- Title: Dogs go back to school at Nigeria's canine festival
- Date: 13th December 2021
- Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (DECEMBER 11, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DOGS AND DOG OWNERS WALKING DOWN RUNWAY DOGS AND OWNERS AT EVENT VARIOUS OF DOGS WALKING ON RUNWAY (MUTE) DOG BEING AWARDED HEAD BOY AWARD READING: "HEAD BOY" VARIOUS OF DOG BEING AWARDED POST OF LABOUR PREFECT (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOUNDER, LAGOS DOG CARNIVAL, JACKIE IDIMOGU, SAYING: "Ever since we started Lagos Dog Carnival, people are taking care of their dogs better because we always have...our motto is no naked dogs allowed. People are dressing their dogs well, they are grooming their dogs better and we have more dog people, more dog dads and more dog moms now." VARIOUS OF DOGS SEATED WITH THEIR OWNERS DOG ON A LEASH VARIOUS OF GUESTS VARIOUS OF DOGS PLAYING THE "SQUID GAME" DOG BEING CONGRATULATED FOR WINNING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DOG OWNER, KING ODOZI, SAYING: "I was surprised that he was even able to meet up with the command, the stop and move and with this now it actually encourages me and I will want to encourage my dog to do more training and practicing." VARIOUS OF DOG OWNER, MONICA UMEH WITH HER DOGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DOG OWNER, MONICA UMEH, SAYING: "I got to know about it through my vet and I just saw it as an opportunity for my dogs to interact with other dogs and have fun." (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAWYER, CAMILLE ANIDI, SAYING: "We came to have a lot of fun and participate in the award show and meet other dogs, so we are enjoying it, we are having a good time." VARIOUS OF DOGS AND CAT
- Embargoed: 27th December 2021 10:10
- Keywords: Canine Dog dad Dog festival Dog mom Runway
- Location: LAGOS, NIGERIA
- City: LAGOS, NIGERIA
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Africa,Living/Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001F7VE89J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of dogs strutted their stuff on a runway in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos on Saturday, December 11, competing for the awards on offer at this year's "Back to School"- themed canine extravaganza.
The Lagos Dog Carnival, now in its third year, attracted many different breeds, all wearing school uniforms in colourful fabrics, as well as sunglasses and with schoolbags strapped on their backs.
At the event, held outdoors in the Lekki neighbourhood of Lagos, the awards on offer included "head boy" for the cleanest school uniform, "punctuality prefect" and the "most noisemaker."
Canada, a white-haired golden retriever, was crowned head boy for a pristine lime green uniform with stripes and a school bag while Ruby, a German shepherd, won "labour prefect" for his imposing size
Jackie Idimogu, the carnival's convener, said the idea was to bring together dog owners to celebrate their dogs and learn from each other how to take better care of them.
"Ever since we started Lagos Dog Carnival, people are taking care of their dogs better because we always have...our motto is no naked dogs allowed. People are dressing their dogs well, they are grooming their dogs better and we have more dog people, more dog dads and more dog moms now," she told Reuters.
Guests had the opportunity to also shop for food and breeding gears for their dogs.
Apart from competing on the runway, the dogs also mimicked the South Korean Netflix's show, 'Squid Game' where the dogs were tested on their ability to stop and move on command.
King Odozi's pet won the Squid Game competition.
"I was surprised that he was even able to meet up with the command, the stop and move and with this now it actually encourages me and I will want to encourage my dog to do more training and practicing," he said.
"We came to have a lot of fun and participate in the award show and meet other dogs, so we are enjoying it, we are having a good time," said Camille Anidi, a guest at the event.
"I got to know about it through my vet and I just saw it as an opportunity for my dogs to interact with other dogs and have fun," said Monica Umeh, a dog owner.
There was a cameo appearance by a cat, which received an attendance award.
This third edition recorded 215 dogs and over 500 guests.
Idimogu plans to take the event to other cities across Nigeria in the future to increase awareness about how to look after dogs as pets.
(Production: Seun Sanni, Angela Ukomadu) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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