All About Pets Show launches in Simcoe

Grant Crossman, from All About Pets Show, stands with Ray, a German Shepherd, and co-sponsors Sam and Kyle Laight from Love at First Bark Dog Grooming, and their son Carson, at the All About Pets Show in Simcoe on March 9. 

By Chris Abbott

Editor

The first All About Pets Show successfully launched in Simcoe, March 8-9, at the CIBC Auditorium.

Pets and their owners were treated to an experience normally only seen in large cities.

“Our umbrella company is the Canadian Pet Expo, so we do events across eastern Canada which are massive, like the International Centre (Mississauga) which are generally 300,000 to 400,000 square feet, and now we’re coming to the smaller communities,” said Grant Crossman.

“Simcoe is launching the brand – the All About Pets Show – to bring the responsible pet companionship message, as well as a strong group of vendors that support that message, to the communities that we know have a large pet family base.

“We know there’s some great pet families here in Haldimand and Norfolk, with some awesome pets – we’ve seen that. Some really good dogs, some really good families, which is nice. Younger families, just establishing, and some senior families enjoying their well-earned retirements.”

The new All About Pets Show will reach people that might not get to the Toronto/GTA area, said Crossman.

“The response has been awesome, overwhelming. It’s been great and we’re definitely coming back. Actually, we’re looking to do two events a year here. We love the venue, we love the people that run this space.”

A venue that welcomes pets is a key component, he said.

“We’re a pet event, so we want pets to attend, and that’s the key” said Crossman as birds chirped in the background and dogs playfully barked. “It’s got to be a good, comfortable environment for the pets. If it’s not… what are we doing? It doesn’t make sense. Our main focus is the pets and their experience here.”

Everyone who attended the show, co-sponsored by local Love at First Bark Dog Grooming, received a VIP pet bag, which included a bottle of water for their pet, cleanup bags, a pet toy, and treats.

“The experience on the site can last for an hour, or it could last up to 4-5 hours.”

Beth Cowley brought her family dog, Burleigh, a five-year-old 176-pound Newfoundland, and it enjoyed a brushing demo by Chelsea Difrancesco, representing Wheatley Wares from Ancaster.

“He was groomed a week ago, so he’s in pretty good shape,” said Difrancesco. “This was for people to learn how to do it at home.”

“There’s a lot of brushing maintenance for hair,” said Beth, speaking from years of experience. “You’ve got to keep on top of it.”

“We’ve had him since he was two months, I think,” said her son, Luke Cowley.

“Nine weeks, I think,” said Beth.

What’s it like having a giant working dog? Not what you’d think, she said.

“He doesn’t actually take up as much space as people think because he’s just so… calm. I wouldn’t go back (to Labrador). He’s a good family dog.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t do anything,” Luke nodded. “Very gentle.”

“He doesn’t have that ‘high energy,’ like my Lab,” said Beth.

“He’s like a carpet,” Luke joked. “He likes sleeping.”

“Yeah, we call him a walking carpet,” Beth smiled, enjoying the two-day All About Pets Show. “We’re from Simcoe, so it’s nice to have something local.”

In addition to rows of vendors, there was a ‘self-serve’ agility area for dogs. Owners could bring their dogs in, guide them over (or under) jump obstacles, through tunnels, or into a ball pit – not as easy as it sounds for dogs new to the experience.

“We were at a show yesterday in Woodstock,” said Ben Meyer from Woodstock, adjusting the ‘high jump’ bar in the agility area.

“This is just something we kind of do,” nodded Anna Meyer, with their Golden Retriever, Pepper. “Something different.”

“It’s an opportunity for dogs to play with some enrichment programs,” said Crossman.

“So people can enjoy the enrichment of the pets, and the opportunities to engage, whether it’s a grooming demo or the adoption site. I know the Simcoe Humane Society has already re-homed three or four puppies already, which is exciting.”

The pet show welcomed more than just dogs, however.

“We do a lot of advocacy, too, so we know that 68% of Canadian households have a diversified pet companion within the house. That’s generally a dog and ‘plus one.’ Of those, cats are No. 2, reptiles and aquatics are No. 3, birds No. 4, small animals are No. 5 now. So our message is really, know what you are looking to acquire as a lifetime commitment within the pet companions. So any of the live pet vendors that are on site, they also have to offer an educational format to support those animals.”

The community-based All About Pets Show is looking to expand in Southwestern Ontario, soon reaching centres like Orangeville, Lindsay, London, Chatham and more.

chris@granthaven.com