Since, I posted dog park pictures, I thought it was a good idea to follow up with a feature about some of the issues we've encountered at dog parks. Most of the time, the Lutz dog park is full of friendly dogs and conscientious people. But there have been times when we've experienced situations that could have resulted in injury to dogs and people. A couple of times parents have brought along children who are much too young. Toddlers and small children are at risk around dogs who are running and playing. One of my pet peeves is the crowd of people who stands just inside the gate and chats the entire time they're there. Now, I know after a long day at work, it feels good to unwind and talk to friendly faces. Weekend mornings, it's especially tempting to stand in one spot drinking that cup of coffee. But where you stand, so will your dog be. When you have six or seven people standing in one spot and each has a dog or two, you have a pack that is congregating and tearing up the ground. This situation is also more likely to fuel skirmishes. In Lutz, the crowd stands just inside one of the gates to the large dog area. It makes entering that area from the outside trickier and it has created a large dirt patch, from all the wear and tear. So, walk people. Take a leisurely stroll and chat along the way.Other issues include people who are inexperienced in dog behavior and unable to read signs of potentially dangerous situations, owners who don't supervise their dogs and those who look up in the sky when their pooch leaves a pile on the ground. Scott recently ran into the park person who oversees the Lutz park and she has promised to give him an official pooper scooper, so we can start scooping up the piles that are steadily increasing. There are plenty of waste bags in the dispenser, mind you, so no excuses for owners to not tend to this themselves. These dog parks have added such enjoyment to the lives of our dogs, and by extension to us. Complaints from owners to parks officials can threaten the success of the park. So, take care of the parks you are in and follow those rules they have posted at the entrances. There is a very informative page about dog park etiquette at FloridaPets.Net's library.
