Tips for Including your Dog in your Wedding Ceremony

I live in Colorado, and people here are nuts for their mutts! Leash-free dog parks and pooch-friendly businesses abound. Colorado Springs has been voted one of the top pet-friendly cities in the country by Forbes Magazine.

And this doggie-mania often extends to the wedding day. More and more brides and grooms are coming up with ingenious, creative ways to include their canine companions in the wedding ceremony.  Dog collars proclaiming "ring bearer" and flower girl", dog formal wear, and even doggie tiaras are available to dress up Fido for the big day.

But before you go doggone crazy about the idea of your pet struttin' its stuff down a petal-strewn aisle, there are some things you should consider--not the least of which is the temperament of your pet. Is the dog calm or hyper? Here are some clues: when the doorbell rings, does he look up, woof once, yawn, and then go back to sleep, or does she throw herself against the front door, howling in a frenzied fit that makes Linda Blair in the Exorcist look like Pollyanna? Does your mother wear an apron when she comes to visit (even though she hasn't cooked more than a Lean Cuisines since you left home), because it's a foregone conclusion that your German Shepherd is going to sloppily pounce upon her, firmly planting his front paws on her shoulders while slobbering in ecstasy?

Does the sight of a bird, squirrel, chipmunk or a piece of flyaway newspaper cause your mongrel to take off at a dead run, pulling along anything and everything in its path? When you say "sit", does your Golden Retriever give you a look that clearly says, "Sit this! YOU sit." as he stubbornly plants all four paws firmly on the ground and locks his back legs?

The answers to these questions will be a good predictor of how well your dog will perform on the big day. 

Now, after you've evaluated such temperament, you'll need to ask another person's opinion (and no, your fiance's opinion doesn't count--it needs to be an objective third party) as to whether or not your pooch is a good candidate for ring bearer, flower girl, best dog or some other wedding party attendant. Let's face it--you are not objective about your own pet--you either raised him from a pup, rescued him from the pound or he longingly followed you home. You've got emotional history and you're not objective. Get another opinion!

Assuming you and friend determine that your dog is fit to star in your wedding fandango, here are some tips to insure a smooth wedding ceremony for both humans and canines.

Appoint a dog handler to escort the dog down the aisle. Don't even think about having the groom up front calling, "Here boy, here boy. Come to Daddy!" It's not going to work. Either the dog will bolt down the aisle toward groom, knocking him over, or he'll take off in another direction, wreaking havoc as he's chased by your four year old (human) flower girl, your Uncle Earl, the wedding planner and the minister--who will ultimately subdue the beast by taking off his clerical stole and using it as a lasso.

Have the dog make his entrance, be it during the processional or to present the rings, and then allow him to be taken elsewhere for the remainder of the ceremony. Trust me--hanging out while you pledge your vows is not fun for the dog. You want the dog there for the cute factor only--once that moment has passed, it's over. Give the dog (and you) a break.

Make sure the dog has plenty of food and water prior to the ceremony. And make sure he has the opportunity to stretch his legs and relieve himself just prior to the ceremony (Note: this tip is also good advice for the entire wedding party!)

Consider having a small dog carried down the aisle by a wedding party member. This prevents escape and helps to keep the dog calm. I  once performed a ceremony where a bridesmaid carried a miniature poodle down the aisle and held it throughout the entire service. It was so quiet, I forgot it was there.

My worst doggie disaster was the Black Lab that had more energy than he knew what to do with. At an outdoor wedding on a mountaintop in Vail, the dog managed to get down the aisle just fine, but the couple had not heeded my advice for a doggie handler (in this case, it would have been a doggie wrangler) and the dog proceeded to prance about the mountainside, barking at and chasing everything that moved. The entire audience was focused on the dog rather than the bride and groom!

I often wonder if that couple is still married.