A tail-wagging good time in the hills
Happy Tails’ picnic is a ‘paws-itively’ perfect day out for pets, parents
Published:Saturday | May 17, 2025 | 10:40 AMRollesha Laing/Assistant Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor
From river dips and tasty treats to fun games and the cutest doggie outfits, Happy Tails’ Paws, Peaks n’ Picnics returned for its second staging last Saturday, offering the ideal play date for dogs and their owners. Held at Rafjam Bed and Breakfast in Irish Town, St Andrew, the rocky, steep road to the venue was all worth it for a day filled with wagging tails and happy pets and owners.
Sharing how the concept came to life, Melissa Esliger and her 14-year-old daughter, Milena Esliger, both of Happy Tails, explained that it all started with a simple post on their Instagram page of someone having a picnic with their dog.
“The response to the post was very good, and we were quite surprised. So, we asked our community ‘would you like to go to a dog picnic?’ and we got a lot of positive responses; and last year I contacted Gabby (Gabrielle Burgess) from Suga Lifestyle, asking her if she could think of a location where we could possibly execute this, and her suggestion was Rafjam,” Melissa told Saturday Living.
Launched in 2020, Happy Tails grew out of Milena’s desire to create healthy, nutritious treats for her dogs after noticing the limited options available in Jamaica. With eight dogs of their own, she pitched the idea to her mom and, after thorough research, they decided to give it a shot.
“We were always bringing in [our] dog treats from Amazon, and, at that time, there was only one person [in Jamaica] offering natural dog treats, and we figured we could also provide other options,” Melissa said.
From there, Happy Tails launched with a single brand, Snif-Snax, which offers salmon and sweet potato treats. After seeing the demand for healthy pet options, they expanded their product line, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Creating events like a picnic is one way the Esligers hope to open spaces for the pet community to come together, socialise and offer support to each other. Among the dogs present were Shih Tzu mixes, Pomeranians, poodle mixes, an Australian Shepherd, and a few rescues.
“In Jamaica, we have a lot of natural resources, and this is a wonderful natural resource that I don’t think is taken advantage of in Jamaica. People don’t go to the rivers enough or hike the mountains enough, and coming here [to RafJam] with your dog gives them space to roam around and socialise with other dogs, which is helpful because dogs are aggressive when they aren’t socialised,” the Immaculate Conception High School student explained.
PROUD DOG MOM
Arriana Farquharson, a nurse and a proud full-time dog mom, kept a close eye on her two fur babies, Spot and Duchess, who were a little restless as they adjusted to being around other dogs.
“I brought them out here because I thought it would be good for them to socialise. They both loved swimming in the river, but when it comes to being around other dogs, as it’s their first time doing something like this, they don’t like it very much,” she said, adding that she’d definitely bring them again to help them get more comfortable.
In addition to offering physiotherapy services by Paws for Physio, Jamaican-inspired custom print clothing and accessories by Tag Dat, and pastries by Indulge Your Taste Buds, Happy Tails had a few of their products on display, ranging from shampoos to treats and supplements and accessories.
No stranger to participating in dog-focused events and donating to animal rescue initiatives, Happy Tails is also known and loved for its Yappy Hour, which had its second staging in March on the fields of Immaculate Conception High School.
“A lot of people in Jamaica don’t necessarily know much about the dog world, and Yappy Hour is a fun, interactive way to really introduce yourself to having a pet and finding a family with other dog owners. Family isn’t just someone you’re related to – it’s someone you can find comfort in. And, within the dog world, there’s a lot of comfort because you’re going to relate to people about your dog,” Milena said, adding that she really enjoys interacting with pet owners.
All dried off and dressed in denim, Chihuahua Katt snuggled close to her dog mom, Vanessa McDowell, who had her blanket spread out on the grass and treats in hand.
“She’s not a fan of cold water,” McDowell said with a laugh when asked if Katt had been one of the first in the river. “She only does warm water. But I brought her to a riverside picnic for the first time so we could spend some time together outdoors, and, by the looks of it, she doesn’t seem to mind.”