The Iowa State Canine Club will raise money for a good cause and provide a fun activity for dog lovers at the same time.

The club will host the first Iowa State Dog Show at 2 p.m. Saturday on the lawn of the Veterinary Medicine building.

There will be many events for people of all ages – as long as they bring their dogs. Any dog can enter the contest, said event coordinator Jen Slovak, junior in veterinary medicine.

Registration for dogs is at 1:30 p.m. and there is a $1 entrance fee, with an additional dollar for each event participated in.

All proceeds from the event will be used to buy items for the Ames Animal Shelter.

“Any breed, mixed-breed or mutt, is welcome,” Slovak said. The only requirement is that the dog is current on all of its vaccinations.

The dogs will be divided into groups of small, medium and large. Three awards will be given in each division. Dogs will be judged on cleanliness and friendliness.

Other activities will consist of a dog and owner look-alike contest, a costume contest and a race where the owner will try to balance an egg on a spoon and walk his or her dog at the same time.

The event judges will be Veterinary Medicine Dean Norman Cheville; Karen Kline, assistant professor of veterinary clinical sciences; and two Ames Animal Shelter employees.

Awards will be given to the top three participants in each category. All winners will receive a ribbon and an additional prize.

Businesses from central Iowa have donated many different items to be used as prizes, such as free dinners and 20-pound bags of dog food.

Jen Dykstra, sophomore in veterinary medicine and member of the Canine Club, said nearly 30 people have put in a lot of time to make sure the event is successful. “We’re all really exited about it,” Dykstra said.

Slovak said she hopes to raise enough money to buy new bowls, kennels and food for the shelter.

This is only one of many fundraisers that the Canine Club organizes each year for various charities. They also organize the “Dog Jog” in the fall and the bi-annual “Dog Wash.”