Lucca goes to Bark in the Park

It was my first time, but the festival's eleventh: Bark in the Park, San Jose. It's the largest dog festival in the country! ~10,000 people and ~3,000 doggies head to William Street Park in San Jose for an afternoon of activities, vendors, food, slobbering and sniffing.

This is what a tired but thoroughly exhilarated doggie looks like

I have become a "Dog Mom". 100%. Having a dog must satisfy some type of maternal instinct for those of us in the correct age-range. And I am the epitome of a Dog Mom: not wanting to leave her at home too long, paying ridiculous amounts of money for toys/services/food that will maybe make her life better (she's a dog - that's a plush life right there), taking her to things and enjoying them because she's enjoying herself. If that's not a Dog Mom, I don't know what is.

Not that you have to be a Dog Mom to go to Bark in the Park, but I would not have missed it - knowing what a blast my little ankle-biter [literally] would have.

You can splash in it AND quench your thirst at the same time!

There was so much to see and do! Demos, contests, activities... You could learn about clicker training after watching dogs dress up as their owners. You could see a herding demo before cooling your dog off with the misters and doggie pools. You could shop for doggie beds while munching on hot dogs (wait...?)

This is just a portion of the "scene"

Just trying it out!

Tracey and Kohl met my brother Mark and me there. I suppose we collectively got a lot of attention: so many people stop to greet a puppy and Kohl was the largest dog we saw at the park that day.

Two Dog Moms and their fur babies

We learned that Lucca is actually very rude. She gets so excited to see other dogs and hopefully play with them that she runs/jumps/barks at them to get her way. Tracey (who is a prof. dog trainer) likened it to a human stranger running up to you - kissing and hugging you all the while squealing at how excited he/she is to see you. Right - not my idea of a good time either. Oh puppies... so cute, but so much work. We'll add this to the list of things to work on!

She can see dogs coming - she's already pulling! (on the way to the park from the car)

But we had a great, great time. Lucca even got a souvenir. I just couldn't help myself!! The "famous" Sniffany & Co. squeaky toy! What more could a girl ask for?

zzz... I love my new toy... What a great day! zzz..