Community Dog Show brings delight on chilly morning in Tyler

Published 5:35 am Sunday, December 1, 2024

It was a brisk Saturday morning as local dog owners came together at The Coco Bean in Tyler for a Community Dog Show to celebrate their shared affection for their four-legged friends.

Hosted by The Pickup Pros, a local pet waste removal company, the inaugural event provided a cozy gathering for the community.

“We were kind of playing off of the dog show on Thanksgiving Day,” said A.J. Allegretto, owner of Pickup Pros. “We just wanted to bring people together, for them to bring their pets and connect, talk, and have a good time.”

Tyler resident Amy Fish brought Sophie, a 13-year-old King Charles Cavalier who has been in the family since she was 6 weeks old.

“She’s our girl… just very sweet, loving and kind,” Fish said. “Anybody that comes to the door, she’ll greet them. She’s a lap dog and wants to sit on your lap or by your lap. She’s very social.”

On the chilly morning, dog lovers came out to support four furry contestants participating in a miniature parade, a costume contest, an obedience competition, and an awards ceremony.

“I loved it… it was really great,” Fish said. “We got to see some people we haven’t seen in a while… and I enjoyed getting to meet some people. It was really nice.”

The inaugural event highlighted a growing desire among dog owners to step away from screens and have more connections with both their pets and fellow dog lovers.

“Anything that gets us out of our house and engaging with other people, off our phones… having face-to-face engagement is really nice,” Fish said. “We should do more of that.”

Allegretto says he hopes to do more events like this in the future, a chance for the dogs and dog-loving community to get together and socialize.

“I have a dog and my neighbors around me have dogs, we all love to get our dogs out on the street and just talk and interact with each other,” Allegretto said. “I think (the dog community) is a great community and very enthusiastic.”