The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of This Just In…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me.  It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!

THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.

TODAY:  Partly to mostly cloudy.  A high of 83. “A”

SUNDAY:  A 50% chance of scattered morning showers, then mostly cloudy.  High of 84. “B”

Now, here’s my lovely wife, Jennifer with this week’s main blog.

I can’t think of a combination that I love more:  the celebration of Irish culture, and dogs.  Really, it doesn’t get any better.  So this weekend, I’ll be in my glory at Milwaukee Irish Fest.  They are the only FOUR DAY ethnic festival which means more opportunities to enjoy phenomenal food, incredible music, and talented craftspeople.

Of course I can eat delicious food (McBob’s corned beef sandwich is a must, as are their Bailey’s chocolate balls.  I can drink Bunratty Meade to wash down a slice of Irish Cream cheesecake from the Tipperary Tea Room.  You get the idea.)  I can listen to toe-tappin’ hand-clappin’ Celtic tunes.  I can always find a new piece of Claddagh jewelry for myself and Kyla.  Did I mention yet that I can watch my talented husband emcee the Children’s Freckle Contest and the Children’s Red Hair Contest?  SO fun.

In addition to all of those fantastic activities, there is one area of the grounds that I simply can NOT pass up:  the gorgeous Celtic Canines.

There is no other ethnic festival that can showcase so many breeds from one country.  You can swoon over Setters, tickle a Terrier, or wish for a Wolfhound.  Having an opportunity to pet so many sweet pups and talk to their owners is such a fun time for you AND for the dogs!

Every dog at the Celtic Canine Area is adorable.  Every.  Single.  Dog.  However, we’ve come to have our favorites.  When Kyla was little, we’d joke about how she could actually ride a certain breed like a pony.  You guessed it… we love the Irish Wolfhound.    It seems to now be a personal goal of Kyla’s to pet ALL the showcased ‘Hounds.  She has made great friends with several of them:

Kyla and a ‘Hound friend, 2016

If you attend this year’s celebration (I should say WHEN you attend… how can you miss this???!!!) don’t forget to stop by the Celtic Canine area.  If you see our family, please stop by to say hello and tell us how much you enjoy reading The Barking Lot.  (Of course also ask Kevin when he’s going to get his lovely ladies their OWN dog so they don’t have to keep bothering the wonderful dog owners at Irish Fest and in their own neighborhood!)

We hope to see you this weekend at Milwaukee Irish Fest!  Slainte!
—-Jennifer Fischer

Thanks Jennifer!

Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.

Heartbroken dog owners mourn the loss of their pets from deadly algae.  MORE.

‘It’s either a dog or a child’: Former Navy SEAL to critics of training K-9s to attack school shooters.

Woman sues American Airlines, claims emotional support dog was locked in aircraft restroom.

What Should I Do With My Dead Dog? A peaceful, watery send-off known as “aquamation” is now possible for pets.

The number of fake emotional support dogs is exploding – why?

‘They literally saved his life that night’: WI dog almost dies after swim in lagoon.

The $636 million pet supplement industry is fueled by the greatest suckers of all: millennial dog owners.

Dog with 6 legs adopted by bullied teen.

Empathetic Funeral Home Dog Becomes Millionth ‘Canine Good Citizen.’

In Wichita, City Hall tries to hire a goose-chasing dog, learns its police dogs violate leash law.

How to deal when your dog is terrorizing the neighborhood.

NEWS FLASH: Dogs Are Even Smarter Than You Think.

Your Dog Could Get a Job As a Canine Critic Reviewing Pet-friendly Hotels.

This dog in a baseball uniform is the answer to the internet’s ‘how would a dog wear pants?’ debate.

Where to stay and play with your pup on National Dog Day.

Pet furniture gets stylish, from $20 dog beds to $5,000 cat towers.

THAT’S IT FOR DOGS IN THE NEWS.

HERE’S OUR DOG PHOTO(s) OF THE WEEK.

A dog peaks through the netting behind home plate during the Colorado Rockies bark in the park show before their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Denver’s Coors Field. Photo: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

We close as we always do with our closing video.

About 50 dogs recently competed in the World Dog Surfing Championship in California’s Linda Mar Beach. The competition raises money for various dog-related charities.

 

That’s it for this week. Thanks for stopping by.

We’d really appreciate it if you forward this on to other dog lovers you know. Let them have some fun!

See ya, BARK, next Saturday!