A DOCUMENTARY has been released celebrating 30 years of a dog training club.
The film, ’30 Pawsome Years’, marks the milestone of The Friendly Dog Club, which is based in Barton-on-Sea and was founded in Highcliffe.
The club has been an integral part of the community for the past three decades, and the new film, made by Triple W of Highcliffe, will tell the tale of the history of the club.
It will cover the club’s challenges and the triumphs, through the words of the current training team.
Using archive footage, the documentary tells the stories from the early days of the club, discovering clicker training, to the club’s line dance routine appearing on Sky TV.
The routine led to a massive gathering of dogs at the Variety Club of Great Britain in 1999 with TV personality Esther Rantzen.
The film will cover the seminars that drove the club’s move to positive and kind training techniques, along with the charitable outreach of the club.
This includes helping educate youngsters with Prevent-a-bite and Kids Around Dogs to helping Duke of Edinburgh students and training pets to be assistance dogs with Dog A.I.D.
Viewers will be wowed with footage of many years of carnivals and demos in weird and wonderful fancy dress.
The film has been made by Dorset filmmaker Andy Clayton, who donated his services for free to the project.
Any money made from the film will be donated to The Friendly Dog Club as they raise money for a new building to continue to support the community.
Club founder, Angela Horsley, said: “30 years is an amazing milestone.
“I love the people, love the dogs, I love the challenges it’s presented to me over the years. It’s such a positive vibe. It’s wonderful to be the person that started that journey.”
“The club is like a family,” trainer Kate Anderson said.
“As well as it being my job, it’s my life. It’s so much more than a job.”
Film maker Andy added: “The club does so much for the local community and has supported me and my dogs for over 15 years.
“I wanted to do something to show my appreciation for the club's amazing work as an important part of the local community in East Dorset and West Hampshire.”
For more information and to watch the film, visit The Friendly Dog Club’s website.
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