Dogs of all sizes filled the ground, trotting about in booties and colourful outfits. Others arrived in pet strollers fitted with fans to keep them cool – while one made its way through the crowd in a wheelchair.
It was Dogathon 2026, and it was hard to tell who was more thrilled: the canines or their humans.
Organised by the Veternak Club – the student council of UPM’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – and supported by FMT Lifestyle, the 26th edition of the event carried a playful “Jurapaws” theme.
Some dogs fully embraced the theme, becoming dinosaurs for the day in their fancy costumes.
The highlight of the day was the “Dog Race”, a fun run spanning over 1.3km. While some dogs were raring to go even before flag-off, others needed a little encouragement from their humans.
Despite it being a race, a few dogs opted for a leisurely trot instead, drawing laughter from onlookers.
Another crowd favourite was a demonstration by three K9 dogs from the Royal Malaysia Police, who showcased their discipline and keen ability to detect drugs.
One particularly amusing moment came when the handlers gave the command “diam”, signalling the dogs to stay still and be quiet.
But one dog in the crowd objected to this, barking right after the command, sending everyone into peals of laughter.
Visitors also enjoyed themselves at the “Pawfect Memories” station, where snapshots of their pets were turned into magnets. Many dogs also had a chance to flex their muscles at the “Pawventure Gym”, which featured fun obstacle activities for dogs and their humans.
A familiar face at this year’s event was Charles, a golden retriever returning for his third Dogathon. His furmum, Aileen Wee, shared that they set off from their home in Melaka at 4am just to make it on time for the day’s adventures.
“I wanted him to experience it again because he loved the race last year,” said Wee, 41.
In a heartwarming moment, Charles appeared to recognise this writer despite last seeing her about a year ago, greeting her with a wagging tail and a curious sniff.
“Events like this are very good as it gives dogs an opportunity to socialise,” added Wee.
A similar sentiment was shared by sisters Naadhiya and Jhanani Sivakumar, who were there with their pets, Olaf and Muni. Incidentally, they had learnt about Dogathon through FMT’s earlier coverage of the event.
“As pet owners, we don’t always know where we can bring our dogs or what we can do with them because of certain restrictions.
“That’s why something like this is nice. You get to meet other dog owners, talk to them, see different breeds and learn more about them, all in one place,” said Naadhiya, 35.
Jhanani, who participated in the “Dog Race” with Muni, said she enjoyed seeing how happy he was in his first-ever race.
“He was so good and although we didn’t train him, I was surprised he could jump the hurdles and go through the tunnel,” said Jhanani, referring to the obstacle course segment of the race.
“We synchronised so well. I was so touched that when I slowed down, he also slowed down to wait for me. He was so sweet,” added Jhanani, 32.
Angel Chen, 24, felt the same way. “I believe the ‘Dog Race’ helps create a stronger bond between dogs and their humans,” said Chen, who arrived just after 6am with her dogs, Leo and Ollie.
“I really hope Malaysia can have more events like this because we want our dogs to enjoy more outdoor activities. It was a good day out for our dogs,” Chen concluded.