German shepherds to compete

Dog enthusiasts are invited to attend an American Kennel Club German Shepherd dog show this weekend at Patriots Park.

The event, overseen by the Augusta German Shepherd Dog Club, will take place Friday and Sunday.

"Spectators are more than welcome," said Jerry Lyda, a dog club board member and head obedience trainer at Quality K-9 Concepts in Grovetown. "It is fun to watch."

German shepherds will compete in a show ring similar to the ones at the national AKC and Westminster Kennel Club dog shows, and will earn confirmation points toward a championship title, Lyda said. The obedience and rally trials will feature dogs of all breeds.

The obedience trial includes basic obedience, which adheres to strict AKC guidelines. Rally trials, Lyda said, include handlers and their dogs going to checkpoints and signs telling them what obedience task to complete.

"Rally, it is fun. It is all fun," Lyda said. "Rally is just a little different caliber of obedience."

Registration for all events has closed, Lyda said, and dogs from throughout the Southeast will compete to earn points toward confirmation and obedience titles.

Judging begins at 9 a.m. Friday and Sunday in the back area of Patriots Park near the softball fields off Columbia Road. Admission is free for spectators.

"If they haven't seen anything like this, either way, the obedience or the show, they would really get a kick out of it," Lyda said. "And there are going to be some pretty dogs there."