Dog scouts of America

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) – if you are looking out for a way to meet people and dog friend for the day. Dog Scouts of America may be the way.

It is similar to boy scouts and dog scouts or girl scouts. It is a community-based organization. It is non-profit National organization out of Michigan. It is a way for people to get together and enjoy their dogs.

Right now, it is hard to bring your dogs to places. A lot of places that are on leash. You can’t take them off leash and let them enjoy themselves. People don’t know where to bring their dogs and a way to get together and enjoy the dogs.

In June, we are going to a dog friendly campground and go kayaking, canoeing, swimming. You can earn badges, such as water rescue. You teach your dog to rescue somebody out in the water. We are planning on going snow shoeing with our dogs and in the near future. We basically, because it is a dog scouts and there is a lot of dog scout laws, it is like, we do respect the properties. Make sure to pick up their poop. Don’t let them urinate on inappropriate items. We talk to the owners and get permission to use places where normally you wouldn’t go.

One of the things we are actually working right now, with Deacon. We are hoping to do a dog trick show and a booth for the Bark in the Park held in the spring. We actually get out there and try to raise money for different organizations. One of the national organizations, they raise money to buy pet oxygen masks. That could be donated to the firefighters. They are rescuing the dog or the cat, they have some way to give that animal some oxygen, instead of the masks made for humans.

With dog scouts, we are positive-based training, learning tricks and rewarding him for it. I have been involved in dog sport force a better part of five years now. One of the things I always found, people don’t know what to do with their dogs. A lot of dogs are not socialized the way they should. I think that is one of the big reasons they end up in shelters. I was looking for an organization that i could — it is inexpensive and cost $25 a year to join dog scouts and people could get together and play with their dogs. The socializing part is really, really important to me. It works both for the owner of the dog and for the dog himself, or herself. If you have one dog and all you do is leave it in your house, the dog is there by himself all day. 22 plus hours a day inside the house in most cases. It is great that you can get them out and do that.

Troop 211 in Mass. we are up to 20 people already. Which is huge. I have been doing everything under the sun to get the word out. That is one of the reasons I’m here. The national organization recognized as one of the fastest growing groups.

To sign your dog up and for more information, visit DogScouts211.com .