been 1,000 dogs in that arena, and the roar of the crowds, the announcers, the vendors, and the barking dogs was just overpowering. I glanced down at my dog, to see how she was taking all this chaos, and Kali was pacing calmly beside me, completely unconcerned. She knew that everything would be all right if she did her job; she was confident that I would take care of everything else.

“And she was right. She earned first place over 18 other dogs in our obedience class that day — although I was a quivering mass of Jell-O!”

Otto, who has served as an obedience instructor for Shelby County Obedience Club in Memphis, has been training dogs and instructing canine classes for more than 20 years. She will again be assisted by Mary Jo and Jim Elmore of Byhalia, both experienced dog trainers and exhibitors, who offer weeknight classes of their own in Olive Branch.

Register at the first class at 9 a.m. Saturday, September 15, at the Holly Springs Fire Station. Be sure to bring a leash, slip collar, and written proof of the dog’s inoculations for rabies, distemper, and parvo virus.

Cost for the six-week course of one-hour-long Saturday classes is $40. Proceeds will benefit volunteer search and rescue canine teams that work cooperatively to serve the Marshall County area. For further information regarding the class, contact Judy Otto at 252-1004.

Pages from the Past

10 Years Ago - September 4, 1997

Literacy cabooses for the four Marshall County schools will officially open Tuesday with the grand opening at Henry School. Henry, Galena, Mary Reid and H.W. Byers have remodeled and put their own special touches on the cabooses, donated by Burlington-Northern Railroad. A panel of judges who live outside the district selected the Henry caboose to host the grand opening. CNN news will be in Marshall County for the grand opening and will visit schools for a first-hand view, as will Mississippi ETV and Mississippi Magazine.

Sheriff’s department buys station wagon for one dollar

Sheriff Kenny Dickerson found a bargain this week. He bought a 1992 Chevrolet Caprice station wagon from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department narcotics unit for $1. Shelby County is retiring the car and is allowed to sell the car to another law enforcement agency for drug enforcement use. Dickerson said the car will be used to carry defendants accused of drug crimes and to transport K-9 units.

25 Years Ago - September 9, 1982

Blues festival Saturday

The music department of Rust College will sponsor their third annual Northeast Mississippi Blues and Gospel Folk Fest, Sat., Sept. 11 featuring a variety of blues and gospel artists from the northeast Mississippi region, including such noted bluesmen as Junior Kimbrough, Monroe Jackson, Wilbert Lee Reliford, R.L. Burnside, Leander (Cotton) Howell and blues mother Ellen Jeffries of Holly Springs.

Governor’s wife here

Mrs. William Winter will speak on behalf of Gov. Winter’s proposed legislation at the Hitching Post on Monday. Mrs. Winter’s comments will concern the upcoming constitutional amendment on a lay board of eduction.

Food prices plunge 4.8% in SR survey

Overall food prices plunged to their lowest level in the 10-month period of The South Reporter Marketbasket survey last month. Of the 23 items surveyed nine posted decreases, with bread the sharpest decrease at 30 percent. Also decreasing in price were tuna, hamburger meat and catsup. Only three items posted increases: baking potatoes, sugar and pork chops.

50 Years Ago - September 5, 1957

Broiler plant is planned in Water Valley

Investigations into the possibility of broiler production on a large scale are well underway as a result of an interview between the Water Valley Industrial Development Authority and a broiler processor, who recently visited Water Valley. The processor proposes to begin processing operations that would require 40,000 broilers a day or a total of 200,000 per week. Broiler production is rapidly becoming a Southern operation.

Belles and Beaux met, picnic supper gay affair

The Belles and Beaux met on Monday night at the lodge at Wall Doxey State Park. Hosts were Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Tomlinson, Mr. and Mrs. James Houston Miller and Mr. and Mrs. L.L. Woods Jr. A picnic supper was served and dancing was enjoyed after dinner. Invited guests were Mr. and Mrs. Ben Vizzier, Miss Marjean Jones, Robert Seale Jr., Mrs. Rose Ann Colhoun, Jimmy French, Price McDermott, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Bonds of Holly Springs, Miss Margaret Ann Seale, Miss Viola McCain and Miss Miriam Leslie of Memphis and Mr. and Mrs. Binion Cochran of Mobile, Ala.


Thursday, September 6, 2007
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