Woofstock 2018

Brenton
09.20.2018 06:00 AM Comment(s)

Imagine the perfect place.


All your favorite foods are there…drinks hot and cold…soothing music…sunshine over a grassy plain…and the best part?

Dogs. Dogs everywhere.

 

Big dogs, little dogs, puppy dogs, senior dogs, playful dogs, gentle dogs, athletic dogs, clumsy dogs...They’re socializing with each other and with new humans. They’re running races and napping under trees. They’re watching their people eat and enjoying canine-friendly snacks of their own.

 

Paradise, right? Such a setting can’t possibly exist, can it?

 

Actually, it can! And it comes to fruition once a year, allowing dogs and dog people from all over northeast Ohio to gather together and celebrate their love of canines.

 

This event—being a pup party of epic proportions—is aptly known as Woofstock.

 

Woofstock is implemented near the end of every summer by the Geauga Humane Society: Rescue Village. The entry fee is a small donation to the shelter, and for the rest of the day, you can pretend you have a tail to wag as you surround yourself with furry friends. There are different dog charities you can learn about and make donations to, along with adoptable dogs to meet if you’re considering adding to your family. Dog-related businesses—such as salons, fencing companies, and professional trainers—have tables set up to advertise and offer information to those interested in their services. There are also several vendors, selling a wide array of food, treats, clothing, leashes, collars, bandanas, and other items for dogs, along with dog-themed clothes, decorations, and accessories for people. Throughout the day, different events take place, including timed races, a dog kissing booth, beauty contests, and the Annual Blessing of the Animals.

 

Some of our pet care specialists attended Woofstock 2018 on Sunday and came back to work this week with extra cheesy grins as we discussed our experiences. I, for instance, got a kick out of watching a confused but enthusiastic little sheltie named Milo run from one end of a fenced-in field to another at the urging of his owner. Unaware that he was being timed, Milo eagerly rushed forward when his owner nudged him, only to halt and look over his shoulder before continuing to run again. The look on his face as he stopped mid-stride was plain: “Oh, I’m doing all the running myself? Okay!” Another amusing highlight was watching a golden retriever (I didn’t catch her name) dutifully select each labeled ball for her boy to call out during a game of Bingo. It was clear that the golden both enjoyed her job and took it seriously, picking up each ball when her owner indicated and putting it in his hand with a prideful sense of purpose.

 

Fellow pet care specialist Makenzie and I chatted briefly about our opportunity to network and spread the word about Executive Pet Services. We agreed it was nice to gain a sense of how similar businesses operated and to derive new ideas for how to improve our own. It was great being able to tell so many people about what we do and to show them in person how genuinely good we are with dogs, allowing them to put faces to the business and ease them more gently into the idea of entrusting their pups to us.

 

I myself have attended Woofstock in the past, before joining the exceptional team of Executive Pet Services, and I can certainly say that you don’t have to work with dogs to take deep joy in the event. If you own dogs, or even if you can’t have dogs right now but still love them, Woofstock will be all the rage for you. Definitely look into it for 2019, and be sure to check out our table next year!