There is nothing grander than a Great Dane, according to Dane devotees William Carpenter of Pomona and Cindy Haro of La Verne.
Carpenter and Haro, accompanied by their respective canines Duke and Nikki, shared stories and adventures about their favorite dog breed at the San Dimas Parks and Recreation Department’s Bowser Bash recently. They were among 100 humans who brought their dogs to Horsethief Canyon Park’s dog park to play with and compete against other canines.
Participating adults and children all embraced the concept of a dog being man’s best friend. The dogs just barked, sniffed, ran around and enjoyed a day filled with lots of new four-legged friends.
Carpenter wasn’t sure he was emotionally ready to accept a new Great Dane when his first, Schatze, died two years ago. But when a friend called about Duke, he considered the new Dane a “gift from God and you don’t reject gifts from God.†It was that same spiritual feeling that prompted Carpenter to take Jazmine, a chug or chihuahua-pug mix that was a stray when found by his son and daughter-in-law Michael and Natalie.
“They are cat people, so they called me about Jazmine. She had no collar, no tags and no one claimed her when we called the pounds about her. So we kept her,†said the Vietnam veteran and former Army staff sergeant. “Duke is a therapy dog for nursing home patients. Jazmine is therapy for us and Duke.â€
Nikki, a blue Merle Great Dane, is Haro’s third Great Dane. Although they are a breed with a commonly short life span, Chantel her first lived to be 13 in human years and Emerson, the second, lived to age 10, because of the care and comfort she gave them.
“I mourned for Emerson for six years before I got Nikki when he was nine-weeks-old. He’s a wonderful dog,†said Haro. She laughingly added Great Danes “think they’re lap dogs and are basically unaware of their significant size.â€
Duke and Nikki were the biggest breed, but smaller dogs came in the largest numbers. Chihuahuas, poodles, spaniels, terriers and mongrels dominated the dogs taking part in playtime, Fido Says exercises, musical chairs, dog-human lookalike contests, costume competitions and obstacle course manuevers.
There were also unique breeds: Ryder, a Tibetan mastiff owned by Jeff Barnes of La Verne; rat terrier Peanut, a breed owner Jeannie Combs of La Puente said was initially bred to kill rats in barns; Charlie, the bichon frise and poodle mix owned by Claudia Rea of La Puente; Juan Rodriguez’s Siberian huskies Vanilla and Diablo, the latter who “energetically lives up to his nameâ€; Thunder, the rare and ancient Great Pyrenees breed owned by Lona and Michael Froton of San Dimas; and Oscar, a Maltese mixed with a Chinese crested powder puff rescued by Barbara Lohman of Glendora’s Endless Pawsibilities.
Kelly’s K-9 College owner Kelly Wolff-Arias served as master of ceremonies for the canine contests. Co-owner Kimberly McAllister of Best Buddies Pet Care was among the day’s judges. Event coordinator Erica Rodriguez of the parks-and-recreation staff spun tunes fitting the occasion, including Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog.â€
Alta Loma High School sophomore David Raaen, 15, was among volunteers helping San Dimas Pet Grooming owner and professional groomer Kimberly Ross Smith and Cherry Ayres with travel kits, pet supplies and free photos of pets and human families. Rachel Silver, 12, traveled all the way from Orem, Utah with her mother Gwyn, big brother Ben, 14, and 10-year-old twin brothers Aaron and Jared to help Sharee Drafton of Covina, owner of San Dimas Pet Grooming. Rachel’s sales tips and earnings for the day will fund her own “pet†project: training golden retriever Molly to become a diabetic alert dog.
Ken Hernandez of Covina and Daphne, his daughter Anna’s Chihuahua, were the hands-down winner of the lookalike contest with their matching dappled gray-and-black goatee. “We call Daphne the bearded lady,†Anna said, laughing.
Other similarities, like the fact human Diana Romero and Cavalier King Charles spaniel Abby share snoring sounds, weren’t as obvious.
Dogs were dressed as princesses, a butterfly, lion, pumpkin, cowboy, the Geico Insurance commercial’s caveman and even Liberace. But 7-year-old Cub Scout Michael Vos of Covina showed his role-modeling love for Penny, his wired hair terrier, by dressing her in a Brownie Girl Scout uniform. Penny showed off her agility with an easy and speedy dash through the obstacle course.
“The Bowser Bash is 4-years-old, but this is the first time we’ve added contests,†Rodriguez said about the decision to enliven Bowser Bash. “We were also able to expand participation because we had volunteers from Glendora High School’s Paws Club, Bonita High School and the Sonrise Christian School and our Friends of the Dog Park and more canine services’ vendors.â€
Source: San Dimas Bowser Bash provides play time for canines
Carpenter and Haro, accompanied by their respective canines Duke and Nikki, shared stories and adventures about their favorite dog breed at the San Dimas Parks and Recreation Department’s Bowser Bash recently. They were among 100 humans who brought their dogs to Horsethief Canyon Park’s dog park to play with and compete against other canines.
Participating adults and children all embraced the concept of a dog being man’s best friend. The dogs just barked, sniffed, ran around and enjoyed a day filled with lots of new four-legged friends.
Carpenter wasn’t sure he was emotionally ready to accept a new Great Dane when his first, Schatze, died two years ago. But when a friend called about Duke, he considered the new Dane a “gift from God and you don’t reject gifts from God.†It was that same spiritual feeling that prompted Carpenter to take Jazmine, a chug or chihuahua-pug mix that was a stray when found by his son and daughter-in-law Michael and Natalie.
“They are cat people, so they called me about Jazmine. She had no collar, no tags and no one claimed her when we called the pounds about her. So we kept her,†said the Vietnam veteran and former Army staff sergeant. “Duke is a therapy dog for nursing home patients. Jazmine is therapy for us and Duke.â€
Nikki, a blue Merle Great Dane, is Haro’s third Great Dane. Although they are a breed with a commonly short life span, Chantel her first lived to be 13 in human years and Emerson, the second, lived to age 10, because of the care and comfort she gave them.
“I mourned for Emerson for six years before I got Nikki when he was nine-weeks-old. He’s a wonderful dog,†said Haro. She laughingly added Great Danes “think they’re lap dogs and are basically unaware of their significant size.â€
Duke and Nikki were the biggest breed, but smaller dogs came in the largest numbers. Chihuahuas, poodles, spaniels, terriers and mongrels dominated the dogs taking part in playtime, Fido Says exercises, musical chairs, dog-human lookalike contests, costume competitions and obstacle course manuevers.
There were also unique breeds: Ryder, a Tibetan mastiff owned by Jeff Barnes of La Verne; rat terrier Peanut, a breed owner Jeannie Combs of La Puente said was initially bred to kill rats in barns; Charlie, the bichon frise and poodle mix owned by Claudia Rea of La Puente; Juan Rodriguez’s Siberian huskies Vanilla and Diablo, the latter who “energetically lives up to his nameâ€; Thunder, the rare and ancient Great Pyrenees breed owned by Lona and Michael Froton of San Dimas; and Oscar, a Maltese mixed with a Chinese crested powder puff rescued by Barbara Lohman of Glendora’s Endless Pawsibilities.
Kelly’s K-9 College owner Kelly Wolff-Arias served as master of ceremonies for the canine contests. Co-owner Kimberly McAllister of Best Buddies Pet Care was among the day’s judges. Event coordinator Erica Rodriguez of the parks-and-recreation staff spun tunes fitting the occasion, including Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog.â€
Alta Loma High School sophomore David Raaen, 15, was among volunteers helping San Dimas Pet Grooming owner and professional groomer Kimberly Ross Smith and Cherry Ayres with travel kits, pet supplies and free photos of pets and human families. Rachel Silver, 12, traveled all the way from Orem, Utah with her mother Gwyn, big brother Ben, 14, and 10-year-old twin brothers Aaron and Jared to help Sharee Drafton of Covina, owner of San Dimas Pet Grooming. Rachel’s sales tips and earnings for the day will fund her own “pet†project: training golden retriever Molly to become a diabetic alert dog.
Ken Hernandez of Covina and Daphne, his daughter Anna’s Chihuahua, were the hands-down winner of the lookalike contest with their matching dappled gray-and-black goatee. “We call Daphne the bearded lady,†Anna said, laughing.
Other similarities, like the fact human Diana Romero and Cavalier King Charles spaniel Abby share snoring sounds, weren’t as obvious.
Dogs were dressed as princesses, a butterfly, lion, pumpkin, cowboy, the Geico Insurance commercial’s caveman and even Liberace. But 7-year-old Cub Scout Michael Vos of Covina showed his role-modeling love for Penny, his wired hair terrier, by dressing her in a Brownie Girl Scout uniform. Penny showed off her agility with an easy and speedy dash through the obstacle course.
“The Bowser Bash is 4-years-old, but this is the first time we’ve added contests,†Rodriguez said about the decision to enliven Bowser Bash. “We were also able to expand participation because we had volunteers from Glendora High School’s Paws Club, Bonita High School and the Sonrise Christian School and our Friends of the Dog Park and more canine services’ vendors.â€
Source: San Dimas Bowser Bash provides play time for canines