Awesome Doggie Festival: Dancing Dogs, Circus Pups & Fire Fidos | Pier 15

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Exploratorium Market Days: Free Art & Science Festival | Pier 15

Exploratorium Market Days is a series of free, open-air, mini-festivals that bring together scientists, artists, and educators to present an abundant bazaar of new ideas and activities to the Exploratorium’s public plaza at Pier 15 from 11 am to 3 pm on the third Saturday of each month from July through October, 2014.

>> Market Days events at Pier 15 are free and open to the public. Please note that museum admission is not free – this event takes place in the open-to-the-public areas.

Market Days will offer a bounty of free entertainment – from startling encounters with cutting-edge technology, to sensory explorations of spices and herbs, to transformations of trash into wondrous new masterpieces.

Saturday, August 16, 2014
Exploratorium Market Days: Free Art & Science Festival | Pier 15

Meet some of the hardest working hounds around, such as guide dogs for the blind, and discover what fun-loving pooches can do in circus school or on the dance floor.

Faculty from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine show you how canine genetics predict behavior, coat color, and the risk of heritable diseases, and what skulls reveal about the history and health of an animal. Find out how Finding Rover helps reunite lost dogs with their owners, and get to know best friends in need of homes from the San Francisco SPCA.

Market Days: A Breed Apart
Saturday, August 16, 2014 – 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Pier 15 | 698 The Embarcadero, SF
FREE (outdoor events only)

Noon and 2:00 pm: Dog Skills and Talent Shows
Canine contenders demonstrate everything from intelligent disobedience to choreographed dance steps. Hosted by Exploratorium master of ceremonies Ron Hipschman.

Dogs with Jobs:

• Dogs for Diabetics
  These medical assistance dogs identify changes in their owners’ blood chemistry.
• FEMA Search and Rescue
  Watch fire dogs climb ladders and demonstrate their tracking skills.
• Guide Dogs for the Blind
  Guide dogs are trained to disobey unsafe commands—such as stepping into the street when there is oncoming traffic—in order to protect their owners.

Dogs Needing Homes: San Francisco SPCA
Talk with volunteers from the SPCA’s dog training, adoption, and foster programs, and introduce yourself to future canine companions.

Show Dogs:

• Canine Circus School
  This art school for dogs unleashes the inner performer in even the shyest of students.
• Freestyle Dog Dancing With Lynn Ungar and Piper
  In canine musical freestyle, dog and handler perform together in a choreographed routine that combines obedience training, music, timing, showmanship, and lots of treats. Lynn and Piper will dance to Michael Bublé’s rendition of “Feelin’ Good.”

Dog Science:

• UC Davis Veterinary School
  Learn about the evolution of dog skulls with Dr. Frank Verstraete. He’ll discuss reconstructive surgeries and the ways a skull can reveal health and life history. Then meet with Dr. Cecilia Penedo to discover the ways scientists use canine genetics to predict the risk of heritable diseases, coat color, and behaviors such as aggression.
• 11:30 am, 12:30, 1:30, and 2:30 pm: Cow Eye Dissection with the Explainers
  Take in a classic Exploratorium demonstration with a dog vision twist.

San Francisco Dogs:

• Doggie Diner Heads
  Harold Bachman designed these famous dachshunds in the mid-sixties. After the Doggie Diners closed, these particular heads were rescued from oblivion and have since appeared at hundreds of local events.
• Finding Rover
  This local company uses facial recognition software to reunite lost dogs with their owners.

Photo Credit: Chandler White via barbarycoastnews.com

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.