The Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park & Recreation District congratulated its first graduating class of dog park ambassadors last week.

Twenty participants, both human and canine, learned how to set a positive example in Bainbridge’s designated off-leash areas.

“The off-leash experience is new to many dog owners and it is the human owners who need to be made most aware of how to handle the variety of situations they may encounter at the dog park,” said Mary-Lou Vibrans, a member of the district’s Dog Advisory Committee and a co-designer of the program.

The four-week program was led by professional dog handler Gretchen Jannenga and certified professional dog trainer and veterinary assistant Sandra Lance.

Through live demonstrations, video programs and handouts, some of the lessons covered how to best monitor their dogs in an off-leash setting, how to recognize signs of stress or discomfort, as well as how to train their dogs to do well in off-leash environments.

“Our new dog parks grant our canine companions greater freedoms, and with that comes greater owner responsibility for learning how to make safer, healthier decisions for our pets,” said Park Services Superintendent Dan Hamlin.

“We view our new Ambassador program as one of the key steps for promoting dog owner education and responsibility,” Hamlin said.

New classes are planned throughout the next few months.

For more information, contact Vibrans at 206-852-3155 or mvibrans@me.com.