Poodle Day, Carmel CA Oct 5, 2013 OOdles of Fun!
“What an unusual color for a Poodle,” precocious five year old Grace exclaimed. “Everyone knows all poodles are pink!”
Nor Cal Rescue’s third annual Poodle Day in Carmel proves Grace partially correct. Pink, Chartreuse, Patriotic Stripes as well as the most “unusual” black poodles abound. Over 375 poodles and others with poodle DNA, converged last year in the Crossroads Shopping Center for a Parade of the usual, unusual and out of this world looks. There are Puppy Clips and Teddy Bear Clips as well as the more adventurous Bikini Clip and Lamb Clip. Traditional English Saddle Clip and Continental Clip abound. Cytologists tell us the poodles hair cut facilitated their 16th Century use as a water retriever. There “do’s” became more elaborate in the courts of Louis XVI with tiny poodles sporting a top knot akin to the hair style of the day, the pompadour. Many dogs at Poodle day have painted toe nails, braided manes and revel in the Carmel Beach ocean afternoon. A head flounce and a tail wag to their ancestors.
Piping in the Opening Ceremony is the official bagpiper, Nancy Murray. Labradoodles, poodle mixes and others are encouraged to march in the parade. A nominal fee is charged to benefit the Nor Cal Poodle Rescue. Dogs are dressed as Tinkerbelle or feather toting Indian Princesses, coiffed with French berets or sporting Aloha shirts. There was even a lobster! Some owners match the dog outfits and some dogs just wear their everyday business attire with bows or bandanas. Regardless of dress, the Crossroads Shopping Center is the place to be on October 5, 2013 from 10 am to 12 noon.
The Crossroads Shopping Center opens it stores doors to the parade attendees at 10 am and many have a special biscuit for the canine shopper. Parking is abundant and leisurely strolling in the flower filled outdoor areas invites relaxation and a peek into fashion couture hide a ways, home accessories and European furniture boutiques. Immediately following the parade, Pet Express will host a fashion show for the canine fashionista before the awards ceremony.
Should you be a late riser, you can join hundreds of the beloved dogs for a leash-free romp at Carmel Beach. It is a sight to behold! Hundreds of poodles getting to know one another, playing in the ocean, running, jumping and generally being dogs while their owners chat. Just like with the kids! The dogs sense they are amongst their fellow breed and take to feats of acrobatic wonder; jumping and turning in the air, running with poofed ears flying and tails wagging. There are tails wagging everywhere!
During the cocktail hour, you will find the subdued pets at Doris Day’ and Denny Levitt’s Cypress Inn and Bistro Beaujolais, in the Carmel Plaza. The sand from the beach brushed away, parents in dressy attire and dogs in perfect stead, the Cypress Inn and Bistro Beaujolais in the Carmel Plaza, serve as an end of the day outing for dogs from as far away as Canada and Chicago! Being a Carmel native, I encountered a restaurant manager of one of the dog friendly restaurants mentioned toting a vacuum cleaner at 7:00 whilst I was on the morning walk with the poodle. “Alas, ” the manager noted after my surprise at the near dawn cleaning, “The annual retriever day was yesterday and they are not as well behaved or shed less as the beloved Poodle! Off to clean before the day begins.” I rest my case for the Poodle.
Nor Cal Poodle Rescue is the beneficiary of the proceeds of the event. The dedicated volunteers rescue, rehabilitate and find loving homes for more than 100 poodles and poodle mixes each year. Serving Northern California and Southern Oregon, these loving volunteers rescue and adopt standard, miniature and toy poodles, as well as poodle mixes.
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