Dog Parks

[ZdogZ]

deleted by zdogz

[manymuddypaws]

My local dog parks are nothing butwild fields and coulees. There is a garbage can going in- and a poop bag dispenser right next to the beware of rattlesnake sign...I don't go there much in the summer...

-amanda

[milosmom]

The park we go to is well kept and maintained. They used chain link fencing and divided the park into 2 areas: the larger area is for big dogs and a smaller area is intended for smaller dogs. I'm horrible at guessing square footage but it is big.
There is one entrance/exit: you enter a "foyer" area and then open the gate to either the large or small area. There are trees, picnic benches, water bucket and spigot, poop bag dispenser, and trash barrels. Rules of the dog park are clearly posted. It is open from dawn to dusk & is free. This dog park is adjacent to a college campus and behind a museum. The campus is beautiful so Milo and I often opt to walk that instead, Milo gets more sniffs that way and he loves to watch the college kids practicing football and lacrosse.

We have another park in town that charges $45 if you are a non-resident of the township and $25 if you are a resident. You have to use a carded key swipe to get in. We haven't checked that one out yet.
Hope this helps.

[Michael Romanos]

If enough pressure is placed on town councils they will put up dog parks and dog walking trails. It needs a pressure group and the group needs to know who in the council has dogs or likes dogs - this includes those who are elected and those who are senior professional staff on council such as the Town Clerk ( or Chief Executive), head of Parks and Reserves etc.

In my little city of Upper Hutt, the mayor is a dog lover and a number of the elected councillors are dog owners - this constitutes the majority of elected councillors. So in Upper Hutt all the huge array of parks and tracks and trails and forests and bush walks are open to dogs - on or off leash as long as they are under control.

I would ensure a dog park has grassed areas and trees (big trees) - I have seen on the internet some wretched dog parks in the USA without vegetation - and if possible include a relatively clean creek or stream. I would like a dog park to have some obstacles at different heights suitable for dogs and maybe a man made hill or two.

[ZdogZ]

deleted by zdogz

[Dillydoodle]

I wish i could help out on this one, the only place that i know of around me is state land that has a river, some ponds on it , lot of tall grass ( and ticks !) and is an unoffical "off leash dog area". It is actually area that is ok for hunters to go bird hunting, they have sporting dog trials there, some folks do training there. There is no official off leash dog area in CT north of hartford that i know of, only this one place in simsbury/Avon. If any of the other CT people on the site know of a real dog park , i would love to know where it is. This unofficial area is great for people who have dogs that will come back when called- it is many acres wide and not fenced at all, so technically your dog could run out of there if it chose to. It is the only place i have ever been able to take Dillon to run free off leash with other dogs - our back yard doesnt count as it is very small, unfenced and i have to patrol the area well before i let him off ( no cars, no people, no dogs, no cats ) or he might run out of the yard ( hasnt yet, but could ) .
Emilie

[ZdogZ]

deleted by zdogz

[LittlePonzo]

We have a wonderful one near us..about 20 minutes away in Delaware. It is on the same grounds as basketball courts, playgrounds, a library, and walking trail. The park is large and enclosed by a green chainlink fence. There are separate entrances, on opposite sides of the park. One for large dogs and one for small. Both entrances have a "waiting area" where the dogs need to be unleashed before opening the actual door into the park. In the waiting areas there are trash cans, water fountains (at three different height levels-dog, child and adult), and poop bags. Throughout both sides of the park there are water bowls for dogs, benches, and big trees. The ground is covered in mulch, not grass. The benches are situated up against the fence that divides big side from small side, so both sizes owners can chat. So I hope that helps...oh, and since it's in a park already there is adequate parking.

[ZdogZ]

deleted by zdogz

[milles2]

In the Winter issue og Wag Magazine (wagmag.com) there is an article "Unleashing your inner activist" and it talks about starting a dog park. I think on Animalplanet.com there's a link to how to start a dog park.

[ZdogZ]

deleted by zdogz