The recent Vero Beach Dog Park’s Bow Wow Bark N Brew was pooch-perfect for the two- and four-legged attendees alike, with hundreds enjoying each other’s company and a field full of fun. The fully fenced, five-acre facility, appropriately billed “as much for people as it is for dogs,” has been a wildly popular gathering place for local dog lovers since its opening last year.
The Bark N Brew was filled with live music from the Bobby Owen Band, with “Who Let the Dogs Out” being a favorite request, plus plenty of food and brew (for humans only). A row of tents offered all things dog: a Santa photo booth, toys, leashes, bandanas (THE must-have item for fashion-forward pooches), tips from local vets, dog grooming and training services, adoption information from the Humane Society and even a dog massage business.
Early in the day a crowd gathered five or six deep to watch the absolutely hilarious and very loud Weiner Dog Race. Owners had put their pooches into a row of boxes at the starting “gate,” each with a dachshund-sized door, and at the starting “gun” the little pooches were urged on to glory. They tore off toward their humans who were calling, cajoling, urging, holding up toys and treats and laughing hysterically along with the crowd. Pups went tumbling into one another, toppling over and heading in a wide variety of alternative directions before mostly making it to the end and victory.
Among the attendees were 2-year-old Mya, a Cane Corso Italian Mastiff training to be a service dog, with her human dog park ambassadors, Ray Zellars and 10-year old Aaliyah Zellars. One of the most eye-catching and biggest pooches in attendance was the impressive Otto, a stunning St. Bernard, walking his mom Debbie Kappel across the grass, stopping frequently to chat with admirers. Bailey Bleu, an Old English sheepdog, was also digging all the socializing and admiring glances with his mom Barbara Kuller.
Another dog-friendly game was the lure course, in which a wiggly pink lure attached to a wire goes zipping around an oval course with the dog participant chasing it to the finish. In actual competition the dogs are timed, but this day was just for fun, which was fortunate for Heidi, a peppy little schnauzer, who had better things to do – her “business.” That taken care of, she eventually did chase the lure around; her dad Dan Boylan cheering and nudging her on. “She likes to stop and smell the flowers,” said mom Karen Boylan.
“This is wonderful!” said Jean Shropshire, sitting on a bench with her little grand-dog Howie, watching the amazing variety of pooches and people all happy together, talking, laughing and sharing dog stories (humans) and wag-and-sniffs (dogs). “This is what it all means. Everyone getting along, even the dogs. It should be like this everywhere. I love this little town.”
