Guess what? One of our favorite pet adoption events of the year is on the horizon. That’s right! The 2014 Orange County Pet Expo! We’ve been writing about this event for years, we’re regular attendees, and often times volunteer at the Guide Dogs of America booth. I’m not sure what’s in store for us this year…perhaps another adventure for Adelle??? We’ll see. Lets get on to some of the details about this event:
WHAT: America’s Family Pet Expo
WHEN: April 25-27th, 2014; Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 10am-6pm
WHERE: OC Fair and Event Center, 88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
TICKET PRICES
General Admission – $13Seniors 60 and over – $11Children 6-12 – $85 years and under – FREEActive and Retired Military Members – FREEIf I remember correctly I believe it was $5 for parking. That may have changed.
So what is this thing all about? Well, I took a look at the schedule and it looks like it might be a bit smaller then in years past, but here are some of the main attractions:
Bird ShowDog Training with ReneeSplash DogsPolice and Protection Dog DemonstrationPet AdoptionsKids Aquarium ContestWiener Dog RacesThe Aquatic ExperiencePet Adoption MakeoversTICA Cat ShowTake a peek at our visit to the OC Pet Expo with Dublin a few years back:
That’s my boy Dublin! He’s now a working guide dog. If you want to see the rest of his adventures in guide dog training check out our entire series: Puppy In Training TV.
Pet dogs are not allowed at this years Pet Expo, but they’ve allowed us to bring our guide dog puppies in training every year I’ve attended. However, just a word of warning: the Pet Expo is an extremely stressful event even for our guide pups. If you’re planning on bringing a guide or service dog puppy in training to this event I highly recommend that your pup is older and well socialized. Also, be sure to keep a close eye on your pup and all the dogs and animals walking around. You may be careful with your dog, but not everyone will be as careful as you.
So, what are our favorite parts of the OC Pet Expo?
We love the Splash Dogs! Maybe it’s because Linus and Stetson despise the water, but I love watching the dog’s soar through the air!The Dog Training Demos - There used to be more dog demonstrations including K9 Nosework and Schutzhund Training, but all the dog training demos are usually pretty cool.The Pet Products – I’ve never been to the Global Pet Expo or SuperZoo (I’d like to go someday). Until then I love checking out all of the new, innovative pet products on display.Pet Adoptions – The OC Pet Expo has tons of adoptable pets. If you’re looking to adopt your next dog, cat, rabbit, etc then look no further then this years America’s Family Pet Expo.Lots of different animals – this is great for our pups in training. It gives them a chance to see different animals including llamas, snakes, lizards, cats (sometimes big ones), chickens, donkeys, horses, sheep, etc.I’m sure there’s a ton of other stuff that I’m missing, but those are most of the highlights for me. If you’re a pet lover and live in the orange county area then this is a must see event. I’m not sure yet if I’m going to volunteer at any of the booths, but if I do I’ll be sure and let you know through our social media channels so if you haven’t already make sure and subscribe.
What about you guys? Have you attended the OC Pet Expo? How was your experience?
Colby Morita is a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs of America and has been raising and training puppies for over 6 years. He's been writing to the PuppyInTraining.com blog and sharing his puppy training tips from his experiences as a guide dog puppy raiser since August, 2007.
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