It may not be for silly rabbits, but the Wags for Mags dogs showed their best tricks.
On March 28, Bradley’s Wags for Mags organization put on the event “Puppies Got Talent” in Neumiller Hall. Entry to the event was priced at $4 for pre-order or $5 at the door, with all proceeds going to food and training supplies for the dogs as they learn to become service animals.
“We chose to do a puppy talent show for a couple reasons,” Danielle Muehfelt, president of Wags for Mags, and Danielle Pasek, vice president, said. “We wanted others on campus to see the various talents, skills and personalities of our dogs that we get to see everyday as we train them.”
With almost 50 attendees, the hall was packed with eager puppy lovers.
“I came because I really wanted to see dogs,” Amanda Carlson, freshman biology major, said.
The stars of the show, a golden retriever named Scully and three black labs named Wendell, Kiwi and Binny, each had their own costumes such as grapes, a butterfly and a shark. The dogs displayed a variety of talents in the event to enthusiastic reception.
Kiwi and Wendell kicked off the talent show with an eating contest, with the former eliciting the most cheers. Wendell showed off his best hops, with his trainer utilizing her treat bag to its full extent.
Next, Binny painted a large and miniature painting using peanut butter and a plastic bag as his brush. These were later auctioned off to contribute to their training supplies at $20 a piece.
On the other hand, Bard showed off his sniffing skills. His handler covered seasonal Easter eggs with peanut butter, a popular treat among the dogs, and hid them around the stage. In a couple minutes, all of the eggs were found.
The speed of the dogs was the primary talent on display. In a March Madness-esque bracket, the pups were put up against one another in races. The final bracket pitted Wendell against Kiwi, and a high-speed chase towards their handlers ended with Wendell as the weiner winner.
Along with these tricks, the crowd saw the commands the dogs knew. Kiwi, a crowd favorite, demonstrated the command “touch,” a command commonly used to alert their owners of a medical alert, such as a seizure or low blood sugar.
While Wags for Mags’ primary goal is to train their pups for medical assistance, the trainers themselves gain new skills as well.
“I have seen the growth of dogs from crazy puppies to mature service dogs,” Muehfelt said. “Additionally, I have seen the growth of my fellow trainers as they experience new dogs and situations. Every dog I’ve worked with has taught me something.”
For more information on Wags for Mags, find them at the Activities Fair or at their meetings. They meet biweekly, typically Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
