We’re finally getting to “yellow” status in Berks and Lancaster counties, so Clever Hound classes and lessons will be resuming. We will need to follow careful social distancing requirements, so if you are a Clever Hound student please read the following carefully and let me know if you have any questions.
For all classes and activities, please do not attend if you or someone in your household or circle of contact is ill or knows they have been exposed to COVID19. Makeup group classes can be extended into the next class session if you are absent for this reason and the 24 hour cancellation requirement will not be in place for COVID19 related cancellations of private lessons.
Masks are required to be worn by everyone present during classes and lessons. Please keep a distance of at least 6 feet between people.
Private lessons will resume on June 5. If you prefer to delay the restart of lessons or to work via Zoom, please let me know as soon as possible. Consider whether working outdoors would be an option for your dog’s current needs. If we are working indoors I will ask for the opportunity to wash my hands at the start and end of each lesson.
If you are a service dog client and we have a lesson planned in public we will need to follow local laws regarding use of that facility. If the shutdown order is still in place in your local area, please let me know so we can reschedule.
Classes at Godfreys will be held outdoors through the summer. Clever Dog and Rally Competition classes will be held inside the fenced dog park since dogs work off leash in those classes. Godfreys requires that you provide copies of your dog’s rabies and distemper/ parvovirus vaccination or titer records and a clear fecal sample within the past year. Once you have provided these, your dog will also be “dog park approved” should you decide to use the services of the dog parks for playtime. Scent work classes will be held primarily outdoors with one handler at a time searching inside. Rally Novice will be held in the parking lot to allow for wheelchair access. The building will be open for use of the bathroom. You may want to bring your own chair. Godfreys classes have 15 minute gaps between them, so please wait in your car until the class before yours is dismissed.
In the event of rain on a Monday, classes will be split into groups of 2-3 students and we will hold 30 minute classes indoors.
The building at Rocky Creek is large enough to allow for social distancing, but please wait outside away from the doorway until invited inside for class. You will need to bring your own chairs and crates if needed. Dave or I will set jump bars to minimize the handling of equipment. For Scent work classes, you may be asked to work from your car and just get your dog out for searches- this is good practice for trials.
Classes at my home will be held primarily outdoors through the summer, weather permitting. You may want insect repellent for evening classes.
The tracking group will begin meeting on June 10. If you prefer not to directly handle articles, please bring a clean plastic bag to carry your start article. Make sure that this is not a scented poop bag.
If all goes according to plan, most classes for the next session will begin the first week in July. However, there will be a Clever Puppy/ Clever Dog class starting at my home in Leesport on June 17 at 6 pm. Registration is open now for this session.
Thank you all for your patience and understanding through this difficult time.
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