Dogtoberfest at Last!

YAY!!! Back in the car!!!

    My lil' mix-up with dates yesterday didn't dampen my interest in heading back out to Blue Springs to attend Dogtoberfest today! Tomorrow the weather is supposed to cool significantly, and it looks like rain this week, so it made sense to maximize the outdoor time this weekend...

   Kelly and the pooches and I jumped in the car and we were off! We grabbed lunch at one of the stands, then watched a sheep-herding border collie, a dock-diving Boston terrier, and a mixed breed snatching Frisbees from the air. There were many breed rescue groups, and we saw many greyhounds, Frenchies, shaggy mutts, an Aki, and one other Shiba. (In addition to hundreds & hundreds of other dogs.) This is the place where Aki & Tay accepted their Good Citizen Awards last year. Click here for last year's photos.

   After we got our doggy fix, I drove back to where we were yesterday—I really wanted Kelly to see the buffalo and elk. I had packed a few apples to entice them, and they were as game to greet us as they were yesterday. Buffalo Number 136 was a bit of a bully, hogging the apples, shooing away smaller buffalo, and head-butting the fence in the pause between apple slices. Brat.

The elk were slightly less pushy, but equally hungry...

Bowing to this little boy = adorable

To the victor goes the spoils... err, carrots

My life's calling

   Today's earthquake in Japan—called "the most powerful earthquake to hit the island nation in recorded history" and the resulting 30-foot tsunami have brought shocking, unthinkable and heartbreaking images to the news. I can't stand to watch. But I am so thankful that in light of the tragedy, Masayo and her friends & family are safe, as are Ben & Yumiko and the kids.
   Waiting to hear from them reminded me of the hours of waiting to hear from Kristin, who was just a few blocks from the World Trade Center when the planes hit, forcing her to flee with the masses. Since all services were out, we couldn't get in touch with her, and she had to walk across the Brooklyn bridge to find friends with whom she could stay.
   At that time, I desperately wanted to help and didn't know how. Then I saw images of search and rescue dogs on the news, canvassing the rubble and looking for survivors. Those dogs have to be hardworking, with intense noses and stamina, and a strong drive toward people. I thought about how much I wanted to do that someday.
   At last year's Dogtoberfest, there was a booth for an organization that trains these dogs and it got me thinking again. It's probably not a job for Aki, but I think Tay would be amazing at it!
   The other thing I've been kicking around is the idea of training my dogs as therapy dogs, and using them to cheer children in the hospital, or folks in assisted living. Based on my experience drawing for the children regularly at Children's Mercy Hospital, I know how much the kids and parents appreciate such efforts. For a few minutes, they can forget about their condition and just be a kid. Same with older folks; I imagine spending some time talking to them while they cuddle a dog would reveal some amazing stories.
   I have a lot on my plate right now, but I'm just capturing this to remind myself. Oprah Magazine had a great article recently about finding your life's calling. Not sure I've found mine yet, though I've found a ton of things I genuinely enjoy. Calling, maybe not. But if I combine my love of dogs—and potentially training rescued dogs to help people—and then I find a way to help people, I think I must be getting close to my calling.

(Suggestions welcome! What the h am I "meant" to be doing?)

Dogtoberfest

   Today was the annual Dogtoberfest in Blue Springs, our first time attending. It turned out to be bigger, more fun, and more crowded than I ever imagined, with people of all ages & all breeds of dogs. There was so much to do that I wish I could have stayed the whole day... and in no small part due to the gorgeous 80 degree weather!

Taylor greets some adorable puppies up for adoption:

Bonnie & Chris in their "Snack 'n Snooze" booth:

Events included a frisbee competition:

Dock diving competition:

And sheep & duck-herding demonstrations:

   We met several other shibas, including Shogun & Miko:

And a giant, friendly Bernese Mountain Dog who shared our water:

This one completely perplexed my pups:

   They asked for everyone to donate a bag of dog food for animal shelters, and made quite a haul!

   And the toughest choice of the day was, "Which one of Bonnie's delicious homemade treats should we eat first? Salmon? Peanut Butter? Banana? Chicken?..." Not to worry: they got all kinds of extra treats for good behavior & for passing the AKC CGC test (next post).