The first 4-H project occurred before the county fair officially opened. Inside the air conditioned Llama Barn, members of the dog project participated in dog obedience on July 16. This is the fourth year Amy Grace Clark of Carmel has competed with her collie, Sierra.

“I just enjoy doing it with my dog and doing stuff with my dog,” she said.

Members in the dog project learn about canine care, training, nutrition and health. The dog project also consists of the 4-H Dog Agility contest, which will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in the Llama Barn. While all dog project participants must complete dog obedience, dog agility is optional. Dog obedience focuses on training, commands and hand signals. Dog agility courses include weave poles, hoops, jumps and other obstacles.

“I definitely prefer agility,” said Clark. “You get to do a course, your dog enjoys it more because there’s lots of obstacles and more interaction.”

Photos by Robert Herrington