Dog Lovers Show

The Dog Lovers Show is a huge exhibition at the Melbourne Showgrounds that celebrates all the best things about being a dog owner in Australia.

There are so many things to see and do at the Dog Lovers Show, and your ticket is a pass to all shows, events and activities inside the expo.

The Festival will be overflowing with puppy love as dog enthusiasts (that’s you!) descend on what will be one of the grandest dog-dedicated festivals in the world on Saturday, 26 & Sunday, 27 October.

Catch the all-new OPTIMUM DOGWALK featuring Fur-ashion Parades, The Wonderdogs, Doggelganger finalists and more.

Cheer on pups in the VitaPet Arena with Farmer Dave’s Mini-Dog Races, Temptation Alley & High Jump. Go Splash! with high-flying action at the Kurgo DockDogs Pool.

Shop for your dog ’til you drop with everything you need to spoil your pooch under one roof, with litters of Festival Specials, New Products and Free Samples! There’s even a Dog-Friendly Travel Hub featuring all the products to help unleash your next holiday!

Plus, you can meet and maybe find your next Best Friend in the ADVANCE Breed Showcase, Lyka Pat-A-Pooch, and Adoption Zones.

And here’s a treat: your Dog Lovers Festival ticket will give you a FREE ENTRY to the Cat Lovers Festival on the same weekend! Double the fun, double the fur!

VitaPet Arena

The 2024 VitaPet Arena will feature a cauldron of talented K9s in brand-new shows and all-time favourites!

Who’s the smartest, most nimble and just plain FASTEST dog on the block?! Visitors will discover when the VitaPet Arena brings out the best in our best friends in a range of incredible K9 challenges.

The 2024 VitaPet Arena is set to WOW with MC Farmer Dave guiding us through a range of thrilling shows, including;

• K9 Super Wall: One of the most iconic outback events is jumping back in 2024! Be astounded as high jumping dogs compete to jump over an ever-increasing wall to decide the winner (or a world record holder!)
• Dr Katrina, Kelly Gill & The Wonderdogs: Witness Australia’s most talented dogs Border Collies as they showcase a range of tricks and remind us what can be achieved when we unleash our inner Wonderdog!
• Mini Dog Races: Cheer for the underdog in the race that never stopped a nation; Mini Dog Races feature dogs under 30cm racing over 15cm jumps.
• Temptation Alley: an individual timed challenge where the dog is down one end of the arena held by a handler, and the owner is down the opposite end behind a finish line with the course covered in several ‘alleys’ of plush toys, treats, and other doggie favourites.

Kurgo DockDogs

The Kurgo DockDogs wow visitors with high-flying dog-jumping entertainment and competitions and will make a huge splash in the indoor 100,000-litre pool in 2024!

Big Air is a long jump for dogs! K9 competitors start anywhere on the 40-foot dock, then run and jump into the water, chasing down a throw toy tossed by their handler. The official distance is judged from the end of the dock to where the dog’s tail breaks the water’s surface.

Speed Retrieve pits pooches against a ticking clock! How it works: At the far end of the pool, a bumper toy is suspended above the water with a starting indicator above it. Competitors are positioned at the start line on the dock, and when the light turns green, the handler releases the dog to pull the toy from the Speed Retrieve bracket, stopping the time clock.

OPTIMUM DOGWALK

The OPTIMUM DOGWALK will showcase some of Australia’s top dogs, animal trainers, and Fur’shanistas, as well as expert guests and vets.

Marvel at talented dogs, working dogs, sporting dogs, internet-famous dogs, Dr Katrina, Kelly Gill and the Wonderdogs, surprise appearances from dogs with celebrity owners, and you’ll even get to meet some of the K9 stars of Channel 10’s new Dogs Down Under TV program (with host Lara Shannon) that we think are Everyday Heroes.

Don’t miss the Fur-ashion Parades, where you’ll see a wide array of internet-famous dogs impeccably styled. These paw-stars will be accompanied by ‘two-legged’ (hooman) models wearing leading Australian brands.

Shop ’til you drop!

The beating heart of the Dog Lovers Festival is a K9-inspired Expo showcasing some of the latest & greatest products & services to spoil your pooch.

From premium nutrition, tasty treats & pet friendly accommodation, to interactive toys, stylish accessories & home comforts for your best friend – it’s a great place to stock up for the year with many products & services focusing on canine well-being and happiness.

Without the valued Exhibitors and Sponsors, the Dog Lovers Festival could not happen. They encourage you to support these wonderful businesses that are taking part, especially as they love dogs just as much as they do.

Many Exhibitors are also offering Festival Specials to help save you money and giving away Free Samples for you pooch to test out and enjoy when you get home. There’s also lots of exciting New Products being launched on the weekend for all you early adopters!

Exhibitors will also be accepting credit card and EFTPOS payments directly from their stand as well as pre-orders, but it also helps to have some cash on hand to buy all the cool little dog accessories and treats in the shows.

ADVANCE Paws & Talks

Join “Ask-The-Breeder” sessions to discover the best dog breed for your home and lifestyle.

Our expert DOGS VIC breeders, accompanied by their canine companions, will share their extensive knowledge and experience, providing insights into the unique characteristics of various breeds and the importance of responsible breeding practices.

Additionally, explore a variety of fun activities you and your furry friend can enjoy together, from basic obedience to advanced agility training.

Adoption Zone

Every dog deserves a loving home for life. Adoption Zone connects dogs with potential pet-parents.

Visitors who want to know all there is to know about dog adoption will be heading straight to the Adoption Zone at the Festival. It’s where visitors may speak to dedicated volunteers representing Adoption and Rescue Groups exhibiting in the Zone.

The Dog Lovers Festival is committed to raising awareness about adoption and substantially increasing the number of abandoned and homeless dogs placed in loving homes. By allowing hundreds of shelters to exhibit at the Dog Lovers Festival since 2013, we have helped 2,500+ dogs-in-need find loving, well-suited homes.

Most of the exhibitors participating in the Adoption Zone will bring dogs available for adoption in Melbourne to the Festival however, visitors will be unable to actually adopt a dog at the Festival. Instead, they will be provided with all the right information and contacts needed to make informed decisions.

Lyka Pat-A-Pooch

Connecting with a dog and seeing their tail wagging in appreciation is one of life’s absolute joys.

There’s mounting scientific evidence to support the notion that a few minutes of stroking a dog prompts a release of ‘feel-good’ endorphins in humans. Like eating chocolate, patting a dog brings feelings of happiness, calm and relaxation.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Lyka Pat-A-Pooch will be one of the most popular attractions at the 2024 Dog Lovers Festival.

Visitors have the opportunity to interact with a multitude of dog breeds of all shapes and sizes, with a handler there at all times to provide trusted, reliable information about each pooch. Lyka Pat-A-Pooch presents a beautiful yet rare opportunity for kids (and adults) to get up close and personal with dogs – as well as take a much-deserved break from the busy-ness of the Dog Lovers Festival.

ADVANCE Breed Showcase

The Dog Lovers Festival ADVANCE Breed Showcase will return, bigger, better and hairier in 2024!

Love to see, compare and cuddle a wide range of beautiful dogs? Then, the ADVANCE Breed Showcase presented by DOGS Victoria will be your definition of heaven. It’s simply the best opportunity all year to get your fur-fix and gather valuable information on a wide range of beautiful dogs!

Domestic dogs come in all shapes and sizes, each with unique traits and personalities. At the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival, dogs from across Victoria representing a diverse range of breeds, from the rarest to the most popular dogs, will be eager to meet you in the ADVANCE Breed Showcase.

Dog Friendly Travel Hub

Discover the Dog Friendly Travel Hub at the Dog Lovers Festival, and unleash the ultimate holiday with your Pooch!

Are you planning your next getaway and can’t bear to leave your furry friend behind? We have fantastic news for you! Introducing the Dog Friendly Travel Hub, a brand-new feature at this year’s Dog Lovers Festival, dedicated to making travel with your dog easier, more enjoyable, and stress-free.

The Dog Friendly Travel Hub is your one-stop destination for discovering the best businesses that welcome dogs with open arms. From pet-friendly hotels and cozy bed-and-breakfasts to dog-friendly restaurants, parks, and beaches, the hub showcases a wide range of options that ensure your canine companion is always part of the adventure.

Australia’s Best Doggelganger

Think you and your Best Friend could be twins?

Get ready for a fun-filled Saturday exclusive event! We’re on the lookout for Australia’s Best Doggelganger – the perfect duo where human and canine share an uncanny resemblance. Whether it’s matching hairstyles, expressions, or just an overall vibe, we’re searching for those pairs that look almost too alike. It’s time to find out which dog-owner duo will take the crown in this unique and entertaining competition!

It’s a somewhat humorous and heartwarming new competition designed to celebrate the uncanny resemblances many of us share with our best friends. The competition culminates on the new OPTIMUM DOGWALK stage at the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival on Saturday, October 26th.

Two winners will score an exclusive Portrait Photoshoot that captures the uncanny resemblance between you and your best friend, a $250 cash prize plus other goodies from OPTIMUM and other partners. Portraits of the winners will be shared across social media platforms and websites, giving you and your pooch a moment in the spotlight and the potential to kick off a celebrity media career!

Doggy Face Painting

Kids will ador feeding their imagination having their face painted in the likeness of a favourite dog breed!

Our team of creative face painters will transform little and grown-up faces into favourite doggy breeds! Face paints are water-based make-up products safe on sensitive skin and suitable for all skin types, from young children through to grandparents!
Visitors are encouraged to choose a favourite dog breed that the artists will paint on their face! Nothing is too hard for this talented team.

Designs start from $5. Please note that given it is so popular wait times are likely during busy show times.

The Dogs Bar

What better way to celebrate our love for all things canine than by indulging in a glass of bubbly, wine or beer?!

The Dogs Bar was THE chill-out destination at this year’s Festival, perfect for those who enjoy indulging in an uplifting glass of something as they celebrate their love for dogs! It was also a great excuse to find a little ‘me’ (or ‘we’!) time at the Festival to bring your posse of friends and put your feet up.

Cafes & Food Trucks

There are plenty of delicious ways to pause and refuel while having the time of your life at the Festival!

Don’t let yourself get dog-tired while having the time of your life at the Festival. Puase, refuel, and get ready for more action by visiting the food-festival-within-a-dog-festival that iss off-the-leash drool-worthy.

Point your nose toward a Bull-mastiff array of food options and sink your canine teeth into scrumptious food and beverages at the cafes open all day long.

And, when the sun’s over the yard arm, kick back with a something a little stronger in The Dog’s Bar.

If you have a dog, want a dog or simply love dogs, secure your tickets now, before they sell out!