Monday, June 16, 2008
A doggone good idea
From the RoundTable blog
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Ric Hylton
Hylton is a self-employed resident of Salem.
Recently there has been some discussion as to the feasibility of a public dog park in Roanoke. The debate has not been so much about funding or location, but about the question of whether dogs can coexist freely. I've observed this practice both in private and public parks and know that it can work.
The point has been raised that dogs aren't herd animals and won't relate well to such an environment. True, dogs aren't herd animals, but they are pack animals. With very few exceptions they crave social interaction with other dogs. We must however acknowledge the fact that though dogs are naturally pack animals, the environment in which they've been living will have an impact on their social ability. Previously non-socialized dogs placed into a group situation are often overwhelmed and will behave uncharacteristically. This doesn't mean the dog is a bad dog, only that it is lacking in social skills. The remedy for this situation is constant practice and control along with incremental steps of interaction.
There also have been questions about the ability of dogs of different breeds to interact peacefully with each other. As an observer of dog behavior for many years, including domesticated, feral and wild, I've noticed that breeds have little impact on behavior. I would like to add a note to the previous sentence to clarify. Yes there is a difference between feral and wild. Feral dogs were once domestic, but have either strayed or been abandoned. These are usually the dogs responsible for the most damage, even more so than wild dogs. In my observation I've noticed breeds have little impact upon relationships. People's overestimation of breed influence may very well stem from projection of human traits onto their dogs.
I've been to several dog parks, public as well as private. I routinely attend Six Wags Dog Park in the Salem area. This park has been a godsend, and probably is the only reason I was able to keep my present dog. She is an Australian cattle dog, known for their intelligence as well as energy. This can be an extremely trying combination if there is no outlet. A high energy, bored dog is trouble waiting to happen. This was actually one of the nicer things we called her. After only her first visit to the park she was completely changed. It was if someone had flicked a switch inside of her. She has made many friends there and it has resulted in a dog we can take anywhere. We don't have to worry about her contacting other dogs or people while out and about. She naturally assumes that everybody will love her.
I have noticed that private parks seem to work better than public ones. This has nothing to do with the dogs at all. It has to do with the private parks supervision of the owners. They have the same expectations of the owners as the public parks, but have someone to enforce those expectations. As a rule, though, the owners who put the time and effort into taking their dogs out to these parks are very conscientious and caring. It is actually almost as much of a social event for the owners as the dogs.
A dog park can and will work. It brings about positive changes in both owners and dogs. Anyone who has doubts about a multitude of off-leash dogs getting along, just go visit the private park in the area on a Saturday morning and witness the 50 or 60 dogs having the time of their lives.
