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Should You Bring
Your Dog?
Summer in Chicago brings a lot
of outdoor fairs and festivals. These can be great opportunities to
have fun with your canine companions, but there are many things
you should consider
before hopping in the car. Temperatures can get pretty high. If you
plan
to go out with your dog, take into account the area you'll be visiting.
Hot
blacktop and concrete can be very painful to bare paws. Take a good
look
at your dog. If your dog is older, unwell, or very young, s/he would
probably
be more comfortable at home.
Your dog's personality is
another
thing
to think about. If your dog is nervous around large crowds, cars, loud
music,
or has aggressive tendancies, you probably should leave him/her at
home.
These events can be great socialization opportunities for older
puppies, but
don't expect a pup to be able to stay with you at a full-day or long
event.
Consult with your vet about the right age to start taking your puppy
out
and about, and make sure s/he is up to date on shots. Puppies and older
(6-8+
yrs) dogs are more sensitive to heat.
Things to
Bring
This is a list
of
things
we suggest you bring to festivals/fairs.
Things in bold are important
items,
others are extras or less essential.
- A bottle of cold water and a bowl
- Pick-up bags
- Your dog
first aid
kit
- Dog treats
- Dog booties (if dog will be on hot concrete/blacktop)
What to
Expect
Chicago
festivals are notorious for their crowds. Many people will assume a dog
in
public is friendly (and s/he should be if taken to festivals), and many
children
will pet without asking first. This is a good opportunity to help
educate
them about dogs- they should always ask first before petting a dog.
Expect
lots of discarded food and garbage on the ground, as well as people
sitting
with their food at a dog's eye level. Most festivals have loud music.
Some,
especially those held downtown, have mounted policemen.
Because of all the potential distractions, festivals can be a great
place
to work on training your dog around distractions. If you plan to visit
a
festival and work on training, I would recommend visiting early or
during
'off hours' when there are slightly less people and staying around the
edges
to avoid interruptions of people asking to pet the dog- unless of
course
you are working on a '
controlled greeting
' or socialization with people.
Where to Go
If you know of any upcoming
dog-friendly
festivals,
please email us or use
our Event
Submission Form
See
Chicago Canine's Event Calendar
for more festival listings.
NOTE:
Even if a festival is listed as
dog-friendly,
it's
best to call beforehand when possible to doublecheck.
You
can
also find Chicago-area events listed at these websites:
*Remember,
obeying leash laws and cleaning up after your dog
is
the
best way to help keep Chicago dog-friendly!*
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Monthly Event Calendar