Daviess County Parks & Recreation is excited to bring a new festival to Owensboro this weekend.
Pups In The Park will feature a dock diving competition, American Kennel Club (AKC) events, trainer demonstrations, a microchip clinic, food trucks, and fun activities for dogs and families!
The festival begins on Friday, September 20 with a Kentucky DockDogs Meet & Greet. This free event is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Panther Creek Park. Meet some of the Kentucky DockDogs members and learn about the sport of dock diving. Food will be available for purchase from Torera Hibachi & Uncle G’s Lemon Smashers.
Pups In The Park is scheduled for Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22 with events from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. See the world’s premier canine aquatics competition at Panther Creek Park. DockDogs® consists of three different sporting disciplines: Big Air®, Extreme Vertical®, and Speed Retrieve®.
Local dog owners will have an opportunity to get started in the sport at a “Try It” clinic on Saturday, September 21 at 11:30 a.m. There is a $15 fee to participate in the clinic for adults, with free registration for youth.
Try It Registration – Adult
https://forms.gle/Krcdfg5YiCmoqaEA9
Try It Registration – Youth
https://forms.gle/2hwLXTknzPCTRTGA7
Please bring a 4-foot leash, a toy that floats, water, and shade for your dog. A flat collar is recommended, prongs and choke chains are not allowed on the dock.
In addition to the dock diving competition, the Owensboro River City Kennel Club is staging three events: Fast CAT®, Temperament Test (ATT), & AKC Fetch. Click here for registration.
Daviess County Animal Care & Control will offer a low-cost microchip clinic in the Lakeview Shelter on Saturday, September 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The first 100 microchips will be free, courtesy of Saving Animals In Need Together (SAINT), then $10 per pet (cash only). Contact the Animal Shelter with any questions at 270-685-8275 or email dcacanimals@yahoo.com.
Saving Paws Animal Rescue of Kentucky (SparKY) will provide nail trimming, ear cleaning, and anal gland expressions for a donation at the Lakeview Shelter. This event will run alongside the microchip clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 21. Additionally, volunteers will have dogs available for ‘Meet & Greets’ at the park.
Sandy Webster will provide a free demonstration of dog parkour on Saturday and Sunday, September 21-22, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Also known as urban agility, this physical activity for dogs is based on the same principles as human parkour and involves teaching them to jump, climb, balance, and crawl through obstacles.
Positive First Dog Training will offer a free class, demonstration, and skills competition, beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 21 with Owner/Trainer Mandy Miller. Pre-registration is not required. The class will be held near the fishing lake behind the Lakeview Shelter.
Jan Dillon will teach a comprehensive pet care, first aid, and CPR training with hands-on skills practice using the PetTech program. This program offers a two-year certification and 40-page handbook. The cost of the class is $100. For more information and/or to register for this class, please call Jan Dillon, PetTech Instructor #2238 at 270-791-6527. The class will be offered on Saturday and Sunday, September 21-22, beginning at 10 a.m. each day.
A temporary dog park will be provided by Diggers, Inc. Portable Buildings & Carports with separate entrances for small and large dogs. For the first time ever, the spray park will be open to dogs at Panther Creek Park.
The free kids’ zone will be open at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 21 with inflatables and a foam factory experience for dogs and children, courtesy of Daniel The Balloon Guy and Space Walk of Ohio Valley. Additional games and activities are provided by Daviess County Public Schools, Bellevue Baptist Church, and the Daviess County Public Library.
Shop for pet-specific items and choose from a wide variety of food vendors: Aja’Leena’s LLC, Acropolis Express, CLN Creations, Freaky Tiki Shaved Ice, Frogtown Foods, Hillbilly’s BBQ, Kona Ice, Taqueria La Bendicion De Dios, Riverfront Apparel Company, Rollin Smoke BBQ, Silver Schnauzer, The Cottage, Torera Hibachi, & Wave of Serenity.
For a complete schedule of events, click here.
