Entertainment and Activities Schedules | St. Louis Pet Expo - St. Louis Pet Event

Upcoming Shows

Please note that stage schedules may be subject to change.

* MAIN ENTERTAINMENT STAGE *

10:35AM: Shorty Rossi Welcomes Pet Lovers to the 2012 St. Louis Pet Expo
Shorty Rossi, star of ‘Pit Boss’ on Animal Planet, welcomes our many pet-lovers to the super fun St. Louis Pet Expo.

10:45AM: Try Your Hand at Training and Ask the Training Expert
Debra Hermsmeier, Good Doggie
“He steals food from the table.””She won’t come back when she’s called.””He destroyed the living room rug.””She barked and barked until the neighbors complained.””He’s a wonderful dog, but I wish he wouldn’t...” Does this sound like your dog? Lots of dogs have no manners, and their owners are at a loss as to how to teach them manners. Concerned that dog training is too challenging? Worried that your pet won’t respond or that you’ll do it “all wrong?” Check out this fantastic hands-on demo and learn that anyone, regardless of age or skill, can be a wonderful trainer for their dog using positive techniques. Debra Hermsmeier, of Good Doggie, will host a Trainer Q & A session and teach you how you can help your pet be their best!

11:15AM: Rabbits: The Perfect Pet Alternative
Joy Gioi, House Rabbit Society
Rabbits are intelligent, affectionate, social creatures who make wonderful companions for the right person. Many people, however, know very little about them when they pick one up at a pet store. Uneducated about the needs of their rabbit, they may become disenchanted. That is why rabbits are in such great need of rescue and why they are the third most euthanized animal in shelters across the country. In general, rabbits are not good for young children under 10 years old and must live indoors ALL year round as they can’t take temperatures over 80 degrees. Rabbits can live 10 years or more - they are a “long term” commitment. Most rabbits do NOT like to be picked up; they are “ground lovers.” Joy Gioi, of the House Rabbit Society, will be discussing those issues alongside their furry friends to find out if a rabbit is the right pet for you.

11:45AM: CPR and First Aid Demo
Tammie Rogers, Certified PetTech Instructor
Do you know what to do in a pet medical emergency? Knowing what to do in the initial moments of a crisis can be critical to your pet’s life. In the event that a pet is not breathing, CPR, also known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mouth-to-snout resuscitation, can be used to save your pet’s life and stabilize them until you can reach help. In order to correctly perform pet CPR, it’s important to follow certain steps in their exact order. Join us for a canine CPR and pet first aid discussion with a Q & A session to follow.

12:15AM: Pet/Owner Musical Chair Competition
Musical Chairs is a doggy variation of the classic children’s game. Music plays as handlers walk with their dogs off-leash counter-clockwise around a rectangular area. A line of chairs (with alternating chairs facing in opposite direction) runs down the center of the rectangle. When the music stops, the handlers instruct their dogs to sit by verbal request and/or hand signal only (i.e., without touching them) and rush to sit on a vacant chair in the center of the rectangle. Stop by and take part in this popular event – everyone can play! To enter, bring your pet to the entertainment stage at 12:00PM.

12:45AM: Every Dog Needs A Stay (EDNAS): Matching Death Row Dogs with Maximum Security Inmates
Lindy Sharpe, K9 Rescue & Rehab
K9 Rescue & Rehab is a rescue group that often works with emotionally hurt dogs that are in need of additional attention and emotional redirection. These are frightened, scared and unsocialized dogs. Part of their community efforts include the Every Dog Needs A Stay project (EDNAS), which is part of the Missouri Department of Corrections Puppies for Parole program. This program matches death row shelter dogs with maximum security prison inmates for training and socialization. Come meet some of the canine graduates of this fantastic program and learn how you can help.

1:15PM: Cat Grooming 101
Stephaney Kemper, Certified Feline Master Groomer
Tired of wrestling with your cat to cut its nails? Don’t know how to properly brush your cat to reduce shedding? Want some hints and tips on how to keep your kitty looking tip-top between grooming sessions? Stephaney Kemper, the only certified feline master groomer in MO, will share the basic necessities of grooming such as skin and coat care, as well as nails, ears, brushing and bathing with a Q & A session to follow.

1:45PM: The Myths Surrounding Breed-Specific Legislation
Dave Merlot, Phoenix Pack
Breed-specific legislation (BSL) refers to laws that target dogs based on how they look rather than their actions. Hundreds of U.S. cities have already enacted BSL, and more cities adopt it every year. Many cities and counties—plus Marine Corps and Army bases—have banned select breeds altogether. Currently, BSL most often focuses on Pit Bull types (dogs that have “Pit Bull characteristics”), but some cities also target Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinchers, American Bull Dogs, Bull Terriers, Mastiffs, Dalmatians, Chows and other large breeds and mixes of the targeted breeds. Local animal advocate and the founder of Phoenix Pack (formerly known as Mutts N Stuff), Dave Merlot, will discuss BSL, why BSL doesn’t work and how you can help prevent breed discrimination.

2:15PM: Education to End Cruelty
Shorty Rossi & Hercules, ‘Pit Boss’ and Shortywood Productions
Shorty Rossi, star of ‘Pit Boss’ on Animal Planet will be making an appearance with his popular canine sidekick, Hercules. Rossi has a special passion that has been a major part of his life since he was a teenager – championing the cause of pit bulls. When Rossi isn’t managing Shortywood Productions, a company that works with little people in the entertainment industry or filming ‘Pit Boss,’ he’s working with Shorty’s Pit Bull Rescue, a charity he formed that rescues, rehabilitates and places neglected and abused pit bulls in loving, nurturing homes. Shorty’s Rescue is not a shelter or a charity; it’s employees work tirelessly to help relieve the suffering of and prevent cruelty to pit bulls through education and activism. A Q & A session will follow.

2:45PM: Animals Got Talent! Pet Talent Show
Does your pet have an amazing talent? Here’s your chance to show it off! Contest will consist of one category: Best Trick. Immediately following the competition winners will be determined by audience applause as assessed by the St. Louis Pet Expo staff. To enter, bring your pet to the entertainment stage at 2:30pm (you’ll see signage directing you where to go once you arrive at the stage) and be ready to dance, jump, sing or whatever your specialty may be! You definitely don’t want to miss THIS!

3:15PM: TIC-CAT-DOG
Dianne Burch, Author of ‘MaxNificent! The Polka Dot Pyrenees’
Dianne Burch, is the author of ‘MaxNificent! The Polka Dot Pyrenees,’ a children’s book that teaches kids about self-esteem. Dianne will be teaching about the basics of great pet ownership and how to find the best new addition through rescue groups and Petfinder.com. Audience members will also be called on to play Tic-Cat-Dog. The traditional X’s and O’s will represent cats versus dogs; participants will earn a “move” on the tic-tac-toe board as they successfully answer trivia questions related to pets.

3:45PM: Training with Positive Methods 101
Erin Wigginton, Helping Hounds Training
For years mainstream dog training has been defined by stories of wolves, packs and the need for dog owners to set themselves up as pack leader. So it may come as some surprise that all of that theory is actually a myth – and an unhelpful one at that. Erin Wigginton, owner of Helping Hounds Training and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, Greater St. Louis Training Club and an approved evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Programs, will teach us how to help our dogs have the behaviors we want using only positive and scientifically-proven techniques. With this method of training, also known as force-free training, you can improve your bond with your dog while nurturing trust and respect through training and leadership. Come learn how your pet can benefit from basic obedience training and see some canine students strut their skills. Cues such as sit-stay, loose leash walking and come when called will be discussed. Trainer Q & A to follow.

4:15PM: Is a Reptile the Right Pet for You?
Jim Brumley, Exotic Amphibian and Reptile Center
An estimated 3% of households in the United States own at least one reptile. America’s newest pet craze leaves millions of animals misunderstood and mistreated-right from the gecko. Reptiles! The very word conjures up a variety of responses, ranging from “Eeeeww, gross!” to “Way cool!” Learning about the natural history and proper captive care of these animals just might change your world outlook and get you thinking more about the environment as a whole.

5:00PM: Costume Contest
This popular event takes place on the Agility Course. Please see that schedule for details.

* Activity Course *

10:10AM, 11:00AM, 12:00PM, 1:00PM, 2:00PM: Agility Demonstrations Presented by Purina Farms
Agility is a sport that appeals to all dog lovers - from junior handlers to senior citizens- and can be performed by almost any pooch. Agility is designed to demonstrate a dog’s ability and drive to work with it’s handler in a variety of situations. The dogs and handlers will demonstrate agility basics such as jumping over agility jumps and jumping through tires. Information regarding how to get started in agility and a Q & A session will follow the demonstration.

3:00PM: Easy Tricks for any Pooch
Teaching your dog simple tricks can not only help stimulate your dog’s brain, but improve communication skills with your dog - plus dogs love to learn! And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, anyway? Not us! Learn three easy tricks that anyone can teach their pooch at home.

3:30PM: Nose Work Demo
Officer Jeremy Bratton, St. Charles Sheriff’s Department
The art and practice of nose work has now reached dogs of all shapes and sizes and has made basic search dog skills available to companion dogs, creating a new urban sport arena for dog enthusiasts. Dogs have an amazing sense of smell and a natural desire to hunt. The sport of canine nose work is designed to develop your dog’s natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and their love of toys, food and exercise. It’s a great way for your dog to have fun, build confidence and burn lots of mental and physical energy!

4:00PM: K9 Officer Working Dog Demo
Officer Jeremy Bratton, St. Charles Sheriff’s Department
Working dogs use their canine instincts and powerful sense of smell to perform a wide variety of jobs. From service dogs for the disabled to K9 officers, thousands of dogs work to benefit us every single day. K9 Officers have a very special role in the world of law enforcement as their keen sense of smell, enhanced hearing, night-vision and endurance have continually proved to be invaluable in the effort to fight crime. Come learn about some of the different tasks that K9 officers take on and check out an impressive protection dog and bite work demo. Bite work is an advanced obedience training that utilizes the dog’s natural prey drive to motivate it for protection or sport. This type of training should only be conducted by extremely experienced trainers and handlers and should not be tried at home.

5:00PM: Pet Costume Contest
Show off your pet dressed in their best costume for the super popular Pet Costume Contest! Each pet must wear a costume during the competition period to be eligible. Winners will be determined by audience applause as assessed by the St. Louis Pet Expo staff. To enter, bring your pet to the activity course at 4:45PM (you’ll see signage directing you where to go once you arrive at the agility course).

* DockDogs® *

DockDogs® is a non-profit dock jumping and dock diving performance sport association. If you’ve seen DockDogs® events on TV or in person, you know it takes better-than-your-average-dog athleticism to compete in events like Big Air™ and Extreme Vertical™ and Speed Retrieve™. Big Air is the most popular discipline of DockDogs® and the oldest of the four disciplines. Big Air is nothing more than a long jump for canines. In Big Air the dog is judged on the distance it can jump from the edge of the dock into the pool. Big Air is the easiest and most beginner friendly of the three disciplines of DockDogs®. Speed Retrieve is comparable to a sprint or drag racing. Extreme Vertical is commonly referred to the high jump of the canine water sports.

8:00AM: Onsite Registration/ Practice
9:00AM: Big Air WAVE # 2
11:00AM: Big Air WAVE # 3
1:00PM: Big Air WAVE # 4
3:00PM: Extreme Vertical
5:00PM: Big Air Finals
(Amateur, Semi-Pro and Pro Finals)

Event Format:
Indoor Big Air®, Extreme Vertical® & Speed RetrieveTM