On a recent Tuesday night, humans and canines of all ages and breeds got together inside the Agri-Science building at Ledyard High. Troop 188 is a part of Dog Scouts of America, a nationwide organization that promotes dogs learning tricks and good behavior.

Sheri Throop, the group leader, has organized the only Dog Scout troop in Connecticut. Meetings have been taking place for two years running and the troop now has 14 families and 20 canine members involved. Some people have brought their dogs from as far afield as Maine and New York City.

When everyone arrived for the meeting, the first thing Throop had them do was to get their dogs involved in a game of leapfrog. The game was a little different from the human version in that there was no jumping. Instead, dogs settled on a mat or inside a hoop. The idea was to see if the dogs would obey the "stay" command, when other dogs walked past them.

"Talk to her," Throop told an owner whose pet was on the verge of getting up to check out another dog. 

Depending on the dog, they could either sit or lie down in their places during the exercise. "Dogs, like people, have positions they are more comfortable in," Throop said.

Bribing is allowed

Dog Scouts is opposed to using threats or abuse in order to coax tricks or good behavior out of dogs. The owners however, were not above bribing their pets with string-cheese, a delicacy that is enjoyed across the breeds.

After the leapfrog game, owners went inside the school library where they watched Kelley Ford and her pug, Zora, try out for a tricks badge. In order to earn the badge, dog and owner had to come up with a routine with four unique tricks and behaviors.

Zora, dressed up in angel wings for the occasion, successfully jumped through a hoop, rolled over and leaped on command. A member caught the routine on video to be submitted to Dog Scout judges who would decide whether the performance was worthy of a tricks badge.

Throop continued the meeting with some information about training dogs using clickers instead of treats and explained the challenges of getting dogs to perform the same tasks in different environments.

"'Sit' in the kitchen is not the same to a dog as 'sit' in the living room." Throop explained.

Upcoming Dog Scouts activities include a dog hike, vaccinations and painting, where dogs would have their paws stamped and then walk over wrapping paper, leaving colorful prints.

Throop said that this meeting was more informational and less active than usual. At some meetings, members would be more likely to spend the whole time practicing tricks.

A fun way to meet dogs, owners

Attendees included Marge Lineweber who brought three of her dogs with her. Linewebber runs a dog care training center in Mystic and also conducts water training and diving courses for dogs off a beach in Long Pond.

"This is a fun way to meet new dogs, new people and friends," Lineweber said.

Kelley Ford, whose dog had just tried out for the tricks badge, had also spent six days at Dog Scout camp in Michigan. There, Zora had learned such skills as delivering messages, swimming and agility. 

Zora had been very patient during the 16-hour car ride to Michigan. Ford described her as, "the best copilot you could ask for."

Another member, Kriti Kotavary, was a first-time scouts attendee. She brought her dog, Nemo, so named because "he belonged to no one." Nemo had lived with an abusive owner in Arizona who had kept him in a crate.

"You could not come near him," Kotavari said, describing what Nemo was like when she got him from the shelter two years earlier.

The dog remains extremely energetic, but Kotavari keeps him busy with activities, such as a recent agility rally. "I take him everywhere I go," Kotavari said.

Those interested in joining the Dog Scouts or learning more about the organization can email dogscouttroop188@yahoo.com or call Sheri Throop at 860-287-9031