All Tails are Wagging for Parker’s Barker Days

If you live in the Parker area and have a dog you love to play with, you won’t want to miss an annual ritual that marks the end of summer.

It’s Barker Days – when the Town of Parker turns O’Brien Park and its pool into a dog playground for a day. And it’s scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014.

The reason it marks the ends of summer is that dogs get to frolic in the H2O’Brien Pool, which has been closed to humans for the season and neutralized to be dog-friendly. In fact, no humans are allowed in the pool.

Needless to say, Barker Days is really a spectacle you don’t want to miss. Hundreds of dogs and their less-furry friends show up between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for canine fun and socialization.

During that time, the dogs can cool off in the pool, chase balls on the baseball field, enter contests, test their skills on an agility course and even rub noses with local providers of dog-related services. A separate play area is even provided for those pups under 25 pounds who prefer to play with buddies their own size.

With so many dogs and humans in one place, you need to be sure your dog socializes well in crowds. If not, Barker Days may not be for you.

And, there are some rules – all of which are designed to make this a safe and successful event.

First, dogs must wear a current rabies tag and ID tag at all times. They will be required to be on leashes outside of the fenced event area. Leashes should be readily available throughout the day – even as the dogs play in the event area.

Owners are responsible for picking up after their own dogs. They also are liable for their pets and are responsible for keeping their dogs within event boundaries.

All dogs must be accompanied by an adult who is 18 years or older.  And there’s a limit of two dogs per adult. Kids are welcome at the event, but they can’t have sole responsibility for their dog.

Dogs in heat, puppies under four months or who have not had final shots, aggressive dogs and dogs who are sick may not attend.

The cost for Barker Days is $6 per dog for Parker residents and $8 for nonresidents. You guessed it! Humans are free.

Because this event is so popular, it is recommended that you pre-register through Parker Recreation’s online registration system, www.ParkerRec.com. Registration the day of the event will be on a space-available basis.

If you plan to go and want more information, contact Meagan at 303.841.4500, ext. 3274, or [email protected].