OTTUMWA — Playful pets showed their obedience and agility at Friday’s annual Wapello County 4-H Expo Dog Show.

Some participants were new to the event while others were veterans.

Taylor Holman, 12, was showing her Shih Tzu, Bichon Frise, Poodle mix, Tico. She has been in 4-H for three years, and this was the first time she was showing.

She spends roughly 30 minutes a day training. Holman works with her dog on commands such as sit, stay, heel and agility.

Holman completed her obedience testing Friday and will go do the agility portion of her showing today.

“I like this event,” she said. “Dogs are fun animals.”

Holman said “Tico” listens to her very well and is pretty well trained. Though he is only 1 year old, he seemed to listen to her every command when he was in the ring.

“We’ve worked hard for this,” Holman said.

She said the hardest thing is training them when they are young.

“When they are little, they don’t always want to listen to you,” she said.

Ashley Pilcher, 11, had a big challenge with her small Papillion, Clover, — three pounds — which was in the same ring as the full-grown dogs. She said that is quite a challenge in itself.

“When you want her stay and there are other bigger dogs in there, it can be hard. I try not to look at her,” Pilcher said.

She got Clover in December after the dog was given to her by K-Lane Kennels, which donated her for the 4-H Expo. Any kid who wanted to try to get her had to write an essay on why they wanted the dog. Pilcher won and has been training her since.

She said it take a lot of patience to train a dog.

“They don’t always want to do what you say,” she said.