Join the Abrams & Weakley Parade!

Join the parade at PawsAbilities! Sponsored by Abrams & Weakley General Store for Animals and held at 3 p.m. on March 14 and 15, the parade is always a favorite among pooches and people.

You and your dog are sure to enjoy strutting your stuff around the Main Hall, and you'll have a chance to win a prize! The grand parade judges will award prizes in 20 different categories:

• best prancer


• biggest ears


• bounciest


• drool


• most elegant


• most handsome


• happiest


• most Irish


• longest fur


• longest tail


• most attentive


• mother love


• most patriotic


• portliest


• saddest


• shortest


• shortest fur


• shortest tail


• spots


• tallest

It's FREE to enter, but in order to be eligible to win a prize, you must register for a number. Ask about parade sign-ups at the Information Booth.

Keystone DockDogs Soar with PawsAbilities!

These dogs don't have wings, but it sure seems as if they can fly. The Keystone DockDogs are returning to PawsAbilities, and they'll be soaring to even greater heights. You can watch the DockDogs leap over 25 feet off a dock in Big Air, jump over 7 feet to knock down a bumper in Extreme Vertical and swim against the clock in a race to retrieve a Dead Fowl Trainer in Speed Retrieve.

You can watch these canine wonders, or if you have a talented pooch of your own, you can enter him to give dock diving a shot. Just visit the DockDogs website for information about pre-registering for a spot in one of the waves, or you can register first thing in the morning on March 14 and 15 at PawsAbilities.

Even though the dogs of Keystone DockDogs tend to be larger breeds, don't let your pooch's small size stop him. There have been dachshunds that have attempted the big leap! So sign your dog up to make a splash with the Keystone DockDogs at PawsAbilities! You may just find out that some dogs don't need wings to fly.

Last Day to Buy PawsAbilities Tickets Online!

Don't forget to buy your tickets for PawsAbilities online! Today is the last day you'll be able to buy them online. But don't worry if you forget or run out of time. You can still purchase tickets at the door.

Today is also the last day to register for the Breed Fun Match and the Obedience Show & Go. If you'd like to participate in either of these events, make sure you register online by 5 p.m. today.

Also, don't forget that if you preorder Bill Berloni's latest book, Broadway Tails, we'll give you a $2 discount off the price of one ticket. Bill is an animal trainer who has trained dogs, cats and other animals for theater, film and television, and he'll be signing copies of his book at PawsAbilities.

Click here to buy your tickets online and preorder Broadway Tails.

Last Day to Submit Your Biscuit Bite-Off Recipes!

Today is the last day to submit your recipes for the Great Biscuit Bite-Off! If you have some down-home cooking ideas for your dog or if you've concocted a scrumptious recipe that even your canine connoisseur loves, be sure to register for this homemade treat competition.

Our very own service dogs will be judging the competition. Simply submit your recipe online to enter! You will also need to buy your admission ticket for PawsAbilities.

Click here for more information about the Great Biscuit Bite-Off!

Take Home a Squeaky Clean Pooch!

Does your dog need a bath, but you just don't have the time or patience to give him one? Bring that dirty dog to PawsAbilities' Dog Wash from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and let our volunteers wash him for you! After some warm water, doggie shampoo and a good scrub down, your dog will be squeaky clean!

Since 1999, Dave and Donna Lindquist and a group of friends have been getting soaked right along with the dogs. They'll be cleaning canines again this year on Saturday, March 14. On Sunday, Bark of the Town, a kennel and grooming shop in Millerstown, PA, will scrub your pups.

The Dog Wash costs $5 for small dogs, $7 for large dogs.

So if you have a dog in need of a good washing, visit the Dog Wash, located at the end of the Main Hall near the Keystone DockDogs pool in the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA.

Dog Scouts of America Troop #161

"Let us learn new things so that we can become more helpful." - Dog Scout motto

Undoubtedly, you've heard of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, but what about Dog Scouts? The dogs in Dog Scout Troop #161 from Cumberland County earn merit badges and participate in community service projects just like their human counterparts. Everything they do builds on the dogs' skills to become well-mannered, welcome members of the community and educates the human "smart end of the leash" in dog ownership and safety. The Dog Scouts have earned badges for hiking, backpacking, water safety, painting and much more.

Recently, Troop #161 donated a HeatAlarm Pro K9 vehicle safety system to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. This system alerts the officer when the vehicle gets too hot for the dog and turns on emergency fans in the vehicle. The Troop is now working to raise funds for their Pet Oxygen Mask drive. Their goal is to equip all local fire departments with sets of oxygen masks designed to fit cats and dogs. Check out their information booth at PawsAbilities and help them give local fire departments the ability to save even more lives.

Anyone can be a member of Dog Scout Troop #161 just by joining Dog Scouts of America and participating in Troop activities. If you want to earn the official title of Dog Scout, you and your dog will need to take the Dog Scout Test to demonstrate that your dog is well mannered and a welcome member of the community. In addition, you will have to demonstrrate that you have the skills and knowledge to be the "smart end of the leash."

For more information about Dog Scout Troop #161, visit their website at www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com/DSTroop.htm or contact Troop Leader Ann Withun at ann@withun.com.

A Rags to Riches "Tail"

Once upon a time, there lived a Chihuahua named Chico, who lived in a shelter in Newark, New Jersey. He spent most of his time chained up, and as a result, he became bitter and angry, growling and biting like a guard dog.

Then one day, a man came to the shelter. This man, named Bill Berloni, was an animal trainer, and he was looking for a Chihuahua to play Elle Woods' beloved pooch Bruiser in the Broadway show Legally Blonde The Musical.

No one would think the little Chihuahua that growled at everyone would be chosen for such an important role, but when Bill saw Chico, he knew this little dog was destined for stardom. Bill rescued Chico from the shelter and gave him all the love that had been missing from his life. With love, understanding and training, Chico was soon stealing the limelight on Broadway.

Now Chico will be stealing the stage at PawsAbilities, where he and Bill Berloni will share Chico's rags to riches "tail" and their experiences in show business.