# Michigan... Bark In The Park, anyone?



## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

I know this is a really long shot here but...

Anybody planning on going to the Bark In The Park at Island Park in Mt. Pleasant, MI? The event for this evening was cancelled and moved to this Friday still at the same times (4pm-7pm)... the info on the date just changed since last night and hasn't been published anywhere. I had to check with the TV station sponsoring the event after I noticed it suddenly disappeared off their website today. I guess they didn't expect some people (us) would travel 80-miles to attend this thing.


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

No, I don't think i'm even close to that area. Hopefully it will be cool for all those that go, the other day here it was so hot and miserable Kode stayed in under AC....and so did I. lol

Have fun if you go, and let know all about it.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

Oh, we WILL be going for sure. We went last year and it was a lot of fun... in fact, that was where I learned about agility classes and signed up and it was during the time we were taking those classes that I ended up building a whole AKC agility course in our backyard. Evidently this year one of the demonstrations is Freestyle... who knows it may lead to another fun activity for Sidney and me. You really should go... its fun to see so many dogs with their owners and everyone milling around the booths, and taking the Doggie IQ, or having your dog try out some easy obstacles and all everybody talks about is dogs (always my favorite topic of discussion). If you would like to see a little more about it go here to check it out. I'll even bet you're closer to Mt. Pleasant than I am. Let me know if you change your mind... you'll get to meet my wife and the infamous Sidney "the wonder dog" ...and if that offer isn't 'sweetening the pot' then you could just pretend you don't know us... either way it'd be a fun way to spend a Friday evening with your dogs.

Any other Michiganders thinking about attending?


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## FranH (May 8, 2005)

Sounds like fun. We will be in Howell, Michigan this weekend for the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest. Holly has loved watching the balloons in the past.....even barked at a couple of low flying ones! This will be Rosie's first year. This is one of the few art/craft events that allow us to have our pets at our booths. We are in a grassy area....and I have to say they are usually a distraction or I should say "magnet" for customers!

Monomer, have fun in Mount Pleasant!


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

Arts&crafts and balloons? What's the connection?
Which are you... an artist, a craftsman, or a balloonist?

I will assume you are operating a booth in the arts&crafts show, unless a 'booth' is what the balloonist's basket is called also.

So, what do you sell? We've taken Sidney to arts&crafts shows before... you can always tell who the 'dog people' are... they are the ones who go out of their way to stop to pet Sidney and talk about dog stuff. They actually appear to be more interested in the dogs than any arts&crafts wares. My wife does all the 'looking' at these things but if I spot a dog at a booth, I will always stop and pet the dog and start talking dog stuff with the proprietor at the booth.

Now just imagine if all those 'dog people' at the arts&craft show got together in one spot, all at the same time and started playing some games... that would be a BARK IN THE PARK! If you can make it you really should... its just 106-miles from Howell (according to Yahoo maps) ...you just drive west on I-96 and then turn north on I-127 until you get to Mt. Pleasant. Its really a nice event. Its goes from 3PM-6:30PM and you could be back in Howell by 8PM.


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

I think there is something similiar running here the 23rd of July Monomer. I forgot about it till I looked on my desk and seen the pamphet again. It's called a PoochFest 2006. Its a fundraiser. I wanna go see the Police k9 Demonstration that will be there.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

Goldndust said:


> I think there is something similar running here the 23rd of July Monomer. I forgot about it till I looked on my desk and seen the pamphet again. It's called a PoochFest 2006. Its a fundraiser. I wanna go see the Police k9 Demonstration that will be there.


Where's this PoochFest 2006 taking place? Sounds like it could be fun.

Well, the Bark In The Park in Mt. Pleasant was kinda sparse this year (compared to last year... the only other one I've been to)... I think it was because of the last minute rescheduling that went on. Where last year there were probably 2-300 dogs with owners, this year I estimate there were maybe only 50-60 tops. We did enjoy it though. Sidney won a 'squeaky' prize for running the fun agility/obstacle course (every dog that does the course gets a prize)... but the real 'big' win came when I had Sidney preform his figure-8s between my legs as I walked and then followed-up with a long 20-foot crawl on his belly as I backed-up... for some reason the crowd really liked that. He took First Place (a $30 gift certificate at a doggie store in town). We didn't participate in any of the other contests but they were really fun to watch. However for me the high-light of the evening was the Freestyle. Three different people danced several routines with different dogs (about a dozen in all)... all were rescued animals at one time. I wasn't expecting much, being as how this was a little small-town goofy doggie event but I was really surprised by several of the Freestyle routines I saw... most notable was a 6-year old border collie rescue who had tied for first in the Nationals two years ago... they did two dance numbers (like 3-minutes long) and it was as good as anything I've seen in videos on the Internet... also I was really impressed by a rescued Sharpei in a tux that performed two dance numbers perfectly (and I thought they were supposed to be a stubborn breed, independent almost to the point of untrainability... well evidently this is not so)... and finally two miniature dachshunds in clown costumes that moved as a coordinated pair and at other times in opposite rotations, simply amazing.

All in all, we had a real good time. Now I'm looking forward to the Bark In The Park in Cadillac next month... anyone interested?


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## FranH (May 8, 2005)

http://www.michiganchallenge.com/sunday.htm

This is where we are today. There are lots of dogs here.....and as you can see...a dog event at 11am. The crowds have been huge this weekend and the weather is absolutely beautiful. 

Monomer, we are all over Michigan until October. Our summer home is south of Coldwater. I will have to look on the map and see where Cadillac is.


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