The boys at the dog park
There is a fabulous dog park about twenty minutes from our house. It’s huge and well maintained. There are benches and shady spots, water fountains and picnic tables. The park requires membership, which isn’t cheap, but it’s definitely a good thing because it helps ensure that the dogs there are vaccinated. However, it doesn’t ensure anything about the dog’s behavior – or the owner’s for that matter!
For the last ten months, we’ve only gone four times, despite the expensive membership fee. It’s never been particularly enjoyable for a variety of reasons – owners talking on their cell phones, people not picking up after their dogs, etc. And at this dog park Emmett got in his first (and only!) fight.
Our membership is about to expire. The boys really do love running the full 1.5 acres, playing with other dogs, and just doing something different once in a while – but I don’t know. I’m undecided. So before I write that check, I wanted to throw it open to you.
What do you think? Dog parks – fun puppy playground? Or bad idea?
Hi! Hmmmmm….
We have a nice one near us, that I would take our Golden, Honey (supertrooperhoney.blogspot.) to. It is part of a bigger park, but the park could decide to change things at any time. It seems that all of us hooomans, do some self-monitoring…so, folks know to pick up poop all the time, or someone will alert them, talk to the owner about any agressive doggies…etc… There are not fences, and this seems to work.
Perhaps there is another, lesser known area near you that might be free, and friendlier? The membership one must be private land to charge, yes? And, you would think if they were going to charge, they would screen the owners, or have rules and consequences?
Dog parks can be interesting, and odd places sometimes!
Best wishes!
Sierra Rose’s mom!
Emmett is not one to get into trouble with other dogs, but for some reason that park is bad news for him. It’s always the same type of comment from the other owners, “Sorry, my dog likes getting into trouble,” or “Yeah, my dog has a dominance problem.” Those types of dogs should receive a little extra training before being set loose into a group of dogs having fun and playing nicely. I say there’s no need to put sweet little Emmett into a situation where other dogs are going to start trouble.
What about possibly trying to co-ordinate a training session with someone from Petsmart or something like that? It could be for interested parties and everyone could chip in some. Lucy has been to 2 dog parks. She had a blast at the one in Annapolis, but doesn’t like the one down the street from us. At the one down the road, there were two dogs that were getting too aggressive, and both owners were just standing there, looking at them. I said, “They aren’t playing anymore,” and the lady said they were fine. So I just walked away. It’s a shame that most people don’t know what they’re doing when it comes to their dogs.
I think it’s interesting that a conversation about dog parks focuses entirely on people behavior! Sierra Rose’s mama is onto something… the humans need to do a little more self-monitoring. Perhaps because the park requires membership, the people take it for granted that all the people will behave?
It’s like Caeser says: he rehabilitates dogs and trains humans. Cristina and I will walk Lucy past people with their dogs, and they’ll be holding onto their dogs for dear life, while the dog is barking its head off. They always say, “He/she isn’t good with other dogs.” I always feel like saying it has nothing to do with the dog, and everything to do with the moron on the other side of the leash.