For the first time this summer, my readership hit 1,000+ yesterday, and when does that happen? When BEAR writes the blog! I’m getting a serious complex here!
Of course, I’m kidding! I love that my readers are animal lovers, so I hope you’ll enjoy one more post this week that focuses on the furry faces we care about so much.
A wonderful part of the Lilac Festival is the annual Dog & Pony Show. Locals show up with their pets, tourists who have brought their animals to the island get involved, and then there are the people who come to the island just for the Dog & Pony Show – planning costumes a year in advance. Usually the pet owners are dressed in costume to compliment their dogs. It is really a big deal!
Our two furry faces didn’t attend the event because I couldn’t handle a camera and two dogs on leashes, and Ted was working in the Visitor’s Center that afternoon. But Jill and I had a ball watching owners getting their “babies” dressed and then marching single file in front of the judges’ stand. Great fun!
Some dogs didn't seem to mind at all getting all dressed up - even posing for photographs . . .
. . . some, like this longhaired dachshund, weren't too thrilled about it at all . . .
. . . and some were just bored silly.
It really wasn't necessary for your dog or horse to be in costume for the parade, and some owners just brought their beautiful pets "au naturel", like Bucky, this gorgeous Great Pyrenees . . .
. . . and this perfectly matched pair of horses.
This sweet little fella arrived in his own personal "fan-cooled" burley.
Jackie, our neighbor in the Village and wife of Dennis, Mackinac Island's Fire Chief, dressed their dog Elvis up as a Junior Fireman.
These sleek, rescued greyhounds had obviously been to Hawaii before landing on OUR island.
Marge, who with husband Rich run the Cottage Inn, brought their Cocker Spaniel, Joe Cocker. This baby is lucky to be with us this summer, after being bitten by a rattlesnake in Arizona in March.
Two chic little pampered pets are always better than one!
By the time the parade started at 1 p.m., a huge crowd had gathered around the judges' stand in front of the library.
Not every parade is blessed with location like this one - on the boardwalk just off the shores of Lake Huron, beautiful blue sky, cool lake breeze, and the Mackinac Bridge in the background.
Well, it IS called a Dog & Pony Show - so what could be better than a dog riding a pony!
A furry Leprechaun!
These two in-training Leader Dogs for the Blind . . .
. . . were followed by this second group. Leader Dogs for the Blind is based in Rochester Hills, MI, and these volunteers have taken puppies - and some adult dogs - to raise in their homes for approximately one year, in preparation for their lives as dog guides. These raisers will teach the dogs house manners, basic obedience and will socialize the dog by taking it into the community on a regular basis. Participating in the Mackinac Island Dog & Pony Show is part of their socialization training.
Three "Age of Aquarius" Boston Terriers.
Peace.
”A dog is one of the remaining reasons why some people can be persuaded to go for a walk.” . . . O.A. Battista
Were the lilacs still blooming for the festival?
By: Chrys on June 21, 2010
at 11:08 pm
Very few. The lilacs were early this year.
By: bree1972 on June 21, 2010
at 11:56 pm
I am so sad i missed this parade. I love things like this. Thanks for the great pictures. Looks like you have been getting some great weather this year.
And I do love the Bear blogs i really do enjoy your blogs as well. You just have a gift for writing and explaining things to make us feel like we were right there with you.
Enjoy your day.
By: Maureen on June 22, 2010
at 6:22 am
How cute! Some people got very creative with their costumes. I’m glad the weather was so nice for the event!
Happy Tuesday!!
By: Diane on June 22, 2010
at 6:23 am
That was a fun time. Thank you for letting us be a part of it.
As an aside, I’m sure you and Ted are thankful every day you are not in south Georgia, as you enjoy the beautiful weather on The Island.
By: Lowell on June 22, 2010
at 7:01 am
Oh what a fun blog!
Some of the dogs look like they don’t mind all the fuss at all and are actually enjoying it. On the webcam yesterday, I saw people lined up on both sides of the street, but you just made it come alive with the pictures, thanks!!
Enjoy your day.
By: Hilde on June 22, 2010
at 7:49 am
With a heat index of 115 in New Orleans, I’m so happy to see two and four legged friends enjoying the perfect day. They are all so cute it is hard to pick a favorite but “let the sunshine, let the sunshine in….”, it is very hard to beat those peace pups. All the pups and ponies were very well behaved to tolerate being dressed up as they were. Thanks for taking us along with you and letting us see and feel through your eyes. It’s a special service you give to all of us. Congrats on 1000.
By: Cathie on June 22, 2010
at 7:59 am
Too Cute!!!
)
By: Deanna on June 22, 2010
at 9:38 am
LOL! What a fun afternoon you all had! And the dogs seemed to be enjoying it more than the people. thanks for sharing another something I didn’t know about the island.
By: Barbara Blem on June 22, 2010
at 11:15 am
I love the “Aquarius Boston Terriers”. What a beautiful day for the event! Thanks for the trip. If I had been there I would have taken Bear and Maddie to show off for you! Maddie would have been soooooooooo excited and Bear so “proper”. Bear could have gone as a butler and Maddie perhaps a go-go dancer, she moves so fast!
Congratulations on the 1,000 mark! We’d respond everyday, but after awhile it begins to feel like “stalking”! You’re famous now. When people recognize you from your blog pictures, you’re THERE girl!!! Have a great day.
By: Judy, Ann Arbor on June 22, 2010
at 11:23 am
That parade looks like so much fun and you couldn’t ask for a better location! But aren’t those Paws With a Cause dogs in training, not Leader Dogs for the Blind?
By: Libby on June 23, 2010
at 9:50 pm
Wow, Libby, I hope I didn’t mess that up. This group was out of Rhochester, MI and I could 95% swear they were wearing “Leader Dog” insignia. I certainly apologize if I named the wrong group, though.
By: bree1972 on June 24, 2010
at 8:27 am
I found your blog after our visit to the Island in ’09. That was our third stay on this beautiful spot of land. We’ve enjoyed the island during a rainy spring visit, a hot summer stay, and a lovely September retreat in other years. Thank you for sharing all of the seasons, and all of the beauty of this wonderful place. For those visitor’s who never venture past the shops and fort, you show the mysteries that they miss. And for myself, you make my weekly check-in to the island a full and active vacation, just a click away from my routine week. Thank you for allowing me to follow your strolls, talks and wonderful views along with the other 999 and growing. And admittedly your irresistible animals are bound to draw the crowd.
Can’t wait to run into Maddie and Bear on our next trip. Until then thank you for filling in the missing days from the time I leave until the time I return.
One of one-thousand,
Karen Grubb, Westfield, Indiana
By: karen grubb on June 27, 2010
at 12:37 pm
Welcome, Karen! You sound like a true Mackinac Island fan, and I can certainly identify with that! So glad you’re “on board”!
By: bree1972 on June 27, 2010
at 8:07 pm