August 24, 2016 at 2:42 p.m.
Pawzitive Outdoor Games and Bark for Life to benefit several organizations
Pawzitive Outdoor Games and Bark for Life to benefit several organizations
By Kayla Thomason-
The dual events will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport.
The Bark for Life begins at 9 a.m. with the Pawzitive Outdoor Games to follow at 10 a.m.
Bark for Life
The opening ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. with a special walk to honor and remember those who have battled cancer - both humans and their pets.
There will also be a blessing of the animals, pedicures for the pets, professional portraits and more for owners and their canine companions.
There will also be a raffle with a Three Lakes getaway basket that includes a two-night stay at a one-bedroom condo at Northernaire Resort as well as a gift certificate to the Black Forest Restaurant. Other raffle items include a barrister bookcase made by inmates at the McNaughton Correctional Facility, a one-year supply of Pro Pac dog food, a wine basket, three hours of music by DJ Services by Mixin' Matt, $50 gas card, an autographed Green Bay Packers football and more. The prize drawing will occur Oct. 15 at the Bark in the Dark event. Tickets will be sold for $5 apiece.
People can write a loved one's name on a tulip solar light for $5 and place it in the Hope and Wish Garden.
"We're hopeful that cancer will be over and we all wish that will be something we will all see in our lifetime and Wish is the name of the dog that Carol (Lofquist, owner of TLC Dog Training and co-sponsor of the Pawzitive Outdoor Games) had that passed from cancer that was a therapy dog, so that's why we use 'hope' and 'wish,'" said Diane Geis, senior community manager for the American Cancer Society.
Bark for Life is like Relay for Life but includes dogs and honors them as companions while supporting the American Cancer Society.
Last year's Bark for Life event was number four in the nation and raised over $11,800 thanks to participants and sponsors, Geis said.
"It's a celebration, just like Relay is a celebration event," she added.
The registration fee is $15 for the first dog before the event or $20 day of. Each additional dog is $10 before the event, $15 the day of. The cost to participate also includes a bandanna for the dog and T-shirt for the owner.
Online registration or donations can be completed at www.relayforlife.org/barknorthwoodswi.
Proceeds will benefit Relay and Bark for Life.
Bark for Life is also looking for committee members who have been affected by cancer in some way to help plan these events.
"It's not as if it's a big demand on your time or anything like that, we're happy for what anybody can offer us as far as their time and talents," Geis said.
Pawzitive Outdoor Games
The energetic Pawzitive Outdoor Games will start at approximately 9:30 a.m. and run until 4 p.m.
Drago, the Rhinelander Police Department K-9 Officer, will make a special appearance in the afternoon and may put on a demonstration.
Ripco Credit Union will be selling "Hero K-9" stuffed dogs for $15.
The dogs are German Shepherds, like Drago, and are fitted with vests complete with an embroidered RPD patch on the back and a custom "RPD K-9" collar and engraved dog tag with the RPD badge.
Proceeds from the purchase of the stuffed dogs will go to the K-9 Unit.
The Oneida County Humane Society will be raffling off a year's supply of Earthborn dog food. Tickets will be $5 each.
An Earthborn representative will be at the event with information, samples and treats.
The Oneida County 4-H Club will have food for humans and canines available for purchase.
Pawz n' Clawz will have a lot of samples and goodie bags with treats, a small toy or samples of food.
Dock diving
Dogs that love water as much as ducks should compete in the dock diving competition, which not only draws a crowd, but owners and aquatic dogs seem to love it.
"The main attraction is definitely the canine dock diving," said Dan Gallagher, owner of Pawz n' Clawz and co-organizer of the event. "It's so much fun to watch and it's really interesting to watch dogs that really do this a lot how good they are and how far they jump."
He added that Pier Pups does a great job with the setup and interactions with participants.
The pool is 32-feet long by 16-feet wide by 4-feet deep and holds 14,000 gallons of water.
Dock diving sessions will be held starting at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The dog who leaps the farthest will receive a year supply of Blue Buffalo dog food.
Online registration is $17 per session and $20 day of.
To register, visit www.pierpups.com/#!pawsitive-outdoor-games/voulv.
Agility
Dogs can compete on beginner, intermediate or advance agility courses as they prance along the dog walk, leap over jumps and through tires, scale the A-frame and more.
Each course will have 10 to 15 obstacles for dogs to overcome.
Beginners will get two attempts and the other two classes will get one try, however, everyone will be able to walk the course before they compete.
"I would like to see everyone that did come (to last year's event) to come back this year," Lofquist said. "Hopefully (it won't be) raining and maybe have their time be a little bit better for them and win some prizes."
The winner will receive Canidae dog food.
Registration is $10 at the event.
Fastest Dog in the Northwoods:
Owners who think their dogs are fast can put them to the test in the Fastest Dog in the Northwoods contest.
"If you just talk to people who come into Pawz n' Clawz, everybody thinks that their dog is super fast, so this gives everybody an opportunity just to see how fast their dog is compared to other dogs," Gallagher said.
Approximately 50 to 60 dogs raced last year.
"Everybody just thinks that they have the fastest dog. It's a riot, it's a lot of fun and they get to see, because a lot of their dogs are fast," he said, adding that the Labradors were contenders in all the activities.
Dogs will be at one end of a fenced-in 75-yard-straight stretch of grass. Their owner will stand at the other end. The animal's speed will be measured using a speed sign donated by the Rhinelander Police Department. Owners will cheer their dogs on as the canines race solo down the stretch.
Dogs under 18 inches will be in the small category and those 18 inches or taller will be in the big dog category.
The fastest dog will win a year's supply of Zignature dog food and winners in first through third place in both size categories will receive gift certificates to Pawz n' Clawz.
First place will get $50 (except the fastest dog who will get the food), second place will get a $25 and third will get $15.
Registration is $10 for two tries.
Gallagher said there are great causes at this event to support.
Proceeds from the Pawzitive Outdoor Games and Bark for Life will benefit Bark for Life and area animal shelters.
All dogs must be up to date on vaccines and be kept on a 6-foot-non-retractable leash. Bring water and a bowl for your dog(s), and clean up after them.
Rhinelander Honda sponsors "The Fastest Dog in the Northwoods" event. Jensen Akins in Conover and Your Floe Dock Dealer sponsor the dock diving event. Northern Paws Animal Hospital sponsors "The Agility Competition," and Ripco Credit Union and Invisible Fence of Northern Wisconsin are overall sponsors of the Pawzitive Outdoor Games.
Other sponsors include the Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport, Channel 12 WJFW and Coyote 93.7 FM Radio.
For more information, contact Pawz n' Clawz at (715) 362-5163 or visit https://www.facebook.com/pawznclawzstore.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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