We are painting rocks to bring together one of the best communities we know, the community of dog lovers across the country. Port Angeles, WA started the rock painting and hiding movement in 2016 as a way to share joy and kindness throughout their community. Their movement has spread across the country to many communities such as Northeast Ohio Rocks!, Whidbey Island Rocks, and the Kindness Rocks Project. K9 Kindness Rocks represents more than a geographical community, but a broad community that shares the joy dogs bring to our lives by spreading a message of K9 Kindness Rocks. We launched (with great success) K9 Kindness Rocks at Camp Dogwood at our Fall Camp in October 2017.
The guidelines are simple, paint rocks and hide them for other dog lover’s to find in order to spread kindness to those who find them and a message of kindness to dogs. Once a rock is found, we love to see a photo posted in the K9 Kindness Rocks Facebook group, but even if no photo is posted, the rock is bound to bring a smile and some joy to the finder. Rocks can be re-hid for another person to find, or kept if the rock really holds a special meaning for the finder. If you keep a rock, keep it until it no longer serves a purpose for you or paint a new rock to put out in the world.
A K9 Kindness Rocks painting party is a great way to bring people together for an event at your dog related business, a rescue group, or community dog event. Materials are affordable, and children through adults enjoy painting and hiding rocks.
Many rock painting groups are out there, in order to identify a K9 Kindness Rocks rock, on the back of the rock put K9 Kindness Rocks and the symbol for Facebook (an “F” in a square). Feel free to add a personalized hashtag to follow your rock’s travels in the world.
We encourage you to scroll through the posts in the K9 Kindness Rocks group to learn tips for rock painting, recommended materials to use, and to get inspiration for your own rocks. Feel free to post questions or comments, as many people in this group can offer resources or suggestions for painting.
Most importantly though, play nice, keep your posts positive and supportive, and share the kindness. Feel free to invite your dog loving rock painting friends to join the group.
