September 23, 2024, 10:36 am | Read time: 4 minutes
A festival especially for dogs? This took place in Germany for the first time on September 21 and 22 with Pawlooza. On the grounds of the Lörick lido in Düsseldorf, two- and four-legged friends not only met up for a dog bath – the ceremony for this year’s Petfluencer Awards also took place there. PETBOOK was also there and took a closer look at the festival with editorial dog Yumi.
How often have you wished your dog could jump into an outdoor pool? At Pawlooza, Germany’s first festival for dogs, this dream became a reality for many four-legged friends. On September 21 and 22, the grounds of Strandbad Lörick in Düsseldorf opened its doors to two- and four-legged friends.
The festival was organized by the petfluencer agency TONY. However, it was not primarily about giving dogs a day at the swimming pool. At the festival, dog owners could spend an entire weekend listening to talks and meeting their favorite petfluencers and other celebrities from the dog scene.
Crowds and loud music? Not a chance!
“At Pawlooza, we want to bring together people who otherwise only meet on Instagram and TikTok,” says André Karkalis, Managing Director of petfluencer agency TONY, explaining the aim of the festival for dogs. It is a community event. The PETBOOK editorial team was also on-site and tested the offers with dog Yumi.
In terms of content, Pawlooza was explicitly aimed at dog owners who wanted to attend a festival with their dogs. However, there were no large crowds or loud music. The stage was mainly used for specialist talks by celebrities from the dog scene. This included one by dog trainer and TV presenter Jochen Bendel. Together with Katharina Marioth, the “Dog Trainer of the Year 2023”, he discussed the “Sense and nonsense of the dog license.” Dog trainer André Vogt, who owns one of the largest dog training schools in Germany, was also present.
It is important that the dogs are not stressed
A lot of work went into the dog festival beforehand, as André Karkalis revealed to PETBOOK in an interview. The event team had to coordinate closely with the veterinary office. As this was the first festival specifically for dogs in Germany, there were several requirements.
For example, all four-legged friends had to be vaccinated and microchipped. Breeds with extreme breeding characteristics were excluded from participation. As a result, surprisingly few pugs and French bulldogs were seen. Public water bowls were also forbidden for hygiene reasons. Instead, each participant was given their own drinking bowl and could fill it free of charge at the taps.
However, the restrictions did not detract from the fun. “The atmosphere is great. We have great weather, and above all – what I find very important – I see a lot of relaxed dogs and relaxed owners,” was André Karkalis’ first summary on Saturday. Karkalis told PETBOOK that the most important thing for the organizers was that the dogs had little stress. “That’s how we know that the dog festival has already been very successful.”
Dog ice cream, dog waffles, agility, and much more
To ensure this, the area had to be large enough to accommodate several hundred dogs simultaneously. With its 95,000 square meters, the lido grounds offered enough space to never give the impression of being full. That is not to say there weren’t occasional arguments or wild barking among the dogs. But that’s all part of canine communication, and if it got too much for the four-legged friends, there were plenty of opportunities to seek out quiet zones.
In addition to the many free offers, such as dog ice cream, dog waffles, agility, or photo shoots, the various exhibitor stands offered professional advice on nutrition, equipment, and dog care. Even though many of the dogs already appeared to be well-behaved, owners could get tips from professionals, take part in free trick training sessions, or simply listen to one of the specialist talks.
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Dog pool was the highlight of the festival
According to many visitors, the dog pool was the highlight for their four-legged friends. The lido had set aside two of the large swimming pools, especially for the four-legged friends. Unfortunately, two-legged friends were not allowed in the water. This was certainly not easy for many in the sunny weather and unusually high temperatures for the end of September. It would also have been nice if there had been an area or a pool for small dogs – the canine equivalent of the baby pool, so to speak. After all, not every small breed is as brave as the editorial dog Yumi when it comes to plunging into deep water.
And the visitors’ verdict? Feedback was consistently positive. For many, it was the first time, as the previous event, the TONY Beach Party, was only open to consumers for a single day last year and was designed for significantly fewer visitors with dogs.
This year, the aim was to develop the concept further—and it was a success, according to the PETBOOK editorial team. For 20 euros admission, two- and four-legged visitors were offered a lot, and many left the grounds with fully packed goodie bags.