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Baldy ends season with celebration

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River Run Day Lodge will host multiple season end celebrations. Photo Credit: Carol Waller

Sun Valley Closes Its 89th Season With Music, Spring Skiing

BY Mark Dee

Skier on top of Baldy. Photo Credit: Carol Waller

Sun Valley’s spring saw our home hill host the world’s best. Now, it’s ending the season with a weekend for the rest.
The resort wraps its 89th season with the Baldy Bash—complete with music, festivities, and, of course, spring skiing—at the Warm Springs base area on Saturday, April 19. Then, come back decked out in whatever costume you choose on Easter Sunday, April 20, for a proper closing day on Bald Mountain.
At press time, River Run was slated to close on Sunday, April 13, leaving the north-facing Warm Springs the only way up. Terrain will stay open as conditions permit, Jess Fiaschetti, a spokeswoman for Sun Valley Resort, told Wood River Weekly.
What is set are the bands for Saturday afternoon. Sun Valley-based Moonshine Schubert opens the après from 2–3:30 p.m. with his mellow take on beachy, reggae-inflecting alt-rock. From 4–5:50 p.m., the groove-heavy electric trio Cycles closes the show outside the Warm Springs Lodge with a free, jam-influenced style honed by more than 350 shows on the road.
“Drawing influence from artists such as Rage Against the Machine, J. Dilla, Primus, Weather Report, and many more, Cycles fuse an eclectic blend of genres to produce an original sound that has become harder and harder to find,” the resort says of its headlining act.
The show is free, no tickets required. Parking is limited, though, so consider taking Mountain Rides down to the Picabo Street stop.
While Sun Valley plans the party Saturday, it’s up to skiers and riders to carry Sunday—unofficially Gaper Day—with onesies, costumes, and an appreciation of every last turn before the lifts stop spinning.
For Sun Valley Resort, this weekend hails a winter that saw Bald Mountain return to the world stage, hosting the World Cup Finals—and thousands of rabid ski racing fans—from March 20-27. Those races marked the culmination of years of work to develop, construct and maintain elite racecourses down the Warm Springs face of Baldy.
“It’s spring, and spring at a ski resort is a combination of celebration and fatigue,” said Pete Sonntag, chief operating officer of the Sun Valley Company. “There is a tremendous sense of pride in what we pulled off with World Cup Finals, and also a commitment to make all our traditional events as good as they’ve ever been.
“We’re in this business because we love it and the final days should be a blast. We will recuperate when the season is over and then jump into summer and begin planning for next winter.”
For Sonntag, the season was a “great success,” with a run of key storm cycles lining up with big skier weeks. As of April 10, Sun Valley logged 180 inches of snowfall for the 2024-25 season, slightly below its 220-inch average, according to Visit Sun Valley, the regional marketing alliance. But, Sun Valley is holding strong with a 98-inch base, the resort says, well ahead of the same time last season, according to the ski weather tracking site OpenSnow.
With conditions lining up, Sonntag hopes the Baldy Bash offers locals a chance to celebrate their home hill.
“Obviously, the World Cup Finals were the big story and I’m very proud of how our team and the community rose to the occasion,” he said. “The course prep was not without its impacts and we learned so much from our first experience with it. I have to say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing people lapping the course since we’ve opened it back up after the races. It is amazing spring skiing!”
Looking ahead
For the first time in two years, the lifts that closed on Baldy will be in line to open unchanged for the next. After overhauling the Warm Springs lift system in the summer of 2023 and Seattle Ridge in 2024, the resort plans to stand pat on infrastructure this summer, though there are “tentative plans” to proceed with plans to replace the Christmas lift over the summer of 2026, Fiaschetti said.
The big change next year won’t happen on the lift, but in the lift line. Sun Valley plans to move its passes to radio-frequency identification, or RFID, next season. RFID passes replace traditional ticket scanning, where skiers present a barcode to staff, with a tiny transponder that opens a gate at the bottom of each lift. That means skiers won’t have to present their pass to scanners during the 2025-26 season—and that resort employees need to install gates at every lift.
“We know this is something our guests have been wanting and we’re excited to be able to bring it to Sun Valley,” Sonntag said. “As for future lift projects, stay tuned!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Positivity + Prowess = Victory

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Bellevue Timmy Bear Bots Team members: Bella Brower, Gael Salinas, Willow Fenley, Landon Jacobs, Revlis Molyneux, Isaiah Torres, Harper Wemhaner, Peyton Robinson, coach Krista Jones. Photo credit: Diana Cibran

Funds still needed to get teams to Texas

BY Jennifer Liebrum

The Wood River Middle School Intergalactic team members: Jake Blacker, Jesse Green, Hiram Johnson, JasperPotts. Photo credit: Jeremy Silvis

The Blaine County Bots, Idaho’s first K-12 robotics program has represented the state at national finals competitions numerous times over the last 20 years. This year, for the first time ever, elementary students will represent the Blaine County School District too.
At the Idaho State VEX IQ Robotics Championship, tech teacher Krista Jones’ Bellevue Elementary team won the Elementary Excellence Award, and tech teacher Jeremy Silvis’ Wood River Middle School won the Middle School Excellence Award. Both of these teams will be traveling to Dallas, Texas for the World Robotics International Tournament in May where they will compete separately.
Each team had to create, calculate, diagram, design and build a working robot. The categories the teams were judged on included their teamwork, robot matches against other teams, code programming ability and driving skills.
“The whole team is new to competitive robotics, but they really put their hearts into it,” said Jones, Bellevue Elementary’s coach. “These are amazing kids and their learning, growth and personal drive is impressive. They kept telling me that ‘we’re going to WORLDS! Even when they just barely started in the fall. It makes me so happy that they made it happen!
“The kids have worked incredibly hard all year learning all of the engineering, science, math and coding that it takes to build a working robot, and just as important, the care it takes to grow a working team.”
“I’m grateful for this team and my coach, Ms. J,” shared Bellevue Bear Bella Scout Bower. “My job is programming and that is what I work on all the time. How to drive a robot, how to build some of the robot, how to take notes, photography. I have learned how to build a relationship with my team forever.”
Teammate Harper Wemhaner agreed.
“I have learned so much during Vex IQ to me it’s not just about winning, it’s about having the experience of doing it. My team is the best and my coach Ms. J has done so much.”
Bot Isaiah Torres said he learned perseverance from working with Jones.
“We made many mistakes, but that’s okay because it helped us do better and helped us go to worlds,” he said. “We had some bad times and some good times, but the best times were to hang out.”
Brower’s mom, Tara Bell, added, “I’m incredibly proud of Mrs. J for all of her hard work and dedication, and for giving the kids confidence to dream big and work hard. The kids have worked so hard and they are traveling together as a team. I couldn’t be more proud.”
Jones, a legend in the district for innovative programming for nearly four decades, is retiring this year after 36 years.
“It will be such a wonderful experience for them to not only test themselves against international teams, but to meet and collaborate with other kids from all around the world,” Jones said. “I’m extra super excited that I can share this excitement with them! It’s a fabulous way to end a fun and rewarding career.
Anyone interested in donating to either team can email kjones@blaineschools.org or jsilvis@blaineschools.org to learn more.

 

 

 

Ketchum Open For Business Despite Construction

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Road construction in Ketchum. Photo credit: WRW Staff

BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL

This year’s phase of Ketchum road construction stretches from 4th to 6th Street and began on April 7. This particular stretch will be completed by July 3.

Hello Fourth of July!

“This is not an expansion project,” Daniel Hansen, Ketchum’s construction project manager, explains. “The road has failed. The infrastructure under it is deteriorating. We’re rebuilding from the ground up.”
It’s part of a larger, multi-year effort in coordination with the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), aimed at revitalizing not just Main Street, but the full route that connects Elkhorn to River Street — and beyond. And yes, that construction south of town? It’s all connected. That section, led by the ITD, is set to run through the rest of this year and next.
To avoid a bottleneck nightmare — a total closure from Elkhorn Road all the way to 6th Street — the City of Ketchum proactively pushed to take the lead on this segment of the project.
“We coordinated with ITD a couple of years ago,” Hansen says. “We said, let us handle the city section in 2024 before they start the highway improvements to the south. That way, we don’t lock up the entire corridor all at once.”
Clearly, navigating downtown right now requires some patience.
The construction is a full rehabilitation of critical infrastructure. While there are no immediate plans to widen the roadway, the intersection at 6th Street — where the road splits toward Highway 75 or veers into Warm Springs — is being redesigned for improved safety.
Rest assured, Ketchum is absolutely open for business. Espresso flows, there’s art to be seen, and the storefronts are open.
“We can’t stress this enough,” Hansen said. “All businesses along Main are open. Access is maintained. Please continue to support our local shops and restaurants — they’re carrying on as usual.”
This stretch of construction is being managed with a commitment to minimize disruption. Hansen emphasized that the project will involve “broken closures,” not full shutdowns, meaning certain sections may be inaccessible at times, but the entire corridor won’t be blocked off all at once. In other words: Business is open, damn the roadblocks!
Still, for anyone who’s spent five minutes trying to cross town during lunchtime lately, it’s fair to feel a bit weary. Sidewalks have been rerouted. Parking has shifted. Side streets may be more crowded than usual. But, it’s spring and we just had the entire world here for the World Cup.
It’s worth remembering: These are the growing pains of a blossoming town that refuses to let its foundations crumble.
Ketchum, like the road itself, has weathered so many storms, hot to cold to hot to cold, including economic downturns from five years ago. If we’ve learned anything, it’s how to adapt.
The streets are torn up, the detours are real, and it might feel like déjà vu from last summer. But as we’ve always done here in the Valley, we’ll keep showing up for our friends, our commitment to community and local goodness.
When all is said and done, this isn’t about construction, It’s about keeping the path clear — for safety, sustainability, and the future of a town that grows and adapts.
May we walk together. Park, have a coffee and macaroon at Hank & Sylvie’s and pop into The Goldmine for a surprising thrift experience. It’s all good.
As we grow, we further our wholeness.
The official resource for all Ketchum construction news can be found, updated daily, at https://www.projectketchum.org/main-street/

 

 

 

 

 

 

BCRD is Organizing an Earth Day Cleanup on the Wood River Trail

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Celebrate Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22, by participating in Blaine County Recreation District’s (BCRD) Earth Day Cleanup. BCRD invites community members, friends, and families to help maintain and preserve the beloved Wood River Trail by collecting trash along this scenic route.
Community involvement is key to keeping our trails clean, safe, and enjoyable for everyone. To participate, simply bring your own bag, gather some friends or organize a group, and spend some quality time outdoors making a tangible difference. Participants can throw away collected trash in trailhead trash cans. Interested groups can coordinate directly with BCRD’s Ashley Knox at aknox@bcrd.org for assistance with logistics, supplies, and scheduling.
This Earth Day, help make a real impact on our environment and local community by keeping the Wood River Trail pristine and litter-free. Your participation helps preserve this valuable community resource for future generations to enjoy.
For more information, visit www.bcrd.org or call (208) 578-2273.

2025 Earth Day Thrift Store Fashion Show

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The Hailey Public Library will host an Earth Day Thrift Store Fashion Show for teens on Saturday, April 26, to encourage local and Earth-friendly shopping!
In partnership with Mountainwood Construction, The Barkin’, Emmanuel Episcopal Thrift, The Advocates’ Attic, and the Wood River Chamber of Commerce, the Friends of the Hailey Public Library are able to sponsor all participants’ runway budgets. Participants are to shop locally at Hailey thrift stores, upcycling and styling their finest runway looks.
There are four cash prize winning categories: Most Frugal, Best Upcycling, Most On-Theme, and Most Confident. Participants must be in sixth to 12th grade. Participants must register at the children’s desk no later than Tuesday, April 22.
Audience members are eligible for a door prize! Doors open at 5 p.m. with light refreshments. Show begins at 5:30 p.m.
Hailey Town Center West is located across from the library at 116 S. River Street in Hailey. For more information, contact the library at (208) 788-2036 or visit www.haileypubliclibrary.org.

The Dairy Fairy of Atkinsons’

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Anita Selner, the dairy fairy of Atkinsons’ Market in Hailey. Photo credit: Isaiah Frizzell

BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL

Why do we love and patronize Atkinsons’ Market over all other stores in the Valley? Here’s one simple reason. Check it out.

The Atkinsons’ Family
Family owned and operated since 1956, Chuck and Floss Atkinson began their market in Ketchum, eventually expanding into Hailey in 1977 and Bellevue in 2003. Currently managed by Whit and Chip, Atkinsons’ stands by and supports local agriculture—collaborating with over 100 Idaho-based farmers, ranchers and producers. What better reason to support them!

The Dairy Fairy
Anita Selner, officially known as the Dairy Fairy, absolutely captures the spirit and imagination of love. A strikingly beautiful and cheerful woman, Anita is your go-to gal—the beneficient queen of all things local and raw for dairy as well as general advice on health from an educated perspective.
Selner was born in Caldwell, Idaho, and has been in the Valley for 45 years—since the age of 17. She graduated early here and went into nursing. A Licensed Practitioner Nurse, she worked in that space until the ‘pandemic.’ Those years changed her life and she wanted something less controversial, more beneficent. “I wanted to have a full-time job where I help people, come to work, do my job and go home.”
Selner is in an almost constant state of prayer and joy. With so few like her, it’s easy to understand how being called a fairy befits her. Fairies are delicate, gentle and often must reside at the edge of the forest to avoid the dangerous, blunt and brutal push of indelicate people. There are few like her. A shining moment of harmony and gentle humor, Selner is truly a fairy—intelligent, swaddled in charm and purely sweet. The moniker becomes her.
A resolute animal whisperer, Selner spends her off time working with dogs, cats, horses or any animal that needs care or attention. She can regale you with stories of dogs yapping, cats clawing and purring,or horses eating, speaking through their tails and small whinnies. Funny and charming, Selner is the manager responsible for all of the healthy raw foods at Atkinsons’, which she researches and brings in from local Idaho producers.
When asked, So what’s your favorite part of the job? With zero hesitation Selner replies: “The people, oh my god. The community. There is genuine care here. The community here, and the people that I work with are just… they’re all just so beautiful and I love them. It’s what inspires me to show up every day”—with her calming, exuberant smile, the glowing emblem of the positive force in humanity. When you’re doing the most, you care for everyone and your actions match that countenance at all scales.
Selner prefers the A2 raw milk she brings in, drinks it and ‘balances’ it with a bit of Pinot Noir, her favorite wine. “I love Pinot Noir, yeah, many of them. I’m kind of simple when it comes to that. Not too much! Just a good glass with good food. You have to balance your health somehow!” Laughter all around. 🙂
Selner is over the moon to embolden you on anything you need to know in terms of dairy, from milks to yogurts to rare Indian and Mexican milk-based drinks. She has deep knowledge of temperatures, timing and especially particular farms you might consider for your next party or exercise routine. Food is the original medicine and Selner can advise you on what you might need, from probiotics to proteins, to keep your body beaming brilliantly.
Atkinsons’ is our Valley’s choice market to shop if you want local, organic and quality products. This is how we keep our community strong, contribute and circulate the local economy.
Need a new yogurt? When called, Selner appears, magically, so quick and true, as a merry agent of knowledge, beauty, and presence.
Ask for the Dairy Fairy at the Hailey Atkinsons’ Market. Speak to her about anything, especially milk, cheese, yogurts, probiotics, or animals. A conversation with Anita Selner is sustenance itself.

Atkinsons in Hailey is located at 93 E Croy St, Hailey, ID 83333.
Visit atkinsons.com/ for further information.

Why Pre-Approval Is More Important Than Ever This Spring

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BY ANNA & MICHELLE

Spring is here, and so is the busiest season in real estate. More buyers are out looking for homes, which means more competition for you. If you want to put yourself in the best position to buy, there’s one step you can’t afford to skip, and that’s getting pre-approved for a mortgage.

Some buyers think they can wait until they’ve found a home they love before talking to a lender. But in a season where homes can sell fast, that’s a risky move. Getting pre-approved before you start your search is a much better bet.

Here’s what you need to know about this early step in the buying process.

What Is Pre-Approval?

Pre-approval gives you a sense of how much a lender is willing to let you borrow for your home loan. To determine that number, a lender starts by looking at your financial history. Here are some of the things that can have an impact, according to Yahoo Finance:

Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio: This is how much money you owe divided by how much money you make. Usually, you can borrow more if you have a lower DTI.

Your income and employment status: They’re looking to verify you have a steady income coming in – that way they feel confident in your ability to repay the loan.

Your credit score: If your score is higher, you may qualify to borrow more.

Your payment history: Do you consistently pay your bills on time? Lenders want to know you’re not a risky borrower.

After their review, you’ll get a pre-approval letter showing what you can borrow. Having this peace of mind is a big deal – it helps you feel a lot more confident in your ability to get a home loan. And the fringe benefit is it can also speed up the road to closing day because the lender will already have a lot of your information.

It Helps You Figure Out Your Budget

Spring is a competitive season, and emotions can run high if you find yourself up against other buyers. Having a firm budget in mind is so important. You don’t want to get too attached and end up maxing out what you can borrow. As Freddie Mac explains:

“​Keep in mind that the loan amount in the pre-approval letter is the lender’s maximum offer. Ultimately, you should only borrow an amount you are comfortable repaying.”

So, use this time to really buckle down on your numbers. And be sure to factor in other homeownership costs – like property taxes, insurance, and maybe even homeowner’s association fees – so you know what you can comfortably afford.

Then, partner with your agent to tailor your search to homes that match your budget. That way, you don’t fall in love with a house that’s out of your financial comfort zone.

It Helps Your Offer Stand Out During the Busy Season

Spring buyers aren’t just competing for homes. They’re competing for the seller’s attention, too. And a pre-approval letter can help you stand out by showing sellers you’ve already gone through a financial check. Zillow explains it like this:

“Having a pre-approval letter handy while you’re shopping for a home can also help you act quickly once you’ve found a home you love. The letter shows potential sellers that you’re a serious buyer who has the financial means to close on the home. In a competitive market, an offer with a pre-approval letter attached will stand out among other offers that don’t include one — increasing the chances of your offer being accepted.”

That means when sellers are choosing among multiple offers, yours could rise to the top simply because you’ve already taken this step.

And here’s one final tip for you. After you receive your letter, avoid switching jobs, applying for new credit cards or other loans, co-signing for loans, or moving money in or out of your savings. That’s because any changes to your finances can affect your pre-approval status.

Bottom Line

If you’re thinking about buying a home this spring, getting pre-approved should be your first move. It’ll help you understand your budget, show sellers you’re serious, and keep you from falling in love with a house that’s out of reach. Talk to a lender to get started.

What’s your plan to stand out in this competitive market? Let’s chat about how to make sure you’re fully ready to buy.

THE COST OF WAR

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BY SUZANNE HAZLETT, MBA, CIMA®, CFP®

Suzanne Hazlett, MBA, CIMA®, CFP®, founder of HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, is a Certified Investment Management Analyst® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional.

“The benefits of a tariff are visible. Union workers can see they are ‘protected.’ The harm that a tariff does is invisible. It’s spread widely. Some people don’t have jobs because of tariffs, but they don’t know it.” Milton Friedman

Now that Trump has returned to the initial trade war tariffs on everyone except China (which accounts for 14% of U.S. imports), watching what happens with the various trade negotiations will be crucial. There is potential for a sizable number of negotiated trade deals over the next 90 days, enabling tariff reductions on both sides; however, it is a question of how much economic damage occurs first. Uncertainty will remain high until there is tangible evidence that some of the talks are progressing.

A negotiated solution will also need to be found for China, though the political dynamics are complicated. One indicator of progress in negotiations is the extent to which foreign governments may be rescinding their retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products. China has been the most forceful in retaliating, followed, to a lesser extent, by the EU and Canada.

For its part, the White House plans to unveil another sector-level tariff on pharmaceuticals, which have been exempt from all of the new tariffs so far. A moderate approach to this decision would help negotiations with trading partners that have significant pharmaceutical industries, such as India and Ireland.

THE BOTTOM LINE: President Trump’s decision to issue a 90-day pause on his recently announced global ‘reciprocal’ tariffs in favor of a 10% universal tariff and a punitive 125% tariff on China represents another major shift in trade policy. While Trump’s willingness to negotiate is a good sign, the recently announced shift does little to reduce the effective tariff rate. While the reprieve helped the S&P 500 stage a massive relief rally—its best one-day move since October 2008—expect volatility to persist. The worst days in the market are usually clustered near the best days. Long-term investors would be wise to stay the course.

Suzanne Hazlett, MBA, CIMA®, CFP®, is a Certified Investment Management Analyst® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. HAZLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC is independent of Raymond James and is not a registered broker/dealer. 675 Sun Valley Road, Suite J1 + J2, Ketchum, Idaho, 83340 208.726.0605 HazlettWealthManagement.com

April Flight Plan

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BY HARRY WEEKES

In early April, Whiskey, Olive and I started to the backyard. I reached for the snowshoes, then cut myself off. Several tentative steps onto the snow, my hopes coalesced in a thought—“It’s going to hold me.”

Inspired, I told the dogs, “I’m following you.” This is the only time of the year when you can walk anywhere you want as easily and directly as possible, or as indirectly.

Olive took the most understandable and predictable path—she walked out, sniffed the air, turned around, and returned to bed. For his part, Whiskey took off to the left, heard a magpie croaking in the willows to the right, headed off in that direction until he crossed the scent of something, where he took on the appearance of a beachcombing treasure hunter—acting as both the organism and the apparatus.

His nose could not have been a quarter of an inch from the ground as he snuffled back and forth directly to the small ridge, where he started a beeline up. I looked down to see bird tracks. Initially, I thought they were from the magpie. After following them for some distance, it dawned on me—“These are grouse tracks.”

And these tracks created an amazingly straight line directly up the hill. Since it had barely dusted snow starting sometime after midnight, I knew the following: these fresh tracks had to be made between then and 7:30 a.m. This bird walked alone. This bird never stopped to eat or go to the bathroom, and it kept the same gait from the bottom of the hill to the top.

I don’t know when the last time you’ve held birds’ feet, but to imagine they would leave a discernable scent in snow is difficult to imagine. And yet, Whiskey followed them as though they were a bright stripe painted on the ground (and as though he was following by vision, not smell).

Toward the top of the hill, I wondered, “Where is this bird headed?” right about when the footprints ended—replaced by the impression of its wings… and nothing else. I turned slowly around, took in the view, and answered my own question: “Anywhere.” Which I think is the point for a prey species being followed by two potential predators.

As the hard ground held in early April, I learned more: what grouse tracks look like over three days in the sun; that the grouse, or multiple grouse, used this ridge as a stairway of sorts, mostly in the early morning; that, periodically, and seemingly randomly, the bird would nibble on the outstretched limbs of sage; what fresh grouse droppings look like; that at least one of the grouse was a dusky grouse who ducked into the lone Douglas fir standing just off the path; and that a mini-Dachshund looks really, really funny chasing a grouse 20 feet above its head and increasingly farther and farther away.

April can often feel like the Thursday of months; a kind of limbo between things. Wonderfully, the natural world has a penchant for such spaces.

So it is that here, on this tiny ridge, itself but a small fold in the corduroy of hills, there is a grouse who takes uphill morning walks made easier by the crusted snow of spring. There is a point, I like to imagine both a physical spot and a convergence of morning light, where the bird explodes into the air and shoots through one canyon or another. And then, she does it again. Because it’s early April. And the conditions are perfect.

Harry Weekes is the founder and head of school at The Sage School in Hailey.  This is his 53rd year in the Wood River Valley, where he lives with Hilary and two mini-Dachshunds. The baby members of their flock have now become adults—Georgia and Simon are fledging in North Carolina, and Penelope is fledging in Vermont.

Is Your Dog an Obnoxious Greeter?

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Greeting manners should be taught to every dog. Even frisky puppies can learn to have good manners without constantly jumping all over each other every moment. Photo credit: Fran Jewell

“He’s friendly!” or, “He’s only a puppy!” is the common chant among those who do not seem to recognize that their dog is about to offend another dog. When a dog or puppy runs up to another dog quickly, barking or then jumping on the other dog, he is an obnoxious greeter without greeting manners.  Those chants are excuses for lack of training. Even a young puppy can learn to greet other dogs nicely.

All dogs have the need for personal space just like people do. Some need more space than others. That can be driven by breed or the individual dog. Goldens and Labradors often have no concern at all for anyone’s personal space—dog or human. On the other hand, many of the herding breeds DO have concern, especially border collies, Aussies and German shepherds. When the two breeds collide, it can cause a conflict, sometimes more severe than others. When a Labrador retriever invades the personal space of another dog by jumping up in the dog’s face or putting his head over another dog’s shoulder, the other dog may respond with a growl or snap, or worse.  ‘Most of the time, we humans then blame the growler and call them aggressive when, in fact, the invader was NOT being friendly but is an obnoxious greeter.

Put yourself in their paws. If you were sitting on a park bench and some stranger came along, sat right next to you, touching you, then put his/her arm around you or on your leg, you would be offended. How would you react? Do you allow it or do you respond in a negative manner?

We all, including our dogs, have a right to personal space. This becomes especially important when an adult obnoxious greeter offends a shy puppy, pushing that puppy to defend himself with a bite or nip. That now sets the puppy up for behaving like that the rest of his life when he is offended by other dogs. It may even be difficult for that puppy to have happy relationships with other dogs forever, especially if that happens during the puppy’s fear period.

If you have an obnoxious greeter, it is extremely important that you do not accept this behavior as acceptable, “friendly” or just saying “hello,” especially with young puppies. It is not any dog’s right to greet in this manner. Teaching your dog to wait, ESPECIALLY as a puppy, for permission from you to greet another dog, is imperative. Ask another dog’s owner if the greeting is okay. Stop the interaction if your dog becomes too pushy with another dog, or if you see the other dog is afraid, showing hackles, dipping his head, closed mouth, or tail tucked. Your dog’s behavior in public is your responsibility. Be respectful and courteous.

Fran Jewell is a dog behavior consultant, NADOI-certified instructor and vice president. She owns Positive Puppy Dog Training LLC and can be reached at
(208) 721-7221.

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