Dogs delight during inaugural Port Paws festival

by TBR Staff - July 30, 2022

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tbrdog - 35 (1) — Photo by Dianne Ferrer, courtesy Kevin Wood

By Aidan Johnson

Not even the sweltering heat could slow down the dogs during the inaugural Port Paws Dog Festival held over last weekend, July 23-24.

The event, which took place on the Joe Erland Field on Caroline Avenue in Port Jefferson, was held on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dogs from all around Long Island came to compete in multiple events, including dock diving and maze running.

Ebonie Lewis with her dog, Hades. Photo by Dianne Ferrer, courtesy Kevin Wood

Several parties worked behind the scenes to make this weekend a success. Kevin Wood, creator of the festival, had teamed up with DockDogs, an organization that sanctions nationally recognized aquatic dog competitions. Wood shared the significance of bringing this festival to the village.

“About 18 months ago, I got a brand new English cream retriever named Brody, and those types of dogs love the water,” Wood said. “When I heard that DockDogs existed, I thought, ‘Why not be the first to bring them not only to Port Jefferson, but to a major municipality of Long Island?’”

The dog festival could not have been possible without the canine competitors themselves. Among them was Hades, a Belgian shepherd, with his loyal human companion, Ebonie Lewis. Every time Hades competed, the crowd howled in wonder as he lunged and soared through the air.

“They love him,” Lewis said. “He’s a crowd-pleaser and he accepts the attention all the time. It makes him do better when they scream out his name and cheer him on.”

Lewis, who has traveled far and wide to bring her dog to various competitions, was happy to have one in her own backyard.

“DockDogs goes everywhere, but it’s always been in the Hamptons, and then that’s it for Long Island,” Lewis said. “You would have to travel upstate, or to Florida. Some people even come from Ohio to get to these places.” On the success of the Port Paws event, she added, “This is better than I thought it would be for the first time around. It’s great.”

Tino Zicchi, employee at Natural Hounds. Photo by Aidan Johnson

Along with the competitive events, several vendors were present to sell different dog-related items. Among them was Natural Hounds, a Port Jefferson-based dog food delivery service. Tino Zicchi, an employee, said the company learned about the festival when someone came into their shop. They were more than happy to participate.

“It has been a really wonderful day,” he said. “I have seen some absolutely wonderful dogs jumping over there. My favorite part was when they put up a crane, and the dogs were jumping up to catch the toy in it. I have never seen that before in my life.”

Kaleigh Moffatt, a representative at the Maximum Canine stand, shared a similar sentiment. “It’s always nice to be able to get out and connect with the local community and be outside of our storefront for a day,” she said. “The dock diving dogs were all so amazing to watch. They all deserve big props. The whole event was very cool, and we will definitely be back.”

The Port Paws Dog Festival not only provided loads of entertainment over the weekend, but also supported a good cause. All profits from the festival will be donated to the Port Jefferson Harbor Education & Arts Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the Village Center and Harborfront Park, among other programs and initiatives.

Natural Hounds store embarks on a new journey in Port Jeff Village

by Kimberly Brown - August 27, 2021

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A new all-natural dog food store called Natural Hounds is making its mark in the Port Jefferson Village scene.

St. James resident Conor Wooley, 23, is not only the owner of Natural Hounds, but also doubles as the chef, creating new concoctions for nutritious dog food that includes meats, vegetables and grains.

He co-owns the store with his longtime friend, Rick Orlandi, who is also a St. James resident, and started their business venture back in 2018, operating out of the house of Wooley’s mother.

Trying to make as many appearances as possible at farmers markets and fundraisers, Wooley and Orlandi were determined to establish credibility for their business and build a clientele.

“The first year everyone was just kind of looking at us thinking, ‘Am I really going to buy dog food from 18-year-olds?’ So that was kind of a challenge, but then they kept seeing us come back year after year,” Wooley said.

The concept Wooley and Orlandi like to explain to their customers is their belief that there is no “dog food” and “people food” but more so only good food versus bad food. Their ingredients are outsourced from restaurant suppliers on Long Island and designed to be biologically appropriate for a dog to eat.

There are four wet food recipes for sale right now, namely turkey, beef, pork and lamb. The newest addition of crunchy biscuits and chicken jerky treats have been added to their menu, but Orlandi said there are more options available in store. Customers can opt for delivery for convenience as well.

“Comparing our brand to dry food brands is like comparing McDonald’s to a steakhouse. I never understood why other brands make their food so expensive. I always try to give value to the customer and will not have someone pay a ridiculous amount of money for dog food,” Orlandi said.

Mentioning how some customers have expressed their gratitude for Natural Hounds making their pups healthy again, Wooley recalled a customer who was preparing to put her dog down due to poor health until she was introduced to the company.

“We had a lady come in the other day and told us she was going to put her dog down, who was an old Yorkshire terrier,” Wooley said. “She gave him our original recipe and two weeks later he was much healthier and more mobile. So it’s nice to hear things like that and makes getting up at 6 a.m. to cook 500 pounds of dog food worth it.”

Wooley stressed that despite the saying “You are what you eat” is corny, it is also extremely true. When feeding animals an unhealthy diet, can change their personalities and their energy levels.

“It’s the truth if over the course of 10 years you’re feeding your dog something bad and their body isn’t functioning optimally, then they’re going to be in a much different spot than if you were to feed them natural meals.”

The business is looking to expand to other locations and thinking about adding a cat food section.

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