Dogs

Bring your dog to August First Friday in downtown Mount Vernon and join the fun and parade!

The DAWGUST Costume Parade will take place at 7:15 p.m. The parade will start at Big Blue (located beside First Knox National Bank, on South Main Street) and travel around the public square.

Each dog and owner will be announced from the main stage as they begin their trip around the square.

Parade pre-registration is from 6:30 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. at Big Blue. You can also pre-register online by clicking here!

You have 3 chances to win at October First Friday:

#1 – The first 50 dogs showing up in costume will receive a doggy goody bag provided by Complete Care Animal Hospital. Pet owners are encouraged to also wear costumes!

#2 – All dog owners can register their dogs to win a special prize basket from We Love Pets!

#3 – Anyone visiting the Big Blue location at First Friday can enter to win a special a special “Shape Up, Clean Up, Drink Up, Dress Up and Soak Up” prize basket featuring:

Two punch card gift certificates for 8 Classes at Zumba with Teresa and Lisa (Valued at $40, 16 total classes)

An entire house cleaning from Carefree Cleaning Company. Amy Kessler gives you 4 hours of house cleaning (Valued at $100)

One $15.00 gift card to Happy Bean Coffee Shop and a Happy Bean Tumbler (Valued at $20)

One $15.00 gift certificate for Premier Designs Jewelry with Amberly Frye

A Family 4 Pack of One-Day Passes to the Hiawatha Water Park and Pool (Valued at $32)

Plus WNZR goodies including an “On the Road with Big Blue” t-shirt, NIV Bible, coasters, cups, jar openers Frisbees, guitar flyswatter, magnets and more! The prize package is valued at over $240!

**PLUS, WNZR will have a Doggy Photo Booth set up near Big Blue! Stop by and get your picture taken with your pet!

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

36.5% of US households own a dog, 30.4% own cats, 3.1% own birds and 1.5% own horses. Starting a blog with a statistic like that must mean it’s pet day!

FUN FACTS AND STATISTICS

94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day.
Pet owners in the United States spent $60.28 billion on their furry friends in 2015.
Nearly 80 million U.S. households have a pet, and 42 percent of those households have more than one.
81 percent of cat owners let their cats sleep on the bed.
73 percent of dog owners let their dogs sleep on the bed.
Forty-five percent of pet owners say they occasionally (or frequently) buy presents for their animals.
- Want to make your fuzzy companion a cake on their birthday? (Of course).
- Peanut Butter Delight Doggy Cake recipe
- Coconut Honey Doggie Cake recipe
90% of pet owners say they consider their pet a member of the family.

Dogs and cats are the most common household animals, so of course, we have some fun facts about our furry friends.

Dalmatians are born without spots! They are born with plain white coats with their first spots appearing after they are 1week old.
Nine percent of dog owners will have a birthday party for their pet.
Every dog has a unique nose print with no two alike.
Dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with the ears.
Cats have no collarbone, which is one reason they are so flexible.
Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs have about ten!
Cats don’t typically meow at each other—that’s a communication tool reserved for their humans.
A cat’s tongue is scratchy because it’s lined with papillae—tiny elevated backwards hooks that help to hold prey in place.

THE NAME GAME

Ever ask yourself what the most popular pet names are?
For dogs…
Max, Charlie, Cooper, Buddy, and Jack are the 5 most popular male dog names.
Bella, Lucy, Daisy, Luna, and Lola are the 5 most popular female dog names.

And for cats?
Nala, Luna, Bella, Daisy and Abby are the top 5 female cat names.
Simba, Tiger, Milo, Bear and Oreo are the top 5 male cat names.

DINNER WITH YOUR DOG

Here’s what you need…

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 salmon portions SKIN ON
(1 oz per every 10 pounds your dog weighs) plus any amount you would like
1 squash
1 head of broccoli (with stem)
3 potatoes (any kind)2 carrots

For the dog portion…

Cut broccoli stem, peel carrots and cut squash. Keep the peelings as this is for your dog. Mix together and steam in rice cooker or bake in oven.
Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil on your potatoes and place them in the oven.
Pan fry salmon in 1 table spoon olive oil with skin on. Start with skin side down on the pan at a medium temp. After flipping, pull off crisp salmon skin off both pieces of salmon and place in dog bowl.
Once everything is finished cooking mix all together in dog bowl. Chop to small bitesize for ease and a cleaner floor!

For the human portion…

Cut broccoli, carrots, squash and steam in rice cooker.
Slice potato chips with a slicer. If you only have a knife, make french fries instead. Trying to cut thin potato chips by hand is not easy.
Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil on your potatoes and place them in the oven.
Pan fry salmon in 1 table spoon olive oil with skin on. Start with skin side down on the pan at a medium temp. After flipping pull off crisp salmon skin off both pieces of salmon and place in dog bowl.