Mark your calendar: The 26th Annual Dog Olympics is Oct. 7

Cheer canine athletes, celebrate the human/animal bond and help raise funds for homeless dogs at the 26th annual Dog Olympics at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 7.

Dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes are invited to participate in athletic and non-athletic competitions such as the limbo, costume contest, longest tail contest, high jump and Frisbee toss.

The scheduled events include demonstrations from the American Kennel Club, Cary K9 Unit and Triumphant Tails.

An Olympic Village features 15 shelters and rescue groups, several canine health and CVM information booths, and more than 20 vendors offering canine-related goods and services. Several food trucks will also be on site.

For those competing, admission for owner and canine athlete is $3. Entry fee for each event is $2. Children 5 years old and younger are free. Rain date is Oct. 28.

The Dog Olympics is organized and hosted by the the student-run Companion Animal Wellness Club. All proceeds benefit local animal rescue organizations.

All dogs must be up to date on vaccinations and kept on a leash until competing. No dogs under four months are permitted. Please refrain from using flex-lead leashes at the event.

The NC State College of Veterinary Medicine is at 1060 William Moore Dr. in Raleigh. For a complete schedule of events and more information, go to cvm.ncsu.edu/annual-dog-olympics.