June 7, 2004 - Dog-Ed Determination

This weekend was the 10th Annual Big Dogs parade. It was not only a celebration of dogs and their owners, but also a field day for people who write cute stories. The NewsPress, for instance, used the phrase “muchas pooches”. They could also have talked about how the walkers were dog tired, had a new leash on life, or how they had to paws halfway through to catch their breath. Or, they could have used phrases like, putting on the dog, it’s a dogs life, dog-day afternoon, boy were their dogs tired, dog eat dog, raining cats and dogs, who let the dogs out, hot dog, s’up dawg, hang dog, puppy love, or tail wagging the dog.

Doggone-it, they could’ve used metaphors, too. Dog is the universal metaphor, you know. You can be tired as a dog, sick as a dog, smelly as a dog, thirsty as a dog, or happy as a dog. Pretty much anything, as a dog, works. Try it - you will see.

But, the dedicated staff of edhat.com is way too cultured and sophisticated to play the word game with dogs. And, we aren’t seasoned newshounds like they are at the NewsPress. We were at the parade to count the dogs. And if it looked like a dog, smelled like a dog, and walked like a dog, we called it a dog. We were positioned at the end of State Street just before Cabrillo Blvd. We were right in front of Jake’s Watering Hole, a popular parade stopping spot where Pomeranian Jake and his owners put out bowls of water for the canine parade participants.

Counting dogs was easy, except when the big groups went by. The only way to count the packs of rescue dogs, dogs for adoption, Pyrenees, dogs for the blind, and others was to stare at their feet. In case you didn’t know, dogs have four feet while humans have two.

Many of the dogs had costumes, and many of the owners too. Pirates, hulas, and cowboys were some of the favorites. There were also elementary school and Jr. High School bands that marched down the street playing songs like Scooby Doo. It was a social event for the participants and spectators alike. Instead of, “what’s your sign?” it’s, “what’s your breed?” And, instead of, “you have beautiful hair” it’s, “nice cut on your poodle.”

The dedicated staff did not spot any edhat “Dogs of the Week”, but we did spot one of our more dedicated subscribers who wished she had worn her edhat hat to the parade.

We began our count with the incredible skateboarding dog at the beginning and didn’t stop until the police cars came by at the end. A parade official told us that 2,500 dogs had entered the parade. Huh? Our tally counters counted 871. Maybe the other 1629 dogs were doggin’ it – not doing the walk, but just showing up for the party at the end. That’s the way dogs are, you know.

They say that every dog has its day, but in Mookyhar’s case, it’s multiple days. In the face of dog-defying odds, Mookyhar, winner of last Thursday’s contest, has won again. Mookyhar wins a 4-day intensive class at ARTS ALIVE!. Located at 1 N. Calle Cesar Chavez, Suite 100, ARTS ALIVE has classes in ceramics, sculpture, painting/drawing, fabrics/sewing, and drama for both kids and adults.

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