If you were looking for an adorable, fluffy, pet-filled weekend, Doggy Con was the place to be last Saturday, Aug. 18 in Woodruff Park. Just like Dragoncon, there was plenty of cosplay, but instead of just humans dressing up, it was also their dogs! Most owners dressed up alongside their pets, often making it into a cute theme (think Batman and Robin, or Superman and Superwoman). With both little and small, there were a variety of dogs there—but they weren’t all pets. In attendance were also therapy dogs, like the adorable Basset Hound dressed up as a Grady Hospital ambulance.
This year, Doggy Con featured a costume contest parade, doggy themed vendors, prizes and much more. Some of the prizes included tote bags, the opportunity to win two five-day passes to Dragoncon, plus goods from places like Big Daddy Biscuits and more. All event participants received a free Woodruff Park and Dragoncon giveaway item.
Doggy Con’s costume award categories were Best in Show, Best Doggie/Owner “Con-bo” and Best Cosplay Costume. Best in Show was awarded to Peaches, a Grady Health “furlenteer” who had the most presence and “wow”-factor. Aladdin and Abu took the cake for Best Con-bo (complete with a magic carpet!). For Best Cosplay Costume, it was an even tie between E.T., a Fantasia-themed Hippo dog and Mickey and the Broomstick. I almost fainted from how many scratches I was giving out.
The contest judges were Karen Anderson from Tiny Doors ATL, the owners of Georgia Beer Garden, Joystick Gamebar and Reuben the Bulldog, who is a local Instagram celebrity dog.
There were a multitude of vendors like Jazzy Pawz by Andrea, King of Pups, Ruff Day Bandanas and Pop Paracording. The event’s community partners were Atlanta Rescue Dog Cafe, Lifeline Animal Project and, of course, Dragoncon. The event was sponsored this year by Fire Bee and Bark ATL.
Without a doubt, Doggy Con was a smash hit for both pets and owners. On the pet side of things, it was a great way to sneak in some head scratches and butt sniffs while still strutting their stuff in style, one paw at a time. For owners, any excuse to show off a well-groomed pup and score a doggo award is one to take.
If you were too busy moving in and adjusting to a new semester to make it to Doggy Con, don’t worry—WoodRUFF Bark hosted a dog-themed Halloween festival last year, so we hope to see another this year. Until the next event, keep your tail high and your nose wet.
