Area dogs do the 'Mutt Strut'

Dog owners and their pets had an opportunity to spend a fun filled afternoon together at the third annual Mutt Strut, held Saturday at the James E. Ward Agriculture Center.
The event raises proceeds to benefit Country K-9 Rescue, an organization that takes in homeless animals and attempts to find them a new home through adoption.
This year's Mutt Strut had a new feature, free hot dogs and a soft drink for all registered participants.
"The crowd this year went through 180 hot dogs and 215 sodas," Country K-9 Rescue coordinator Annelise Henning said.
The event included an agility course open to all visitors, a silent auction and contests for the dogs. Another new item was the scavenger hunt, in which the owners looked for the answers to questions throughout Fiddler's Grove and were rewarded with a small prize if they came back with the correct answers.
The silent auction included typical pet-related items like carriers and treat baskets and also an inflatable doghouse. There were gift certificates as well.
The agility course was a popular spot for many of the dogs. Obstacles including agility poles, tunnels, hurdles and a seesaw were on hand for the canines to try their luck with mastering. Some were quite successful with many of the barriers, while other dogs were a bit more reluctant to participate, much to the disappointment of their companions.
"The agility course is a fun thing to do, it's more for the person than the dog sometimes," Henning noted.
One eager participant in the agility course was a Border Collie/Great Pyrennes named Marcie. She made a show of jumping over the hurdles numerous times before getting too excited by all of the other dogs and running to greet them.
"This is the second year we've come," Marcie's owner, Jane Mahle of Lebanon said.
Mahle added that she enjoys bringing Marcie to the mutt strut because she has to keep the dog indoors most of the week. She is unable to get as much exercise as she would like.
""I love it," Mahle said of the event. "She gets to go on a puppy play date."
Throughout the afternoon, contests were held to see which dog had the longest ears, the fluffiest tail, and other fun categories. Some of the contests were pretty straight-forward, including shortest and tallest dog.
The winner of the longest ears competition was Rosie, a Bassett Hound owned by Debbie Wynn. Fluffiest Tail was awarded to Tippie and her companion, Wanda Whited.
The visitors to the mutt strut were not the only ones having a good time. Many of Country K-9's volunteers were also on hand for the festivities.
Mandy Maxwell, a volunteer since April, said she was having a very good time. She and her family who were visiting from Indiana spent the afternoon together with Missy, a Beagle who was rescued by Country K-9.
"She needs a good home," Maxwell said.
Maxwell and her family also organized a family sponsorship of the event to honor her brother who is serving in Iraq.
Henning was pleased with the number of pet enthusiasts who joined in the fun.
"It's a good turnout," she said.
The mutt strut raised over $2,000 for Country K-9 Rescue.
Staff Writer Kimberly Jordan can be reached at 444-3952 ext. 16 or by email at kimberly.jordan@lebanondemocrat.com.