Dogs strut their stuff on the runway in Puppy-Palooza show
More than 60 spectators filled Finch Fieldhouse room 113 to see furry dogs and their owners compete in friendly contests in the 2nd annual Puppy-Palooza.
Puppy Palooza was a two hour event hosted by RPL 430, a Planning Recreation Programs & Events class within the Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Department at CMU. Since Jan. 2018, students from RPL 430 planned and coordinated Puppy-Palooza, while learning how to properly execute and prepare an event for the public.
The dogs, eight in total, participated and competed in a contest with three categories: Dog-Owner Look Alike, Best Trick and Best Dressed. The dogs and their owners walked on the red carpet showing off their best outfits and performed tricks such as rolling over and catching a ball to the audience. Spectators then voted for their choice of top dog in each category.
While the judges tallied up the votes, the dogs participated in a game of "Musical Sit," where they walked around in a circle whenever music played, and sat when the music stopped. Also during this time, spectators were able to pet and cuddle with the dogs and bid in a silent auction for items such as a Vera Bradley gift basket, as well as gift baskets full of school supplies and dog toys.
Nick Iveson, a junior from Midville, participated in Puppy-Palooza with his dog Bella, a brown Labradoodle. Iveson said he didn't expect Bella to win both Musical Sit and Best Dressed.
"I really didn't except for us to win anything, so I was pleased to not only win in two categories, but also get great gift baskets full of dog toys," Iveson said. "Bella went to obedience school, where she was taught how to sit, so that really helped her in winning Musical Sit."
Along with voting for top dog in the categories, spectators participated in mini games, such as Dog Bowl Toss, Ring Toss and Feed The Dog, where they competed to see who can put dog bones in a dog's mouth the fastest. Spectators also helped themselves to food, including Insomnia Cookies and Domino's Pizza.
One of the spectators, Lesley Szymanski, was pleased overall with the way Puppy-Palooza was executed.
"Puppy-Palooza was such a cute event, as well as a great way for college students to relieve some stress by petting and cuddling with the dogs," the Alpena junior said. "My favorite part of Puppy-Palooza was the Best Dressed category. Some of the costumes were so adorable."
Detroit sophomore Johnathan Hosey, one of the event coordinators of Puppy-Palooza, was slightly surprised at how much people attended the event.
"It was surprising to see such a passionate community of individuals who love dogs and enjoy the contests we had to offer," Hosey said. "Considering the amount of time it took to plan Puppy-Palooza, the audience exceeded my expectations, and I'm eager to see how much Puppy-Palooza can grow in the future.
All the proceeds from Puppy-Palooza will go to Almost Home Animal Shelter in Southfield, a non-profit organization that saves homeless, abused and neglected animals. Puppy-Palooza was sponsored by organizations including Domino's Pizza, Insomnia Cookies, Isabella Bank, Itech Engineering and Replenish Smoothie & Juice Bar.
