Correspondent photos / John Patrick Gatta... Alexandra Johnston, 11, of Girard, trains Gracie, an Australian Doodle, to jump over a hurdle at the PAWsitive PAWssibilities Trumbull County 4-H Club area of the 179th annual Trumbull County Fair on Saturday.

BAZETTA — Not all four-legged animals featured at the 179th annual Trumbull County Fair live in barns.

Saturday’s Dog Show presented the training that the 4-H members have done with their pets as well as offered the opportunity for a visit with man’s best friend.

Siblings Alexandra, 11, and Matthew, 9, Johnston of Girard have been working with their dogs — Gracie, a 2.5-year-old Australian Doodle and Charlie, a 1-year-old Jack Russell and Australian Shepherd mix — behind the TCTC Building since the fair’s opening on Tuesday. They displayed rally training on Saturday, which included jumping over a hurdle, going through a tunnel and walking the length of a seesaw to fair attendees and a fair judge. They also participated in a 4-H parade during the fair’s opening day.

“My kids have been in Wild Clovers (4-H Cloverbuds program) since they were old enough to join, since they were 5,” said mom Treasure Johnston of Girard. “My daughter showed cats for a couple of years, and then she wanted to show dogs. This is my son’s first year that he was allowed to show, and this is what he chose to do.”

The dogs work on agility, obedience and other training throughout the year. Classes occur every two weeks with breaks at the beginning of the school year in September, during the end of the year holiday season and beginning of the new year and accommodating summer sports activities.

“They’ve done phenomenal with the dogs,” said Kim Phipps of Southington.

Her sister, Angie Phipps of Southington, explained the origins of the club that’s known as PAWsitive PAWssibilities. “4-H needed to have a dog club started, and we had a junior trainer program and they wanted to join 4-H.”

She and her sister, Kim, then became 4-H advisers.

Both own Phipps Farms Angels In The Innfield Dog Training and Boarding, dog daycare as well as undertake farm sitting (taking care of people’s farming).

Alexandra will join other 4-H members at the Ohio State Fair for the 617 Exploring Ponds project. She studied the ecosphere of the Phipps Farms pond.

“This is our third year,” said Angie, “and it’s been a slow progression because we need agility equipment and stuff. We have very few kids right now. So, we’re trying to get more kids involved. We started with five kids this year but three went and competed with goats halfway through (the club’s year).

She admitted that the program is in its early stages and hopes to grow it in conjunction with the support that the fair has given it.

“The fair has worked out with us. We didn’t have a space when we started. We started with a little piece of grass and the fair has been expanding us more and more. So, they really did good for us.This year they gave us an inside part and outside. They paid for the tent and Tractor Supply has been great with us. They gave us stuff for prizes for the kids and Family Farm & Home gave us some buckets,” Angie said.

For those involved with 4-H who are interested in joining the dog club, they can go to the Trumbull County 4-H website.

Also on Saturday, the grandstand entertainment featured The High Steel Rodeo’s “Bulls and Barrels.”

The 2025 Trumbull County Fair ended its six-day run Sunday night with a fireworks show.