Do you like this story?
Toronto goes to the dogs
By Kim Campbell Thornton
June 7, 2008
I just happen to be here in Toronto the weekend of Woofstock, billed as the largest outdoor festival for dogs in North America. Forget the Hockey Hall of Fame. What a great way to spend my first free morning here. Despite the heat (who would have thought that Canada would be hot and humid?), Toronto dogs and their people hit the street early to scope out the more than 200 booths for rescue groups and vendors selling treats, food, collars, frozen yogurt, dog beds, furniture-like crates and more, more, more. Toronto has a reputation as a green city, exemplified by the booths selling biodegradable poop scoop bags and organic food and treats.
We watched a Chessie try out the dock diving pool. He needed a little practice, making it only to 12 feet. I scuffled my feet as I walked so I wouldn’t step on any of the low-lying Pugs, Dachshunds, Jack Russells and Poodles. Bulldogs and Bassets, Greyhounds and Great Danes, a huddle of Havanese, a Dogue de Bordeaux, a phalene Papillon, a beautiful black Setter-y looking dog (no, it wasn’t a Flatcoat)–you name the breed, it was probably there. Later this afternoon, dogs can participate in the dock-diving competition, stupid dog tricks and other contests, the Rescue-Me Walk-a-Thon and extreme doggie makeovers (not sure I want to see the results of that one). We’ll probably go back for more later, but first–the shoe museum.
Share & Enjoy
|
Facebook
|
Twitter
|
Google Buzz
|
Digg
|
|
Technorati
|
StumbleUpon
|
Delicious
|
Email
|
Home
Any pix of the Phalene?
Comment by The OTHER Pat — June 7, 2008 @ 6:08 pm
No, sorry; they needed to move on. They’d been taking care of it for a couple of months for friends and fell in love with it, though.
Comment by Kim — June 7, 2008 @ 7:19 pm
Heya, Kim, stop by the Dog Legislation Council of Canada booth at Woofstock and say Hi! It’s in the north row on Front Street, half-way between Church and Jarvis. Contribute to the legal challenge fund and get a t-shirt as our gift for your contribution, we have some great ones!
Comment by Social Mange — June 7, 2008 @ 7:44 pm
I’ll name a “breed” that wasn’t there.
The banned-in-Ontario “pit bull.”
Comment by H. Houlahan — June 7, 2008 @ 10:11 pm
We had DOLA dogs - the much mythologized and elusive ‘pit bulls’ - at the DLCC booth and there were lots of them at the event. Ontario’s ban isn’t a search-and-destroy type like Denver’s. It’s more of a ‘be absolutely perfect in every way and make sure your short-haired, medium-sized dog of unknown ancestry doesn’t behave like a - gasp! - dog, or we’ll try to kill him and cost you a lot of money and time doing it’ thing.
You do know there are only about 30 purebred AmStaffs in Ontario, right? About 600 APBTs and Staffords combined? Thirteen million people, 3 million dogs, give or take.
The vet tent was super busy with heat stroke cases, duh. It was over 90 F, sunny and humid and twits were dragging their dogs along on hot pavement. Some of the poor tykes were wearing clothes - I thought dogs came with clothes.
We’re not sure if the bulldog from Saturday made it. Too many bulldogs, too many pugs, too many Dachshunds, Frenchies and other small, dark dogs that are close to the ground. Then there are the big guys - Mals, Bernese, Tibetan Mastiffs, Newfs, even worse.
People have nylon carriers where the dog sits upright with his limbs pointing straight out, strapped to the owner’s chest. Lovely.
On the upside, the political weather is changing re: the insane dog ownership ban in Ontario legislated by media-hungry politicians who pander to the unschooled.
A lot of good people stopped by the DLCC booth and we made some good contacts and some money for the case.
I’m going to suggest that Woofstock be held in the fall and at a venue such as Toronto Island, so the dogs get a nice cool ferry ride coming and going. Grass, shade and water would be there too.
I boarded my dogs in air-conditioned comfort, no way would I subject them to that weather (two little flat faces and a very old badger dog), even with our tent and cooling methods.
Our summers are terrible here in southern Ontario - hot and humid for long periods and of course the smog is a nice touch. The climate is brutal, I’m pretty much waiting for Fall now. So are my dogs.
Comment by Caveat — June 8, 2008 @ 9:57 pm
I’d like to see Woofstock in a shadier, cooler time or venue as well. Toronto Island might kill it; a lot of people won’t (or can’t afford to) pay the fare for the ferry. It would also be very difficult and expensive for vendors to get their stuff across and back.
Allen Gardens might be good. Central, accessible by transit, lots of grass and trees.
High Park was suggested, not sure about parking and vendor facilities, but it would be better for the dogs.
Colonel Samuel Smith Park in the west end might also be good. Accessible by transit, several parking lots around it, lots of shade, and the lake nearby for dog dips.
Comment by Social Mange — June 9, 2008 @ 8:30 am