Pirouetting hounds hit dance floor

Maree Rablin leads her dog Chook through a complex dance routine.

Dave Noonan

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Dances With Dogs competition

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THE state's most gifted canine choreographers met at the Glennie School on Saturday for the annual Dances With Dogs competition.

Pirouetting pooches went muzzle-to-muzzle on the dance floor, led through complex routines by their baton-waving conductors.

Brisbane trainer Sharon Clark said Toowoomba was the birthplace of the bizarre sport in Australia.

"The first competition in Australia was held right here in Toowoomba in 2009," she said.

"Now we hold one competition every month all across Queensland."

These pampered pups would not dream of dancing for free.

Bribes of chopped liver and squeaky toys were needed to get a wag from even the most obedient hounds.

At the promise of a tasty treat, the dancers would run through their entire repertoire of hand-shaking, leg-weaving tricks until they found the money shot.

"The dogs love to learn and we use positive reinforcement training to teach them," Ms Clark said.