Calling all dog lovers; the Whitman County Humane Society’s 14th annual Mutt Strutt will occur 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday at Reaney Park.
“[Mutt Strutt] is a fun festival for dogs, and people have a great time too,” said Valerie Boydo, WSU marketing and communications graphic designer and artist behind the Mutt Strutt poster.
Mutt Strutt is the big fundraiser for Pooch Park, a subunit of WCHS, Theresa Allen, Pooch Park committee member, said. The festival will support park elements like play structures, water fountains and general maintenance.
Support for Pooch Park also comes from Mutt Strutt sponsors and ticket purchases to enter dogs in festival competitions, Allen said. People may also donate individually to Pooch Park.
“Pooch Park at Pullman is the first and only off-leash dog park in Whitman County. The park is fully enclosed, with separate sections for large and small dogs,” according to WCHS’ website. “Access to the park is on a paid membership basis and members can use the park from dawn to dusk.”
At the festival, people may visit vendors and watch and pet dogs for free, Allen said.
“There are lots of dogs that want to be petted because they’re just so terribly deprived of being petted in their daily lives … not,” Allen said.
The events at this year’s Mutt Strutt are as follows:
- 10:30 a.m.: Musical Chairs
- 10:50 a.m.: Best Smile
- 11:10 a.m.: Doggy Bob for dogs over 25 pounds
- 11:30 a.m.: Doggy Bob for dogs under 25 pounds
- 11:50 a.m.: Ultimate Pet Trick
- 12:10 p.m.: Peanut Butter Spoons
- 12:40 p.m.: Costume Contest
For Musical Chairs, dogs walk in a circle on leashes with their owners while music plays, Boydo said. When the music stops, the dogs must sit. The last dog to sit is eliminated.
Allen loves Musical Chairs because the race to persuade the dogs to sit is adorable, she said. Owners command their dogs to sit, either verbally or through hand gestures. When there are only two dogs left in Musical Chairs, “the tension rises.”
The most difficult contest is Best Smile, Boydo said. Owners must get their dogs to smile, show their teeth or somehow represent a smile.
“It’s very objective as to who wins,” Boydo said.
Doggy Bob is a race to finish hot dog chunks in a bowl of water, Boydo said. The event is split into two sections: one for larger dogs and one for dogs 25 pounds and under.
Ultimate Pet Trick is an interesting contest because it has only occurred at Mutt Strutt for approximately two years, Boydo said. Festival-goers never know what people are training their dogs to do.
Peanut Butter Spoons is a dog race to lick peanut butter off a spoon, Allen said.
Costume Contest involves dogs wearing costumes and walking as if they are stars on a catwalk, Allen said. The best costume according to the judges wins.
There will also be a photo booth and nose and lick painting at this year’s Mutt Strutt, Boydo said. Lick painting involves a canvas with paint in a plastic bag covered in peanut butter. The dogs will lick the peanut butter, creating a painting on the canvas.
“Who knows? We may have a famous doggy artist and not even know it,” Allen said.
There is only one requirement to enter dogs into the competition: dogs should be well-behaved, Allen said.
There is no limit to the number of dogs in each contest, and people may sign up during the festival, Boydo said.
“The more the merrier,” Boydo said.
