As the summer draws to a close, the Lynch van/Otterloo YMCA hosted one last event before shutting the outdoor pool for the fall: the annual Doggy Dip.
Dozens of pups spent Saturday morning hanging out by the pool, swimming and playing fetch in the water.
“Just watching all of the dogs having fun is my favorite part of this,” said Jan Missarski, a dog owner coming to the Doggy Dip for the first time. “They are just having a ball being with other dogs, sniffing each other, swimming and catching balls.”
Dog owners around Marblehead look forward to the event every year.
“Marblehead has such a wonderful dog community. We see a lot of the same people walking their dogs every morning, and the wider community really embraces it,” said Adrian Malley, an owner of a 15-month-old goldendoodle. “The fact that the Y is doing this just really shows how they support us.”
The event is a great way for the dogs to make new friends, and Jane Rizza, director of operations at the LvO Y, said it is also an opportunity to build a strong Marblehead community.
“It’s all about community for us,” said Rizza. “We are always trying to come up with ways to get people to come together, and dogs and kids are the best way to do that.”
“I think it’s a wonderful way to meet people,” said Gail Herzog, a dog owner who has been to the event for the last five years. “It’s a great way for my dog, Charlie, to meet other dogs.”
