Owl’s Head Park has really gone to the dogs!
A pack of more than 12 impressive pooches overran the Ridge green space for the Doggie Shenanigans Dog Paw-geant on July 16, wowing judges with tricks and feats of obedience. A 4-year-old mutt Sasafras won best in show thanks to her obedience training, her owner said.
“We were over the moon for the rest of the day,” Ridgite Brian Weaver said. “We started training her immediately after we adopted her, so I believe that definitely played a part in the obedience and trick category.”
For their trick, Weaver sat Sasafras down in the middle of the three-dozen people, told the pup to stay put, and ran 30 yards out into the park — then gave her a command to come and she bolted to him. Their obedience demonstration was a series of commands including heeling, high-fives, and “puppy pushups” — in which Sasafras repeatedly sat up and down.
Four judges also graded canines on which was the most friendly and most unique, and the crowd voted on the most photogenic.
Sasafras and Weaver won a gift basket of healthy dog chow, cheesy dog treats, a dried pig ear, stuffed animals, tennis balls, a ceramic dog bowl, and a $15 certificate to Paws Truly on Third Avenue.
Contest organizers raised more than $1,000 for Second Chance Rescue and Itty Bitty Kitty shelters, according to the contest emcee. The shelters handed out paperwork at the event to folks who were interested in adopting a pup or cat, and the head of the pack called it a huge success, both for the crowd and for the shelters.
“We had dogs that wooed the crowd with their obedience and dogs that entertained with their lack thereof, so it was both a show and just really funny” said organizer Liam McCabe.
