Dogs Day

We are well past the Dog Days of summer, the ones at the end of August where it’s hot and sultry and we lie about drinking cool lemonade and thinking about the fact that Sirius, the dog star, used to be on the horizon at sunrise during these days, thus giving them the name.  But we’re not there anymore.  Today we are instead at Dogs Day which was a remarkable Point Roberts event, far more deserving of the ‘festival’ name than most of the festivals I’ve seen this year.

What we got was a dog show at the Community Center with a prize for every dog, because every dog competed only in his/her own category.  I counted forty dogs, so I imagine there were closer to 50 since there was considerable moving around of animals during my counting period.  All kinds of dogs showed up with their people, big ones, little ones, barky ones (but not too much of that), very quiet ones, friendly ones, nervous ones, some of everything for our entertainment and admiration  And not a sign of anybody being paid to entertain us.  We were entertaining ourselves, for the most part.

I don’t have a dog, so I was truly just a spectator, but I felt like I had a dog there today; felt like I might have a dozen or so of these dogs.  What a bunch of good sports!  And their owners too. 

Unfortunately, the weather was September and overcast and drizzling off and on.  The organizers got permission to conduct the judging indoors in the hallway of the Community Center (all the other rooms that might have been used were engaged in a big raffle, yard, and bake sale, all of it, including the dog show part, to benefit PAWS, the local organization that cares for our domestic animals in need of care). 

It was a little crowded in the hallway, so most of the 2-leggers stayed outside while the dogs and an owner took them indoors, in turns, to be addressed by the judges.  The task of the judges was to determine the category of dog in which the particular dog before them was the clear winner.  Brownest eyes in a black dog?  Shortest legs on a big dog?  Cutest dress?  Nicest bowtie?  Most dignified dogs?  Dogs with reddest scarf?  Most welcoming dog who is also a border collie? Every dog a winner!  Yes, indeed.

                                                                     Bring it back next year.