Out of the evening smog, when the winter dew has barely settled on the cricket grounds, they silently come, up to 100 plus strong, their footsteps muffled by the drone of home coming vehicles.

Out of lines, traceable back to Queens and Kings of the Mother Countries, their silhouettes of all shapes and sizes, emerge in military precision from the shadow of the tress, as the troops are called to order. Then for one hour, stretching across the cricket pitch, they go through the essential etiquette of learning to be a “good dog”.

Sit, stay, heel, drop!

Yes, right now – every Monday at Marchant Park, Chermside. The 97 acres of Marchant Park, the meeting place of the Metropolitan Dog Obedience Club (0412 899 086), was donated to Council in 1921 by George Marchant, a local soft drink manufacturer. In today’s terms, these former horse spelling paddocks, would today be worth over $100 million and now each Monday provide a top training venue for successful dog ownership and serve also as the home of warehouse cricket. Many a ‘mini test’ has been played out on these top class fields.

During the World War II years, Marchant Park was a local army base, with tents filling the park, Westfield’s and up Hamilton Road to Wavell Heights.

The generosity of George didn’t finish with this donation; he also donated the adjoining Wheller Gardens site of 40 acres in the 1930s to the Wesley Mission who are about to establish a new retirement village of 300 units opposite the massive Westfield expansion.

On Rob Akers Reserve, Strathpine Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings.

Expert tuition on how to be loved (and how to become a successful dog owner with easy, low cost lessons).

Congratulations to the volunteers who are the trainers of the Dog Obedience Clubs.
Their efforts, and those of similar clubs, are a great reference point for responsible dog ownership.

Property is more than bricks, mortar and capital value. A house becomes a home only when the individuals stamp love and caring above basic shelter.

No one…, I repeat, no one, tries harder to instil a sense of being loved, companionship, territory and shelter than the family dog.

Up to 80% of renters who make up to 30% of the local property market have a dog or a cat. A complete industry has sprung up based upon the faithful, domestic dog. Even “house break ins” will indicate “a dog in the home is a safer home”.

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