For those collecting pawtographs, celebrity dogs included television show dogs Stella from Modern Family and Yakult from Suburgatory. And for those eager to do some shopping, there were plenty of dog-centric vendors. Orlando’s own Pet Party Printz showcased their petfriendly giftwrap paper, developed with pets’ safety in mind. While this event is all about dogs, only dogs participating in and/or competing are allowed in the Convention Center. There is so much to see, we opted to stay overnight in the dog-friendly Rosen Plaza, right next door to the Convention Center. As we were heading to the show on the second morning, a dog with her handler barked at a passing dog. We all laughed out loud when the handler with the barking dog feigned shock and exclaimed, “She never does that. It’s the competition. She feels the competition in the air.”
Five Canine Heroes were honored with the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE Awards). The ACE Award in the Service Dog category went to Pilot, a Kuvasz, shown with his handler, Ann Scott Arnold. Ann sustained neck and shoulder injuries that have rendered her incapable of lifting or carrying anything weighing much more than five pounds. She also suffers from chronic pain and dizziness. Pilot, one of the very few known service dogs of his breed, is Ann’s mobility assistance dog. He can carry a 15-pound load in his backpack. He pulls a shopping cart full of groceries and can drag a hundred pounds of gardening supplies on a plastic sled. He even pulls the laundry up the basement stairs in a duffel bag. Pilot is a steady companion who can also be leaned on when Ann feels dizzy.
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