Dog Festival

The other day, I went to a dog festival that was hosted by Hankyu Department Store, on the 9th floor.  It was quite a unique experience because, despite the fact that Hankyu is a really posh place to shop, dogs were allowed to roam around the festival room freely.  


Although the room itself wasn't very big, there were a good number of booths inside selling dog clothes, carrier bags, food and treats, and even accessories.  A good majority of the clothes were just as expensive as - or more expensive than - regular human brand name clothes.  And most of the bags weren't really affordable either.  But a lot of the products were really well made and pretty to look at, or fun to make my puppy try on.  


While looking at the majority of the carrier bag designs, I started to wonder why they had been designed the way that they had.  They looked just like a woman's fashion purse on the outside, but were padded with soft plush cushions on the inside.  Some were fitted with a mesh net that closed off the top, while others remained open.  Are the dogs able to breathe inside these bags?  What happens when it gets too hot in the summer?  If there isn't any mesh over the top, or if there isn't a safety chain inside to tether the dog to, won't the dog jump out?  Of course there were more practical carrier bags with mesh windows on either side of the bag, and on top, but they weren't as popular as the fancy stealth-like purse bags.


I met many friendly people at the dog festival, and I even got my puppy two pretty dresses that prevent heatstroke, as well as repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.  And after returning home, I realized that my puppy had gained weight from trying all the free samples.  Overall, it was a really fun experience and I will no doubt go to the next festival that Hankyu is planning for the fall.


~ Samantha