Welcome to
Best Friends 4-H Club, in Berrien County, Michigan!
Best Friends 4-H
Club is an inclusive 4-H canine project club, designed to assist our
Nontraditional (member with a life disability) and our Traditional 4-H'ers in
learning about the many aspects of canine handling, including dog training,
ownership responsibility and competitions.
We are recognized
by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as the ONLY
CANINE THERAPY DOG COMPETITION 4-H CLUB IN THE UNITED STATES!
This means that not only are our our 4-H'ers given the opportunity to enjoy the
sport of dog competitions in Dog Obedience, Rally, Agility, and Jr.
Showmanship, but our club's canine members are also eligible for their Canine
Therapy Dog Titles!
Best Friends 4-H
Club was formed in 1988 by Patti Dynes and her son, David, after an exhaustive
-- and fruitless -- search for a dog training club that could accommodate a
student with Down's Syndrome. Over the years, our role has expanded to
encompass the therapy benefits of training and competing with a canine for our
youths with life disabilities while also teaching the every day responsibility
of dog ownership and competing with their canines for our 4-H'ers without life
disabilities. Our 4-H'ers, nontraditional and traditional alike, benefit
greatly from the canine lessons, socialization and competitions at the Berrien
County Youth Fair -- and have a lot of fun doing it!
The success of our
club depends upon the partnership among our 4-H'ers, our volunteer leaders, our
canines, and our 4-H parents. To see if our programs are right for you or your
child, please visit the 4-H'ers and
Volunteer Leaders sections of our website!
4-H'ers * Volunteer Leaders
Best Friends 4-H Club's MISSION
GOALS:
 To provide an
educational experience to youth who otherwise might be excluded from
competition and denied the experience and growth it provides.
To provide members an opportunity to learn about canine
training and handling in a safe and supportive environment.
To focus on building positive relationships between club
members and their own OR Volunteer Team Canines.
To provide canine therapy and motivation with physical
and mental stimulation while having fun.
"Hands and Paws together always
in friendship and teamwork." -- L.M. Shannon-Chaillet
 4-H Pledge:
I pledge my
HEAD to clearer thinking, My HEART to greater loyalty, my HANDS to larger
service, my HEALTH to better living, for my Club, my Community, my Country and
my World.
4-H Parent
Pledge:
I pledge my
HEAD to give my child the information I can to help him or her see things
clearly and to make wise decisions.
I pledge my HEART to encourage and
support my child no matter whether he or she has successes or disappointments.
I pledge my HANDS to help my
child's club. If I cannot be a leader, I can help in many equally important
ways.
I pledge my HEALTH to keep my child
strong and well for a better world through 4-H, for my child's Club, our
Community, our Country and our World.
4-H Team Instructor's Pledge:
I pledge my HEAD by giving my
assigned 4-H'er the dog training concept tools I have and to help him or her
understand canine training theories as clearly as possible.
I pledge my HEART to encourage and
support my assigned 4-H'er no matter whether he or she has successes or
disappointments in canine therapy and dog competition training.
I pledge my HANDS in assisting my
assigned 4-H'er to learn life lessons and life skills through 4-H's Canine
Therapy and Dog Competition Training.
I pledge my HEALTH by keeping
myself and my own canine strong and well for a better world through 4-H.
A huge THANK
YOU to Vicki Williams at
Mutterly
Love in St. Joseph, Michigan who volunteers the training facility as Best
Friends' clubhouse! Thanks also to Barb Schuck: Author of
JARED'S PATH;
Knights of
Columbus, St. Joseph, Michigan Chapter;
Berrien Kennel
Club, Berrien County, Michigan; and
Berrien County Youth Fair,
Berrien Springs, Michigan; for your support of our program.
Best Friends
4-H Club operates under the auspices of the Michigan State University
Extension. The Michigan State University Extension prohibits discrimination in
all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin,
gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political
beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or veteran status.
Person with disabilities may request accommodations by calling the Berrien
County Michigan State University Extension Office at 269-927-5674.
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