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06-06-2004, 11:48 AM | #1 |
YT 6000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6,238
| [News] Woofstock a Big Hit for Toronto Canines Pity the moist trees of Mill St. This weekend, they're the most popular spot in town. To pee. After all, dogs will be dogs. And there were thousands of them, along with their owners, at the second Woofstock festival for dogs at the Distillery District. The canines wasted little time getting intimately acquainted. "There is so much bum-sniffing going on," said one visitor, referring to the pooches. ("You dirty little girl," admonished an owner with a sharp yank on the leash, abruptly curtailing at least one such session.) Yes, the dogs were having a great time. But so were the humans, taking in the astonishing variety of breeds being walked, watered, pampered, shopped for and groomed on this dog day afternoon. "It's a zoo in there," said John Mahoney, who took his Old English bulldog Kosis to the event. "There's every dog known to mankind." The event was designed that way. Unlike more formal dog shows or competitions, it was conceptualized from the paws up to be an inclusive social and retail gathering. "This one's really for the dogs. And it's for ordinary dogs," said organizer Marlene Cook, who estimates 30,000 people attended the inaugural event last year. But some of the ordinary were still quite extraordinary. They ranged from towering beasts evocative of camels or shaggy mastodons all the way down to such delicate miniatures as Beans — a 7-year-old squirt that weighs in at well under a kilo. "She wears a ferret harness," said owner Dorothy Ward. She and husband Alan own three Yorkshire terriers, including Beans, the runt of the litter. "It's a great way to meet people," said Dorothy. "You don't know your neighbour's name, but you'll know their dog's name." The Wards were surprised by the range of goods available. Gone are the days when you just give the dog a bone. Canine chic, with all its accessories, is definitely in. "It's amazing, all these products they make for dogs," Alan Ward said. Small and not-so-small retailers were offering goods and services that could have originated in a well-appointed spa. Aromatherapy. Massage. Portraits. Just about everything to do with doggy style. There was even a line of cosmetics that included toner for fur and a conditioner said to alleviate dry and flaking skin. The Italian line's name is Iv San Bernard. "You're almost a little embarrassed to use the word `cosmetics' when it comes to animals, but that's what it is," said Ed Bukala. A booth from the Vancouver business Coddled Dogs offered products like hemp shampoo and pad wax (which helps dogs keep their footing on slippery hardwood floors and fibreglass boats). For, make no mistake about it, dogs are more than friends to most who own them; they are family. Kim Taylor, who brought her rough coated Jack Russell terrier Gunner to the show, dropped about $100 on products ranging from a supposedly indestructible Frisbee-like toy to a bottle of a holistic supplement that's supposed to help with shedding, scratching and dull coats. Gunner, she says, is worth it. "I don't have a son, so he's like it." The depth of the bond between humans and dogs was highlighted in another event yesterday, as community members gathered to dedicate a tree in Withrow Park in memory of T-Bone. The Cavalier King Charles spaniel died in February after consuming a poisoned hotdog that had been planted in the park. The perpetrator has not been caught. Woofstock continues today. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=968793972154 |
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