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Hundreds of pets decked out with sequins, ruffles and hats paraded on Rio's famed Copacabana beach on Sunday in an annual pre-carnival extravaganza.
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The annual 'blocao,' a play on the Portuguese words for 'street party' and 'dog,' brought together dogs and their owners on the Copacabana promenade for a colorful concert of barks and samba accompanied by an unofficial contest for the best costume.
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Among them were a chihuahua disguised as a peacock, a Cinderella poodle and a bulldog from the feared Rio police's Special Operations Battalion.
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The crowd shimmied and wagged, sniffed and sambaed as dogs and owners grooved to a thumping soundtrack of traditional Carnival songs that emanated from the sound truck, itself dressed up as a dog, with a giant blowup black terrier attached to the front.
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Among the dogs, the atmosphere was nothing less than cordial. Hardly a snarl was heard. Tails wagged nonstop. A dachshund disguised as a hot dog between two foam buns sniffed at a standard poodle flamenco dancer; a dapper terrier in a bow tie courted a yellow lab with delicate fairy wings.
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But tensions were running high among the humans after a police officer breaking up a fight at a neighboring street party brandished his pistol in the midst of the thick crowd.
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Although the scare and the subsequent sudden summer downpour may have dampened the mood among the humans, the dogs were unfazed and continued to bark along to the music.
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'I don't usually like blocos for myself, but she's loving it,' said Angelica Nieva, the proud owner of a year-old poodle-Yorkie mix, Belinha, dressed in a flowing white wedding gown and demure veil. 'She's having the time of her life.'
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Packs of pooches sported smart neckties, pink tutus, jester hats, dashing tuxes fitted with satin capes, and a myriad of other get-ups.
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Roughly half the revelers were humans, the other half dogs, though the canine contingent was unquestionably the better dressed of the two.
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A disguised dog takes part in the 'Blocao' dog carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro.
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Dogs wear Brazil's national soccer team jerseys during the 'Blocao' dog carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro.
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People carry their disguised dogs during the 'Blocao' dog carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro.
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A woman poses with her fancy dressed dog during the animals' carnival, in Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.
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A 'Spiderdog' takes part in the dog carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro.
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