They say every dog has his day and this Wednesday, July 30, here in Barrington, that is literally true! It’s the 9th Annual Children’s Dog Show, sponsored by the Barrington Park District. Kids + Dogs = if that doesn’t sound like a recipe for a heaping helping of adorable, I don’t know what does!
The show is open to kids and teens from 2-16 years of age. Pre-registration is required ($5 fee) but being a pedigreed dog is not – this show is open to all dogs who want to put their best paws forward. The Barrington Park District’s Children’s Dog Show includes prizes in a variety of categories, and all participants will receive a “doggie bag.” Dogs must be leashed in order to participate in the show. Sounds like a really fun opportunity for kids to get together to show off their furry friends. Plus it takes place in Citizens Park, one of Barrington’s most beautiful, wide open (and pet-friendly) spaces. Show time is 5:45-6:45 p.m. Registration is limited, so use that link and register today! Let us know if your dog takes home a prize!
Since this week is the Library Takeover of 365 Barrington, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some of our own dog-related paws-sibilities (sorry!) this summer. I’m a sucker for four furry feet and a wagging tail, so when it came time to plan our grand reopening in June, I thought: “What will keep ME and our many guests calm that day?” Answer: TDI certified therapy dogs! You may have encountered these sweet, g0od-natured dogs when you or a loved one was in the hospital, where their work is known as animal-assisted therapy. They visit patients to brighten their spirits, especially for those who can’t be with their own pets while receiving medical care. When a family member of mine was hospitalized three years ago, I know a short visit with a therapy dog got all of us laughing and smiling, and took some of the anxiety out of the room for awhile.
We were thrilled to have a large group of these dogs, most of them part of Barrington households, at our Remix grand opening celebration on June 22.
Many of the same dogs and owners enhanced our “Paws to Read” Summer Library Club by joining us for a fun library program called “Read To Rover.” Kids who are just learning to read and who want to gain confidence can schedule time to read to one of these gentle, patient animals. It might sound unusual, but it has amazing results! One Barrington mom sent me a note via Facebook to say, “Hunter LOVES the read to dogs program. We read to Otis and became good friends with Daisy.” To learn more about what it takes to be a TDI certified therapy dog, check out the official website. Daisy’s caregiver, Barrington resident Kathy Tabak, did an amazing job coordinating the dogs’ participation in these library events. Here’s Daisy making friends with another library visitor, Isak.
Speaking of kids, summer, reading, and paws – we’re almost at the end of another very successful Summer Library Club, “Paws To Read.” What is Summer Library Club? A fun, free way to celebrate the joys of reading during the summer months. Children, teens, and adults register on the library website and log in the books they read for approximately two months. Young children can also log in simpler activities, like visiting the library. In return, all of these readers receive small tokens of appreciation: anything from free Ravinia lawn tickets, chocolate, raffle tickets, and even free books. The Summer Library Club for children ends this Thursday, so it might be a little late to take advantage of this year, but keep it in mind for next summer.
In the meantime, get your family’s Fido signed up for the 9th Annual Children’s Dog Show this Wednesday at Citizen’s Park, courtesy of our friends at the Barrington Park District.
