Dog Fair and Microchipping

 

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If you're going to be near the Huntsville area this weekend, you should check out the Dog Fair at Monte Sano State Park.  Amy and I went last year and had a good time.  We got our dogs microchipped, saw lots of different types of dogs and owners, watched some of the agility, and checked out the various vendors. 

My two are fairly good about staying with me and don't really have a history of getting out of the yard, but I still went ahead and got them microchipped.  Microchipping is when a very small chip (about the size of a grain of rice) is inserted under the skin of your pet.  A scanner can pick up the chip and links your dog's chip ID to all of the pet's information.  Avid, the brand of our microchips, has a program that gives out free chip readers to all rescues if they promise to scan all of the dogs they receive (which might save your dog from being euthanized if he escapes, is stolen, or somehow winds up in a shelter).  There are constantly stories in the news about dogs being returned to their owners because they had a microchip.



I should also sing the praises of HOTC (Huntsville Obedience & Training Club), who is hosting the dog fair.  We took Ace and Tyson to obedience classes (although, they should not be considered the basis of whether you'd like to go there or not) and learned all kinds of things.   Their people really know their stuff.  They train you to train your dog.  They also have classes for dogs whose owners want them to become therapy dogs (visit nursing homes) and agility classes.  We got to do the agility courses on our last night of class and both dogs loved it.

Anyway, this sounds like fun.  Let me know if you want to meet up!