Does anyone take their fur kids to the park?

[Irishonly]

We have several dog parks close to us. I have been going to one for close to a year although I hadn't been in a couple of months. The kids had a blast. Ranger is in awe of one of the Great Danes and they played so hard. Sweetie plays with everyone unless she thinks a human is going to fawn over her, then she does the I am so adorable pose and it works. All of the dog parks around here are well maintained and the pet parents are pretty awesome too. We got to meet a retired Air Force dog today. His name is Chemo and he talks like Ranger does. I only wish I could have understood what they were saying. I think sometimes pet parents put me in mind of parents with toddlers. We fawn over all of them and are so proud when we get a compliment.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

1. I used to, and I think they're a great way to socialize your dogs.

But, personally after taking my 3 Big dogs (who moved and acted like a pack), I found that (my ex-wife) and I had more fun wandering away from the park and off the beaten path into the Niagara Escarpment. The dogs were very responsive, so being off leash was no problem, and it was fun for the 5 of us to climb rock formations, and find ghost train tunnels, and waterfalls and go swimming. But yes for sure, without the ability to do that, it is a great educational and bonding experience for the pets, and a bit for the owners too. Wish they'd build more of 'em.

[Irishonly]

2. That sounds wonderful

My dogs would love going to a place like Niagara Escarpment. I can't get to the dog beach as much as I would like but they like it there also. I hope more places for dogs will be built.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

3. Funny you said it... It was wonderful.

Those were some of the happiest times of my life. But, dogs die, couples divorce, leisure time fades, economic hardships encroach, and before you know it, you spend the day sitting at the computer with the dog by your feet, only dreaming of it. So do it when you can, if you can.

[Irishonly]

4. Yes, that is what you do

I am still grieving for my Sam and both Ranger and Sweetie are getting older. I cherish all of the time I have had with all of my pets. In these times, we do what we can. I would love to get them to the dog beach and other places but I can't. Pets are so much kinder than a lot of people. they teach you what unconditional love really means.

[TorchTheWitch]

5. Not dog parks but other parks, absolutely

One of the reasons I love living where I do is that there's a lot of parks and park-like places to go to some within walking distance. Though there's a couple of huge ones we have to drive to, they're only a few minutes away, and one of them is Valley Forge Park... enormous with loads of fields, woods, creeks, hills, etc. for tons of fun.

I don't much care for the local dog parks because there's too many stupid people with stupid dogs that don't know how to meet and greet properly. For that reason, it just isn't fun.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

6. yep you are right also.

Some dogs simply will not socialize with others, and often their owners are jerks. Also kids running around could be problematic, although thankfully I've never seen any bad incidents. But for people who live in big cities, or are buried deep in suburbia I think they are a viable outlet. Not everyone is blessed with nearby fields, and woods and hills to roam, as I no longer am too.

[TorchTheWitch]

8. Yeah, they'd be great if you live somewhere where there's nowhere

else to really go. I'm deep in suburbia, but we have a lot of parks and park-like places here. Most towns don't seem to be so lucky. I can absolutely see how they'd be a godsend to folks that don't really have anywhere else to go. I'm just really lucky that I live somewhere where I have a lot of other options even though I'm in the 'burbs. It's a rather boring town, but I guess that's the trade-off if you like all that outdoor landscape. I grew up with woods behind our house and lots of places like that to roam and play, so I guess it's kind of in my DNA that I like to be around that kind of land even if it means that there isn't much else interesting.

Maybe that's part of why I dislike winter so much... I feel house-bound and cooped up because it's just too cold to be outside roaming the land. It's also probably why I hate the city... no green stuff, but all concrete and steel. I feel like I just can't breathe in the city, and if I find a one foot square patch of grass or little tree somewhere in it I feel like I need to cling to it like a life preserver.

[Irishonly]

7. I have heard that about some dog parks

We have never had a problem where we go. I meet lots of stupid people with horribly behaved dogs when I walk my dogs. I walk at dawn's early light to avoid them.

[TorchTheWitch]

9. This whole area is a plague of stuck up people

that think they're the center of the universe and don't care how their kids or their pets behave or even themselves. One of the reasons I also dislike driving in this area - they drive with the same center-of-the-universe attitude. Land of the jerks. It's not as bad as the Main Line, but the Main Line has been creeping into our town for a long time.

Generally, I don't think anywhere you go you're safe from jackasses with jackass pets. Just walking the dog around the streets there's often some schmuck with a disobedient dog or two, dogs that jump their fences, dogs that break out of their fences, dipshits walking the monster off-leash while they navel gaze... they're everywhere, but around here the dog parks are where they congregate.