Animal trainer, wonder dogs delight crowd

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Volunteer Victoria Blevins holds a hula hoop as Gracie, a standard poodle, leaps through in a blur. Susan Phariss and the Wonder Dogs put on a show for children at the Hulbert Community Public Library this week. Josh Newton
Susan Phariss and standard poodle Gracie, on the left, visit with attendees of the Hulbert Community Public Library summer reading program. Meanwhile, Sassy, the white standard poodle on Pharris’ left side, enjoys a good rub on the head from Brett Cox of Hulbert. Josh Newton

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July 8, 2010

Susan Phariss has been training animals since childhood.

By JOSH NEWTON Press Staff Writer The Tahlequah Daily Press Thu Jul 08, 2010, 09:47 AM CDT

TAHLEQUAH — Susan Phariss knew she had some nifty skills for training animals by age 5.

That’s when she trained her pet hamster, Luigi, to walk a tightrope in her bedroom.

“I held up a piece of corn on one side of the rope,” Phariss told children Tuesday afternoon at the Hulbert Community Public Library. “Luigi reached out there, and finally took a step!”

Before long, he’d crossed the homemade obstacle successfully. Realizing he loved the food he received as a reward, he did it a second time.

“That was the day I learned my ABC’s of animal training,” said Phariss.

She and her husband, Paul, of Mounds, brought “wonder dogs” Sassy and Gracie, standard poodles, to the library for some animal fun.

Gracie was first up on the stage, wowing the children with her ability to bark in three languages. With each bark, she received a treat for her participation. On the last bark - “en español” - Phariss pointed out Gracie’s Spanish accent.

Well, OK, so all three barks were the same. That wasn’t Phariss’ point in the matter.

“Gracie doesn’t understand English,” said Phariss. “What does she understand? Gracie understands dog food!”

Phariss explained how Gracie, like other animals, responds to treats. Gracie continued her show, explaining to the audience how she heels; demonstrating what an Olympic skier might look like should he or she tumble down a hill; how she sun tans in her two-piece swimsuit; and how she jumps as if she were on a trampoline.

“She also has a hero: a service dog,” said Phariss. “Service dogs help people with disabilities.”

Gracie demonstrated how she can help with the laundry by pulling a rope attacked to a laundry basket and dragging it across the floor. She used her paw to open a door handle, and her mouth to turn on a light switch.

Phariss then introduced the crowd to Sassy, a white standard poodle that had been rescued as a shelter dog.

“Somebody abandoned a rent house and left her in it,” said Phariss. “They didn’t discover her until three days later.”

Sassy has her own outgoing attitude, which she had no problem sharing at the library. During a game of “The Dog is Right,” pitting the poodle verses the audience in trivia, Sassy found it necessary to push her electronic buzzer before Phariss had even finished some of the questions.

Then, during a relay race where Sassy faced a young challenger from the audience in gathering plastic cups using only their mouths, Sassy took a cup and then began to quickly circle her challenger furiously, hoping he’d slow and give her some playful attention. Needless to say, her challenger won the race, since Sassy had stuck to her one plastic cup.

“Sassy has her own agenda,” said Phariss. “She doesn’t have the work ethic Gracie has. Sassy just does what she wants, so we’ve adapted the show around her.”

The poodles have performed in numerous states, learning as they go.

Phariss said when she started holding shows, the focus was on training animals, so the poodles have learned what they know from the shows.

Get involved

The Hulbert Community Public Library will have pre-school story time for ages 5 and under Monday, July 13 and July 20, beginning at 9:45 a.m. Board games are held from 1:45-3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through July 21, for ages 7 and up. On Thursday, July 15, from 1:45-3:15 p.m., ages 5 and up can participate in craft time. A summer awards party will be at 1:45 p.m. Thursday, July 22. For more information on the Hulbert library and its programs, call (918) 772-3383.

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