WAGFEST 2023

The Savannah Kennel Club is proud to host its 3rd Annual  WAGFEST celebrating responsible dog ownership and the bond between dogs and their people, September 16-17 at Guy Minick Park, 6726 Sallie Mood Drive Savannah, GA 31406 between 9:00 am-4:00 pm. Free to attend.

WAGFEST is a weekend-long festival of fun, canine sports, and demonstrations, featuring FastCAT (100-yard dash for your pup), CAT, agility fun, conformation fun match, rally fun, and more including:

• Food
• Shopping
• Games & Contests
• CGC & Trick Dog Testing
• Pet Expert Demonstrations
• Animal Behaviorists

There is something for everyone and all ages! Bring your best friends and the whole family – dogs and humans alike – for a weekend of fun! Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy the festivities and the amenities of Guy Minick Park for a beautiful weekend ahead.

Proceeds from the event will go toward the purchase of an AKC ReUnite Disaster Relief Trailer for the Low Country Coastal Community, Adopt a cop program for local police departments, enrichment equipment for Chatham County Dog Parks, and community education programs.

WAGFEST kicks off with one of Savannah’s most pawsitively unique races, The Fast and The Furriest 5K9, a fido-friendly 5K, and a one-mile fun walk starting at Guy Minick Park and wraps around the picturesque Lake Mayer. All dog participants and their handlers receive a finisher’s medal, pup bandana, and shirt. Awards are given to the top three finishers in each division and include post-race refreshments and massages for pups and their humans. If you don’t have a pup, donate your time to one in need. Savannah Kennel Club partners with local rescues and shelters to provide runners/walkers with a furry running buddy. The Fast and Furriest 5 K-9 Race is fun for the entire family for children 9 years of age or older accompanied by a parent or guardian and in control of their furry running buddy.

Sign up today at https://runsignup.com/Race/GA/Savannah/FastAndFurriest5K9.

The purpose of the race is to promote the importance of heart-healthy exercise for humans and dogs. The American Kennel Club and the American Heart Association have created AKC’s Fit Dog to advocate fitness for both dogs and people. Walking a minimum of 150 minutes per week is recommended by the American Heart Association. Walking is considered a safe activity that improves muscular strength, circulation, memory, weight loss, increases energy, helps with sleep, and reduces stress. Participation in the AKC FIT DOG program will bring health benefits to both you and your dog.

Savannah Kennel Club, along with over 5,000 other affiliated dog clubs across the country will hold this community event to help educate the public about the responsibilities of dog ownership and help current owners enhance their relationships with their pets. According to a recent AKC survey, “99% of dog owners have a dog because of the love and companionship they provide. Owning a dog has endless pleasures and rewards, but we all need a friendly reminder about the obligations we have to our pets in return, and the unique opportunities to enjoy sports and better health through a positive relationship with our canine companions.

Detail Information:

Saturday, September 16

Tent C:

9:30am-10:30pm, 11:00am-12:00pm Sheriff Department K9 Demonstration will display the talents of their remarkable K-9 dogs and showcase the charm of our beloved mascot Kat.

1:00pm-4:00pm Unsanctioned Conformation Match Come let your dogs strut their stuff in our Wagfest Conformation Match on Saturday September 16 at 1:00pm.  Savannah Kennel Club will offer puppy, Junior, and adult classes, with the group winners competing for Best in Match Puppy, Best in Match Junior, and Best Adult in Match!!

Day of show entries only - $10 per entry Entries taken from 8-12:30 am

Tent D:

9:00am-10:00am,1:00pm-2:00pm Fun Games Join us in a fun hour of games that test your pups skills. Games include musical sit, puppy push ups, the longest sit, and the longest down.

10:30am-12:30pm Rally Fun You and your dog are a team. You do almost everything together – take walks, eat, veg out, even sleep together. So think of the fun you’d have showing off what a great team you are at Rally event! Rally is a team sport: You and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed such as sit, down, and turn. Handlers of all ages and all dogs can participate in this activity.

2:30pm-4:00pm Fit Dog and Fit Paws Demonstration Fitpaws equipment is a fun way to engage your dog. These fun exercises keep your dog going strong and improve dogs’ overall fitness, so they remain healthy and agile.

Sunday, September 17

Tent C

11:30-12:30 Royal Canine Presentation:

Nutritional myths and basic nutrional facts

1:30-2:30 Pawparazzi Presentation:

Nail Trimming 101 plus nail trims at booth

3:00-4:00 Working Wonders Dog Training Presentation:

Puppy Preparedness & Problem Solving

Tent D

9:00am-11:00am Rally Fun You and your dog are a team. You do almost everything together – take walks, eat, veg out, even sleep together. So think of the fun you’d have showing off what a great team you are at Rally event! Rally is a team sport: You and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed such as sit, down, and turn. Handlers of all ages and all dogs can participate in this activity.

11:30am-12:30pm, 2:30pm-2:30pm Fun Games Join us in a fun hour of games that test your pups skills. Games include musical sit, puppy push ups, the longest sit, and the longest down.

1:00-2:00 Fit Dog and Fit Paws Demonstration Fitpaws equipment is a fun way to engage your dog. These fun exercises keep your dog going strong and improve dogs’ overall fitness, so they remain healthy and agile.

All Weekend

Tent H (Zoom Room)

Agility Fun, brought to you by the Zoom Room. Your dog will navigate an obstacle course with jumps, tunnels and more. Whether you just want to have fun exercising with your dog, or want to go further and enter an Agility competition, this is a great opportunity to see if this is the right sport for you.

Tent I (Rat Wranglers)

Barn Hunt Fun, brought to you by the Rat Wranglers. Try Barn Hunt with your dog, and watch that nose go into action! The barn hunt tests your dog’s nose, agility, and surefootedness and is a fun game for all. The course is made of bails of hay. We will have a smaller course for you and your pup to sniff through.

Tent E

CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Testing The AKC CGC program provides a perfect framework for training your dog to become a polite member of society. The 10 test items on the CGC test are practical, functional behaviors that every dog should have to be welcomed in the community.

Trick Dog Testing Do you and your dog love to be the life of the party by showing off his arsenal of tricks? Then he might be perfectly primed to earn AKC Trick Dog titles!

Tent F

Kids Tent There is something for the entire family at Wagfest. Bring the little ones to the kids tent to color some dog themed pictures. Coastal Therapy Dogs will be there and eager to have a story read to them.

Tent G

Meet the Breed gives dog lovers a unique opportunity to meet, play with, and learn about various dog breeds. Why is this important? Better understand your pups characteristics and why your dog behaves the way it does. Non-shed dogs what you need? Learn why purebreds the Lagotto Ramagnolo, Portuguese Water Dog, Poodle, and more could be exactly what you’re looking for.

Tent B

BCAT (Course Ability Testing) CAT is based on the fundamentals of the sport of Lure Coursing where two different sized courses, 300 yards or 600 yards are used depending on a dog’s height.

Tent A

FastCAT (Fast Coursing Ability Test) Sure, you think your dog is fast. But have you ever wondered how fast? FastCat -no we are not chasing cats - is a timed straight course 100-yard dash where dogs run one at a time, chasing a lure.

Working Wonders