All Things Canine at Hot Diggity Dog Festival

All Things Canine at Hot Diggity Dog Festival

By Peggy Werner

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden’s 10 th annual Hot Diggity Dog Festival is a way to celebrate “man’s best friend” while cuddling up to products and services that make life better for dogs and their owners.

This year’s event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, at the arboretum, 2715 S. Main St., and will feature canine demonstrations, adoptable dogs, about 30 vendors and the always popular Doggy Costume Contest at 2 p.m. People can register their dogs on the day of the festival. Prairie Street Brewhouse will sell wine, beer and soft drinks and Pizza Fresca of Poplar Grove will offer gelato and pizza.

Sarah Lorenz, director of marketing and membership, says more than 600 people attended last year’s festival.

“This festival is a great way to remind people Klehm is pet-friendly,” says Lorenz. “Owners can walk their leashed dogs around the beautiful grounds anytime. Our festival will help pet owners connect with each other and see what’s available for their dogs.”

Klehm board member and dog owner Michele Lind has volunteered at the festival for years with her husband, Chuck, and they’ll attend with their Golden Retriever, Augie.

“It’s a great day for pets because they can play in the water fountain, get lots of attention, have treats and be outside having fun exploring with their owner,” Lind says.

Kaye Busse-Kleber, owner of Bark, a pet boutique at 2002 S. Mulford Road, will offer an expanded selection of dog toys, treats, accessories and home décor for pet lovers. Some newer items include clothing, seasonal items for dogs, bandanas and locally made dog treats from The Pound Bakery in Harvard, Ill.

Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, 111 N. 1 st St., will have dogs and puppies available for adoption, depending on what animals are available, says Brooke Pond of Noah’s Ark. The booth will also have merchandise, tickets for upcoming events and information on volunteering, fostering, and adoption.

Becoming a dog owner is always a special experience, she says.

“People just light up with they see a dog in person rather than looking at it online. People want to hold and pet the dogs and that interaction helps in the adoption process. It’s awesome when you see an animal and a person make a great connection,” she says.

Circle of Change Director Steve Haight will be at the festival raising awareness of how mistreated rescue dogs and veterans with post traumatic stress syndrome can help each other.

He contracts with trainers who know dogs that benefit from additional training and socialization. Veterans work with the dogs and spend time with each other.

Owners drop off dogs for two-hour sessions and, afterward, the veteran explains to the owner what they worked on, where progress was made and what needs more work.

In such a relaxed setting, the dogs and veterans help each other to recover from trauma.

“Circle of Change is not about training dogs, it’s about therapy for the veterans,” says Haight. “PTSD affects self esteem, social and communication skills and this therapy helps veterans gain confidence in all those areas. Dogs can have a very calming effect on people. The attention they give each other is lifechanging,” he says.

Dogs also help people through Northern Illinois Hospice. Volunteers will be on hand to recruit for their dog therapy program and the Pet Peace of Mind program, which helps patients and their pets stay together to the end.

Volunteer Services Coordinator Sheila O’Leary says Pet Peace of Mind helps to care for patients’ pets and helps find them new homes after owners die.

“We know the human and animal bond is really important and we see the difference animals make in the lives of people when included in their care,” she says.

Kathleen Alsup of Forest City Dog Training Club, 6203 Material Ave., Loves Park, will present information on services and a “dog trick” demonstration at 11 a.m. The non-profit helps dogs and their owners to have better lives through a variety of training classes.

“People often get a dog thinking it will be a great pet, but they know nothing about the breed’s needs and behavior,” says Alsup. “If we can help a client with training their dog, it will have a happier home life and won’t end up in a shelter because it wasn’t properly trained.”

Stacey Bonetti of Dog Paddle Beach, 5329 Forest Hills Ct., will offer information about her facility, where dogs have 30-minute sessions of play and instruction in a 21-foot round heated pool. They learn to swim or swim better, and get exercise and/or therapy.

“There’s nothing like swimming,” says Bonetti. “The biggest benefit is improving the quality of life for the pet, who will have a valuable skill as well as be able to move around easier and with less pain, while getting stress-free exercise.”

Shelley Marchione, coordinator of Canine Corners for the Rockford Park District, will co-host a booth with Goose Management, a park district program that uses dogs to help control the geese population. Canine Corners has three off-leash dog parks.

Admission is $8/general public; $5/ members and children 4-12; and free for age 3 and under. Learn more at Klehm. org. ❚