A few times a year, I get to cover a pooch-related special uh-VENT. One of my favorites is the Dogs-for-Life Howl-o-ween Paw-rade, which was this past Saturday over at the Dogs-for-Life off-leash park and training facility. Dogs-for-Life does a lotta significant stuff, especially training pooches to be Service Dogs for human military veterans – a Very Important Job. My pal Sunny Ferger an his Mom, Shelly, are in charge.
Rusty – Photo: Gordon Radford
So anyway, the 16th Annual Paw-rade was Totally Cool Dog Biscuits! Lotsa humans were there, most of ’em with pooches, and some just cuz it’s always a fun time. There were veterans with their Service Dogs, too. We all got real serious an stood still an quiet when some veterans brought in the American Flag and everybody said the Pledge.
There were drawings an prizes, an a human named Hobo Jim was singing and playin’ music. He did this one song called “Why Don’t You Love Me Like My Dog Does?” which all the humans were laughin’ at, but I thought it was pretty good advice.
The Sheriff’s K-9 Unit pooches an their human partners did some real impressive demonstrations. Those pooches are uhMAZing, and they’re in Great Shape. It makes me wanna go home and work out. Almost.
There were, like, at least a hundred pooches wearin’ all kindsa costumes. I saw pooches dressed up like bees an witches an bats, skeletons, a race horse with a jockey, that Taco Bell Chihuahua, a shark, a Jack-O-Lantern. One pooch, her name was Nina, I think, was dressed as a Chinese acupuncturist. I KNOW! Right?
Toto – Photo: Gordon Radford
Two pretty pooch pals, Ivy, a Mini Goldendoodle, an Stella, an English Cream Golden Retriever, were dressed like baseball umpires, with those black-and-white stripey shirts. I myself came dressed as a Famous Journalist.
This bee-utiful curlee-haired black Standard Poodle with legs up to there was rockin’ a stylish red Devil Girl costume. “I’m Margo Snowberger, this is my big sister Posh and our Mom, Eileen,” she told me. Posh was a long-haired chihuahua wearin’ a satiny purple-with-black-lace ballerina dress with black dangly things. “I’m a bug!” she said firmly. I think it was a spider.
“I’m not really into dressin’ up, an looks like you’re not either, Bonz,” said Andaleigh Leroi Bogin, a snazzy little shepherd-lookin’ pooch. “I’m an Aussie and I know how to herd sheep. This is my Mom and Dad, Wenda and Mike.”
When I explained I was, in fact, cleverly disguised as a Famous Journalist, Andaleigh just laughed. I gave her my card.
“Do you like my witch costume? I’m a Tibetan Spaniel. Me an my Mom match. See, I even have green hair an I’m keepin’ my hat on, too,” said Heidi Turner, all in one breath. Heidi an her Mom Corina were both in purple. Very Cool Kibbles, I told her.
Chihuahua Chanel Flores was super cute in her black and yellow Bat Dog costume, an she even got her humans Nathan Cote and Diana Flores to dress up as Batman and Bat Girl. Spiffy!
Elsa Cavanagh, a white English bulldog, trotted over. She was wearin’ lavender fairy wings. “Mr. Bonzo, I love your column!” Her liddle human sister, Teagan Cavanagh, also had lavender wings an a fluffy liddle skirt. “Teagan’s my best friend. She’s just 2 people years. We share her Cheerios. This is our Mom, Jen,” said Elsa.
“A pleasure, Miss Elsa,” I said. “Those lavender wings are lovely against your white coat.”
I introduced myself to a coupla liddle poocheroos wearin’ bright ruffly red, yellow and green clown outfits with pointy hats. Pawsome. Holly and Daisy Doherty were hangin’ out with their Mom Marianne and her friend, Sylvia Fenn. “I’m a Maltese. I’m 8,” Holly said. “Daisy’s my older sister, she a Cockapoo. She’s 11.”
When I told Rusty D’Auria, a Mini Pinscher-Rat Terrier mix, that I thought his outfit was Cool Dog Biscuits, he thanked me an introduced his Mom, Susan. Rusty was dressed like a dinosaur, one of those Stegosauruses, with two rows of sticky-uppy things down the back, an he was prancin’ around, really workin’ it. Then he admitted, “I didn’t wanna wear this goofy costume at first, but a buncha other pooches have been tellin’ me they like it, so I’m feelin’ much better.”
Shadow Eaker is one of those Service Dogs we all admire: a good-lookin’ poocheroo, big, sturdy black lab. He was chillin’ with his Dad, Mark, an his Mom, Lindsey, and Woof! did he have a nifty costume. He wasn’t wearing extra clothes or a hat or anything. His Mom had painted white spots all over his shiny black coat. Easy Peasy. “I’m a reverse Dalmatian,” he said. “Am I cool or what?”
“Totally, Dude!” I said.
“Mr. Bonzo. Lookit ME. I’m a hot dog. See!” I looked down an there was this liddle bitty fluffy gold-colored pooch wearin’ a hot dog costume, with mustard, even. “I’m Cookie Travis. I’m a Yorkie-Pom. This is my Mom, Wanda. Lookee, see my hairbows? One’s red for catchup an one’s green for relish!”
Another simple but effective costume was worn with the appropriate swagger by Kai Adache, a Belgian Malinois. Kai was dressed as a lion, wearing a big golden King-of-the-Jungle mane, which matched his golden coat. He told me he’s a rescue, an introduced me to his forever Mom, Marcia.
Heading home, I was thinking about the fun time I had at the Howl-O-Ween event, an wishin’ I’d had time to yap with all you cool poocheroos who were there. My Official Photografur got lotsa great picksures, which you can check out in our People section.
Till next time,
The Bonz