Helping owners fully enjoy their dogs is a goal of Franklin dog. As her Belgian Tervuren would tell you (if he could), Sarah Karafa has found so many different ways to do just that.

With obedience training, rally, agility, conformation ring work and just playing, Sarah keeps Wyatt — and herself — busy with a slate of activities.

Wyatt and Sarah didn’t meet up by accident.

“When I decided I wanted to get a dog, I did a great deal of homework first. I started my research on the AKC website (www.akc.org),” she explains.

“I read everything I could about finding the right dog for me and then developed a ’short list’ of dogs that I was interested in.”

Sarah then went to see breeds firsthand at conformation shows and talked to handlers and owners.

“Once I saw the Belgian Tervuren in person and considered ALL of the breed characteristics and temperament, well, as they say, that was it — I was hooked!”

Because the breed thrives on activity, Sarah says the rest was a ‘given.’

As the primary trainer, caretaker and playmate, it’s also Sarah’s responsibility to get everyone in the household responding to good and bad behavior in a consistent manner.

“I ran into a gentleman recently who had stopped to talk to me about dogs. He told me he had three children who had begged him for a dog. Part of his agreement with them, which they accomplished, was that he had all three children take the dog to training classes. Now THAT’S responsible dog ownership!” says Sarah.

If you were to run into Sarah and Wyatt walking in the Grassland area,  you’d think they’ve been at this for years. But this young dog started classes only last July, when he was a mere 12 weeks old.  “Even if you don’t end up doing competitive dog sports, basic obedience and responsible dog ownership classes set the groundwork for a well-mannered, happy companion that you’ll have a partnership and loving relationship with for years to come,” Sarah feels.

And being properly mastered is what it means to be a true Franklin dog!