The inaugural Dog Day Afternoon festival was held last Saturday. I am always looking for ways to socialize Gracie and thought the festival would be fun.
I was shocked to see so many people at the event. Asheville is definitely a city of dog lovers. Cars lined the road alongside the park. We were lucky to find a parking space – and we were only 30 minutes late to the kickoff of the festival!
Gracie handled the crowd very well. She walked among the dogs, observing proper doggie etiquette. She loved all the attention from people. Everyone stopped to admire her. Who does not love a Jack Russell, especially one with cute little whiskers?
We spotted a few other Jack Russell terriers there too along with just about every other breed. I admit I was a little nervous when she approached big dogs, especially a Great Dane. She was very polite though. The only time we had a problem was when another dog tried to dominate her. She quickly nipped that in the bud.
I did not escape carrying Gracie during certain times. You may recall that, in the past, I have carried her the entire time we were in unfamiliar situations. The fact that she strolled around for long periods of time on her own was a huge improvement. She is slowly gaining confidence in herself and me. She knows that she can turn to me for support if the situation becomes too overwhelming. I consider this a major milestone in her training.
I really hope they have the festival again next year. It was a lot of fun. Of course, I will let you know if they do!
Rescue Mommy
Showing posts with label dog festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog festival. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
Dog Day Afternoon Festival
On Saturday, August 18, the inaugural Dog Day Afternoon festival will happen from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the East Green of Carrier Park in West Asheville.
The festival will benefit as well as showcase three local rescue groups: the Asheville Humane Society, the Animal Compassion Network, and Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. All three rescue organizations will have large areas where you can visit dogs available for adoption or learn more about their work.
The event kicks off with a fun run at 10:30 a.m. The fee for the run benefits Brother Wolf. Other events include a weiner dog race, an agility demonstration from Companion Dog Training, and live music from Xanderfly and Big Daddy Love.
Admission is free. Bring some cash. Local restaurants and brewers will be there selling refreshments, and vendors will have doggy products.
To learn all about the event, visit www.dogdayasheville.com. See you there!
Rescue Mommy and Daddy
The festival will benefit as well as showcase three local rescue groups: the Asheville Humane Society, the Animal Compassion Network, and Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. All three rescue organizations will have large areas where you can visit dogs available for adoption or learn more about their work.
The event kicks off with a fun run at 10:30 a.m. The fee for the run benefits Brother Wolf. Other events include a weiner dog race, an agility demonstration from Companion Dog Training, and live music from Xanderfly and Big Daddy Love.
Admission is free. Bring some cash. Local restaurants and brewers will be there selling refreshments, and vendors will have doggy products.
To learn all about the event, visit www.dogdayasheville.com. See you there!
Rescue Mommy and Daddy
Monday, August 13, 2012
Great Time with Gracie
Over the weekend, we attended a dog festival and had a blast. We attended the same festival two years ago. Then, Gracie tried to attack the larger dogs and frantically ran around the venue. She was overly anxious and overly stimulated by all the sights, sounds, and smells.
This time, Gracie still dashed around the city’s streets. However, when she encountered other dogs, she acted like a normal dog, smelling them in all the right places and allowing them to smell her. To my surprise, a pair of Boston Terriers actually snarled at her instead of Gracie being the first one to snarl.
She enjoyed all the attention. You have to admit; she is pretty darn cute. One little boy even walked up to her, patted her on the head, and said, “I love your dog.” This made Gracie’s day.
It was ridiculously hot and humid so we only stayed about an hour. As always, the important thing is to provide Gracie with a positive experience when we take her on little adventures. We were so tickled with her progress that we had big smiles on our faces all weekend.
She is doing so much better riding in the car and engaging other dogs in social situations. Be patient. You can reap the rewards of all your hard work too. It took three years for us to get to this point.
Rescue Mommy and Daddy
Tip from Rescue Mommy: Avoid tightening your grip on the leash when your dog meets another dog. You are telegraphing anxiety down that leash when you do. Slacken the leash and think positive thoughts.
I know that sounds a little “New Age.” It works, though. Your dog knows you better than you probably know yourself and can sense your anxiety. She will think the source of your anxiety is the other dog and react accordingly.
Yes, it is hard to do. It will take practice. Just try; it works.
This time, Gracie still dashed around the city’s streets. However, when she encountered other dogs, she acted like a normal dog, smelling them in all the right places and allowing them to smell her. To my surprise, a pair of Boston Terriers actually snarled at her instead of Gracie being the first one to snarl.
She enjoyed all the attention. You have to admit; she is pretty darn cute. One little boy even walked up to her, patted her on the head, and said, “I love your dog.” This made Gracie’s day.
It was ridiculously hot and humid so we only stayed about an hour. As always, the important thing is to provide Gracie with a positive experience when we take her on little adventures. We were so tickled with her progress that we had big smiles on our faces all weekend.
She is doing so much better riding in the car and engaging other dogs in social situations. Be patient. You can reap the rewards of all your hard work too. It took three years for us to get to this point.
Rescue Mommy and Daddy
Tip from Rescue Mommy: Avoid tightening your grip on the leash when your dog meets another dog. You are telegraphing anxiety down that leash when you do. Slacken the leash and think positive thoughts.
I know that sounds a little “New Age.” It works, though. Your dog knows you better than you probably know yourself and can sense your anxiety. She will think the source of your anxiety is the other dog and react accordingly.
Yes, it is hard to do. It will take practice. Just try; it works.
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