Dog 'N Jog

Last Sunday was the 25th anniversary of the annual Dog 'N Jog on the Plaza, benefiting the KC Humane Society. 

A fun event for a good cause that I can also take my dogs to?  Sign me up! :)

Matt came with me this year, as I clearly can not handle two 100 pound dogs by myself.  He took Cricket (who refuses to ever listen to me) and I took Willow.

We got there a little early and walked up and down the street that was lined on both sides with little booths.  My girls were pretty excited to have so many companions to sniff, so keeping all the leashes untangled was no easy feat!

I really wasn't sure if either of them could run a full mile.  We lined up on the starting line and took off with the rest of the dogs - hoping for the best.  It was pretty hilarious to see so many dogs -- all shapes and sizes -- running through the streets of the plaza with their owners!  I wish I would have got a picture of it, but trying to keep Willow in line running the right direction occupied both hands for the most part.

It was all going fairly smooth for the first quarter mile or so...until Willow decided she had to go #2.  Right in the middle of the race.  Not only in the middle of the race, but in the middle of the street.  Yes, that was my dog who had no shame and did her business as other dogs ran past her - and other owners laughed at me.  Ugh.  Thank you, Willow.

Once that ordeal was over with, we took off running again, and believe it or not, finished the whole race!  They CAN make it a mile!

It was a pretty hot day, and my poor dogs were dying.  There was a plastic baby pool filled with ice and bottled water for the contestants - the human ones, that is.  Cricket went for the ice, and I poured some water in a bowl for Willow - who collapsed around it and just laid her head in it, slurpping up what she could.

Once I could finally get them moving again, we walked down to another plastic baby pool that dogs were drinking from.  Well, not my dogs.  They both hopped right in and tried to go swimming in it.  All the people standing around thought it was hilarious and started snapping pictures.  I have to admit, it was pretty cute. :)

I don't think either of them moved the rest of the day once I got them home.  Apparently a one mile run in the Kansas heat is all they can handle! :)