Community News

The 4-H Dog club and the Caribou County Agricultural Extension Office visited Black Canyon elementary in Grace at the end of January to help introduce students to the 4-H program, and spread the word that the program is “not just cows and horses.”  

During the Thursday afternoon assembly, Extension Office Administrative Assistant Rachel Hamilton introduced the students to 4-H dog club advisor Eisa’Bel Curran, and Bear River K-9 Club member Ella Ozbourne, who demonstrated some of the things the dog club works on throughout the year.  Unlike many of the livestock clubs in the 4-H program, Dog club is held continuously throughout the year at the Extension Office, or outside when it’s warm enough.  

“We all know what 4-H is I hope,” Rachel Hamilton said.  “It’s more than just horses and cows, and livestock.  We do a lot more than that.  I could go on and on—lots of cooking, shooting, archery and shotgun.  Skiing, outdoor sports, and just a opportunities to do a lot of things.  And one of those is Dog 4-H.”  The 4-H program in Caribou County is strong, but like most educators, Hamilton and Curran want to reach as many people as possible, especially those who may not have considered 4-H something that reflected their interests.

Outside the small office staff consisting of Hamilton, 4-H Coordinator Lisa Barfuss, and Extension Educator Justin Hatch, the program depends on a number of skilled volunteers to help run its activities and events.  Eisa’Bel Curran became one of those volunteers last year when she was looking for a venue to host a group class indoor since it was still winter outside. “I had called the extension office and they approved of my event. Then that day they had asked me if I would be interested in teaching and advising the dog club,” she explains.  “I got excited and agreed, it’s been the best decision ever since!” 

One of the students Curran quickly met was Ella Ozbourne, who has had great success in the 4-H program, taking her dog Emmy to the Eastern Idaho State Fair competition this year.  Ozbourne is 14, and already has the calm demeanor of someone with a lot of dog handling experience.  She introduced Grace students to her dog, to an unavoidable wave of “awwww”s. “This is my service dog Emmy, a German Shepard,” Ozbourne related, as Emmy sat calmly at attention.  She’s almost 3.  I’m going to talk a little bit about what a service dog is, and how 4-H helps to train them.”

Ozbourne explained the role of service dogs, and the expectations trainers have for them.  “A service dog is any dog trained to perform a task for someone with a disability.  An emotional support dog is a medically prescribed animal providing therapeutic benefits to those who need them.  Do service dogs needs training?  Yes.  A service dog must be trained for a task for the person with a disability to use when aiding them.  No, emotional support dogs don’t need training.  Service dogs are allowed in public anywhere a person can go.  Emotional support dogs have restrictions against where they can go.”  Ozbourne then demonstrated a technique called DPT (Deep Pressure Stimulation Therapy), which is used to help lower the heart rate of individuals experiencing anxiety or panic.  “She will lay on my lap when my heart rate is too high, and it will slow the rate down.  She knows she isn’t allowed to get up until I ask her to,” Ozbourne explained, while demonstrating.

Dog Club Leader Eisa’Bel Curran remarks after Ozbourne’s demonstration that her skill and professionalism are exceptional, but also a common result of the 4-H program.  “I’ve seen so much growth in the students by themselves, along with being able to work with an animal that doesn’t speak English. The growth part is, a shy student being able to speak up and ask questions, feels more comfortable coming to class, and more confidence in teaching the dog. Sure there are the frustrations and the ups and downs but in just a short amount of time, it’s helped families with having issues on training their dog to the student teaching the family and telling their friends about it too!”  Public speaking is one of the side benefits of the Dog Training course.

As for Black Canyon students, they were raptly attentive to Ozbourne and Emmy, and equally so to Curran and her lab/cowdog mix Charlie when they next demonstrated some of the skill course events, while also explaining what it takes to join the club. 

4-H members need to be at least 8 year old, and their dogs need to be at least six months.  Breed is not a barrier to entry, nor is training.  “It can be your special mutt at home, it can be your purebred poodle, they’re all welcome,” Curran says.  Several kids ask about their specific dogs, and whether they might be too old or large or small.  Curran explained that She explained that in a larger club with more dogs they would be separated into larger and smaller dog groups, but with the relatively small number of participants in the Caribou club, they are all combined into one group.  And no dog is ever too old.

“If you’re at least 8 years old and you have a dog that’s at least six months, we’re still taking people who want to sign up into the club.  Head over to the 4-H Extension Office, and sign up,” Curran says, thanking the students for their attention.  

Rachel Hamilton ended by explaining that the club meets once a month, and does activities like making dog collars and training for the Fair Show, walking in the 4th of July parade, going to schools, and all kinds of other things.

Outside of the 4-H program, Eisa’Bel Curran also runs Bels Dog Training in the county, and focuses on behavior modification and skill building for dogs.  “The sole main reason I started doing this is as a professional, was I had worked and still currently working as a veterinary technician, and seeing dogs come into the clinic in such a terrible mental state of mind (anxious, frustrated, panting, whining, trying to get away) and the owners will just laugh, and all I want to do is show the dog, hey it’s not so scary. I understand it’s hard to give advice for people who aren’t wanting it or didn’t think they need it but, I love dogs soo much that  I care a lot about their mental stability. So my goal, is to provide the best knowledge to each dog and owner in building a better relationship, growing together and creating this beautiful team that’s thriving in life and not having a care in the world,” she explains.  She is committed to helping as many dogs as possible throughout the county and beyond.  “It’s the ability to change their life in one day, and help them overcome their emotions and keep them safe from the euthanasia table, and out of shelters.”

Eisa’Bel can be contacted at (801) 589-2735 for training information, classes, and appointments.

The Extension Office is in downtown Soda Springs at 53 E 1st South, and can be contacted at (200) 547-3205.  Lisa Barfuss is the 4-H Coordinator.  The fee for a year of membership in the Dog Club is $20.