There is no doubt that Los Alamos loves dogs! If you spend any time driving around town, you’ll notice plenty of folks outside with their dogs. Most of our paved trails have doggie clean up bins stationed at regular intervals, and we have three dog parks here in town. Several businesses have cropped up to keep dogs active and happy too. The Doghouse offers Doggie Daycare, training, and boarding services. And we have more than a few dog walking services. But if you really want to get to the hub of the dog community in Los Alamos, you should check out the Los Alamos Dog Obedience Club.

The Los Alamos Dog Obedience Club is a 501(c)4 non profit organization that has been supporting Los Alamos dog owners since 1951. Yes. 1951. That’s a really long time! Their building is located next to the Animal Shelter and the East Park Dog Park. The metal building is an old Quonset Hut left over from the Los Alamos war years, which might be enough of a curiosity to at least visit the club. Honestly though, this group has the resources to take your dog ownership to the next level.

When most of us think of dog obedience, we immediately imagine basic manners class with a puppy. If you have a puppy, you can certainly sign up for some basic training courses. It’s a great place to start. But if you’ve got an older dog at home, that doesn’t mean you’re left out!

Along with basic manners and tricks for fun, our local dog enthusiasts participate in beginner to advanced agility training, herding, tracking, dock diving, breed showing, nose training, and even schutzhund (protection training). Our locals get together on a weekly basis and even arrange trips out of area for training events, shows, and competitions. Professional dog trainers come to Los Alamos from as far away as South Africa to assist with specialized work such as Schutzhund and some of our local dog owners have successfully competed dogs internationally!

Even if all of this sounds overwhelming, you might be surprised at the unusual services our local dog obedience enthusiasts can provide to the community. A great example is snake training for your dog. A professional trainer comes to town fairly frequently during snake season in order to expose you and your dog to possible snake encounters on the trail. For those of us who trail run or hike with our dogs, or even those of us who live in an area where snakes might appear in our yard, training our dogs not to get bit is a huge bonus! The snake specialist travels with several varieties of snakes who are specially prepared to keep your dog safe while offering them the experience of a snake encounter in a way that prevents them from making a critical boo-boo at a later time. Contact the Dog Obedience club for details, or check their Facebook page for upcoming dates.

Summer sign up for classes begins on June 14. So this is the perfect time to look at your summer schedule and make some time to get fit with your dog. Dog training is a passion sport with tons of benefits for both you and your canine companions. And it’s just one more cool thing to do here in Los Alamos! Get involved with Dog Obedience and when you’re ready to join our community here on the Hill, give me a call! I’d love to chat real estate in Los Alamos with you.