EVERGREEN —If dogs in the Evergreen area start to seem extra well-behaved, it could be thanks in part to the Evergreen Park and Recreation District’s new program offering.
“Being parks and recreation, obviously people here are very active, and it being Colorado, they are very active with their animals, as well,” said . “And with the number of public parks we operate, we wanted to be able to offer dog training.”
The district started offering puppy and novice obedience courses in June.
It’s not the first time the district has offered dog training. Friends for Life owner Natalie Hawkins taught courses through the district years ago, she said. Hawkins recently decided to go back to dog training full time and called the district for a permit to host classes at its parks.
Granting more than just a permit, the district decided to hire her services to reintroduce dog training to its programming.
Bednar said that it makes sense in such a dog-loving community as Evergreen, both to accommodate people and spread awareness about proper pet and owner behavior in parks, which he said is always an ongoing issue.
“When you have a dog trained, you have more control of a dog in a park,” Bednar said. “It’s definitely a way to curb some bad behavior from dogs.”
The six-week group courses are $138 for nonresidents and $120 for residents. Friends for Life distinguishes itself through its “holistic” methods, essentially reward-based training.
Hawkins said the district’s variety of parks offer training grounds good for exposing dogs to various elements and distractions.
“The lake is pretty much our graduation place,” she said. “It’s a nice crash course.”
Hawkins is one of two dog trainers permitted to use the district’s parks for dog training. The other trainer — Paul Wekstein of Mountain Canine College — operates independently.
Bednar said the district has seen an increase in the number of permits requested since it began requiring them about four years ago for anyone charging for products or services within parks.
“We’re just trying to protect the public and make sure everyone is being safe and following the rules,” he said.
As far as integrating some services into its offerings, as it did with Friends for Life’s courses, Bednar said and takes proposals from outsiders on a case-by-case basis.
The district’s .
Glen Weinberg, a resident of Conifer, was accompanied by his daughter, Rochelle, on the day their 4-month-old German shepherd, Buddy, graduated from puppy training. He said they found out about the program during their visits to the district rec centers, where the family’s children participate in a variety of activities. Did it surprise him to find himself taking a puppy training course through the district?
His answer: “Not in Evergreen. There’s dogs everywhere here.”
Josie Klemaier: 303-954-2465, jklemaier@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JosieKlemaier
More informationTo view a schedule, pricing and more about Evergreen Park and Recreation’s dog-training courses, go to
