Paint Your Pet’s Portrait Night
Thursdays
Make like Picasso with instruction from Art Institute of Chicago grad Ian Sherwin at Sit Social. Dogs can hang out in the lounge during class. sitinchicago.com
Guided Meditation
Twice monthly
Lower your Larry David–esque dog’s blood pressure with a little therapeutic focus at Shear Paradise Pet Salon & Spa in Mundelein. shearparadisepetsalon.com
Scott Smith’s All Animal Expo
Twice monthly
Wondering where to find gourmet roach food? This Noah’s ark of events at the DuPage County Fairgrounds has you covered. allanimalexpo.com
Pet Fest at West Fest
July 8 to 10
Send your pup through an obstacle course, then for some primping from a mobile groomer at this event-within-an-event at West Town’s annual street fair. westfestchicago.com
PAWS Chicago Beach Party
July 14
Spa services for your pet, beachfront cocktails for you at Castaways—all to raise money for the no-kill shelter. pawschicago.org
Spa Di Da Day
July 16
Why should pooches get all the pampering? Rabbits, cats, and guinea pigs can get massages and nail trims at this Red Door Animal Shelter event. reddoorshelter.org
Clear the Shelters
July 23
Pounds throughout the city and suburbs will waive adoption fees from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to help ease overcrowding. cleartheshelters.com
Windy City Pet Expo
July 23 to 24
At this megaevent in Schaumburg, get preventive heartworm treatments for your dog and enter him in a costume contest, all under one roof. windycitypetexpo.com
PAWS Chicago 5K Walk/Run for Their Lives
July 24
The only personal records being set at this pet-friendly Montrose Harbor trot are for number of pee breaks. pawschicago.org
Canine Carnival
August 4
At this festival in Palatine, artistic pooches can express themselves through paw-print painting, while intellectual ones can play games of skill. palatineparks.org
Pet Psychic Fair
August 7
For $20 and a little bit of your dignity, a clairvoyant will read your animal’s mind, based on a photo of it, at this Harmony House for Cats fundraiser. hhforcats.org
Chosen Man’s Best Friend and Factor Felines
August 11
The audience will drool over the models at this Anti-Cruelty Society fundraiser; the adoptable pets will just plain drool. anticruelty.org
Tails on the Trails
September 10
The Morton Arboretum opens its 16 miles of trails to dogs during this event, which also includes an agility course and—four magic words—peanut-butter-licking contest. mortonarb.org
Bark at the Park
September 13
Watch baseball with Rover at U.S. Cellular Field’s annual event, which celebrates pups with a pregame parade—and then relegates them to the outfield bleachers. whitesox.com
Dogtec Dog Walking Academy
September 16 to 18
Learn what it takes to be a professional pooch wrangler at this three-day seminar. (Note: You better be serious—it costs $850.) dogtec.org
Puppy Mill Awareness Day Walk
September 18
Put on your activist hat and march down Michigan Avenue in support of abusively bred dogs. thepuppymillproject.org
Puppy Party
October 1
Ever wanted to let a strange dog lick your face? Hinsdale Humane Society will have a kissing booth, among other, uh, treats, at its adoption event. hinsdalehumanesociety.org
Spooky Pooch Parade
October 29
Dress your mutt in his Halloween finest for this spectacle (with prizes!) at the Chicago Botanic Garden. chicagobotanic.org
PAWS Chicago Fur Ball
November 18
Talk about dogs having their day: This fundraiser at the Drake Hotel includes a buffet for pups as well as a spa with canine massages. pawschicago.org