Dog Obedience Club Marks 40th Anniversary, Seeks New Members

COURT HOUSE – Training dogs so they are “well-behaved for real-life situations at home,” the Cape May County Dog Obedience Training Club (CMCDOTC) celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Estimating they have trained over 3,500 dogs, members also compete in American Kennel Club (AKC) events and volunteer in therapy dog work in the community. 
“We started as a social activity among a small group who shared an interest in dogs,” said Carolyn MacMullen, a member of the club’s board of directors. “We got together to train our dogs on a weekly basis, and eventually broadened to train the dogs of local residents.”
Originally, the club held classes at Cape May Convention Hall, from 1979 until it closed, then moved to other locations, including the West Cape May firehouse for eight years and then to its current location at the American Legion Post 198, 100 Dias Creek Road and Hand Avenue, Court House.
Classes are held weekly for an hour for a period of eight weeks for an $80 donation and cover puppy, beginner and advanced beginner levels. The club uses the 10-step AKC Good Citizen test to show that a dog responds to its owner and is well-socialized. Preparation for the test stresses responsible pet ownership and basic good dog manners.
The test is also the first level of training for any dog wanting to be involved in therapy work. Those dogs undergo further training before being allowed to visit nursing homes or assisted living communities, she said.
The club also sponsors the annual Mutt Strut, which celebrates its 11th year Sept. 23. “Originally, dogs were not permitted on the beach or promenade in Cape May,” MacMullen said, “so this was a special event where the dogs were allowed.”
The event is the club’s major fundraiser, and participants pay $1 per leg for their pet to strut. “We take half of the proceeds and donate it to an area canine cause,” MacMullen noted.
In the past, these have included the Animal Outreach Building Fund, buying protective vests for the sheriff’s canine patrol, emergency shelter crates and oxygen masks for local rescue and fire units. This year, the proceeds will benefit the Wildwood Police Department’s K-9 unit. The other half is used for club expenses, including paying for the use of classroom facilities.
A member of the club for 12 years, MacMullen said the AKC now includes mutts in its competitions, in addition to the events for purebreds. “They call it the All-American breed,” she noted about the designation that began in April 2010. “It is called the canine partner program and allows mixed breeds to compete directly with purebreds in dog obedience, agility, and rally (obedience with the owner speaking to the dog) events.”
A dog owner herself, MacMullen said her “Heinz 57 mutt” was a rescue dog, and may not be ready for the big time now, but may as it gets older and settles down.
“Over the years, I don’t think dog owners have changed much,” she noted. “They still want a dog that’s well-behaved, and that’s what we hope to help them with.”
As with many organizations, MacMullen said it is becoming “harder to obtain and retain young members. Young people have so many demands on their time and find it hard to add a weekly activity.  Most of our active members are retired and now have more time to engage in leisurely activities.”
The club members train weekly, after their public classes, on Wednesday evenings. They have a monthly business meeting in lieu of training on the third Wednesday of each month, and their board of directors meets six times a year.
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.