Our First Visit to the Dog Park

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Yesterday we made our first visit to the Leita Thompson Dog Park (http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM1EK0). The park is reasonably new. By new I mean it has probably been there a year or two, but we have lived in Roswell since 1983, so new is relative. When we first moved to the Roswell area, what is now the park use to be a very nice horse farm. The family who owned the farm donated it to the city of Roswell. Roswell in turn acquired more land around the farm thus creating the Leita Thompson Memorial Park around 2002, making it the second largest Roswell City Park. The dog park is a bit on the small side, only .75 acres for large dogs, and the park itself has over 2 miles walking trails through woods, fields and streams. Lots of room to exercise ‘the pack’.

Everyone was a bit nervous at first; Harlow was the first to settle in to play with all the other dogs in the dog park. The Boys took a bit longer to warm up to the idea of all those dogs. After approximately 10 minutes on their 15’ leads we were finally able to let them off lead to play. Harlow had a blast playing fetch with whoever threw a tennis ball, as well as playing tag with all the other dogs. DH and I were able to procure places on a bench underneath a large shade tree and watch as Harlow burned off some of her puppy energy.

After our visit, we had a very quiet household as all 3 dogs crashed for a looonnng afternoon nap.

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

I try to take Yankee to the dog park every day. We both love it there and he comes home tired and happy. He needs the playtime with other dogs since I only have one right now.

[Adina P]

If you know what you're doing and know your dog...there is NO problem with leashes in a dog park. Our rules state your dog must be unleashed...but obviously you have to leash up to leave. I helped MAKE the rules at our dog park and I break the rule if I'm brushing up on training using a parachute light line...I think of it as poetic license ;-) If you know the rules and why they are there then sometimes breaking them works fine =)
It's the owners who do NOT understand what a dog on a leash MIGHT do differently than off leash...THOSE are the problem times.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Since I have done a lot obedience work in the past, I don't really get tangled up in long leads. Our boys have a tendency to be 'alpha dog wannabes', the leads helped knock them down a few notches on neutral ground. We have a large fenced backyard but I wanted to work on socialization skills for all 3. We had worked with the boys about 2 weeks before going to the park. I wanted to remind them that, yes indeed, they had been through the obedience steps and the proper way to greet other dogs. We had been a bit lax with the boys during our younger daughter's senior year in high school due to Maddie being recruited by a few college women's soccer teams.

[Michele, Biscuit & Mo]

Dog park - the perfect way to completely wear out your doods! It's so good for them...

[Janie]

It sounds like you all enjoyed the park. My great big backyard is my dog park and they stay wore out running and playing all they want......I don't have the worring that comes with the dog park.

[Tammy & Gracie]

I've also heard that a lead makes a dog automatically lower on the totem pole of dogdom. I always fear for pups attached to leads in the dogpark. The more alpha dogs see that as a challenge or weakness and it seems to make them more brazen.

[fergie11]

Leads can be a real problem at a dog park. Didn't you get all tangled up.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

So happy that your first experience was a wonderful one!! Nothing better than watching our furkids have fun playing. And then spending the afternoon napping, dreaming of their day in the park!

Please take a piece of advice from someone who has been going to dog parks for a year - stay with your pups. I walk with Samantha to whatever part of the park she goes.
We have never had a problem until last month when a dog that greeted her so nicely (it seemed to me) decided for whatever reason to lunge and bit her on her ear She screamed (something she has never done before) and ran behind me. I was standing 2' away and it surprised us both but if the other dog didn't let go right away I was there to pull him off of her. You just never know which dog may be possessive over the tennis ball they found in the park, or which one may not like smell of your pups. If you are standing there you can intervene. Sorry to be a downer but I just want to help you keep Harlow safe!