MONTICELLO, Ill. — Dogs are known as man’s best friend. In 4-H, learning to be a responsible dog owner is a project that offers youth opportunities to demonstrate showmanship and dog obedience skills. On August 28, 4-H members from around the state gathered at the Granny Rose K-9 Enrichment Center in Dixon, Il., for the Illinois 4-H Dog Show. Faith Bailey and her AKC registered toy poodle, Joey “Faith, I’ll be there for you” represented Piatt County 4-H.

Faith, a Prairie Kids 4-H Club member, placed second in Senior Showmanship at the Illinois 4-H Dog Show. This is Faith’s ninth year competing at the state level. She is a freshman studying Animal Science in the Parkland Pathways program.

“My showmanship teacher tells me to go out and have fun at competitions because even if you don’t win anything, you come home with your dog,” says Faith. “And, that’s the greatest prize of all.”

Showmanship competitors must demonstrate specific knowledge, such as breed standards, origin, and makeup of anatomy. Competitors must also navigate various patterns with their companions. Performance at county 4-H dog shows qualifies 4-H members for the state show.

WRITER: Maria Lightner, Marketing and Communications, University of Illinois Extension

ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.

ABOUT 4-H: Illinois 4-H empowers and prepares Illinois youth for success. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois, affecting the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs, groups, and short-term programming.