I am all about the dogs. This past weekend, I had the honor of being one of the five judges at the 1st Annual Max’s Howl-O-Ween Dog Photo and Costume Contest at Carmel Plaza. What a blast that was. More fun for the spectators and judges than the dogs, but it was all for a great cause which was to raise money for Max’s Helping Paws Foundation. There were some amazing costumes and I would be remiss in not saying that the gentleman with the pug dressed as Trump with the hair, suit, podium and music etc. was a winner in my book.
We should have had a category for most outrageous. His dog’s costume was a masterpiece.
One of the ring leaders of this fundraising event was fellow dog-lover Mark Oman, a great local writer whose work, along with photographer Liz Stavrinides, is featured in this current issue beginning on page 112. His story is about lessons learned from his dog named Winnie. We could all learn a little something from our dogs.
I own four and they all have vastly different personalities. One is like the Eastwood character from “Gran Torino.” He is old and grumpy but sweet underneath it all. Another is like the Enforcer. Kind of a bully and one who takes pleasure in scolding the other dogs if any sign of human displeasure is exhibited. Then we have one who is sweet all the time. This one is so mellow that the other dogs can chew on his ears and tug on them like an old sock and he just takes it. And the new one is as cute as can be and super sweet but has some strange habits we hope she will outgrow. Don’t ask.
The one thing they all have in common is the unconditional love they give us and the loyalty they show each and every day. Dogs are the best. They make me smile. If you don’t have a dog, there are many waiting to be adopted and improve the quality of your life.
On another note, if are a fan of Carmel Magazine, please support our advertisers so they can continue to support us and, in turn, we can keep bringing you all the stories and content about Carmel and beyond. We hope you enjoy this issue.
Looking forward to another great year ahead and wishing everyone a happy holiday and a very Happy New Year.