Speed and timing in perfect combination:

Click here to view the embedded video.

2 - Adorable agility
Perhaps not the fastest, but certainly the cutest entrant!

Click here to view the embedded video.

3 - Making a splash
Polo makes his mark!

Click here to view the embedded video.

4 – Flying high
How flyball is taking the doggy world by storm!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Image by Focus Canin

This celebration of canine skill and agility can be seen in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth from 4.30-5.30pm, and in Brisbane from 4-5pm.

So tune in to Channel Seven and prepare to be amazed!

The public at the Advocate Stand

At the Advocate Stand, where Dr Katrina Warren and her WonderDogs (Jordie, Willow and Flynn)  and the puppies Sketch and Raine were frequent – and popular – visitors, people were lining up for the opportunity to win a Luxury Dog Hamper. (See winners’ names below)

In order to do that, though, they first had to visit the Bayer Stand in the foyer of the Arena. There, they were greeted warmly by the (rather hot looking) Bayer ‘dog’ and were able to find all the information about the best parasite-killing and parasite-repelling products, Advantage, Advantix and Advocate. And to put that knowledge to the test, they were invited to take the Ticked Off Quiz. In the best game show tradition, the quizmaster – the magician Timothy Pratt – (and his very glamorous assistant) invited willing participants to match the product with the parasite it eliminates.

The Bayer Dog and the Ticked Off Stage with magician Timothy Pratt and his assistant.

Bayer Stand in the foyer area of Acer Arena

Magician Timothy Pratt and his assistant playing the 'Ticked Off' Quiz

Children were particularly keen participants, and for those of you who weren’t able to make it to the World Dog Games, the answers were:

• Advantix kills and repels ticks, including paralysis, brown dog and bush ticks, and is also effective on fleas, lice, mosquitoes, sandflies and stable flies;

• Advocate is the most complete all-in-one protection for dogs and cats, killing fleas (and their larvae), heartworm, hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, ear mites, sarcoptes mites, demodex mites and lice;

• Advantage offers fast relief from fleas and lice.

The Ticked Off quiz was a fun way to learn important pet-protection information, and because it offered the added bonus of being able to enter the draw at the Advocate Stand to win that Luxury Dog Hamper, it was extremely popular.
Not that the hamper was the only thing on offer at the Advocate Stand. With free dog towels also available it ensured extra enjoyment for the dog-lovers at the event – and, presumably, for the objects of their affection once they returned home!

WINNERS OF THE LUXURY HAMPER:

Jordan Griffith
Sonia Morelli

The other 2 winners will be announced once their details  are confirmed.

The public at the Advocate Stage watching Dr. Katrina and the Wonderdogs

But the Advocate Stage wasn’t purely about entertainment. As Katrina and her assistant Kelly Gill got the dogs to perform their fantastic repertoire of tricks, the audience were treated to a commentary on how to train dogs and the importance of treats and, particularly, positive reinforcement (verbal and physical) in getting your dog to do the right thing.

Dr. Katrina Warren, Kelly Gill and the WonderDogs

Audience participation was the order of the day, with children particularly keen to join Katrina and her four-legged friends on the stage. Katrina talked about what to do when meeting a new dog (get permission from the owner to approach him, allow him to sniff your hand to get used to your scent and don’t pat him on the head as the dog can’t see your hand there), what to do if scared of dogs (stand still, look down and don’t move your hands) and the importance of giving dogs lots of mental and physical stimulation to keep them happy and eliminate destructive behaviour.

One of the highlights of the show came when WonderDog Willow played a spelling game with a girl from the audience. ‘Can dogs spell?’ Dr Katrina asked. Well, Willow certainly can, selecting letters to spell out FLEAS.

The Wonderdog Willow spelling out the word 'FLEAS'

According, to Dr Katrina, fleas are the number-one dog-bothering pest, and she stressed the importance of protecting dogs against these annoying pests with an effective flea treatment such as Advocate.

The show ended with Dr Katrina inviting the audience to have their photos taken with the WonderDogs, who were then taken away to the Advocate Stand for a well-earned drink of water and rest!

Dr. Katrina and the Wonderdogs posing for a photo before taking some shots with the public!

David Darcy at the World Dog Games 2009 - Acer Arena Sydney

Photographer David Darcy was one of the more popular exhibitors at the recent World Dog Games at Sydney’s Acer Arena – and as result, voluntary veterinary aid organisation Vets Beyond Borders had its coffers swelled.

Thanks to Bayer Advantage – the fastest flea-relief remedy – generously donating $1 for every copy of David’s latest book, A Little Help For Our Friends, sold during the World Dog Games, Vets Beyond Borders received hundreds of much-needed dollars to go towards its crucial work.

Vets Beyond Borders is an Australian-based not-for-profit organisation established in 2003 by veterinary volunteers. It co-ordinates and runs veterinary based animal welfare and public health programs in developing communities of the Asia and Pacific region. David headed to India in 2007 to witness its work first-hand, an experience that he says ‘broke my heart and opened my eyes to a world that I knew very little about.’

Inspired by his visit, David produced A Little Help For Our Friends, a collection of his finest pictures from around the world, and dedicated it to Vets Beyond Borders. Visitors to the World Dog Games were touched not only by the beautiful photographs on display, but also by David’s refreshingly down-to-earth attitude and approachable manner as he happily spent hours signing copies of his book.

David Darcy Photo Exhibition - World Dog Games

David Darcy at the World Dog Games 2009 - Acer Arena Sydney

If you weren’t able to make it to the World Dog Games, you can still buy a copy of A Little Help For Our Friends from good book sellers and veterinary clinics nationally. The winning combination of gorgeous images and clever, humorous text that makes the dogs themselves ‘speak’ make this the perfect Christmas present for someone – or for yourself!

TAKING THE PERFECT PHOTO: HOW DAVID DARCY DOES IT

David rarely has a set plan or specific stop-over places in mind when setting out on a project. Instead, he favours a random approach – which, given the quality of his pictures, clearly works wonders. And unlike the majority of photographers these days, David still uses film in his work. He says he’s tried digital cameras, but believes the beauty of dogs and the spontaneity inherent in any given moment is best served by film, without the need to resort to artificial methods such as airbrushing to achieve the perfect shot.

‘My inspiration for photographing dogs is born from the bond I share with our four-legged friends, my passion for photography and a desire to portray dogs in a respectful manner (the way most of us know and remember our mates) without silly props and gimmicks,’ David says on his website. It’s clearly a successful combination. In the nine years that David has been photographing dogs, many of his books – including Mongrel Country, Outback Mongrel and Little Mongrels have become international bestsellers.

David thoroughly enjoyed being part of the World Dog Games experience and was extremely impressed with the whole event and the organisational effort behind it.
And it’s fair to say that everyone who met David on the weekend, or simply enjoyed the opportunity to view his work, was impressed, too!

Download the wallpaper photos from the David Darcy’s book: A Little Help For Our Friends. Just click on the images below.

Affectionate Beanie and Nudge ‘Hey Beanie, even though you beat me at rumbles today, you’re still my favourite sister’.	Charismatic Jack ‘Trust me baby, you’re the only one for me.’
Playful Holly ‘Sixteen … 17 … 18 … 19 … 20 … coming ready or not.’	Conscientious Max ‘It’s just a power nap.’
Cheeky Laughing larrikins ‘Did you hear the one about the Irish Sheepdog?’	Romantic Lenny ‘She’s my world. I’d follow her to the end of the street.’
Tolerant Lucy, Oscar and Tess ‘This box is supposed to be for girls only.’	Working Dog
Sincere Buddy ‘Please don’t ask me if your bum looks big in those jeans.’	Intuitive Boof ‘This can’t be good. Mum’s reaching for the dog shampoo.’

World Dog Games 2009 - Acer Arena Sydney

The weather was perfect, the crowds were large and enthusiastic, and the World Dog Games were a resounding success.

Eager audience members started gathering early at Sydney’s Acer Arena last weekend (31 October and 1 November), eager to get the most from two days of fun-filled, family-friendly action.

Even before entering the arena, visitors were able to browse their way past stalls that had all manner of goodies available, including dog food, treats, shampoo, leads, collars, toys, and even exercise machines!

Dr Katrina Warren’s presence at the Advocate stall (with the WonderDogs) made it especially popular.

Dr Katrina Warren and the Wonderdogs & The Ticked Off Quiz

In the Arena foyer, visitors had the opportunity to take a quiz to discover which pet treatment product was most effective against which parasite. Elsewhere, photographer David Darcy was on hand to sign copies of his book, and audience participation was also the order of the day as Katrina Warren took to the Advocate Stage with her troop of very clever ‘WonderDogs’.

The excitement mounted as the main event neared. Host Grant Denyer set the scene and 44 of Australia’s fittest and brightest canine athletes showcased their prowess across four sports – Agility, Flyball, Canine Disc and the eagerly anticipated DockDogs.

AND THE WINNERS WERE…

Agility – Marty in the Maxi Dog category; Sammy, a 12-year-old Poodle in the Mini Dog category;

Flyball – the 6Pak team of dogs Milo, Cooper, Pebbles, Arrow, Buddy and Dallas emerged victorious from this fast and furious relay race;

Canine Disc – with just about the last throw of the competition, made with mere seconds to spare, Jade beat the other canine competitors with an impressive 61 points;

DockDogs – the highlight of the whole event came when Joey, a three year-old Kelpie X Blue Heeler, jumped an impressive 7.2 metres to not only be named ‘top dog’ in the discipline, but also setting an Australian record into the bargain.
Matthew Lazerus-Hall, co-concept creator of the World Dog Games was thrilled with both the standard of the competition and the number of people who came along to watch. ‘We wanted people to realise how amazing every day dogs can be, and I think we’ve done just that,’ he said.

Keep returning to Dog Diaries for in-depth reports on the DAVID DARCY exhibition, DR. KATRINA WARREN and the WonderDogs, PHOTOS and much more!