Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Dog lovers and their furry friends have been frolicking on the beaches of Bahrain with the aim of building a ‘paw-fect’ canine community.
Once a month, Al Jazayer Beach in Zallaq turns into a sandy hotspot for pet owners and their four-legged companions looking to socialise, share tips and show off tricks.
The doggie initiative, which started in November last year and has attracted more than 30 members, was the brainchild of proud pit-bull parents Noora Danesh, 29, and Mohamed Al Bahi, 31, from Hamad Town.
Noora, a human resource assistant, said: “It all started because of our two-year-old Pittie, named Beastie. When we first got her she was four-months-old and friendly with people. We wanted her to socialise with other dogs too.
“However, the dogs in our compound would often nip at her and wouldn’t play nicely. I think it’s because they were older and she had so much energy. As a responsible pet owner, I started to research how to give Beastie a happy life. One of the things that kept coming up was to ‘socialise, socialise, socialise!’
“One way to do so would be at dog parks but we don’t have any in Bahrain. Last year, Mohamed brought Beastie to this beach where she met a little Labrador and she started to play with it.
“It was the first time she had played with a dog and I was so happy that I thought it would be great if we attracted other like-minded dog owners to one place to allow their pets to socialise.”
On November 1, a total of 11 dogs and their owners showed up for the inaugural gathering and it proved to be successful. Everyone was running around, playing, showing off what tricks their dogs could do and exchanging tips. It was so enjoyable, the group formalised and set up a series of meetings and started attracting newcomers.
The dynamic duo and three of their friends started a social media Instagram account called Dogs Day Out in which they posted event announcements and rules along with anything related to canines.
Noora added: “The dog scene in Bahrain, at times, can come across as horrible. There are so many people that have dogs but sadly don’t know how to care for them. We need more dog-friendly places for people to meet with their pets.”
The group’s rules include ensuring there is plenty of water for the animals to drink and their owners must carry poop-scoops and bags to clear up any deposits, make sure their dogs are fully vaccinated and, most importantly, have fun.
It is also stressed upon that if a dog is not friendly or comfortable with other animals it must wear a red ribbon or bandana around the leash or harness to make others more aware. Dogs must also be kept on leads.
Noora explained: “Previously, dogs could be off leash as long as they responded to commands. However, we have some owners who think their dogs respond to commands but don’t realise that their dogs can get too excited sometimes. It’s best to stay on a lead, especially as we have smaller breeds like toy poodles, miniature pinschers and Shih Tzu’s which can look like prey to bigger dogs. Honestly though, all the dogs so far attending have got along fine.
“I even heard from some of our members that their dog’s personality has changed for the better since joining in the events. They are a lot calmer now.”
Beastie and her adopted brother, Dozer, a rescued pit bull, appear to love their newfound beach buddies, particularly a three-year-old Rottweiler called Bronx.
Bronx’s owner, Maryam Al Haddad, 31, from Riffa, said: “Beastie and Bronx are best friends. He is a gentle giant and people always get the wrong impression when they first see him but he is such a sweetheart.
“Dogs Day Out is good for dogs to socialise and for others to learn about different breeds.”
Her visit to the beach has also proved beneficial for her German Shepherd-Saluki mix called Harlem who she rescued four months ago.
Maryam added: “Harlem, who is about six or seven months old, was shy at our first gathering. After just our second visit he seemed a lot more social with people and dogs. He is now splashing about and playing in the sea.
“What’s also great is that there are professional dog trainers in the group to help people with tips and interesting information.”
At the last event, while the playful pooches were busy sniffing each other, rolling in the sand and chasing frisbees, football or tennis balls, Antony Ahmaranian, one of the founders of Bed & Biscuits Boutique Pets Hotel, staged a free workshop in which he shared his expert training tips with his Belgian Malinois, called Ciara.
The one-year-old super dog recently finished her full obedience training, is skilled in competitive agility and is currently involved in learning specialist search and rescue techniques. Ciara was elegantly perched on a small stool in the middle of the beach as other breeds, including poodles, golden retrievers and huskies, ran around her.
Dog owners were amazed by her focus, her obedience and how well she responded to Antony’s commands. She would wait patiently for him to call her and no matter where he was on the beach, she would run past children, adults and other dogs to get to him, never deterring or even getting distracted by a group of annoying boys on quad bikes in the vicinity.
Antony, from Diraz, also has five Jack Russell terriers and a rescue mongrel. In the first workshop he staged at the event, he helped dog owners with the fundamentals of training, hammering home the power of consistency and timing.
Word spread about his useful teaching and more attended a second workshop to learn about why dogs don’t always respond to ‘come’ commands and how to tell the difference between a friendly and badly-behaved ‘rude’ dog.
Among the new faces attending the last session was Bruno the Cocker Spaniel and his owner, Karim Arafa.
Personal trainer Karim, 30, from Hidd, said: “I think the dog community is really growing in Bahrain so it’s great to have events like this. Up until places get a little more dog-friendly, I think we should organise more events of this nature.”
Another first timer was Emilia Vandiiy, 26, with her nine-month-old son, Caylen, and daughter Quynn, two, who brought along their pet, Roxy, a nine-month-old Jack Russell.
The German businesswoman, who lives in Saar, said: “I didn’t know how it would turn out as Roxy is not used to meeting a lot of dogs at one time but she seemed very happy and didn’t even bark. This experience was also good for Quynn as I want her to get used to other dogs, especially big ones.”
New owner Khalil Ebrahim Salman, 34, from Riffa Views, enjoyed introducing his six-month-old charming golden retriever, Joey, to the party. Khalil, an IT consultant, said: “I think what the Dogs Day Out Group is doing is admirable. We truly learn a lot from each other and give our dogs a safe space to play.
“We need more venues for our beloved pets and I wish the local municipalities would invest in opening a few dog parks.”
To join in the doggie fun, follow the group on Instagram @Dogs_Day_Out
