Puppies on Parade: Dogs walk, compete at annual Mutt March in Monongahela
Gus gives off serious 90s kid vibes at the annual Mutt March in downtown Monongahela Saturday. The Judges Favorite-winning pooch was joined by owner Chelsey Osborne, of Belle Vernon, and a small pack of human and dog friends.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Monongahela City Police Officer Jeff Toth and K9 Officer Mitch lead the Mutt March down Main Street Saturday. A large crowd gathered in Chess Park for demonstrations by the city’s K9 unit, shopping with local vendors and a laid-back dog show.
Puppies of all ages led their humans down Monongahela's Main Street Saturday for the annual Mutt March, a parade honoring the late Susan Jo Withers. The event was hosted by the Monongahela Area Revitalization Corporation.
Gus and his owner Chelsey Osbore, of Belle Vernon, stroll alongside other local dogs and their owners Saturday at the annual Mutt March in Monongahela. The parade began at the Aquatorium and ended at Chess Park, where pooches competed in a relaxed dog show.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Gus gives off serious 90s kid vibes at the annual Mutt March in downtown Monongahela Saturday. Gus and his owner Chelsey Osborne, of Belle Vernon, took home a Judges Favorite award at their second march.
Pheonix strolls down Monongahela's Main Street Saturday with his owner, Brandon Stotka. The two joined other dogs and dog lovers May 7 for the annual Mutt March from the Aquatorium to Chess Park.
Ryder poses during his first Mutt March parade along Main Street in downtown Monongahela Saturday. Ryder joined his owners Pam and Fran LaFlash and puppy-sibling Riggs at the event, where the two pooches took home a Judges Favorite prize.
Monongahela Area Revitalization Corporation hosted its annual Mutt March Saturday, where dogs paraded along Main Street and crowds gathered in Chess Park for shopping, demonstrations by the city police department's K9 unit and a fun dog show. Daisy, left, and Atlas carried the spirit of Cinco de Mayo - one of their owner Pamela Priches's favorite holidays - into Mutt March weekend.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Lincoln, of Elizabeth, who won best of show at the annual Mutt March, parades down Monongahela’s Main Street Saturday morning. Lincoln was joined by owner Lorie Bupp, Gary Mossburg and puppy pal Buddy.
Canonsburg's three-legged duo Stan and Ollie joined the parade Saturday along Monongahela's Main Street, where people and dogs strolled from the Aquatorium to Chess Park as part of the annual Mutt March. Stan and Ollie were joined by their owners Kathy and Derek Dunsey.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Monongahela Area Revitalization Corporation members Amy Michalic, Jessica Kassebaum, Marcy Curcio and Daryl Miller served as judges at the annual Mutt March dog show, where puppies were presented Judges Favorites, Best Costume, Smallest and Largest Dog, Most Unique Coloring and Best of Show awards.
Buddy, center, grabs a few pats from the judges at the annual Mutt March while Lincoln prepares to sit like a good boy. The laid-back dog show was part of the event hosted by the Monongahela Area Revitalization Corporation.
Libby, sporting a costume handmade by owner Susan Guglielmi's mother, rests a moment in Chess Park after parading down Main Street in the annual Monongahela Mutt March.
Maverick, left, and Libby eagerly await their turn before the judges in Chess Park Saturday, as part of the annual Mutt March in Monongahela. The pair, escorted by owner Susan Guglielmi, took home the award for Largest Dog(s).
Monongahela City Police Officer Jeff Toth gives K9 officer Mitch the signal, and Mitch is off, on a search mission. The K9 Unit demonstrated several missions before crowds in Chess Park at the annual Mutt March in Monongahela Saturday.
Gus and Molly hang in Chess Park after marching down Main Street Saturday as part of the annual Mutt March in Monongahela. Gus and his owner Chelsey Osborne, of Belle Vernon, were awarded Judges Favorite, while Molly and owner Myra Kelly, of Spears, took home the Look-Alike award.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
After the puppy parade down Monongahela’s Main Street, Pheonix, of Monongahela, sits for a treat from owner Brandon Stotka. The sweet dog, dressed as a shark, was named Judges Favorite at the annual Mutt March.
Riggs enjoys a morning in Chess Park, where the pup, puppy-sibling Ryder and their owners Pam and Fran LaFlash participated in the annual Mutt March, hosted by the Monongahela Area Revitalization Corporation. Riggs and Ryder were awarded treats and a certificate for being Judges Favorite.
While Dog With Most Unique Coloring Timber and owner Dawn Haywood, left, of Monongahela and Haywood's aunt Nancy Kulik, of South Park, look on, K9 Officer Mitch and his handler officer Jeff Toth perform a demonstration in Chess Park. The demonstration was part of the annual Mutt March.
Kathy Dunsey follow the three-legged Ollie onto the showfloor in Chess Park to collect a Judges Favorite award during the annual Mutt March in Monongahela. Ollie won the award in tandem with sibling Stan, also three-legged, who was bringing up the rear with owner Derek Dunsey.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Marcy Curcio, a member of the Monongahela Area Revitalization Corporation, observes as pink tutu-clad Baby strolls offstage. Curcio served as one of four judges at the March Mutt May 7, where dogs, including Baby, paraded down Main Street and competed in a dog show.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
While more than 50 people look on, K9 Mitch executes a search at the Monongahela Mutt March. The canine officer and Monongahela City Police Officer Jeff Toth demonstrated missions for the crowd in Chess Park.
Puppies paraded down Main Street, from the Aquatorium to Chess Park in downtown Monongahela May 7 for the annual Mutt March, where more than 50 people gathered to pet the pooches, shop local vendors and watch the laid-back dog show and awards ceremony.
“This is purely whimsical,” said Corrina Withrow, of the Monongahela Area Revitalization Corporation. “This is just fun.”
Fun certainly was had by all the costume-wearing dogs and their owners, some of whom dressed up to match their pooches.
Pamela Priches, of Monongahela, donned a sombrero and Mexican jacket and walked her dogs Atlas and Daisy, wore similar, colorful attire, down Main Street and through Chess Park.
“The three amigos,” Priches exclaimed, adding she and the pups were carrying Cinco de Mayo energy into the weekend event.
Between the dog show, where pups impressed four judges, and the awards ceremony, Monongahela City Police Department entertained with K9 unit demonstrations. The new officer K9 Mitch impressed the crowd with successful search missions and garnered “aww”s as he happily chewed his toy ball – a reward for missions completed.
The Mutt March has been held annually for 13 years, in honor of the late Susan Jo Withers, who served as a member of the MARC. This year’s sponsors were Doreen Walters Realty One, Eddie Volkars Body Shop and Sarah J. O’Brien.