Dallas Pooch Parade

[Guest guest]

Dallas' Annual Easter Pooch Parade. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/032408dnmetpoochparade.33da99d.htmlDallas Pooch Parade draws dogs in duds Four-legged followers of fashion compete in Pooch Parade 10:21 PM CDT on Sunday, March 23, 2008 By KAREN AYRES SMITH / The Dallas Morning News kayres It was a cat's nightmare. Dogs by the dozens – from tiny

Malteses and Chihuahuas to massive Saint Bernards and English bulldogs – came to see and be seen Sunday at the 23rd annual Pooch Parade, sponsored by the Turtle Creek Association. Many dogs that came sans costume sniffed out a comfortable spot to watch their fellow canines strut their stuff for thousands of human spectators along Turtle Creek Boulevard. About 75 dogs had the fortune – or misfortune, depending on their moods – to be dressed up and pranced along the road by owners who hoped to win a prize in one of four categories: small dogs, large dogs, pet owner look-alike and best dressed.

The costumes made most other dogs look naked: There was the dachshund dressed in Army fatigues, the English bulldogs outfitted with plane wings and goggles, the boxer in a shirt and tie, and a 135-pound Leonberger stuffed into a woman's bathing suit with swimming goggles on his head. "It's a fun thing to do on Easter Sunday," said Hilary Risser of Plano, who dressed up Churchill, Buttercup and Porterhouse, her bulldogs, with an aviation theme. WILLIAM DESHAZER/DMN Trisniati Ekaningsih, of Plano, gets her

dog Boobo ready before the start of the Pooch Parade. The parade's strongest entries drew a fair amount of attention, or petting in a dog's world. Fans lined up to meet and take pictures of Abbey, a 4-pound Chihuahua, shortly before she took third place in the owner look-alike category. Abbey wore a pink vest with hand-sewn flowers and a small straw hat. Her owner, Debi Good, herself petite, wore a similar pink ensemble complete with a matching hat. Rather than walking like most other dogs, Abbey was pulled along the parade route in a white Easter basket with wheels. Ah, the life of a princess. "I like decorating, so I used her to decorate," said Ms. Good, a Euless resident. "She doesn't seem to mind it. She was in that basket for more than an hour." Zoey Bear, a longhaired dachshund, pulled off a clown motif,

complete with a rainbow wig, red shoes, yellow glasses and a big red nose. Though she didn't win a prize, her owner said the contest was worth the hour-long drive from Farmersville. "We enjoy it every year," Carolyn Graham said. Lisa Taylor and Scott Sura of Oak Cliff took a different approach. Rather than dress up Marley, their Brittany spaniel, they decided to honor him by dressing themselves up instead. The duo wore orange-and-white pantsuits, with hats and colored socks to hang over their ears. "We didn't think we should make him dress up silly, so we dressed up silly," Mr. Sura said. "I think he's embarrassed."

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.