All posts by Rene Averett

Ceremonies, Events, New Dogs

It Happens This Sunday! Be There!

Barks and Badges is happening at Rancho San Rafael this Sunday, August 2nd. The excitement starts at 10 am with the helicopter’s arrival about that time, so be there for the big moment!

We are so excited to have our event in this beautiful park. We will have demos, opportunities to meet the dogs and lots of photo moments. All of the Washoe County Sheriff and Reno Police Department dogs will be there – unless an emergency comes up. Don’t forget the horses. Part of the training is for the dogs and horses to work together, so that’s always interesting to watch. There’s also a special surprise, so don’t miss out.

We will have the kids’ area in the playground section, so there’s plenty for kids to do and see. Admission is FREE, although we do ask you to bring a can or bag of dog food to help feed needy animals in the community.

We hope to see you there this Sunday. Please leave your pets at home.

It runs from 10 am to 2 pm. We will be at the Pagoda Pavilion area. Do not enter the parking lot there as the vendors will be set up there. Please use one of the other lots.

We have food trucks and community information booths as well as a few businesses. To see the vendor list, go to Vendors.

Here’s a video of our K9 Partners president, Diana Lee, talking with KOLO about the event:

https://www.kolotv.com/video/2026/07/30/barks-badges/

Uncategorized

BARKS AND BADGES 2026 COMING AUGUST 02!

We’re one week away from our annual event, which is being held at Rancho San Rafael this year. we’re so excited for this new venue and the opportunity for everyone to meet and greet the Washoe Country Sheriff’s Office K9s and the Reno Police Department K9s! All of the dogs will be at this event, so it’s a great time for the whole family to come out and see the dogs and their handlers.

We will have four food trucks for you to grab a snack, ice cream, and/or lunch. You can choose from Taster’s Paradise Mobile Cafe and Bakery, Doggy Style Korean Corndogs, Letys’s Tacos, and Super Swirl Ice Cream. Please bring shade umbrellas or wear hats to protect against the sun since it’s going to be a hot August day.

The event opens at 10 am and it will run until 2 pm. Demonstrations will be on the green area behind the vendors and will include the dogs and horses. So bring your camera, get some great photos, and have a fun time.

Admission is FREE, but we are asking for a bag or can of pet food for charity to feed hungry dogs and cats.

Please leave your pets at home.

Mags & Ellie want you to come meet them on Sunday August 2nd.

Reno Police K9 Winter invites you to come out and meet her.

Events, Uncategorized

BARKS AND BADGES VENDOR APPLICATIONS

VENDOR SPACE AVAILABLE!

We still have openings for Vendors for Barks and Badges 2026 at Rancho San Rafael on August 2nd. Our spaces are FREE but we don’t provide tables, chair, sunshades, or set-up assistance. Whether you have merchandise to sell or information or samples to hand out, you need to complete the Vendor application.

Click on the links below to go to the application. You can print a copy from the page by using right click to access the print option. Or you can use Print Screen, but this may take a couple of prints to get the entire application. Or you can email: info@k9partners.org to request a WORD file you can complete on your computer or tablet.

VENDOR APPLICATION

We may have one opening for a Food Truck. Email info@k9partner.org to request more information.

The deadline for acceptance of the application is June 30th, so if you are mailing it, mail early. If you email, you have up to the 30th to get it to us.

If you have any questions, email info@k9partners.org.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT IS JUNE 30, 2026!

POSTER AVAILABLE

If you’d like to download and print this year’s K9 Barks and Badges poster, you can do that from the link below. Feel free to display it at your business or workplace. Help us spread the word about this FREE family event.

2026-B&B+Poster

Events

Barks & Badges – Save the Date!

K9 Partners is excited to announce that Barks and Badges will be moving to Rancho San Rafael in North Reno this summer! Plans are underway to bring you an exciting and fun event for the whole family (except pets – please leave your pet children at home).

When: Sunday, August 2nd
Time: 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Rancho San Rafael – Reno, Nevada
Admission: FREE

Please note: While the admission is free, we are inviting you to help us feed pets in need by bringing a canned or dry pet food donation.

More details will be coming as we get closer to the event. Vendor request details will be posted soon.

Poster for 2026 Barks and Badges

New Dogs

Welcome to K9 RIPP!

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office has welcomed a new K9 the team. We, at K9 Partners, are proud to have purchased K9 Ripp, along with all his equipment and training, for the WCSO K9 Unit, made possible by the generous donations from all of you!! We hope that K9 Ripp and his partner, Deputy Clark, will be a huge asset to Washoe County and provide many years of safety and security for the people here.

From the WCSO’s welcome: Sheriff Balaam and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office family are proud to introduce the newest member of our K9 Unit, K9 Ripp.

Born on March 10, 2024, K9 Ripp is a highly athletic Malinois–Shepherd mix with excellent obedience and a very social demeanor. From the start, Ripp has shown that he is right at home with his new family and eager to get to work. He is a dual-purpose K9, highly trained in narcotics detection, apprehension, and tracking, and will proudly serve our community alongside his partner, Deputy Clark.

“K9 Ripp’s athleticism, strong work ethic, and confident temperament make him an outstanding addition to our K9 Unit,” said Sheriff Balaam. “He is already proving to be a valuable partner to Deputy Clark, and we look forward to the impact this team will have in keeping our community safe. I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to Washoe County K9 Partners. Their continued support and strong connection with our community play an invaluable role in supporting all of our K9 teams.”