The nation’s largest pet show, America’s Family Pet Expo, was held Friday through Sunday last week in Orange County, Calif. The expected attendance was 60,000 over the three days of the show. I was lucky enough to go on Friday.

My sister and I got there early Friday morning. We started out in one of the dog buildings, which was smart because the building got much more crowded as the day wore on. I met so many different dogs and dog lovers.

An Italian Greyhound up for adoption at the show.

One of my favorites was an Italian Greyhound who had been rescued. He had to have all of his teeth extracted and his little tongue stuck out of his mouth. But he was one of the lucky ones who was saved and is now looking for his forever home.

Almost every breed of dog was represented at the show from little Yorkies to huge Mastiffs. The exhibitors were very generous with their time, explaining the traits of their particular breed and describing what kind of family would be best for that particular dog. This helped prospective owners make an informed decision about what dog would fit best into their household.

Another benefit of attending the show was seeing the pet product companies. Many food companies were represented and were giving out free samples of pet food. And everything you could possibly need for your pet dog was on sale there, many at reduced prices. My sister got the latest in pet waterers at the show — and saved over $25!

There were also wonderful demonstrations. I enjoyed watching the police K9 demonstration, and seeing the bond between the dog and the trainer. There was also a demonstration of dock jumping, which I hadn’t seen before. The dogs really loved showing off how far they could jump into the water. The dog agility runs, called Iams Superdogs, were a ton of fun to watch and the dogs were so happy showing their skills. 

My favorite part of the show, though, was all the rescue groups that took dogs available for adoption. Many wonderful rescued dogs will find a great new home because of the efforts of these people. I hope you get a chance to attend an event like this sometime and possibly find a new pet of your own.

- Read more Confessions of a Dog Sitter -