Mitchell goes to the dogs with inaugural pup crawl

MITCHELL — Downtown Mitchell went to the dogs — literally — during its first-ever Pup Crawl, an event designed to celebrate community, canines and local commerce. Organized by Jessica Anderson of Precious Paws Salon and Spa and Shelby Kannegieter of Protege K9 Academy, the three-hour event invited dog owners to explore Main Street shops, browse vendor booths and engage in a variety of pet-friendly activities.

Unlike a traditional pub crawl, the Pup Crawl was all about four-legged fun.

“It looked like usually it literally involved bar hopping with your dog,” Anderson said, recalling her research into similar events around the country. “We wanted to make it more about community, discovery, and socialization — for dogs and their humans.”

Jennifer Leither / Mitchell Republic

Participants visited local dog-friendly businesses, enjoyed a vendor fair, met adoptable dogs like Shadow from Purr and Ruff Rescue and even took advantage of a microchip clinic hosted by Pleasant Lake Veterinary Clinic.

One of the event’s most engaging attractions was a rat-find course, led by Kannegieter. Dogs were guided through straw bales to sniff out which of three PVC pipes contained a live (and safely enclosed) rat. The activity was a preview of what’s officially known as Barn Hunt, a nationally recognized dog sport that tests a dog’s ability to locate a rat hidden in a maze of straw using only its nose.

Jennifer Leither / Mitchell Republic

“It’s all about stimulating their natural instincts,” said Kannegieter, who runs socialization-focused classes at Protege K9 Academy. “It’s fun, but also confidence-building.”

Jennifer Leither / Mitchell Republic

Anderson also introduced a creative canine activity: a wine and canvas station — dog edition. Owners placed paint on small canvases sealed in zip-lock bags, then smeared peanut butter on the outside. As the dogs licked up the peanut butter, they created their own abstract art. The finished masterpieces were colorful and one-of-a-kind.

To top it all off, pups could sip on a mocktail from Yappy Hour — a dog-friendly wine, beer, or seltzer that Anderson hopes to start selling locally. “We’re even looking into licensing and producing it ourselves,” she said.

Jennifer Leither / Mitchell Republic

Anderson and Kannegieter hope to return in October with an official Barn Hunt competition.

“We really just wanted to offer something that brought people and pets together — and hopefully, got more folks downtown,” said Anderson.

Jennifer Leither joined the Mitchell Republic in April 2024. She was raised in Sioux Falls, S.D. where she attended Lincoln High School. She continued her education at South Dakota State University, graduating in December 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. During her time in college, Leither worked as a reporter for the campus newpaper, The Collegian. She also interned for Anderson Publications in Canistota, SD the summer of 2000. Upon graduation, Leither continued to reside in the Sioux Falls area and worked as a freelance writer for the Argus Leader for a number of years.
/jennifer-leither