One of my absolutely FAV-rite events of the fall is the Dogs for Life Howl-O-Ween Pawrade. Some of you poocheroos have probly been in it, right? I always get a kick out of the Cool Kibbles costumes. Me, I wear the same outfit every year: I grab my snazzy hat with the “Press” badge stuck on it, an go as a Hardworking Reporter.
The Dogs for Life campus is real nice an woodsy, an they always have it all spiffed up with PUN-kins and pretend colored leafs, an not scary scare-crows. They have music too, by a human called Hobo Jim for some reason, an he always sings this huh-LARRY-us song, “Why Don’t You Love Me Like My Dog Does?” Didja know that it was written by a human from here named Scotty Emerick?
Dogs for Life has been doin’ the Pawrade for 140 years in Dog, an this year, cuzza that scary virus that’s makin’ everybody a liddle Dismal Dog Biscuits, the humans had to wear masks, too. But not Halloween ones.
I innerduced myself to a liddle Chihuahua, Cliff Page, who was dressed like a PIE-rat. He told me he’s a rescue pooch, and his human, Kathy, found him at H.A.L.O. up in Sebastian.
A pair of liddle white pooches identified themselves as Bijou an Miss Lilli Starr. They had beautiful, silky hair so long they looked like they were floating. Bijou was wearin’ an orange an black vest and a pointy hat with pointy ears on the sides. “I’m a Guh-NOME,” he told me proudly. See. I even have a BEARD!” Indeed, he did.
“An I’m a bal-uh-REE-nuh,” chimed in Miss Lilli, pirouetting in her white an orange tutu over black crinoline. They both had colorful ties in their topknots. “These are our humans Debbie an Art,” she said. “In case you didn’t know, we’re Coton de Tulears.” (I’m glad she told me cuz I was gonna hafta Google it.)
A good-lookin’ black Lab mixture was obviously eager to check everything out, an was pullin’ his human along with considerable determination. I inquired about the cool black wings he was wearin’. “I’m Batdog,” he told me. “My ackshul name is Kuzco Cross. An this is my Dad, Ian. He’s Batman. My Mom’s Kelly.”
I caught up with a poocheroo dressed like a ZEE-bruh, with ears anna mane even. Way cool. “I am Fergus Higginbottom,” he announced. “I am a Welsh Terrier, an this is my human, Jana. It’s our first time at this event. Quite a bit of fun, don’t you think?”
“Totally,” I agreed.
A very waggy, frenly pooch wearin’ a red heart-shaped cape with crossed pink ribbons on it hollered, “Hey, Mr. Bonzo.” She looked like a Boxer mixture. I trotted over. “I’m Baby Cakes Talt, an this is my Mom, Margaret.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Baby Cakes,” I said. “I like your outfit.”
“Why thank you, Mr. Bonzo. Mom says the pink ribbons are for Breast Cancer Awareness. It’s a Very Bad duh-ZEES humans are fighting, an I’m helping.”
“That is a very important an serious contribution your making, Miss Baby Cakes,” I told her.
“I hope someday we can make it go away forever,” she replied.
The minute I spotted Prince Pulliam an his human, I started laughing, an trotted over for a closer look. They were both dressed like that duh-licious white, orange and yellow candy corn. They even had little hats. “My Mom, Sandy, crow-SHAYED our costumes all by herself! Aren’t they Totally Cool Kibbles?”
“Abso-woofin’-lutely,” I agreed.
Jasper Hasenauer, a white Lab, is a congenial Dogs for Life-trained service pooch who had brought his entire human family with him. “I’m workin’ so I’m not wearin’ a costume,” he explained. “But my liddle human brother Callen likes to pretend he’s a dog, so he’s wearin’ a dog costume today. This is my Dad Kris. I’m his Service Dog. An this is my Mom, Carly, and my sisters Kares an Kailani.”
“What a great famly you have, Jasper,” I told him.
“Yep, they are,” he agreed.
Willow Muzzy is a soft-spoken American Pit Bull Terrier who was dressed as a bumblebee, with round yellow wings. She introduced her Mom Connie; her human brother Kendall, 8; an her pooch brother, Spirit, a German Shepherd, who was wearing a NASA vest.
Cuzza that Virus, the recent Dogs for Life class graduation got postponed, and was rescheduled the same day an place as the Pawrade, so I got to meet an congratulate a couple of the 18 proud graduates.
Poppy Mandeville, a Golden Doodle, was rockin’ a purple leash and harness ensemble with her Service Dog name an stuff in yellow letters. She introduced her proud Mom, Tammie. “Woof, I’m glad I made it to graduation,” she said. “That was a tough course!”
“You’re not woofin’!” agreed graduate Spencer Bergmann, a Jack Russell mixture, relaxin’ with his Mom Sue. “But now, look how much we can DO!”
One of my favrite parts of the Howl-O-Ween event is when those big, impressive K-9 deputies an their humans, from the Sheriff’s Office, demonstrate some of their Seriously Cool Kibbles moves. So K-9 Ruckus and his partner Deputy Holly, and K-9 Doc with his partner Deputy Joergen showed how they sniff out explosives; an how they stop bad guys, an how they can even jump out of their pleece vee-hickle an help their human partner if they need to. I was happy to learn the K-9s don’t go on calls when there is shooting involved.
Every year, Headin’ home from the Howl-O-Ween Pawrade, I always wish I had more room in my column, cuz there are always so many clever costumes an Cool Kibbles poocheroos. Plus, Dogs for Life trains pooches not only so they can learn Basic Dog Stuff an won’t make their Forever Families nuts; they also train pooches to be service dogs for veterans and other humans who have disabilities, which is a big responsibility that only dogs can carry out. It makes me proud bein’ a Fellow Pooch.
Till next time,
The Bonz
