Dogs have their day at ‘Meet the Breeds’ event (+video)

If 4-year-old Emily Freeland had her way, her mother and grandmother would have had their hands full on their trip home from a dog meet-and-greet Sunday at Century II.

“If she could, I think Emily would bring every dog here home with her,” said Emily’s mother, Kari Schaffer of Wichita.

The trio represented three of several hundred people who attended the “Meet the Breeds” event hosted by the Wichita Kennel Club.

Kennel Club president Mike Williams said about two dozen breeds were on hand for the afternoon event, which took place in the Century II concert hall foyer and allowed onlookers to get up close and personal with a variety of dogs.

The idea behind the annual affair – which is put on by the American Kennel Club and is sponsored locally by its Wichita chapter – is to let people get a sense of what type of dog they may want to get.

“Dogs are part of the family,” Williams said. “This event gives people a chance to come out and see some purebred dogs and to see what dog might fit their environment. Dogs are a long-term deal – you have to make sure you get the right dog.”

As one would expect, the many children inside the foyer were curious about the dogs, which came in all sizes, from Doberman pinschers to lap dogs.

One of the most popular groups of dogs Sunday were the poodles, which many kids seemed to be fascinated with. Leslie Weber of Wichita brought her four standard poodles to the foyer, which garnered attention most of the afternoon.

“They’re nonshedding, and they’re highly intelligent,” Weber said of the breed. “They can be a couch potato, if that’s what a person wants, or they’ll get out and run with you. They’re well-tempered dogs.”

Weber said it’s important for dog owners to make sure that health testing for a new pet has been done. For a standard poodle puppy with the proper paperwork, Weber said, the cost is likely to be about $1,500.

Dan Caliendo of Andover said his long-haired Belgian Tervuren service dog, Lacey, was ready to head home after a couple of hours.

“She’s not a people dog,” Caliendo said. “I think she wants to get out and run, too. Chase some rabbits. It’s nice to be here, because people get more interaction with the dogs than what they would get at a dog show.”

The most common questions about purebred dogs included those about shedding, size, temperament and whether they are good with small children, according to the kennel club.

While many of the kids on hand Sunday enjoyed the poodles or the smaller Australian silky terriers, young Emily didn’t discriminate.

“She’s not afraid of the big dogs at all,” said her mother. “I think she’s gone right up to every dog in here.”

Sunday’s event was also a prelude, Williams said, to the Sunflower Cluster Dog Show, which is scheduled to take place April 7-11 at the Kansas Pavilions in Valley Center.

This story was originally published March 20, 2016 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Dogs have their day at ‘Meet the Breeds’ event (+video)."