1st Annual Dog Show promotes pet awareness

Please click on photos to enlarge


Panel of judges and prizes
of dog food		 Almost a hundred pampered pets participated in Cihuatlan's First Annual Dog Show, held Sunday, May 1. The event, held in the Lion's Club, was open to the public, and free of charge. Participants who brought their pet to show paid a small $50 peso registration fee.

One of the organizers and M.C. of the event was Teresa Gonzales Merriman, who along with her veterinarian brother, Francisco Gonzalez Contreras, stated that the show was planned "to pay homage to our tail-wagging friends, and to promote the awareness of owning pets, particularly dogs."

"They are not only beautiful and great companions," she said, "but useful for security and protection. Aside from being a man's best friend, some dogs wake up everyday and go to work. They may guard your property or serve as police dogs or be a service dog for a disabled person. They are there to give you support and to cheer you up, and those furry faces are always happy to see you. They can also be our confidants and will never tell your secrets about money, love and life."

Spectators


Walking off the dogs' nervous energy


Bull Terrier waits
calmly with master

 Teresa noted that man's friendship with dogs started somewhere around 15,000 years ago--their history and ours are interwoven. They have followed man through his migrations over the Earth.

It is believed that all dogs descended from one common ancestor: The wolf. "One thing is for certain," she adds, "dogs are an important part of human history."


Young German Shepherd's 1st show


Dr. Alex with Blue
American Pit Bull


Male Black Lab
and young master

 "Dogs are known for their loyalty, obedience and eagerness to please. Often we hear stories about dogs and their incredible loyalty and valor. From traversing down a 500-foot cliff to find its master, to sleeping on its master's grave for 11 years, to checking a train station everyday, 4 o'clock, for six years until its master returned." (Hachiko Waits)

Teresa and her husband Don have a year-old Dalmatian, that has an interesting story. A woman brought him to her brother, the town vet, saying she could no longer afford to feed him. He was just a puppy. Paco offered him to Don, and it was a good match, since Don and Teresa have 2 acres of fenced property for him to run. Don notes, "As with any pet, consider that responsibility and care come along when you decide to adopt or buy a dog."


Dr. Alex Garcia of Manzanillo


Vet Paco Gonzales
Contreras (yellow shirt) and Teresa Gz.
Merriman with panel

 At the show, the most common large breed was the American Pit Bull. Dr. Alejandro Garcia, a veterinarian from Manzanillo, showed an American Blue Pit Bull male. The most common small breed was the Chihuahua.

Susan Dearing, who participated in the show with her French Poodle Sandy, a rescue from La Boquita beach, Manzanillo, was surprised to learn she won 3 first place awards, Best of Breed, Best Small Dog and Best of Show. Sandy accepted the accolades calmly and graciously.

She hopes that next year, more people from Manzanillo will be able to participate in this annual event, sponsored by the Association of Medical Veterinarians of Small Species. (La Asociación de Mèdicos Veterinarios de Pequeñas Especies), and Ayuntamiento Cihuatlan.


Susan and Sandy ask
everyone to support
all local humane
societies