Francesca's Dog Talks: Dog Park Rule #3

Francesca is on a rampage about Dog Park Rules... Again! Today she saw no less than four dogs outside the dog park without leashes. Now she'd like to be off leash all the time but can't... because she follows the Dog Park Rules.

You might see a trend here. Every time someone breaks a Dog Park Rule, Francesca gets into trouble! No wonder she's so rule conscious!

Francesca's Dog Talks: Dog Park Rule #2

Hi, It's me Francesca. I've been giving talks on the Internet about Dog Park Rules. My first rule was kinda funny. But Rule #2 is very serious. Once a little dog was killed at a dog park near my house. The culprit was a Huskey whose prey instinct kicked in. No one could save the little dog. That was sad. So here's my next talk:

Love, Francesca

Francesca's Dog Talks: Dog Park Rule #1

Hi, it's me, Francesca. I love going to the dog parks most of the time. But there are times when people don't follow the rules and that makes me mad. Mostly it makes me mad because I am the one who gets in trouble! So here's my first talk about Dog Park Rules:

Now don't get me wrong. I know I am lucky to live in Vancouver, WA where they have such nice dog parks, but please, people... follow the rules!

Love, Francesca

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?

Cinnamon has a rough day

In case you want to know... I'm going to Dakota Dog Park today.

Yesterday was not what I expected. I was all excited to get to the dog park and do my sniffing and visiting. I got through the gate and headed for the notice board (I always check the notices to see what's new). A big yellow labrador came bounding down the hill to greet me. She was very sweet. We visited awhile and then I headed up the hill.

I went up to the area where the trees, meadow and great smells are and stayed there for awhile... smelling and rolling.

The nice lady who does doggie day care came by with her nice dogs. We greeted her and then I looked up toward the hill. There was a humongous animal looking right down at ME. Was it a dog or was it a horse? I wasn't sure what it was. It was just BIG! I was scared and it wasn't. I decided to bay... and bay I did. I howled my houndiest howl and let that BIG THING know not to mess with me. Eventually it came down the hill and actually ran like a puppy. It bypassed me and went to see the people. Phew!

So I thought all the problems were over. I headed for the upper gate and all of a sudden this blue "dingo-type" dog came up to me. I wasn't sure if he wanted to play or not. I turned around, kind of scared. Then it happened. He snapped at me. He growled at me. I got really scared. So I snapped and growled back. I haven't looked that mean in eons. But I thought that aggression called for aggression. He backed off.

I decided to check him out and see what he was. Was he a Dingo? Was he a Hyena? Or maybe just a mis-placed cattle dog. He saw me coming close and turned around, bared his teeth and snapped at me. I snapped back and it ended.

But that wasn't the end. Then my owner got scared and talked to his owner. She asked if she had a leash. Then she clipped MY leash on ME, hoping the other dog's owner would also leash her dog. I was led down the hill like a common criminal and I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! It was SELF DEFENSE! So, after all that excitement, we just left the dog park. I decided I didn't mind and gobbled down my treats.

Later, at home.... after my nap, of course, I was surfing the Internet trying to figure out what to do about the incident.

I came upon a discussion on thedogdendigest.com that was discussing dog fights at the dog park and the writer said: "Leash your dog. Reprimand him or her sternly. Then apologize profusely to the other dog's owner. If your dog was the instigator and has caused some harm or injury to the other dog, immediately and without equivocation offer to pay the vet bill."

Then I went to the DogPaw list of rules and it said: " Dogs MUST be removed from the park at the first sign of aggression." Well, DogPaw is in charge and I am TICKED OFF! As I was being led to the gate to leave the park, I looked up on the hill and saw that mean Dingo-dog running and playing. His owner did not "remove" him at all.

Today I think I will go to my old dog park, Dakota Dog Park. I need a break from all this drama!

Signed, Cinnamon the non-aggressive hound