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Seven dogs took part in Michael Lunny’s Basic Obedience class at the Community Church College in Sun City Center. Since the class was so popular in the fall, he may give it more than one day a week during the spring semester.
By PENNY FLETCHER
When I got to Michael Lunny’s house I thought our talk would be all about dogs.
It wasn’t.
It seems as a former animal control officer in his home state of New Jersey Michael had run-ins not only with loose dogs, but skunks, raccoons, horses and even a Brahma bull. But his favorite story was one about his mistaking a full grown Newfoundland dog for one of south Jersey’s black bears.
Not being familiar with that particular breed of dog, I listened carefully as he told about it, and when I got home, I looked up Newfoundlands on the Internet and found that from the rear, when standing, the black ones look just like black bear cubs. Even their faces, at a distance, can be mistaken for a bear.
After viewing the photos on line, I could more appreciate his tale.
“For some reason the State of New Jersey decided to introduce black bears into the population of south Jersey,” he told me. “Shortly after that, I got a call that a cub was loose in the area where the blueberry farms are.”
Michael said he wasn’t sure what he was going to do once he arrived on scene, but it was his job to take care of any animal problem and a bear, even a cub, loose in the community was definitely what the he – and the State of New Jersey– considered a problem.
“I first saw it from the back. Newfoundlands are thick around the middle and sway just like a bear. I stepped out of my truck and said ‘Come here boy’ and it turned, and then I saw it was a dog,” he told me.
Newfoundlands, he knew, are known for their giant size, muscular build and tremendous strength, and are often used as working dogs in countries with extremely cold temperatures. Needless to say, finding out it was a dog was a relief, especially since the breed is known to be extremely gentle.
PENNY FLETCHER PHOTO
Michael Lunny of Sun City Center talks about some of the experiences in his 25-year career as an animal control officer in New Jersey and it isn’t all about dogs.
But most of his work hours have been spent with dogs.
“I trained for under Larry Freas, who learned from a German whose last name was Stein,” Michael told me. He remembers that Larry told him Stein was brought by the government to the United States as a trainer because he trained German attack dogs during World War II. But he couldn’t remember Stein’s last name.
“Some of the things Larry taught me were how to ‘read a dog’ and correctly use a control stick,” he added.
When Michael’s training was over, Larry gave him a gift of an Alaskan Siberian Husky that had been bred by wolves.
“She trained to do off-lead tracking,” Michael told me. “Which means she’d follow a scent around in circles the way the person (they’re tracking) had walked, but then come she’d back to the starting place in a straight line.”
Her name was Mariah and Michael said she was the best dog he ever owned. After 10 years together, she died.
Michael and his wife Ariane moved to Kings Point in Sun City Center 7 ½ years ago after he retired from 25 years as an animal control officer and she retired from the finance department of a non profit organization that helped high school drop-outs.
They immediately immersed themselves in activities, and Michael said he got so busy right away that he asked a friend how to handle it and the only advice the friend had was for him to get up earlier so he could fit more in his day.
Among other things, Michael is an expert wood carver. Ariane burns wood and they have beautiful pieces all over the house.
Still, Michael found time to teach a Basic Dog training class at Community Church College at the United Community Church in Sun City Center during the fall semester.
“Ariane volunteered me,” he said. “So I had to do it.”
The college, which is not limited to Sun City Center participants, is a non-credited senior learning experience with a wide variety of subjects.
This was the first year however that it offered obedience training for dogs.
“It was so popular I may do it two days a week in the spring semester,” Michael said. Registration for that semester is Jan. 28 and information may be obtained by calling the college office at (813) 634-8607.
He limits his classes to six dogs and their owners, and for a $25 enrollment fee conducts a full semester of commands including, “Come, heel, sit-stay, and stand-stay.”
No aggressive dogs are permitted so everyone can feel safe, he explained. Even then, he keeps the dogs apart, not allowing them to sniff each other in case somebody may have had a bad day.
Michael loves dogs, although he says he doesn’t want another one of his own so he and Ariane won’t be tied down when they want to travel.
In the past he has not only taught obedience and off-lead tracking, but also judged at dog shows. In more ways than one, Michael certainly knows how to “put on the dog.”
*Perhaps you have something you’d like to share. Or maybe you’d rather tell the community about your favorite charity or cause: or sound off about something you think needs change. That’s what “Over Coffee” is about. It really doesn’t matter whether we actually drink any coffee or not (although I probably will). It’s what you have to say that’s important. E-mail me any time and suggest a meeting place. No matter what’s going on, I’m usually available to share just one more cup.
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