Roving Rovers: Bark in the Park attracts dogs, humans in Henderson

By BROOKE WANSER LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

Erika Balderson, a competitor in the Rover Run 5K, with her dogs Tere, a border collie mix, left, and Tai, a black Labrador, during the Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs, at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Heather Clifford, gives a water battle to Clifford, a bullmastiff, after running in the Rover Run 5K, a part of Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs, at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Hannah, a three-legged Pomeranian Chihuahua, left, sits with Hudson, a three-legged Chihuahua, during Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs, at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Wyatt Papacs, 7, hugs Zoya, a Belgian Malinois, during Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs, at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Mikaela Kono, 3, watches a frisbee catching contest during Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs, at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Mikey Rehill, 8, holds his miniature rat terrier, Lola, while watching a frisbee catching contest during Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs, at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Officer Matthew Doleshal directs his K9 unit dog, Jano, a Belgian Malinois, during a Henderson K9 police unit demonstration of the dogs on their team during Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Gypsy, a Labrador, runs with a frisbee during a frisbee catching contest apart of Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs, at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Chit, a male Golden Retriever sits with his owner as he watches a Henderson K9 police unit give information on the dogs on their team apart of Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

Zoey, a female Morkie, jumps on her owners legs she watches a Henderson K9 police unit give information on the dogs on their team apart of Bark In the Park, an event to celebrate dogs at Cornerstone Park in Henderson on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto

At 9 a.m. Saturday, dogs in Henderson were ready to rove.

As “You Ain’t Nothing But A Hound Dog,” and “Bad To the Bone,” blared from speakers, 100 dogs, with their humans in tow, barked, licked, and woofed their way around the Cornerstone Park trail in Henderson’s Bark in the Park.

Henderson Public Relations Coordinator Nicole Johnson said Bark in the Park, an event in its 14th year, was created after residents repeatedly requested a dog-related event.

This year’s addition of a dog-and-human run, the Rover Run 5k, a race in which dogs run alongside owners, is an extension of those requests, she said.

“We thought it would be awesome to bring in a dog run,” she said. “Now you have the humans and their furry friends running together.”

Erika Balderson and her 18-month-old black Labrador, Tai, dressed as characters from the children’s cartoon “PAW Patrol” for the event.

“I do a lot of 5k, 10k, half-marathon type runs, and I like to do them with him because he’s got a lot of energy and he needs to do it,” Balderson said.

Balderson’s friend Heather Clifford ran with her other dog, Tere, a border collie mix who was also dressed in theme.

“I just can’t run with two of them!” she said with a chuckle.

Chris Bennett and his 7½-year-old German shepherd, Ford, finished the race first.

“I entered for him to win. He can’t stand to have other dogs in front of him,” said Bennett, who competes in Ironman races.

His wife, Jennifer Bennett also competed in the race with their other German shepherd, Lucy, finishing a shortly afterward.

Humans received T-shirts and their canine companions received dog tags at the finish.

Other activities during the event included adoptions, a demonstration by the Henderson Police Department’s K-9 team, a flying disc-catching contest and a safety course teaching dogs to shy away from live rattlesnakes.

Contact Brooke Wanser at bwanser@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Bwanser_LVRJ on Twitter.