Lucky Dog Easter Egg Hunt 2013

One of the many things I enjoy about having a dog is the opportunity Lily presents for me to socialize with other dog owners. I love cats, and grew up with them, but having a pet cat is a comparatively solitary activity. Having a dog, on the other hand, especially a dog-friendly dog like Lily, has provided me with lots of chances to get out of the house and participate in activities we can both enjoy. We do visit the local dog park regularly (more on this in a later post), but we also like to attend "doggie events." Now that it has been approximately a year and half since Lily joined our family, there are some events that have become particular favorites. The annual Lucky Dog Easter egg hunt is one of these.

This doggie Easter egg hunt is a great time for both dogs and humans, and it benefits a fantastic cause too. The event is held on a generous volunteer's big, beautiful property in Potomac, MD. The property has an enormous yard with a tall, secure fence, and the dogs are allowed to run around off leash in the yard while the people mill around, eat yummy donated refreshments, and enjoy watching the dogs' antics. The actual hunt for Easter eggs (filled with dog treats) takes place at the beginning of the event, in a park across the street, and of course the dogs are leashed for that. The cost of admission (only $10 per dog), as well as the money from any additional purchases like raffle tickets or professional photos with the Easter bunny, all goes to Lucky Dog.

on the hunt

scent hound at work

found a green egg

and a pink one

"Why yes, I am very good at sniffing out treats, thank you for noticing!"

While the hunt itself is entertaining, in my (and Lily's) opinion, the best part of the event is the off leash "party" afterwards. The dogs clearly have such a good time running and playing to their heart's content in such a big space, and I personally just love witnessing how happy they all are, especially since the majority (if not all) of them are rescue dogs whose lives just as easily could have ended in tragedy if not for the intervention of Lucky Dog and other similar organizations. Lily seems to enjoy events that include off leash time more than events where she has to be leashed the whole time; being off leash allows her to wander around and follow her beagle nose, and many other dogs feel more comfortable interacting with other dogs off leash rather than on, so she gets more canine interaction and play time. However, the fabulous setting for this event also lends itself well to providing a good time for human attendees, with plenty of comfortable, shaded seating and beautiful scenery. Lucky Dog volunteers outdo themselves each year with tons of delicious, mostly homemade food, including sandwiches, cookies, cupcakes, etc.

some of the agility equipment set up for the dogs to play on

Lily's not-so-secret admirer-- this sweet pup spent quite awhile following Lily around

playing with new friends

over and around

This was our second year attending this event, and it was just as wonderful, if not better, than the first. We hope it will continue to be an annual tradition!

And in case it wasn't clear from the previous photos how much Lily enjoyed herself, I give you a series of photos I am affectionately calling "doggie ecstasy":