Rescue and Jessica (book) Wins Prestigious Award!

Great minds think alike!

The ALA, the American Library Association, meeting in Seattle today named this year’s Caldecott and Newbery award winners, along with a slew of others, including the Schneider Family Book Award for 'artistic expression of the disability experience.'

According to NPR, the ALA sides with DogEvals in loving dogs and especially loving Rescue and Jessica – A Life-Changing Friendship:

Schneider Family Book Award (for "a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences"):

Children: Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship, written by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, illustrated by Scott Magoon

We here at DogEvals wholeheartedly agree! Lovely watercolor illustrations, an inspiring story, a career-changed service dog, an oh-so-deserving young woman – a life-changing friendship indeed.

DogEvals reviewed Rescue and Jessica on December 18, 2018 (read it here) and fell in love with Rescue (after all, we are dog people!)

Congratulations to all!

The World of Pets is a Pet Expo

The World of Pets, a huge pet expo, has come to Maryland every year for the past 18 years and just gets better and better. Yesterday, today and tomorrow: DogEvals attends every year, all three days. Here is our diary of Friday, January 25, 2019.

First of all, it's not too late: Saturday from 10-7 and Sunday from 10-5 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, just barely north of Baltimore. Adult admission is just $12, kids are $5 and little ones enter free. And there is plenty of free parking and access by Light Rail.

Our diary this year starts with the following fun:
1. Dock Diving
2. Cats
3. Horses
4. Adoptions and Rescues
5. Other Pets
6. Fashion
7. Food

1. Dock Diving is sponsored by Blue Buffalo dog food (treat samples also for the Trick Dog class Sunday at 3pm)

and the Chesapeake Dock Diving dog club.

Dogs climb to a long platform then run down the length and dive into the water for height or distance.

Dogs love it! Here is the huge run-up to the pool (can you see the black dock diving dog getting ready?)

and here is the view from the bleachers (see the splash? That's a dock diving dog about 20 feet from the photographer):

When finished, the dog will climb back up a slope to shake off

and then get toweled off (after all, it's January!). You will see some cute pups in canine swimsuits and wearing a terry cover-up afterwards, to keep warm while they dry.

It's a noisy fun venue where the kids can let off steam and yell for their favorite dog and get splashed themselves. (Next: Cats at the Dog Expo)

Film Festival this Weekend: Horses!

EQUUS Film Festival Friday and Saturday, Maryland State Fairgounds

Love horses? Want a horse? Want to learn to ride?

Love movies but you’ve never been to a film festival?

Love movies about horses but didn’t know there is a horse movie film festival?

Then this is for you!

Friday, 2-8 pm, and Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm, it’s just one film after another and, yet, there’s a bonus – a dog movie, Life in the Doghouse! And remember that parking is free at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, just north of Baltimore.

Friday watch 8 films for only $35 or view all 19 for only $65. That sure beats the movie theaters nowadays, doesn’t it?

For the schedule, descriptions, and trailers, click here. You can even get your tickets ahead of time here.

His Name is Midnight, The Last Ride, Boy Nomad (a Canadian film), A Pony and His Boy,

and selections from the BowWow Film Festival are among the highlights.

Don’t miss it!

The World of Pets, This Weekend!

Maryland’s own World of Pets!

This weekend: Friday; Saturday and Sunday, all day. January 25, 26 and 27.

Don’t want to spend another boring weekend this weekend? Then take the whole family to the World of Pets at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, just north of the Baltimore beltway. Fido, included (optional for him). Kids have a ball.

The World of Pets: Where Education is Fun, and Tasty, too!

It is like hanging out at the state fair in winter, with food galore, dog agility,  and shopping for dog treats, cats, ferrets, birds, reptiles, gerbils, and guinea pigs.

The 18^th annual pet expo this year, as last year, features Dock Diving for Dogs, the newest dog sport and fun for everyone. Cheer on your favorite canine competitor.  Some of them even wear swimsuits!

Even the videos on YouTube are fun!

Agility trials will also take place all three days here and at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York City in February (where All-American dogs will compete too), so, get a leg up and learn all about agility. This is the sport where dogs run through tunnels, jump on tables and lie down, race over an A-frame, weave through poles and even high jump – all for the best time – and have fun doing it.

Shopping Extravaganza and Continuous Entertainment

Everyone's favorite, Dog is Good will be there with their new designs**.

Need a new dog leash, collar, coat, dogbed*, antler (to chew), or toy? Or a gnawler? Or even a dog? The Maryland SPCA will be there. So will Pinups for Pitbulls. Dog rescues and shelters will be there, too. Pet a greyhound, pet a golden.

Want to learn more about rats and rabbits or tutles? By the way, what’s a cavy? What’s a sugar glider?

Experience a rainforest. Indoors!

Dog Tricks. Parrot training demos. Pet and Owner Talent and Beauty Contest. Parade of Breeds. gerbils, Guinea Pigs and a petting zoo.

Artwork by Pets on a Palette -  your pet’s portrait with personality.

And Food!

Nuts and pretzels and lemonade and caramel apples and cotton candy and . . . .

Featuring. . . . You! and, this year - Horses!

Horse books and miniature horses and indoor pony rides. 

Cost: $12 for adults, $5 for kids 5-12

Where: Timonium. Maryland State Fairgrounds. Free parking. Accessible by light rail, too. Free parking. Did I mention the parking is free?

When: Friday 2-8, Saturday 10-7, and Sunday 10-5. There is so much to see and do, you may want to go all three days – like me!

Read more about it here: www.worldofpets.org

* Daily Dally Pet Pillows

New designs from Dog is Good!

Shop! Adopt! Be Entertained!

What are you doing next weekend? How about the World of Pets?

Shop! Adopt! Be Entertained!

Pet Expo

Next weekend marks the 18^th year (and we have attended most of them!) that the largest consumer pet show on the East Coast has taken place in Timonium, MD, (just north of Baltimore off 83 at the state fairgrounds’ huge Cow Palace). Free parking (slight admission fee).

For kids of all ages, 1 to 100.

World of Cats, World of Birds, World of Reptiles, and Horseland

Think of a state fair for dogs (cats, llamas, reptiles, horses, birds, mice, gerbils, pocket pets, etc.)

but indoors, replete with all that wonderful state fair food like pretzels and lemonade and crab cakes and cotton candy and . . . . .

Hundreds of exhibits: pet products, services (ask-the-vet), information, rescue dogs, educational seminars, entertainment, demos, workshops, art work.

This year will have more horses than ever before, ponies and miniature horses, too.

Cheer, Laugh, Ride, Watch, Buy – Even Adopt

Cheer at the dock diving competition. Or agility. Laugh at the Muttville Comix. Stop by the Petting Zoo next to Bunnyville. Ride a pony. Watch the cat show. The MD SPCA Adoption Mobile and the BCAS Adoption Express (with Cuddle Shuttle) will be there.

Show your dog (cat, horse, parrot, etc.) you love them by bringing Fido/Fluffy/TweetyBird home a new toy or a new leash (collar or harness) or a special homemade treat.

Get the Answers

Do you have questions about your deaf or blind dog? Want to know more about socialization? How big is a miniature horse? Can horses be therapy animals? Want to know how to groom a poodle and watch one being groomed? What is BSL – Breed Specific Legislation? What is a service animal or therapy pet? Do dogs really want to dominate us? Learn about nutrition. Meet the Bird Whisperer.

Teach your dog some tricks! Get all your questions answered in one place while having fun, shopping and eating.

Win!

Enter your pet in the Pet Costume Contest. Maybe you can win the Cutest Pet or Smallest Pet or Most Original Costume contest! Entries taken at 11 am Saturday for the noon event.

Sponsors

Brought to you by Freedom Fence & Deck, Vacation Village Resorts, Baltimore Floor Works, Maryland Pet Gazette, Mitsubishi, Maryland DOG Magazine, the Baltimore Sun, PetConnect, 100.7 Baltimore’s Classic Rock Station, and the Four Seasons Sports Complex.

See you there!