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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Dogs And Their People Keep Their Cool

The tabby out in the parking area had a wide-eyed expression that seemed to say “Let’s get out of here.”

And that appeared to be the plan. The short-haired cat rode a woman’s shoulder as a little girl walked next to them with an empty cat-carrier. “He’s nervous,” said the little girl.

Once you entered the no-frills Coeur d’Alene Cultural Center Saturday afternoon, it was easy to see why. The place was full of dogs.

Big dogs. Small dogs. Dogs getting tangled in their leashes. Dogs sniffing one another’s rear ends.

Dogs, dogs, dogs.

The canine portion of a pet show intended to benefit several social service agencies was under way. And maybe 40 dogs and perhaps 80 people were stuffed into the center’s main room.

If you’ve ever been in a corrections facility’s crowded common area, you’ve experienced the vibe. Most of the dogs were pretty well-behaved. But there was a certain pent-up look in their eyes. And always in the back of your mind was the thought that if a fight broke out, things would get out of control in a hurry.

At one point, a couple of dogs named Snow Bear and Bruno seemed ready to drop the gloves and go at it with a huge sheepdog-like bowser. But after a few snarls, cooler heads prevailed.

The dogs and their masters competed in such whimsical categories as “Sits the Prettiest” and “Worst on the Leash.”

This wasn’t the Westminster Kennel Club Show. But it was fun.

You didn’t really need to pay attention to the little stage to see plenty of dog show action.

A black Pomeranian puffball of a puppy named Iggy got lots of attention. One baby even bestowed the ultimate sign of approval. The kid crawled over and put a wet mouth on the tiny dog’s nose.

Not far away, a mid-size mixed breed on a leash led a little girl under one chair and around another. It looked as if they were doing an obstacle course.

A bulldog named Charlie exuded calm dignity. And several other pooches chomped down treats, bestowed perhaps in recognition of their model deportment.

There was, in fact, way less barking than you might have expected.

Then it was time for the dogs to leave. “You won, you won,” a woman cooed to a rat-sized dog she carried out of the center. “Good dog.”

A few minutes later, that trio from before - the nervous tabby, the woman and the little girl - reappeared. Once again, they headed inside.

“It’ll be OK now,” said the little girl.

The cat seemed to be taking a wait-and-see approach.

, DataTimes MEMO: Being There is a weekly feature that visits Inland Northwest gatherings.

Being There is a weekly feature that visits Inland Northwest gatherings.