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PARTY IN THE PARK
People, pets have dog-gone fun
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With 90-degree temperatures, volleyball players enjoy being in the water during the mud volleyball tournament at Veterans Memorial Park. The Tough Mudders defeated the Mud Balls for first place. The Bump Pirates defeated the Ball Busters for third place. - photo by JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

The fun started early with a Tuff Enuff Mud Run at Party in the Park at Veterans Memorial Park.
There were events for children of all ages a concert featuring Ricky Fugitt, King Midas & the Mufflers, and Curtis Grimes to wind down the evening festivities.
Other events featured mud volleyball, a pie eating contest, community murals and caricatures, a car show and an inflatable fun zone.
Good crowds appreciated the mud volleyball contest, which gave spikers a chance to compete in the mud and water. The Tough Mudders defeated the Mud Balls for first place. The Bump Pirates rallied with several wins and defeated the Ball Busters for third place.
It was a good day for people and a better day for dogs, which were treated to a dog park to walk and take a splash in a pool.
The Golden Belt Humane Society and the Pawnee County Humane Society showcased dogs available to adopt.
One of the featured demonstrations was dog obedience trainer Toney Turner from Wichita. James Jenkins from the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility was accompanied by LCMHF residents who help train dogs for adoption in Larned.
“We reward them and give them encouragement. Our dogs work with toys. We start out with treats as a foundation, but we move it to toys very quickly.”
Turner operates Complete K9 in Sedgwick County outside Benton and has worked with dogs for 18 years. He runs several demonstrations a year.
Turner trains dogs for disability service dogs, personal protection, Schutzhund and obedience competitions, therapy dogs, and narcotics and explosives detection. Labradors are a popular choice for dogs that work specifically for drug detection. German Shepherds are a popular choice for dogs that work as attack dogs and drug detection.
“A lot these dogs and bred for this purpose and come from working lines. Their parents produced search and rescue and military dogs.”
“A lot of owners bring their dogs for training, everything from protection work to dogs who work as service dogs. We can train your dog for home protection.”
Turner’s favorite training is dogs that will work as service dogs to help an owner with a disability. Wouned Warrior program.
“These dogs accompany their owner everywhere and help pull wheelchairs. I really like the task work once we get past the obedience training. We’ll teach them to pick up keys. A dog is trained to fetch a phone and stand there so the owner can use them as a cutch to get up.”
His father, Leroy Turner worked as a bird dog trainer, and instilled an affinity for dogs in his son.
“My dad worked as a bird dog trainer. Those dogs that are used for hunting are good dogs for search and rescue.”
He started work as a dog groomer before he started work as an obedience instructor. He was certified as an advanced obedience instructor at the Obedience Training Club of Bartlesville, Okla.  
He volunteers with K9 Search and Rescue of Kansas. He has assisted in training police dogs for narcotic detection and with correctional facilities dogs.