Update on Yorkie Talk Convention

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Maybe I should ask admin where the most "active YTers" live.

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Here is a list of the most dog friendly cities according to Dogfriendly.com:http://www.dogfriendly.com/server/ne...tenc2005.shtml

Although Chicago is #1, Seattle is in the top as is San Francisco, San Diego and San Antonio, Texas.

[StewiesMom]

Originally Posted by SoCalyorkiLvr

Here is a list of the most dog friendly cities according to Dogfriendly.com:http://www.dogfriendly.com/server/ne...tenc2005.shtml

Although Chicago is #1, Seattle is in the top as is San Francisco, San Diego and San Antonio, Texas.

That's strange. It says that the Chicago Transit Authority doesn't allow small dogs in carriers when they do.

[Kaluiah]

I doubt I could make it to any of those states but it was a good idea!

[Dena]

Everyone is gonna say that they will go, but when it comes down to it. No one will go but like 3 people, besides the people who live close enough to drive.

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

I think if we make it big and get people invlved in one or another in the planning ithink people will come.

We have so many people on here who own online stores or sell homemade goodies and they would come to promote their businesses. Then you have different people who are involved in different areas like showing, breeding, agility, service dog, therapy dog, resue, puppymills and they would come if they were organizing events for those special areas.

Out of 5000+ members I would hope to get at least 250.

Am I being overly optimistic?

[Kelz]

I'll go if it's within driving distance... i'm a poor college kid and can't afford a huge vacation....

[Dena]

Hmmm... 250?!!!!!

I think that is definitely aiming high. But if you can pull it off, more power to you!

My concern is the distance. You can probably get a lot of the people around that certain area that it will be held at. But you have to think about this:

1. travel.. not just travel.. but traveling with your yorkie
2. money
3. pet friendly hotels.. more money
4. transportation. With 250 people and yorkies. Is everyone going to rent a car? more money
5. people will say they will go and then not show up, thus leaving you or whoever is in charge in a bind.
6. have you gotten any thoughts about this from Admin?

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Originally Posted by Dena

Hmmm... 250?!!!!!

I think that is definitely aiming high. But if you can pull it off, more power to you!

My concern is the distance. You can probably get a lot of the people around that certain area that it will be held at. But you have to think about this:

1. travel.. not just travel.. but traveling with your yorkie
2. money
3. pet friendly hotels.. more money
4. transportation. With 250 people and yorkies. Is everyone going to rent a car? more money
5. people will say they will go and then not show up, thus leaving you or whoever is in charge in a bind.
6. have you gotten any thoughts about this from Admin?

I envision a hotel with a ballroom where you fly in, take a free shuttle to the convention hotel and stay there the majority of the time. No need for a car and people could share rooms with 4 people to a room. If there are outside excursions or events, we could arrange for bus transportation. There will be a cost but it should be nominal with these large numbers.

If we have one meal event, the Fur Ball, the hotel will usually reduce the rate of the rooms significantly for large groups. Not everyone would have to attend the Fur Ball but if 100 people bought tickets we could make it work and maybe even donate some to Millbusters or whatever organization we choose.

If people flew in on Friday night or saturday morning and the main events were in the hotel ballroom Saturday and then people left on Sunday. During the day Saturday we would have different speakers, a vendors room where members are seeling their wares a meet up area for people to meet and mingle and booths for individual breeders, rescue groups, service dogs, therapy dogs and whatever.

[Dena]

Well hopefully it will work out!

Good Luck!

[princessandrea]

With any convention you will have your costs to attend, but think of it as a small vacation I mean you don't have to attend if you can't afford it but I think it would be a cool thing to go to if you could, and like others have said there are a lot of members so even a small amount would be a good turn out. I mean just because you can't attend doesn't mean there shouldn't be one!

[taje]

Maybe you could open it up to the other yorkie sites as well...so that anyone with a yorkie could attend. Would that work?

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Originally Posted by taje

Maybe you could open it up to the other yorkie sites as well...so that anyone with a yorkie could attend. Would that work?

A possibility....maybe a Yorkie Fancier Convention in general.....

Maybe we could it in conjunction with a big Yorkie Specialty show somewhere but have ours mainly for Pet owners??? Then we culd go to the dog show too.

[Dena]

The reason I would be hesitant in thinking that 250... or even 50 people for that matter is that... If I am going to go on vacation.. I would rather go visit family/friends.. rather than meet strangers that I might or might not get along with.. Plus vendors that post on here are not rolling in money and can just go to the convention in attempts to sell a couple things.

I just think everyone is going to say that they will go, and you will get your hopes up.. but only a few will show up.

Taking a poll for something this big just isn't accurate or even close to accurate.

Just think about the local meet ups. How many people go to those? Add 5-10 people and that will be your convention.

[Dena]

Don't forget, What hotel will let 100+ yorkies running around wanting to mark the entire room.

I mean c'mon, how many of us have potty trained yorkies?