Fashion forward pooches paraded at Woofstock

　　While the weather was dreary, the mood was anything but at the 8th annual Woofstock festival for dogs yesterday.

　　Front St. was a sea of people and their canines, which stopped to greet each other while their owners shopped at the more than 250 vendor booths that lined the street from Jarvis to Yonge Sts.

　　“Dogs are the new family now. Sometimes I don’t know who’s happier – the people or the dogs,” said founder Marlene Cook, as she managed the stage behind the Flat Iron building, where a fashion show had just ended and people were lined 10-deep to see the Stupid Dog Tricks show.

　　“We love seeing all the dogs down here,” said Catherine Lawes, who came from Whitby with her husband Richard Lawes and Chopper, their three-year old English Bulldog.

　　A crowd gathered around them as their 91-lb pooch met up with a three-month old English bulldog named Bodi, who promptly lay on the ground and began to make swimming motions with his legs.

　　“He doesn’t like to walk,” said owner Amanda Clark.

　　It was hard to tell if the food the vendors were serving up at the dog love-in was for people or their pets, but the VIP tent was certainly for the latter.

　　A red carpet and swags led down to the area, which was a place to “relax and rehydrate,” said Rachel Silva, who was managing the lounge. But, she clarified, only for the dogs. Owners could register online for the tent and the 500 spots filled up in only 10 days.

　　Nc Wan had stopped in with her three dogs, Bean Bean, an 18-year-old Chihuahua, Tong Tong, her four year old Jack Russell and the dog’s father Bo Bo, 9.

　　The pets obediently sat in a stroller usually reserved for her 17-year old Daschund who she left at home. “I’m more in control and I can shop,” said Wan, when asked why she used the stroller.

　　Every pet accessory under the sun was available from vendors, including funky collapsible dog bowls, free pet ID tags advertised as “amber alerts for pets,” soccer jerseys and even vacuums with special pet hair attachments.

　　People crowded around Nicole Cadarette, who had dyed her 17-month old female poodle, Isis, pink with an all-natural dye. “We love dogs,” said the pet groomer, when asked why she came all they way from Windsor to attend the festival. “They’re so much a part of your family that it’s great to see people enjoy them as much as I do.”

　　Cook, who runs the Sunday Antique market, started the festival eight years ago at the Distillery with 40 vendors, but it quickly outgrew its original venue and moved to Front St. five years ago.