Another Facebook poster said people at the St. Thomas dog park ignored her when she told them that her dog had an injury and couldn’t be leapt on by other dogs. That’s unfortunate, 
but I really don’t know what she expected people to do. The dogs are there to play. Yes, you can try to keep your dog away from another dog. You might succeed. But short of every other dog there being leashed so that this poster’s dog could play by himself, I don’t know how it could be guaranteed that no dog would jump on hers. I’d suggest taking the dog somewhere else until he has recovered.
I am a member of the STDOA committee. I have put a lot of my time and money into this park. I haven’t been there with my dogs for probably six months. Why? My dogs have particular problems that would require help from other people.
My Standard Poodle eats poop – from all dogs in vast quantities. He loves going to the dog park – it’s a huge buffet for him. My other dog loves the dog park as long as there aren’t many other dogs there. Unfortunately for him, there are. He wants to run and play by himself or with his brother. He doesn’t want other dogs sniffing him, playing with him or even being in his sightline. So, if I took him there so he could enjoy himself, I’d have to ask everyone else if they’d mind leaving. And with the poodle, well, I’d have to join with the cleaning crew and get all poop collected before I let him run loose. And keep an eagle eye on everybody else to make sure all poop, anywhere, was picked up while we were there. Pretty unrealistic.
All I do at the dog park is run after the poodle, stop him from gulping poop and clean up poop before he gets to it. Meanwhile, I 
have to keep an eye on the little one to make sure he’s not feeling overwhelmed by other dogs. If he is overwhelmed, he’ll snap and snarl at them – then somebody might accuse me of bringing an “aggressive” dog there. Or, worse, he might snap and snarl at a dog who doesn’t take kindly to it. He’s only a little dog, and could be hurt easily. And neither of them is comfortable with running, screaming children.
So I don’t go there. It’s ironic, having long dreamed of having a dog park in St. Thomas and having worked for its creation since this present effort started over two years ago. I think I have a perfect right to bitch about the fact that I can’t go there because there are too many people who don’t pick up their dog’s poop and there are too many children running wild. Dog behaviour, aside from outright viciousness, I accept: it’s a dog park.
And oh yeah, I smoke. But I will not smoke around you if I don’t see a cigarette pack in your pocket, and I do not smoke near kids or dogs. So, if you don’t smoke and see me standing by myself with a cigarette in my hand, please do your part by staying away from me and keeping your kids and dogs away from me. That’s if the dog park ever becomes a place that’s kept poop-free with only children who know how to behave themselves so that I can go back there with my dogs. And hey – picking up poop and keeping kids under control, those are the posted rules in our and every other dog park.
March 7th, 2011 - 11:21 pm
Dear Dorothy
In response to your first paragraph….Reece has Elbow Dysplasia, if people took the time to look it up it would not be called an “injury”, it is a chronic condition, nor would it be called a sickness or as I was told today “an illness” and he didn’t belong there, his condition is congenital, I certainly would not bring him if he had an injury (which can be cured) as people are putting it.
Over the last few weeks he has had wonderful outings and great play times, he is doing his best to avoid being dominated by other dogs, he is learning and when the limping starts we leave, usually a half hour and when I am asked why he limps I explain, and, I have met the most understanding people.
When my dog is grabbed from behind and taken down 9 times in a half an hour while the owner thinks its play, how much fun is it for my dog to be constantly pinned to the ground, so we leave in hopes the owner will smarten up or at least have enough command over his dog that when he stands there calling his dog a number of times, the dog will finally come to him…. unfortunately that would involve training and dedicating time which he has done none of!
I did not ask for any guarantees just consideration Dorothy, he can play with the best of them but with this condition, the vet has given him the o.k. to play with others and I was testing the waters so to speak and at times over protective but I keep an eye on him so even if he wanders away and does his business I can see it and pick it up while others are there for their own social gathering and don’t know what their dogs are doing.
My last dog was an Alpha dog and had to dominate and if he targeted an other dog I would intervene, and take responsibility give him a time out, and that was enough to break the tone and he would go back to playing but standing there mumbling your dog’s name in hopes it will stop just doesn’t work!
I remember meeting you Dorothy and I really enjoyed your company, and if we are truly animal lovers, we shouldn’t condemn a dog to a life of little socialization because he has a congenital disease anymore than we would do that to a human.
Thank you for your time
March 8th, 2011 - 12:49 pm
Hi Susan, how nice to hear from you. Poor Reece! Being dysplasia, I guess its name tells what it is. Like hip dysplasia, it isn’t something that can get better, just “managed”. I think your key word for Reece’s needs and all other dogs is “consideration”. Dog parks can be crowded and there’s a wide variety of people and dogs all jammed into a (usually) small space.
Sounds like Reece as well as my dogs will be well served by the new dog park which I truly hope we will get soon. We need somewhere with flat terrain where areas can be fenced off. What’s needed is a separate small dog area and also an area where just one dog can go to play fetch or just play by him/herself or with one or two good friends. In London I’ve taken my dogs into the small dog area when no one else was there. There’s usually fewer dogs and the poop left there is smaller (for Leo’s digestive system). But a standard poodle doesn’t qualify as a small dog, and I have had people say “what’s he doing in there?” Usually a graphic description of his eating habits and his bodily aftermath causes them to say “ok, ok!”
You’ve given me a lot to think about – I’m already thinking about another post on the sociology of dog parks! Thanks, and I hope to see you and Reece again at a dog park.
August 27th, 2011 - 8:35 pm
Honestly I use the small dog park as I am usually the only one in it. I love it for training as I get a nice open area that is fenced. If anyone wants to come inI will leave. If I were you I would use it. I find most people at dog parks know everything about nothing. I have been traing and showing dogs for 20 years and have found more stupid people in the dog parks than I can imagine. I just go and do my own thing and I really don’t care what they say. Good Luck.
August 27th, 2011 - 9:08 pm
Hi again! Yes, I do that too. I’ve done it even when it was occupied and people were really nice. I have a small and big dog, so we don’t ‘fit’ in either side. Problem here in our St. Thomas park is we don’t have a small dog area. There isn’t enough flat land to subdivide what we have into two fenced areas. There are two open areas so you can go to one if the other is too full, but all the others can come there too. The hope, if we get another park, is to have a 3rd long, narrow area fenced for training and ball-throwing. Plus the large & small dog areas. That would be nice!