ADOG - A letter from the President

A Letter from the President

I would like to begin this letter by thanking all of you who helped and supported our recent “Paws Around The Fountain Adopt-a-thon”. We were able to raise several thousand dollars for the PACC911 emergency medical fund to help these rescued animals and we found over 70 homes for needy pets. I believe all of us who worked on this event were very pleased with the results. With the success of this event in mind the board of directors voted to conduct another PAWS event next spring. The town has scheduled our use of Fountain Park for Sunday March 29, 2009. With the lessons learned from this first time event we hope to have an even better adopt-a-thon next year!

The major renovations at Desert Vista Park have had an impact on all us. But even with things in a kind of turmoil my dogs are still enjoying themselves. I’m sure all of you are looking forward to the improvements we see taking place. Not all of it is the way some of us would like it, but we don’t own the park. The raised planter in the small dog area appears to receive the most negative comments. Its primary purpose is to stop the barking between the small and large dogs. Many enjoy seeing our dogs run up and down the fence line, but some of our neighbors in Morningside don’t care to hear all the barking. So to be good neighbors the fence is necessary. When the town realized they were taking up additional square footage from the small dog area for the raised planter they added an additional 20 feet of length to the small dog section. So in the end both the big dog side and small dog section lost a small amount of ground space. All may not be perfect, but I do think we are going to have a fantastic park when they complete all the work this fall.

I am also pleased with how hard the town and contractor have worked to keep the park open during much of this work. To maintain their schedule, it is necessary to close the park for two weeks during May 5th to May 18th. But the town has promised to try to keep the park open as much as possible, and thus far they have. Like it or not it appears that all of us are going to have to be a little patient during the months ahead. Taking that all in to account, I do believe it will all be worth it in the end.

Thank you again for your continued support. We’re always looking for new members to help keep our collective voice as strong as possible when working with the town. We would appreciate your help introducing ADOG to any new park patrons you happen to meet in the park or elsewhere. Have them visit our new web site at www.adog.org for information and an application. Please also check our web site every few days to stay informed as to the status of the park.

C. Jerry Wise

The President’s tips on keeping your pet happy,

and safe, at the dog park

We are very fortunate here in Fountain Hills to have one of the finest off-leash dog parks in the valley. Many of us who are regulars at the park can vividly remember the first time we brought our dogs to the park. It can be stressful to introduce this very special member of your family to a new environment, to run free with all of those other unknown pooches! “Will he be hurt or catch a disease?” is often foremost in our minds.

Here are some tips to help make that initial visit and each visit thereafter a safe and happy one. However, before you dive into the list below, please note that while these are recommendations based on my own experience and that of other ADOG members who regularly frequent the park, they are certainly not guarantees of dog behavior. As the person who knows your pet(s) the best, you will ultimately be the best judge of how to introduce your dog to any new environment.

Your first visit: When you enter the park the first few times, don’t be surprised if you’re instantly greeted by a pack of dogs. This applies especially to the small dog section. It can be somewhat intimidating to allow your pet to be surrounded by unknown dogs. However, after a few minutes of sniffing they normally will accept your dog as part of the gang. After several trips to the park they won’t even pay much attention as you enter.
Remember to “lose the leash”: This is an off-leash park. Dogs can be defensive when they are restrained, so take your dog off leash as soon as possible when you enter the park so that they are free to run and interact.
Don’t cuddle Fido: Do not carry your small dog into the park or you can expect to have dogs jumping up on you trying to get at your pet. Dogs typically want to sniff and say hello, not hurt your guy or girl. So to keep from getting knocked down or nipped by one of these boisterous dogs, put your pet down immediately. This may be one of the hardest and scariest things you do when you first visit the park. Also, your dog may want you to pick it back up, but please show tough love and let your pet fend for itself and adjust to the other dogs at the park.
Avoid dog fights: Most dog fights happen over who owns a toy or gets the special food treat. So be aware of that fact if you want to play ball or carry treats for your dog. Also, I have witnessed more fights by the two-legged dog park patrons over the years then by our pets. If you should witness a dog fight, use caution trying to break it up. With the small guys a little water can work, but for a serious dog fight some experts recommend that two people pull the dogs apart by their rear legs.
Large and small don’t mix: There is a small and large dog section for a reason, so if you’re tempted to take your small dog in to the large dog section, please realize that you may be putting it at risk. All it takes is for one large dog to think your fluffy little guy is a rabbit or a toy. This could result in serious injury (or worse) and could happen in a matter of seconds! No one can stop you from doing this, but none of us want to see any park patron needlessly injured.
Caution with children: Please remember – this is a dog park, not a children’s park. If you want to bring small children to the park, please keep your eye on them at all times and try to restrain them from running. The dogs may think they want to play and one of the big guys might accidentally hurt them. Always, whether small or large, even the most passive dog could react aggressively if startled or lunged at as a small, curious child may tend to do.
Read the rules: Please read the posted Fountain Hills Parks and Recreation posted at the park entry and follow them consistently so that we can all have a pleasant and safe visit.
Enjoy and make friends! The park is normally pretty quiet during the week, but on Saturday and Sunday it gets busy both early and late in the day. You’ll find that if you come to the park at the same time each day, you will normally see the same people and their dogs. That makes it very easy for you and your dog to forge some enjoyable dog-centered friendships.

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