The annual Kenai Kennel Club All Breed dog show at Skyview campus draws canines and their owners/trainers from all over Alaska and the lower 48. The show, which usually coincides with the sockeye salmon run, is a perfect combination for travelers with mobile Hilton homes outfitted with luxury kennels for their best friends, and fishing gear for the humans they own, as well as many who come equipped with tents of various size and shapes.

For the Kenai Kennel Club which has year round activities it is the biggest event of the year. Professional trainers and over 300 dogs participated in the outdoor event the second weekend of July. The show opened on Thursday with agility qualifiers and culminated Sunday with obedience and rally competition. “It was really interesting I came just to watch some of the agility Saturday, then got drawn into the conformation and working breed shows going on and ended up spending the whole day here with my family. We’ve never seen so many different and beautiful dogs in one place. When we came up the hill it was pouring in Soldotna, but at the top of the hill it was bone dry at Skyview,” said the Smith family who left their pet in the car and came to the show with lawn chairs in hand while dad was dip netting.

In the Working Dog class which featured a dozen or so different big breeds, as each dog went through his paces for the judge the mumbling was all about a huge chocolate well groomed Newfoundland that totally could have been mistaken for a brown bear if it wasn’t for his friendly Newfy nature. “I was owned by a Newfy once; they are an incredibly intelligent canine but I’ve never seen one that sable color before,” said a spectator as she stroked the dog’s fur. After the judge had finished his scoring indeed it was the chocolate Newfoundland named “Buck” from Wasilla, who was called out for first and got to give his trainer a bear hug for his reward. Buck had earlier also taken best of show at the Kenai Kennel Club three day event. Other results and events can be found at kenaikennelclub.com.