A princess, a queen, and one very excited skier stole the show at the first ever Vernon Winter Carnival Dog Parade last Saturday.
More than a dozen dog owners dressed up their furry friends in creative costumes and brought them down to the Family Fun Park at Kal Tire Place at noon on Feb. 10 and let them strut their stuff. The dogs led their owners along a short loop through the Fun Park.
What song served as the backdrop for this pup-tacular spectacle? The Baha Men’s 2000 track Who Let The Dogs Out, of course.
Folks had to register their dogs for the parade, but there was no registration required for the following K9 Costume Party.
Dogs in the parade were competing for three honours: cutest canine, most creative costume, and waggiest tail.
The best dressed award went to Nummy, a chihuahua dressed up as Queen Silver Star with a crown who was towed along the parade in a float decked out to look like a royal throne.
Owner Jaime Doucet said she worked on the costume over the course of a week, and the effort paid off.
Nummy’s win was all the more special because Doucet thinks her time with her may soon run out.
“Nummy has been ill in health so this might be our last year with her, so this was a nice treat to win this competition,” Doucet said.
Cutest canine honours went to Molly, a purebred shih tzu dressed up as a princess.
“I thought it was so cute,” owner Cheryl Sochan said, recalling when she heard there would be a Winter Carnival dog parade.
“I love dogs and also being around all these different breeds. It was awesome.”
Every dog in the parade was amped up for the event so there was plenty of competition for the waggiest tail award, but the event organizers couldn’t deny the excitement exhibited by Whiskey, a black bernedoodle sporting a pair of ski goggles.
Owner Kim Tvergyak wasn’t all that surprised with the award, saying Whiskey knows how to wag a good tail.
“He is a very happy dog, “she said. “It’s always fun to do something with your dog, and get them socialized.”
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