Not far from where I live a new park complete with an enclosed dog run opened about a year ago. It’s great because all the other enclosed dog parks are quite a bit further, the place is always busy.

When I read an article this morning about a park in Novato, CA wanting to charge dog owners an annual fee to use their dog park I thought it would be an interesting topic to discuss with Dogsters.

Novato, which is deep into devising ways to cut its $3 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year, could become the first city in Marin to impose a “pay to play” fee for its public dog park.

“Most people don’t see that we’re having difficulty in this city with our money issues,” Councilwoman Madeline Kellner said. “People are just not aware. We’re asking people to help us here. But anytime you take something that’s been free and start charging for it, people are going to get upset.”

Shinault said the city would like to have a dog park membership program up and running by July 1. If at least 67 people are willing to pay $75 for annual dog park membership, the parks department would reach its goal of $5,000 in revenue for the next fiscal year. Or, a generous resident or local business could step up with a sponsorship offer.

As you can expect,  users of the dog park have not been very receptive to the idea of a new fee. The city’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department director, Pam Shinault, has had to deal with about 50 expense reductions in the parks budget. This has affected many groups, no one group is being singled out. However, I do wonder why cutbacks for other groups haven’t resulted in any kind of additional fees for them.

In a time when people are out of work, losing their homes, dealing with the increasingly high cost of living, being able to take your dog for some fun at the local dog park shouldn’t become a luxury for only those that can afford an imposed fee.

What to you think about the proposed fee? Give me a bark.

*Clarence and buddy at the dog park.

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This is a warning for the Canadian pups out there living in the Durham, Ontario area. At Poplar Park cupcakes with poison have been left on the ground making some local dogs sick after eating them.

Police in Durham region were called to Poplar Park on Ash Street at around 11:30 p.m. after at least three separate dog owners brought their pets to a local animal clinic when they became sick.

The owners said the dogs were in the park earlier that evening and ingested cupcakes that were left on the ground near a tree. Each dog became ill soon after eating the food.

The veterinarian at the animal clinic told police the dogs likely ingested a substance similar to anti-freeze, such as windshield wiper fluid.

Since the news about the poisoned cupcakes has become public two more cases have been reported. The park is now closed for investigation. The police do not know if the poisoned cupcakes were left to intentionally poison local animals.

This is the second poisoning story I have reported on in less than a month, the other was in Arizona. Read the rest of this entry »

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In San Francisco, CA there is a debate going on. Should dog walkers be licensed? It would be a way to regulate the industry plus a way to generate some much needed income for the city.

In 2007 politicians looked into the matter due to reports of lost dogs, verbal abuse, dogs being left in vehicles in the heat, all while being under the care of dog walkers. Unfortunately the issue fell by the wayside, as many issues do.

Due to major budgetary cuts to San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department the issue is back on the table.

As an industry that has long operated with little oversight, there is considerable debate over what regulations would have the most positive impact and who should enforce them. According to Nancy Stafford, co-director of Pro Dog, many dog walkers would prefer to be licensed through Animal Care and Control, which is already responsible for issuing canine licenses as well as providing guidelines for professional walkers.

Rec and Park owns the majority of land that dog walkers use and profit from (with fees that average $15 to $25 per walk) and sees the potential licensing proposal as a way to recoup some of its routine maintenance expenses. The details of how it would be enforced have not yet been fully worked out, says Lisa Seitz Gruwell, department spokesperson.

Seeing as anyone can call themselves a dog walker having some regulation for the dog walking industry does seem like a good idea. If someone is going to be walking your beloved pup wouldn’t you want to know they have some credentials besides the ad they posted on Craig’s List ? That there are certain rules to conform to in order to keep their license.

As I read this article I wonder if the issue of licensing is money motivated or a concern for the dogs?  Should they be licensed through the Rec and Park Department or Animal Care and Control? Give me a bark, let me know what you think.

* Voltas waiting for the dog walker.

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The group, Dog Park USA, is giving Dogster’s a chance to meet face to fur with their 2nd annual Meet In The Real Fur event. The event happens on September 20th,  be sure to mark it in your calendar so you don’t forget.

Calling all New Yorkers and close by states. The Dog Park USA is holding there 2nd annual Meet In The Real Fur at Madison Square Park again. The event will be hosted by some of the park administrators. Come meet Royal Bentely Deeogee, Mia and Gibbon some of the few who make the DPUSA run so smoothy.

The AKC will again be holding there Canine Good Citizen event and testing.

Admission is FREE. The AKC will be giving free give-a ways. Meet over 50 AKC breeds, Talk to there breeders and, get training tips. The AKC will be having obedience trials and contest and, prizes will take place all day long . There will be a booth to ask a vet any questions you may have. There will be a DISCOUNTED MICROCHIPPING booth also.

Run on over to the Dog Park to get the full scoop.

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I took the kids for their evening walk at the park tonight. It was another wonderful evening; 90 degrees, high humidity with a slight coating of city smog. Ahh, summertime in Atlanta. Truth be told, I actually prefer this type of weather, outside of the smog part.

The park we frequent is actually a civil war battleground and is heavily wooded with dirt paths for walking the dogs. There’s a creek in the middle of the park that we like to let the kids play in, and it’s something they look forward to all day. So much fun for them and so much fun to watch.

Tonight, as I’m walking along I see this big ‘ole dump in the middle of the dirt path. A big ‘ole canine dump. I think to myself, if the owner can’t be bothered to pick it up, they could at least have the decency to kick it off the path. It’s just common courtesy.

I walked over to the poop and, making sure there were plenty of leaves between my sneaker and the turd,  kicked it off the trail. As I thought about this latest incident, I realized the only reason I do this is so the rest of us dog owners don’t get a bad rap from the sad, dogless folks out there.

So I have to ask, when you see  dog poo on a trail, sidewalk, park path, beach, etc, what do you do? Do you leave it alone, pick it up with an extra doggie doo bag, kick it off the beaten path, save it for Rover to eat later?

Do tell.

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Our very own Mr. Henry passed this article on to me, but not just because it’s an interesting article,  he happens to be  the handsome pup in the picture.  Henry, a 1-year-old West Highland White Terrier, was captured as he cools off at Capehart Dog Park in San Diego.  Way to go Mr. Henry!

The article, on off- leash dog park etiquette, has some great tips on being a responsible pet parent. All dog parks have official rules, like cleaning up after your pet and making sure their vacinations are current,  but there are also some unwritten rules.  The following are some things to keep in mind.

Five things you should never bring to the off-leash dog park:

Food: This applies to both the human and canine variety. Whether it’s Fido’s favorite treat or a quick lunch for you, bringing food into the dog park is one of the best ways to go from zero to anarchy in a matter of seconds. And don’t think you can hide those morsels in your pocket–with a sense of smell that is 100,000 times greater than that of a human, they’ll find it every time. After all, they don’t have bomb-sniffing humans, do they?

Your own toys: Of course, bringing your dog’s personal toys to the dog park is fine–as long as neither of you wants to see them again. The beauty of the dog park is the communal atmosphere, so expect to see plenty of sharing, but don’t expect to see Rover politely return Fluffy’s ball when it’s time for her to go home.

Small kids: A dog park may seem like an ideal place to let your two-legged charges run loose as well, but even the friendliest medium- to large-sized dog can knock a toddler to the ground with so much as an enthusiastic greeting, causing inevitable conflict between parent and pet owner. Kid parks outnumber dog parks by at least 100 to 1, so for everyone’s safety and peace of mind, keep at least one hand on your tots when they’re in canine territory.

A leash: Though a must in most situations, a leash should never enter the dog park attached to a dog. Rather than keeping your pooch safe, being tethered to a leash can make your furry friend a sitting duck, unable to get away from dominant or aggressive dogs. Last year in San Diego, a Chihuahua/Yorkie mix was killed at Dusty Rhodes Dog Park when its leash kept it from evading an aggressive Husky. While the leash was obviously not to blame for the incident, it left the small dog open to attack.

An attitude: Your love for Lassie may be unconditional, but that doesn’t mean she can do no wrong. Always keep an eye on your pup and be ready to intervene if playtime gets out of hand.

By following the rules–both written and implied–the dog park can be a great place for everyone who is lucky enough to be owned by a dog. Let the butt-sniffing begin!

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My wife and I were out walking the dogs at the park earlier this evening when something interesting happened. Well, it wasn’t the most interesting thing that’s ever happened but I’ll mention it anyway.

Logan, our berner, sneezed. After he did, my wife and I both said, “Bless you” simultaneously.  This happened as if on cue without either of us thinking anything of it.

That got me to wondering on the car ride home, do other owners out there also say “Bless you” (or if you’re a Seinfeld fan,  “You’re so good-looking!”) when their dog sneezes?

So give it up…what do you do when your dog sneezes?

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John Woestendiek over at The Baltimore Sun has posted a list of the top dog parks in the country as selected by Dog Fancy.

Visit Dogster Local to find a dog park near you or add your favorite. If you don’t have one, start your own with this guide to building a dog park in your community!

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Today’s guest blogger is Mark Rogers, professional pet photographer, Dogster member and shelter volunteer. Mark helped out as a judge in our most recent World’s Coolest Photo Contest.

All dressed up and nowhere to go…

We’ve all done it. You see a photograph, subconsciously plant a thought bubble over one of the subjects and imagine what on earth they were saying or thinking at the moment. I do it all the time as I’m going through a day’s work and thought that for my guest posts I’d make it a group effort. I’ll post an image, and you fill in the blanks.

For today’s photo I’m going with a recent favorite I took at the monthly Chihuahua meet-up I attend at one of San Francisco’s many dog parks, Stern Grove/Pine Lake. The dogs are often in costume—some of them fairly elaborate—and the last time I went there were at least 50 Chi’s and other small dogs in attendance. It’s quite a scene.

Just make a comment on this post and replace “What was I thinking?” with your own suggestion. The winner gets 25 Zealies.

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