I was planning on talking to the Director of Parks & Recs about winter on-leash access to at least 1 park, but those in the know laughed and said he was a hopelessly hard case and I needed to take it to City Council. Sigh…Any tips on advocacy here? I may only have 1 shot.

You may want to check with some of the Dogsters in the Ohio-related groups. They may know something about the park.

Dogparks are for dogs to socialize with other dogs, not for owners to socialize with other owners or talk on their cellphones. Owners are often too busy socializing with each other to notice when dogplay is escalating into a fight or that chases after smaller or more submissive dogs is actually becoming prey drive. Also, dogparks are great to throw a ball and allow dogs to run, but regular walks should be their primary form of exercise and getting outside.

Bringing an underexercised, overexcited dog to a dogpark, especially if that dog is also undersocialized and unneutered, is asking for trouble. The energy of the whole park changes when an unstable dog comes through the gate and attempts to dominate the other dogs, or when a pack of dogs enters and tries to territorialize the park. The owners who allow this are totally clueless about their own dogs and their nature as pack animals.

Can you imagine a dog’s terror in being chased or bullied by other dogs, when he’s clearly not enjoying play but instead running with tail behind legs, while his owner idly stands by doing nothing? I’d never bring my children to a playground and allow them to bully others or to be bullied themselves, but that’s essentially what some dog owners do.

Dogparks are a great idea in theory but often not in practice. I now only go there when it’s less crowded, on weekday afternoons if I can, when there are not only fewer dogs and greater space but more likeminded dog owners – and calmer dogs.

Dog parks are a necessity! I have a young Italian Greyhound, which means he needs to be able to RUN, full speed, at LEAST once a day. If he doesn’t get his “sprint time” in, he’s way more active at home, in my small apt.

Dogs should all be neutered if they come to the dog park. I don’t know why this isn’t a rule, or why people bring their unneutered dogs!

I go to dog parks everyday in the San Diego area, and I’ve seen several dog fights, but an unneutered dog was ALWAYS involved. Pets should be neutered anyway!

Also, I agree with what Karen said about people who bring their dogs but then get all psycho when other dogs/their dog tries to play. Dogs don’t have hands, they have mouths. My 12lb dog is very playful, and uses his mouth when he plays. He’s NEVER hurt another dog, and 99% of the time, the dog he’s tempting will play back. If they don’t, then I divert his attention to a dog that will play. I can’t stand when people get all crazy, “Your dog is attacking mine! OMG! AHH.”

Dogs are animals…let them play and run around!

I would also add that I think unspayed and unneutered dogs should not be allowed. One person brought his boxer in heat to the park and couldn’t understand why all of the males wouldn’t leave her alone. Duh! Also the majority of the fights are caused by two unneutered dogs whose owner thinks they are playing. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I have ever seen a dog fight started by a neutered male.