A dog park is a park for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners.
A dog park is a park for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners.
Dog parks have varying features, although they typically offer a 4-to-6-foot (1.2 to 1.8 m) fence, separate double-gated entry and exit points, adequate drainage, benches for humans, shade for hot days, parking close to the site, water, pooper-scooper to pick up and dispose of animal waste in covered trash cans, and regular maintenance and cleaning of the grounds. However, it is a norm to pick up after one's own dog. Dog parks may also offer wheel-chair access, a pond for swimming and a separate enclosure for small dogs.
Some dog parks have separate play spaces for large and small dogs. Others have one large area for dogs of all sizes. There is debate about this issue, as some argue that dogs should be segregated by size, [1] while others feel that dogs of all sizes can and should socialize together.
In 1979, Ohlone Dog Park, part of Ohlone Park in Berkeley, California opened. It is widely recognized as the world's first dog park. [2] [3] [4] Similar to other parks in Berkeley at the time (such as People's Park), it was a community project on public land that was not officially sanctioned. [5] However, it was officially sanctioned by the City of Berkeley government in 1983. [6] [7]
Dog parks began as a reaction to decreased public space, urban development, and leash laws. [8] [9]
New establishment of dog parks in urban and suburban areas has seen significant increase since the 2000s. [10]
Communities re-purpose pools, ice rinks, hockey rinks [11] [12] and tennis courts in the off season as makeshift dog parks as an inexpensive, practical, and quick way to solve a problem. Municipalities allow zoning variance and/or tax incentive, and liability waiver for these. [13]
Dog parks are the fastest-growing segment of city parks. There were 569 off-leash dog parks in the 100 largest U.S. cities in 2010, a 34 percent jump in 5 years, while overall parks increased only 3 percent. Portland, Oregon has the highest per capita in the US with 5.7 dog parks for every 100,000 residents. Calgary, AB has the highest per capita in North America, with 15.9 dog parks for every 100,000 residents. There are now more American households with dogs than with kids of 43 million and 38 million respectively. "It's a playground for people without kids." [14]
In Houston, Texas, some dog parks allow children inside if they are properly chaperoned by an adult, while others exclude children. [15] The Houston Dog Park Association, a non-governmental club, said that adults should be cautious about bringing children inside a dog park and be aware that it is hard to keep a careful eye on both the dog and a child. [15]
A public dog park is typically a fenced outdoor area where people and their dogs can play together. Similarly, a dog run is a smaller fenced area, created for the same use, that is often located within an existing park. Public dog parks are most commonly operated by your city or county's parks department and are frequently part of a park. As the names imply, these places offer dogs off-leash play areas where their owners can enjoy a park-like setting and the chance to socialize with other canines and their owners. Public dog parks are being established all over the country and offer a wealth of benefits to dogs, dog owners and the community as a whole. Unless they are well-lit, most public dog parks are open to the public from dawn until dusk. Some public dog parks have vaccination requirements but are not typically staffed or enforced unless there is some kind of incident which is reported to animal control.
A private dog park is an indoor or fenced outdoor area where people and their dogs can play together. Private dog parks are most commonly membership based and run as a for-profit business. Private dog parks can also be run as part of an apartment complex or community center. Some private dog parks combine other businesses such as retail areas, boarding, dog training, daycare and grooming services. When private dog parks are staffed, they commonly inspect dogs for lice and oral papillomas upon entry and supervise play. Toys and common play areas of private dog parks are commonly sanitized on a daily basis to ensure cleanliness and to prevent the spread of bacteria and diseases. [16]
Off-leash dog areas, or dog parks, provide a community setting in which people can gather and socialize [17] and where they can observe the interaction of groups of dogs at play. Dog parks allow owners and their dogs to spend time together and offer dogs a space for play and companionship with others. [18] Leashes can cause dogs (which are territorial animals) to become territorial. [19] Roaming free is beneficial for dogs.
Organizations like the ASPCA regard dog parks as beneficial to dogs and to dog owners. [20] According to Dan Emerson of DogChannel.com, proponents of dog parks cite the following benefits: "They promote responsible pet ownership and the enforcement of dog-control laws; give dogs a place to exercise safely, thus reducing barking and other problem behaviors; provide seniors and disabled owners with an accessible place to exercise their companions; and provide an area for community-building socializing." [21] Dog-park regulations vary from park to park; some are quite extensive and comprehensive. [22]
Studies have shown that people find it easier to talk to each other with dogs as the initial focus, breaking down the usual social barriers that make people perceive others as strangers. [23] [24] Some dog-owners are unable to properly exercise their dogs and could benefit from taking their dogs to a dog park. [25]
Additional benefits of a dog park to the community include promoting responsible dog-ownership [26] as well as accommodating dogs and their owners in a public open space, which has been shown to lead dog owners to higher levels of compliance with relevant laws. [27]
The benefits of exercise for dogs are well documented, [28] although dogs can learn and reinforce bad behaviors if owners are not vigilant or careful. [13]
According to advice from experts such as Cesar Millan, dog parks are not able to substitute the act of walking dogs daily. [29] [30] It has also been recommended that dog owners walk dogs for 35 minutes, before placing them inside a dog enclosure, in order to adjust dogs to the urban environment. [29] Dogs that are highly socialized and exercised are healthier, happier, and less aggressive in behavior. They are less likely to bark or be destructive or aggressive if they are able to expend pent-up energy during regular play or exercise. [31]
It has also been noted that establishing a dog park may create contention within a community when residents worry about noise, smell, and traffic. [32]
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. National parks and country parks are green spaces used for recreation in the countryside. State parks and provincial parks are administered by sub-national government states and agencies. Parks may consist of grassy areas, rocks, soil and trees, but may also contain buildings and other artifacts such as monuments, fountains or playground structures. Many parks have fields for playing sports such as baseball and football, and paved areas for games such as basketball. Many parks have trails for walking, biking and other activities. Some parks are built adjacent to bodies of water or watercourses and may comprise a beach or boat dock area. Urban parks often have benches for sitting and may contain picnic tables and barbecue grills.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing animal cruelty. Based in New York City since its inception in 1866, the organization's mission is "to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States."
A puppy mill, also known as a puppy farm, is a commercial dog breeding facility characterized by quick breeding and poor conditions. Although no standardized legal definition for "puppy mill" exists, a definition was established in Avenson v. Zegart in 1984 as "a dog breeding operation in which the health of the mill’s dogs is disregarded to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits". They are cited as being a result of increased demand for household pets, especially after World War II. The Veterinary Medical Association of the Humane Society of the United States defines the main characteristics of a puppy mill as "emphasis on quantity over quality, indiscriminate breeding, continuous confinement, lack of human contact and environmental enrichment, poor husbandry, and minimal to no veterinary care."
The Papillon, also called the Continental Toy Spaniel, is a breed of dog, of the spaniel type. One of the oldest of the toy spaniels, it derives its name from its characteristic butterfly-like look of the long and fringed hair on the ears. A Papillon with dropped ears is called a Phalene.
A hearing dog is a type of assistance dog specifically selected and trained to assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing by alerting their handler to important sounds, such as doorbells, smoke alarms, ringing telephones, or alarm clocks. They may also work outside the home, alerting their handler to sounds such as sirens, forklifts, and a person calling the handler's name.
A leash is a rope or similar material used to control an animal by attaching it to a collar, harness, or halter. In British English, a leash is generally for a larger animal, with lead being more commonly used when walking a dog.
A therapy dog is a dog that is trained to provide affection, comfort and support to people, often in settings such as hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, libraries, hospices, or disaster areas. In contrast to assistance dogs, which are trained to assist specific patients with their day-to-day physical needs, therapy dogs are trained to interact with all kinds of people, not just their handlers.
A dog collar is a piece of material put around the neck of a dog. A collar may be used for restraint, identification, fashion, protection, or training. Identification tags and medical information are often placed on dog collars. Collars are often used in conjunction with a leash for restraining a dog. Collars can be traumatic to the trachea if the dog pulls against the restraint of the leash, causing severe pressure to the neck. Use of a harness instead of a collar may be beneficial for dogs prone to tracheitis or those with a collapsed trachea. Conversely, dog breeds with slender necks or smaller heads may easily slip out of collars that are too loose. This can be avoided by using a martingale dog collar which tightens to distribute pressure around the neck when training the dog not to pull. Any style of dog collar must be properly fitted to ensure safety and collars should not be worn when the dog is unattended.
Duboce Park (\du-'BŌS\) is a small urban park located between the Duboce Triangle and Lower Haight neighborhoods of San Francisco, California. The park is less than one block wide from north to south and two blocks wide from west to east. Its western boundary is Scott Street, and its eastern boundary is Steiner Street. The park is part of the Duboce Park Landmark District.
In some countries there is an overpopulation of pets such as cats, dogs, and exotic animals. In the United States, six to eight million animals are brought to shelters each year, of which an estimated three to four million are subsequently euthanized, including 2.7 million considered healthy and adoptable. Euthanasia numbers have declined since the 1970s, when U.S. shelters euthanized an estimated 12 to 20 million animals. Most humane societies, animal shelters and rescue groups urge animal caregivers to have their animals spayed or neutered to prevent the births of unwanted and accidental litters that could contribute to this dynamic.
The Spanish Mastiff or Mastín Español is a breed of dog from Spain, originally bred to be a guard dog and whose specialized purpose is to be a livestock guardian dog protecting flocks and/or herds from wolves and other predators.
A pooper-scooper, or poop scoop, is a device used to pick up animal feces from public places and yards, particularly those of dogs. Pooper-scooper devices often have a bag or bag attachment. 'Poop bags' are alternatives to pooper scoopers, and are simply a bag, usually turned inside out, to carry the feces to a proper disposal area. Sometimes, the person performing the cleanup is also known as the pooper-scooper.
Point Isabel Regional Shoreline in Richmond, California, is operated by East Bay Regional Park District, and is a multi-use park for joggers, windsurfers, kayakers, photographers, picnickers, and people walking dogs. It has access for pedestrians and via public transit, private vehicles, and bikes. It also features a concession offering food for people and grooming for pets. A longtime community organization and nonprofit, Point Isabel Dog Owners and Friends (PIDO), is active in the maintenance and improvement of the park.
Temperament tests assess dogs for certain behaviors or suitability for dog sports or adoption from an animal shelter by observing the animal for unwanted or potentially dangerous behavioral traits, such as aggressiveness towards other dogs or humans, shyness, or extreme fear.
Dog walking is the act of a person walking with a dog, typically from the dog's residence and then returning. Leashes are commonly used for this. Both owners and pets receive many benefits, including exercise and companionship.
Ithaca Dog Park is an official dog park in Ithaca, New York and is part of the New York State park system. The park was initially developed by the Tomkins County Dog Owners Group, the city of Ithaca, and the New York State Parks Commission.
Ian Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and dog trainer. He received his veterinary degree and a Special Honours degree in Physiology & Biochemistry from the Royal Veterinary College, and a doctorate in animal behavior from the Psychology Department at UC Berkeley, where he researched the development of social hierarchies and aggression in domestic dogs.
Abandoned pets are companion animals that are either inadvertently or deliberately abandoned by their owners, by either dumping the animals on the streets, leaving them alone in a vacant property, or relinquishing them at an animal shelter.
A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging dogs include street dogs, village dogs, stray dogs, feral dogs, etc., and may be owned or unowned. The global dog population is estimated to be 900 million, of which around 20% are regarded as owned pets and therefore restrained.
Bremen Street Park is an 18-acre urban park, located in East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. The park runs parallel to both Bremen Street and the Mass Pike/Route 1A and acts as a green space buffer between Logan International Airport and the residential neighborhoods of East Boston. The park is owned, operated and patrolled by the Massachusetts Port Authority (MassPort). It is also part of the East Boston Greenway, a linear park and shared use path.
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