Thursday, September 5, 2013

5 Reasons We Love BarkWorld Expo!

It's been two weeks since we headed to BarkWorld Expo, and it's taken all this time to sort through all the photos and terrific memories.

How to organize so many great experiences all crammed into three-days of blogging and social media goodness? Here's our take on it!
  1. New and old pals -- the friendships and camaraderie 
  2. Sponsors -- the exhibits and swag
  3. Educational sessions -- amazing speakers and insightful topics
  4. Parties and activities -- good times and great networking opportunities 
  5. The pets of BarkWorld -- the attending pets... and the reason we're all here!
New and Old Pals


From an impromptu dinner on the Wednesday night before Barkworld officially began to the group of pals we've gotten to know from online Blog Hops and Twitter events like #petchat, we had a blast solidifying old friendships and making new ones. 

Tip: If you can swing it, come in one day early to BarkWorld to get a jump-start on networking and to make sure you are fully rested for the action-packed days to come!

Sponsors -- The Exhibits and Swag


None of this would be possible without the sponsors, so we give a huge thanks to some of the sponsors who have been with BarkWorld from the beginning like Petco and Natural Balance.  

This year, there also were some nifty demonstrations like the shelter pet makeover conducted by Nourish, new treat exhibitors like Zuke's, custom-made leashes and gifts from K9 Carry All, and nifty new products like Scratch Protection Film from Pruven.

In addition, we think the stories behind new exhibitors Nourish and Be Pawsitive are really cool because both donate product to help shelter pets for every item purchased from their respective companies -- shampoo from Nourish and organic treat boxes from Be Pawsitive.

Tip: Bring an extra suitcase or one that can expand for the insane amount of swag you'll bring home! Or, plan to ship yourself a box from the conference.

Educational Sessions and Speakers


We can never see too much of Victoria Stilwell, and we also enjoyed the smaller round-table as well as keynotes and sessions from Mashable, Dogster, Red Clay Interactive, PetCareRx and 2 Million Dogs, just to name a few! 

Tip: Download the BarkWorld app to keep the schedule at your fingertips throughout the conference. And take a little time in advance to read through the schedule so you don't miss what's most important to you! There's lots to learn!

Parties and Activities


From the opening night party with Natural Balance and Norman the Scooter Dog to the sponsor Block Parties with Petco, Nutrish and PetPR, we had a terrific time connecting with lots of pals both old and new!

This year, we also finally made it to dog yoga with Anna Bettina from Happy Healthy Pup and had a terrific time starting the day with some good stretches for both me and Rocco!

Later in the day, the Westin Cookie Cook-off was loads of fun as participants competed to make the most delectable dog cookie! Our pal Paris at Dogtipper won the cook-off with a cookie LOADED with  peanut butter goodness! And speaking of the Westin, it offered the perfect venue for BarkWorld with plenty of dog-friendly service.

Tip: You can participate in BarkWorld activities from sunup to well beyond sundown... so pace yourself and enjoy it all!

The Pets of BarkWorld


Last but never least, the dogs of BarkWorld are what make the conference everything it is! As usual, it was so much fun hanging out with our canine pals like Gizmo's TerrierTorrent, Oz the Terrier, Preston Speaks,  Kona from K9 Carry All, Sugar the Golden Retriever, Little Dog Linus, the fabulous McGrady, Carma Poodale, Pepper Pom, Garth Riley, Life with Beagle, Oliver from All Things Dog Blog and so many more! 

And as always, it was lovely to see Frankie Beans, the inspiration behind BarkWorld,  make an appearance and judge the cookie cook-off!

Tip: Keep your camera ready (and treats too) for all sorts of fabulous photo opps!

BarkWorld 2014 ... the BIG news! 

Next year, the Cat Writers Association will co-locate their conference with BarkWorld at The Westin Buckhead Atlanta, October 30 - November 1. Mark your calendars and we'll see you next year!

For more photos from BarkWorld, visit our To Dog With Love Facebook page.



5 comments:

  1. So cooooowoooowooooo! Thanks for sharing the pics! Ku (Zoe's brofur)
    www.haikubyku.com

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  2. Looks like the best way to spend your time, hang out with pals and get new stuff at the same time!
    Dina

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  3. Mom is hoping she could join in one year. It sure looks like fun
    Benny & Lily

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  4. How AWESOME!!!! Thank you so much for sharing all this great info about your time at BarkWorld! The pics alone are terrific!

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  5. What great photos and a great post. We were just not sure if BW would be good or not so we did not attend, but next year we just might. We have heard some mixed reviews but overall positive. First we have to hit Vegas...look out...Emma is on her way in May!

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