Second Chance

Beneful® brand dog food has announced its second Dream Dog Park Contest. Dog owners are invited to share ideas for the ultimate dog park for their community.

The contest challenges dog owners to dream big and get creative. What if you had $500,000 to spend to create the ultimate dream dog park, what would you do? It can be functional or just plain fun. The lucky Grand Prize Winner’s idea will help serve as inspiration for a half-million dollar makeover of a dog park for the whole community to enjoy.

Dog owners can enter the contest from now through June 21.

Watch this video with Jason Cameron to learn more.

"Bark For Your Park"

Would you like a dog park in your town?

Petsafe, a large manufacturer of dog products, has launched a national contest, "Bark For Your Park".

Winning U.S. city will be awarded $100,000 for a new dog park.

How it works:

1. Go to the website (above link) and nominate your city.
Tell how a dog park would impact your city in a positive way.

2. Tell all your friends, family members, community leaders, and everyone in your community to visit the website and log their support for the dog park.

3. Do all this before June 1st!

Petsafe will select 15 finalists and on July 13th they will post videos about each of the finalist communities.

THEN, between July 13th and August 3rd visit online, watch the videos, and vote for your favorite to win the dog park.

Winner will be announced August 5th

Dog Park Etiquette

Whether you go to a park that warmly invites dogs or to one that merely tolerates their presence, there are a few points of etiquette that you and your dog should follow.

A Park of Their Own?

The first point of etiquette is: are dogs allowed? As you approach that beautiful sea of green grass, you may confront a harsh reality: the ugly sign prohibiting dogs in the park.

Law-abiding person that you are, you turn away. To do otherwise could earn you a fine. But now what? With more than 700 dog parks scattered throughout the United States, this may mean a bit of a drive. But as more communities enact leash laws, dog parks are increasing in number.

For the uninitiated, a dog park is generally defined as a park where dogs and owners are encouraged to visit and has amenities designed to make the visit more pleasant. Some parks are enclosed and some are not.

Your dog should be fully vaccinated before taking him to any park. Preferably the dog should be spayed or neutered.

Doggie Etiquette

On leash or off? Believe it or not, many dog parks request dogs to be off leash, unless dog and owner are specifically traveling from one end of the park to the other. According to officials, leashed dogs are intimidated by off-leash dogs; leashed, a dog knows he does not have the same freedom of movement and tends to react defensively or fearfully. You may want to let him run around with the leash still attached, so you can grab him at a greater distance, if need be.

At a general park, however, keep your dog on a leash. Not everyone is dog-friendly, but everyone does have the right to enjoy the park unmolested.

Dog fights. Because they are on "neutral territory" in a park, dogs have less to fight about. Even territorial dogs become friendlier when off their home turf. However, fights do occur occasionally. Dogs that have the most fun at parks are those that have been well socialized at an early age.

Health issues. It is extremely important for your dog to have all of his vaccinations up to date (rabies, parvo and distemper, for instance). Likewise, do not bring your dog if he's not feeling well. He may get even more sick or make another dog ill.

Human Etiquette

Overly friendly dogs. Think of your dog's behavior as a reflection on your own manners. Is it polite to let a child run up to strangers and kiss them repeatedly? Well, it is not polite to let your dog run up to other people uninvited and plant sloppy kisses on them either. This is a major complaint at dog parks. Your puppy may be just the cutest bundle of love on the planet, but he is best reserved for people who can appreciate him, i.e. you and your family.

Scoop the poop. The biggest complaints arise when nature calls. The park is NOT a convenient place to let your dog do his business. Scooping the poop is always the responsibility of the owner. Dog parks almost always make this necessary task easier by supplying bag stations and trashcans.

Sometimes people are honestly unaware of where their dogs go when they are unleashed. You should keep an eye on your dog at all times.

In parks that permit rather than invite dogs, baggies may not be available. It is even more crucial that you bring your own; if you do not you may find that a once dog-friendly park has been declared off-limits to canines.

Watch out for your children. Some dog parks will not allow children under 10. This is because young children may become frightened by a friendly dog, or could get knocked down and hurt accidentally. Check on the age requirements at the park near you. If you deem your children too small, or they are fearful of dogs, you may not want to bring them.

If you do not have a dog park within reasonable driving distance, you may want to think about starting one. You can start by getting a committed group of dog owners together and contacting your city or county representative. Stress the benefits to people as well as to dogs, and explain how the park can educate the public on responsible dog ownership. With some help and perseverance, you may establish a dog park of their own.

Good idea: I learned not to bring dog treats to a dog park as you will find that most dogs will sniff out the treats and follow you everywhere.

Yes, Dogs Laugh!

We know when our dogs are happy, sad or frightened,
but do they laugh?

Charles Darwin, father of the theory of the evolution, once tackled this question in his book, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, published in 1872.

He noted that "the upper lip during the act of grinning is retracted, as in snarling, so that the canines are exposed ... but the general appearance of the animal clearly shows that anger is not felt." He concluded that though some people "speak of the grin as a smile," he personally could never verify that claim, much less actual laughter.

There is always a risk in anthropomorphizing emotions – that is, giving our pets human characteristics. For instance, it's a mistake to assume that your dog's guilty look is in response to knocking over a priceless vase.

He has no idea he did anything wrong five minutes after the fact; he just knows you're angry and is desperate to appease you, the pack leader.

But a researcher in Nevada believes she has found a method to prove that the breathy exhalations dogs make during play are a type of laughter. Her results were presented last summer at a meeting of the Animal Behavior Society. Patricia Simonet and a team of researchers recorded dog sounds in dog parks from a distance using parabolic microphones.

The breathy excited pants were later played in an observation room. The sounds elicited play; dogs picked up a toy and trotted over to a person or another dog (depending who was in the room). The breathy exhalation was found to have a different frequency than regular panting from exertion. Dogs have much more sensitive hearing than people, so it is theorized that they pick up on the difference and respond to it.

However, whether dogs actually "laugh" is still unknown. For the average pet owner, however, the question is academic. The joyous glint in a dog's eyes, the enthusiastic play bow and the happy bark all communicate the most important thing: "I am having fun!"

Dog Park Advice

Cheri Lucas, founder and president of Second Chance at Love Humane Society, a no-kill dog rescue in Templeton, California, gives advice on how to have a successful experience at the dog park.

In 1999, Cheri began mentoring under Cesar Millan,
the Dog Whisperer.

She believes that when you take your dog to a dog park or any other setting where there are other dogs, you have a responsibility to make sure he or she practices acceptable social behavior. Yet, dog parks often become a venue for excited, dominant and even aggressive behavior.

The key to having a successful experience at the dog park is for your dog to see you as his pack leader. Asking your dog to behave properly in any setting is futile if you have no position of authority over him.

Assuming you are practicing rules and boundaries with your dog on a regular basis, you may be ready to introduce him to the challenge of a dog park. Keep in mind that the dog park or any other play situation should be seen an as occasional treat for your dog, and should never be a substitute for his routine, structured walk.

It’s natural for your dog to co-exist with other members of his own species. However, a dog park is nothing like a pack in the wild! A dog or wolf pack in their natural state is calm, orderly and balanced. To make your dog park experience more like that of a natural pack, ask your dog to earn everything he gets prior to leaving the house for the park. This will set the stage for good behavior as the activity continues. Does this advice sound similar to raising children?

Since your dog can pick up on subtle cues you’re giving him, as you’re getting ready to leave the house, he may begin to exhibit excited behavior. Ask your dog to sit, wait and proceed calmly through the front door to your car. Challenge your dog one more time by requesting he sit and wait for you to release him into the car.

If you’re driving to the park with someone else, ask him or her to correct your dog if he becomes overly excited again. When you arrive at the park, go through the “sit, wait, release” ritual with him again before allowing him to exit the car.


Ebony, Koda, Ginger, and Brinkley ready to go to the Dog Park!

Rather than entering the park right away, take your dog for a brisk walk for 15 minutes, keeping him right by your side. Keep your demeanor calm, assertive and relaxed during this time.

When you arrive back at the entrance of the park, continue to enter the park with your dog on his leash. Continue your walk making sure not to allow tension on his leash. Once you are confident that your dog’s state of mind is calm and balanced, unsnap his leash and allow him to explore on his own.

Your personal challenge will be to remain relaxed yet vigilant. Remember that just because you may have perfect control of your own dog, others may not have control of theirs. As with children, playing can sometimes turn into fighting if intensity levels are not kept in check.

May your next experience at the dog park be relaxing, rewarding and balanced!

Dog Park Mistake

Dog Parks are a fun place not only for dogs but also for people. Great friendships can be made as well as many laughs shared.

Mistake number one...........bringing dog treats to the dog park.



Very similar to feeding ducks or birds at the park!