22 July 2018 11:00 – 16:00

Upton Country Park, BH17 7BJ. Photo: @Wimborne Photography

A wonderful celebration of dogs, countryside and wild creatures at a fantastic dog-friendly venue! 

IF IT IS TOO HOT? Our dogs’ welfare of course has to come first. If it’s hot on the day limit how long you visit for, monitor how your dog is – we want them happy! – or even come without your dog and enjoy and support all the lovely people there.

Have-a-go-agility & more activities for dogs, fun dog show, doggy displays, 40 + fascinating stalls, scrumptious refreshments, children’s activities, guided walkies, huge marquee and tree-lined venue for shade or shelter and so much more!

Lovely sponsors mean admission to the Festival is once again free this year (although venue parking charges apply, max. £4 per day). Sponsors helping to cover Festival costs are Irene and Mike of  I-MAC Fire & Security and Pal4Paws- THANK YOU to them and to dog show sponsors Natterjacks Vets!

Adjustments for the heat
Guided walkies will start before the Festival stalls open and will be a short one, to avoid potential heat! Other additional measures in place include dog pools, extra water supplies and moving dog show, agility and rally-o rings into tree-shaded areas at the field perimeter. The programme also finishes earlier than previous years as we have moved the guided walkies to the beginning of the day and made it shorter. 

The Fun Dog Show
…is a such a fun part of the Festival and yet again Natterjacks Vet has kindly sponsored the Show! Entry is £1 per class, simply register as you enter the ring. Pups must be over 6 months old to enter any of the classes. We have unique rosettes and Dorset Dog of the Year will win a wonderful hamper from Dorset Dog Delights and a brilliant Trophy whilst this year’s Best Rescue & Rehomed will win a special hamper from Webster’s Empawrium. Six of the Best Rescue/Rehomed entrants will also qualify for entry into Buckham Fair’s class (explore details here http://www.buckhamfair.co.uk/). Chief judge is ranger Amy from the Urban Heaths Partnership with the whole kit and caboodle compered by Urban Heaths Partnership Team Manager Paul. Don’t forget – it’s just for fun! So do enjoy it – we know they’re ALL special and deserve to win really! No-one will go away empty-handed thanks to Fish4Dogs who have donated goody bags!Wow are we going to be well catered-for! Whether you’re an omnivore, vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free we’ve got it all! West End Pizza Co are offering a delicious range of pizzas including vegan and gluten-free, Upton Country Park’s own caterers are doing a BBQ, teas & coffees and ice-cream as well as a range of cakes and sandwiches, Full of Beans are doing sweet and savoury panini’s, cakes, crisps, biscuits, chocs, then there’s yummy JJS Thai Cuisine too! And what about the dogs? Well they are equally well-supplied! Fabulous Dorset Dogs Delights who give us free treats for our goody bags all year round will be there as well as Webster’s Empawrium and Husse and no doubt there will be treats available at various of the other stalls too! Are you feeling lucky?We will have some fantastic raffle prizes again this year – posting here soon!So who’s coming? Doggy, countryside, wildlife and community organisations and businesses, caterers, crafters and artisans…

Festival Schedule:

Displays will be in the Fun Dog Show ring
Please note dogs need to be 6 months or older for the dog show.
MORNING GLORIES:10am Guided Walkies – Meet at Dorset Dogs gazebo on the Festival Field, around 45 minutes to the newest set of off-lead fields inclduing the splash pond at end. 11.00Festival stalls Open 11.00Dog Display: Paws in Hand 11.15 Fun Dog Show: Waggiest TailJudge Amy with Guest Judge Debby from Pocodogs

11.30 – 1.00Have-a-go agility with Tricks 4 Treats at their Agility Ring – All come and have a go – it’s just for fun! – charitable donations

11.40 Fun Dog show:Dog Most Like Owner Judge Amy with Guest Judge Debby from Pocodogs

12.00 Dog Display: Wessex Dog Training

AFTERNOON DELIGHTS:

12.20 Fun Dog Show: Best Pup (over 6 months) Judge Amy with Guest Judge Claire from DogEaze

12.40 Fun Dog Show: Junior HandlerJudge Amy with Guest Judge Claire from DogEaze

1.00 Fun Dog Show:Best Veteran (7 years & over) Judge Amy with Guest Judge Irene, our I-MAC sponsor

1.20 Fun Dog Show: Best Rescue/Rehomed*Judge Amy with Guest Judges Irene our I-MAC sponsor & Lee our Pal4Paws sponsor
Hamper prize by Webster’s Empawrium. First 6 qualify for Buckham Fair* Best Rescue / Re-homed championship class. 

2.00 Fun Dog Show: You’ve Just Got To Love Me – all comers welcome! Judge Amy with Guest Judges Mike our I-MAC sponsor & Julie from Dorset Dog Delights – she treats us all year round!

2.00-3.30pm Have-a-go agility with Tricks 4 Treats at their Agility Ring – All come and have a go – it’s just for fun! – charitable donations

2.30 Fun Dog Show: Dorset Dog of the Year 2018 – open to all Dorset Dogs members who sent photos in as new members in 2018 and to the winners of this year’s dog show classes!Judge Amy with Guest Judges Vicky from Natterjacks Vets, our perennial much-loved fun dog show sponsors
and lovely new Festival sponsors Irene our I-MAC sponsor & Lee our Pal4Paws sponsor.  Prize hamper from Dorset Dog Delights

Finishing off with raffle and a last chance to visit the many stands!
www.facebook.com/dorsetdogs

Dorset Dogs Festival 2018 is sponsored by:

fire & engineering specialists friendly, affordable, reliable exceptional, caring, affordable
01202 894109

friendly, affordable, reliable
www.pal4paws.uk

exceptional, caring, affordable
www.natterjacksvet.com

There must be something special about Dorset’s fire and security specialists – not only is the main Festival sponsor I-MAC a fire & security specialist, but also KR Fire Safety have let us keep their fire extinguishers for this year’s Festival once again and helpful Aidan who took some resources to Swanage Tourist Information Centre for us works for a fire company too!