KPETS Delight Residents At Juniper Village

As reported in Elizabethtown-Mount Joy Merchandiser - 07/24/2013 - By Sara D. Ulrich 

Bentley (left) and Sophie, Best in Show winners at Juniper Village's KPETS dog show, donned their biker gear for the costume portion of the event.

An undeniably special bond can exist between animals and humans. Evidence of that bond was on display July 17 as Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services (KPETS) held a dog show for residents of Juniper Village Personal Care Community, 607 Hearthstone Lane, Mount Joy.

Residents met dogs of all breeds, including small dogs like Annie, a cavalier King Charles spaniel who is a retired breeder and loves to visit with her friends at Juniper Village. The largest dog in the show, Tegan, had residents spellbound. As an Irish wolfhound, Tegan may have been the biggest dog, but according to his owner, his personality is more reminiscent of the famous donkey in Winnie the Pooh stories. "He is definitely the Eeyore of dogs," she said. Emerald, a German shepherd and the only puppy who attended, is currently training to be a seeing-eye dog.

A total of ten dogs paraded before a panel of judges comprised of Juniper Village residents and employees. Each dog was introduced by its owner and had the opportunity to perform a few tricks to earn the judges' favor.

Buckley, a one-year veteran with KPETS, elicited chuckles from the audience as he performed his marching trick. Skye, another cavalier King Charles spaniel, delighted residents with numerous tricks including a high-five, dancing, and weaving in and out of her owner's legs as she walked.

Laughter was hard to contain as the costume portion of the show began. While the dogs' faces did not necessarily display their enthusiasm, they all looked adorable in a variety of imaginative costumes. One Labrador retriever donned a dinosaur costume, while another pooch became Batman ... or Batdog, perhaps. Other dogs sported attire such as a Hawaiian grass skirt, devil horns, and even a chicken costume.

Sophie the miniature schnauzer and Bentley the poodle-Pomeranian certainly stole the show with their coordinated wardrobe choices. Their first costumes had them dressed to the nines as bride and groom, while their second showed a tougher edge: biker jackets, hats, and sunglasses.

After much deliberation, the panel of judges awarded gift cards, dog treats, and Juniper Village lanyards to the deserving canines. Sophye the cairn terrier, owned by Sharon McLaughlin, earned the title of Most Obedient. Skye the cavalier King Charles spaniel, owned by Sheree Dietz, won Best Trickster. Best in Show went to the team of Sophie the miniature schnauzer and Bentley the poodle-Pomeranian owned by Cathy Farr and Renee Wagner, respectively.

The fun did not end once awards were handed out. Attendees enjoyed refreshements and eager residents took opportunities to pet and cuddle their favorite pooch. Many of the dogs who competed in the lighthearted show are recurring visitors to Juniper Village.

Cappy the Labrador receives a congratulatory pat on the back from a fan after competing in a lighthearted KPETS dog show for residents of Juniper Village Personal Care Community in Mount Joy.

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Thank you all for making KPETS what it is and taking us to where we are today!

Let's continue Touching Lives * Warming Hearts in our local communities! ! !

Karen Gerth
KPETS - Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services