DOG DAYS HISTORY
The Dog Days event was a small event at first held one summer afternoon at Wildwood Metropark back in 2003. The following year, Stautzenberger College got on board with Humane Ohio and the Toledo Metroparks as event organizers to turn the Dog Days of September into something much bigger.
The event was moved to Secor Metropark to bring more exposure to the park. In addition to the vendors, a live band was brought in and there was plenty of entertainment and activities. The event became bigger than anyone could imagine with many thousands of people and their dogs attending.
The First Annual Wiener Dog Nationals were also held at the 2004 Dog Days of September. It has since become an annual event that continues to grow each year. It has become a main staple of the Dog Days of September drawing many competitors from all over the area.
Much of the same success experienced in 2004 was repeated with the 2005 Dog Days of September still at Secor Metropark.
Then, Stautzenberger College scaled back its involvement in 2006 and turned most of the organization of the event over to the Toledo Metroparks. Stautzenberger focused on the Wiener Dog Nationals and continued to help out with the Dog Days website. Turn out was off from the previous years due to threatening weather conditions and a new location at Blue Creek Conservation Area near Whitehouse, Ohio.
Stautzenberger College stepped back up to the plate to organize the 2007 Dog Days of September in an effort to bring it back to the major event status it had experienced in previous years. A new location was scoped out and the Lucas County Fairgrounds proved to be the optimal location with plenty of parking, room and facilities available.
Thousands once again showed up to watch the Fourth Annual Wiener Dog Nationals, adopt dogs from the many area rescues, browse the long line of vendors, have fun in the kids area, enjoy live entertainment and more!
The Dog Days of September was at a new location with plenty of parking and a more exposure at the Shops at Fallen Timbers in Maumee, Ohio in 2008, unfortunately heavy rains dampened most of the festivities.
The Dog Days of September are back at the Lucas County Fairgrounds with a rain contingency plan for 2009!
