Super Girl at Pound Dogs Rescue event

NOTE: The Second Annual Pound Dog HOWLER Fun event is November 6, 2016 at the Snyder’s Farm, Ayr, Ontario. 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.

There’s a haunted house here?

Ok, this is my kind of farm. I’m at Snyder’s Family Farm in Ayr, Ontario on another adventure with my schnoodle Victor. But we’re not here to participate in any of the permanent family activities like jumping on the bouncy rubber bubble, or riding a three-wheeled bike around a track, or climbing the pirate boat – though everyone knows, I’d love to.

HOWler Pound Dogs Rescue Event

Prince the too cute Pound Dog rescued dog

We’re here for the dog-friendly HOWler fundraiser event for Pound Dogs Rescue. This organization in Southern Ontario takes dogs from crowded shelters and finds foster families for them until they’re adopted into forever homes. Success at the event was evident, and not only because orange bandanas dotted the property – each former Pound Dog in attendance was donned the orange mark of pride – but the turnout was reasonably good for this event on November 8, 2015, an oddly sunny fall day.

The Snyder’s Family Farm (known in the region for awesome corn) in Oxford County, Ontario is a case study agri-tourism. It’s set up for the year-round family activity fun I mentioned, including a corn maze (off limits to dogs today). Plus, there’s a canteen grilling up hotdogs, fries and burgers, a barn full of baked goods and coffee, and a full-service public bathroom. (I love that).

In addition to a few vendors, silent auction and raffle table in the greenhouse,  and 2.5 km morning  walk, the Pound Dogs Rescue did a great job filling the day with entertainment: agility course dogs could try out; costume contest; urban sled dog demos with carts, bikes and scooters; and a police dog education seminar that closed the show with a roar.

Police Dog Demo

Police dog demonstrations at HOWler event

Welcome Titan, a two-year-old police dog imported from Germany belonging to Constable Hiuser of the Waterloo Regional Police Services. Titan surprised crowds by converting before our eyes from a playful pal hanging from the end of a roped ball (his reward) to a snarling determined ‘bad guy’ tracking machine – all with a  change of a harness and commands from Hiuser.

Kim, a former police dog trainer and founder of Pound Dog Rescue, volunteered herself and heavily padded arm as the object of Titan’s search and takedown for a dramatic finish.

Victor and Plattsville Firefighter

What did my schnoodle Victor do? Surprisingly, he didn’t pay much attention to Titan’s activities, though I kept him far back because he has too much bravado for his own good. During the afternoon, he made a few friends, was pissed off by a sled dog (no reason, except he has an issue with big fluffy pooches), and got cozy with a firefighter showing off the town’s fire truck. (Ok, that was my idea).

Pound Dog Rescue Mission:

Pound Dog Rescue is a non-profit, volunteer run organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing stray, abandoned and surrendered dogs in Southern Ontario pounds and low resource shelters. The mission is to adopt these dogs out to loving, secure homes so that they never again deal with the devastation of being lost, homeless, or abandoned and facing certain euthanasia due to space limitations at overwhelmed pound facilities. http://www.pounddog.ca

TRAVEL GUIDE: Synder’s Family Farm is located in Oxford County, Ontario – a region that extends north to Travistock, south to Tillensenburg and houses Woodstock in the middle. Oxford Road 33 runs through the centre. Primarily rural, many of the area’s family farms welcome visitors, so you can buy products and produce directly from producers, including Groussen’s Trout Farm in Otterville, Fleming’s Strawberries in Embro and Bright Cheese and Butter Manufacturers in Bright, Ontario. The latter is one of six other cheese producers part of Oxford County’s ‘Cheese Trail.’