Fall Foliage Dog Walk set for Sunday

DALTON – The area’s first Fall Foliage Dog Walk, sponsored by the owners of two canine-related businesses, will take place Sunday from 12:30-3 p.m.

In case of rain, the walk will be rescheduled for Sunday, Oct. 28.

Gloria McClay, owner of Canine Connection in Cheshire, and Jesse Salas of Pittsfield, owner of Right End of the Leash, are co-sponsoring the event for dogs and their owners.

Interested dog owners who would like to participate with their pets should contact either Mrs. McClay or Mr. Salas.

In order to participate in the two-and-a-half mile walk, dog owners must have proof of current licenses and rabies inoculations, poop bags, water, proper training collars (harnesses or regular buckle collars are not allowed) and cotton or nylon leashes. Flexi-leashes will also not be allowed.

The walk will take place along sidewalks and dogs will be checked ahead of time for compatibility, Mrs. McClay said.

Walk to provide exercise and more

The dog walk will be an opportunity for dogs and their owners to form bonds, she said. It will also provide exercise for both dogs and their owners and the chance to establish leadership with the dogs.

“It’s a fun thing, too,” Mrs. McClay said.

If any dogs become aggressive, their owners will be asked to leave with them.

According to Mrs. McClay, the walk will start at the Dalton American Legion on Route 9. An orientation will take place prior to the walk, and pet owners will be given guidelines.

The walk will continue south on Route 9, west on Main Street onto Curtis Avenue and then to Pine Grove Park. People will have the opportunity to ask any questions about dogs at the park stop, Mrs. McClay said, which will last a half-hour. Following the rest period, dog owners and their pets will take the same route back to the Dalton American Legion.

“The event is intended to promote exercise, which is a crucial ingredient to deter dog behavioral issues,” Mrs. McClay said. “In order for the humans to be in charge, each canine will walk at their owners sides and not forge out in front of them.”

Three decades-plus working with dogs

Mrs. McClay has been working with dogs for more than 30 years. Her interest in dogs began very early in childhood.

As an only child growing up in North Adams, her family always had dogs. When she was just six years old, her mother and a neighbor found out about a litter of puppies, Mrs. McClay recalled. One of them came home and she named the dog “Ginger.” While she had other dogs prior to this, Ginger was “special,” she said.

“I didn’t have any siblings, so Ginger was my pal,” she said.

They’d go on walks together and the dog stuck with her through both happy and sad times. She had Ginger for 16 and a half years.

Mrs. McClay’s husband, Michael L. McClay, is the animal control officer for Dalton. When he found out that an American pit bull-terrier mix was on death row at a Berkshire County shelter, he asked for permission to take him home and work with him.

When a few young volunteers took the dog out to walk, he nipped them and broke skin, Mrs. McClay explained. The dog, who was very young, needed training, she said, “He was just a baby.”

Today, the McClays still have the dog who they have named Schuler (pronounced Skylar).

“He’s really a sweetie,” Mrs. McClay said.

She’s worked hard with him and would like to eventually make him into a certified therapy dog.

Schuler is intelligent

“He’s very intelligent,” she said of Schuler. “He’s good with other dogs and good with other people.”

Schuler also loves kids, Mrs. McClay said.

“He’s just an idiot,” she laughed after Schuler jumped up on a Beacon writer. “He’s got lots of energy.”

She appears happy she and her husband saved the dog from death row. The McClays also have a Rottweiler and two Schipperkes, a Belgian breed.

Mr. Salas’ training history

Additionally, Mr. Salas is a certified dog trainer. He earned certification through the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI).

A native of Peru, South America, he, too, grew up around dogs. His father was a police officer and the first canine trainer to perform protection training in Peru.

Mr. Salas’ grandmother used to run a small stand frequented by other police officers, and they all talked about dogs, Mr. Salas said. That was his early introduction to the canine world.

Works with aggressive, phobic and abused Dogs

He moved to The Berkshires seven years ago after living in Florida and New York.

In his business, he does private consultations and specializes in behavioral modifications for dogs with aggression problems and phobias or who have been abused.

Mrs. McClay has experience as a dog breeder, owner and handler. She has trained and shown her own dogs in shows and prepared students for both the conformation and obedience show rings.

She specializes in teaching group obedience classes and occasionally does private behavioral consultations.

At Canine Connection, she offers all levels of obedience, agility, rally O and breed-handling.

She was the first trainer to introduce, offer and teach kindergarten puppy classes in The Berkshires in 1988, she said. She is also the author of a book, Dog Sense.

Mrs. McClay has been a member of the Great Barrington Kennel Club since 1981. In addition, she is a past member of the Schipperke Club of America and New England Rottweiler Fanciers. She was also a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

She and Mr. Salas have similar dog training philosophies. They maintain each dog exhibits unique characteristics and behaviors. They both use various training methodologies and remain open-minded in order to address each dog’s needs and potential.

Sponsors want more dog walks

Mrs. McClay and Mr. Salas urge any organization interested in future dog walks to contact them. They would like to set up future walks to benefit dog-related organizations.

On Sunday in Dalton, as all kinds of dogs and their owners walk along the streets in town, they are sure to draw the attention of all passers-by. The first Fall Foliage Dog Walk will probably not be soon forgotten.

Posted by Susan M. Wicker Guerrero on October 18, 2012. Filed under Community Events,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry