Meeting people in a new town can be challenging. Luckily, University veterinary student Megan Simon found the perfect icebreaker: corgis.
When Simon moved from Lafayette to Baton Rouge for vet school, she didn’t know anyone. She started taking her now 9-year-old corgi, Chuck, to BREC’s dog park on Burbank Drive on the weekends. The welcoming atmosphere of the owners at the park sparked Simon to start a club for fellow corgi owners in the area, she said.
The club began in February 2016 as a Facebook page with three followers – two of which were Simon’s parents. Soon, it began to gain traction through word of mouth, thanks in large part to the natural curiosity that transpires when people notice multiple corgis in a single location, Simon said.
LSU SVM research technician and fellow corgi owner Daniel Garza was one of many to stumble upon Simon and her club. He immediately expressed such a strong interest in it that before long he surpassed the role of participant and became an organizer.
Despite scheduling conflicts ranging from football season to “Game of Thrones” viewing parties, the duo manages to plan events regularly. They have their usual weekend meet-ups at the dog park but have also had tailgates in front of the vet school, a puppy pub crawl and – their biggest event – a Halloween meet-up.
Their Facebook page, Burbank Corgi Club, continues to be their main method of communicating with members. After events, Simon and Garza – who both happen to be photographers – will post high-definition photos from the event including puppies playing in mud, running, sporting lobster costumes and making funny faces.
While Simon and Garza have many mutual interests, they also bring their own unique talents to the organization. While she tends to focus more on the logistics of planning club events, Garza enjoyed livening up the Facebook posts, Simon said.
Over the various meet-ups, members can learn more about their dogs and watch their personalities evolve. Some of the dogs are new to dog parks and need to take time acclimating to other dogs and people. The secret? Starting off on a leash and lots of treats, Simon said.
Once socialized, however, corgis are unstoppable. Because they are herding dogs, they tend to gravitate toward one another, get into small groups and chase whatever happens to be nearby, Simon said.
While the club centers on dogs, there’s no denying the incredibly human aspect of it. At the park, strangers share dog treats and stories.
Many of these relationships transcend outside the dog park. Simon and Garza are now best friends, and both of them have made friends through the club, they said.
Along with relationships, Simon and Garza have also watched the dog park evolve with the merging of the two smaller parks into one and the addition of benches and a gazebo.
That gazebo was home to one of their favorite memories of the club: Eevee’s birthday party. Another club member planned a birthday party for her corgi months in advance, sent out tangible invitations, bought decorations and had Garza post the event on the club’s Facebook page.
When the day of the big bash arrived, not even a thunderstorm could stop them.
They ended up all huddled under the gazebo and could not help but laugh at the sight of themselves holding up party favors in the midst of the torrential downpour, Garza said. Despite the weather, the crew made the most of the day.
“We’re very determined people,” Simon said.
The Burbank Corgi Club meets up to play on Thursday, August 31, 2017 at Burbank Dog Park.
