Dog Park Diversions

There were lots of dogs and lots of smells today

I was warned. I was told that the Dakota Dog Park was really crowded on weekends. Now I've been there on weekends and it wasn't so bad. Well, it was raining, I have to admit!

So today, a Saturday, I went to Dakota Dog Park because I am still seething about the drama at Ross Dog Park over a week ago. Aren't I a typical girl? I hold grudges. I don't forget. But I might reconsider... when I'm ready.

So today I showed up at Dakota and the parking lot was full of cars. Most of them had bumper stickers on them.. paw prints, "My Rotweiller is Smarter than your Honor Student" .... you know the kind. There were families with little kids and people with three and four dogs. I knew it would be crowded but what I wasn't prepared for were the diversions.

Diversion #1: The Smell. You know me. I am a hound and I love to smell. But this was OVER THE TOP SMELLY. When I got in the gate, the first thing that hit me was the urine smell. I didn't know where to start. All the smells ran together. We finally got going on the path once I greeted a few dogs and their owners. And things were a bit better. But I had to stop frequently and sniff because there were so many new dogs there!

Here I am smelling the many smells.

Diversion #2: The Treat Guy. There is a guy that comes to the dog park with a big sack hung around his neck. I know him. He hands out treats... to his dog and to ALL THE DOGS. His dog seems to walk backwards just looking at his owner for treats. I don't know how the dog gets any exercise that way. I was trotting around the path minding my own business when I saw this guy throwing treats on the ground for his dog.

Of course that piqued my interest. I trotted right over and looked at the man expectantly. He threw me not one but two treats! And I didn't even have to sit for them! Free Treats!  So I decided to quit following my owner and follow THE TREAT MAN. He was kind of like a Pied Piper. He kept throwing treats and I kept eating them!

Finally my owner called me.... well, about 20 times. The lady with the man shooed me away knowing I wasn't supposed to follow them. I reluctantly turned around and followed my treatless owner.

So did I get much exercise at the dog park... nope! I only made it around the path once before we left. I wonder why?