| Author | Message | |||
     Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider  Post Number: 15033 Registered: 1-2003  |
I swung by the site of the new dog park yesterday, in the South Mountain Reservation. There will be a grand opening, whatever that is, on July 31. Starting in South Orange, head up the hill on South Orange Ave. Pass "The Top" apartment building and turn left into the reservation. (Um, is that legal? I actually came from the west.) If you hit the light at Glenview Rd, you have gone too far. Once in the park, the road turns to the right, and the dog park is there. It's currently still under construction. | |||
| spw784 Supporter Username: Spw784 Post Number: 923 Registered: 5-2001 |
Yes, It is legal to make the left.. I believe there is actually a left turn lane. | |||
| Zoesky1 Citizen Username: Zoesky1 Post Number: 1587 Registered: 6-2003  |
Do you need to buy a membership to this dog park, or can you just show up? The one near me in Livingston requires you to buy a membership. | |||
| Lucy Supporter Username: Lucy Post Number: 4705 Registered: 5-2005  |
Thank God! We can't wait to visit! | |||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15038 Registered: 1-2003 |
Zoesky1, I don't think so, but I don't know for sure. I find nothing about it on the Essex County web site. We'll know soon, though. | |||
| Joan Supporter Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 7779 Registered: 5-2001 |
I saw a large sign announcing the dog park as I drove past the turn off for it while heading east on South Orange Avenue this morning. | |||
| Shawna Citizen Username: Lucies_mom Post Number: 142 Registered: 10-2005 |
Yea! Thanks for the info Tom. | |||
| Lydia Supporter Username: Lydial Post Number: 2062 Registered: 5-2001 |
I got a letter today about the park - looks like everyone is welcome w/out anything registration required. My letter says the dog run is 2 acres (!) and an off-leash facility "offering dogs the freedom to run in open spaces and climb on exercise apparatus [sic]." The opening ceremony is Monday, July 31, 12 Noon at S Mountain reservation on Crest Drive in SO. Sounds way cool - | |||
| Bajou Citizen Username: Bajou Post Number: 1075 Registered: 2-2006  |
I was just up there and checked it out. I know they meant well but what a waste of money!! I mean did we really need an arched entrance that makes you think of the "Jurasic Park" entrance in the movie? What in gods name is that fountain/statue for? And why in gods name would you put gravel in a dog run? Bring goggles cause if dogs should choose to really run that gravel is small enough to get airborne. Should your dog poop (god forbid!) you will have to throw out half a pound of gravel with it when you pick it up? That gravel is going to be either trown out, washed away and disbursed within a year. Do they have the budget to refill that big area every year?? It is the picture book example of design overruling purpose, necessity and usefulness. All they would have had to do is to fence in the excisting cleared field, cover it in wood chips (I mean there are hundreds of dead trees around up there which would have made the maintenance cheap) and install a faucet with a basin that can be emptied through a drain. Instead we got shiney spanking new drinking fountains with attached dog fountains. Not sure about your pet but my dogs are not going to drink if water is spraying in an arch before it hits a very shallow plate. A dog cannot really take in water if it's shallower then two inches because they create a mini ladle by reversing the bottom of their tounge and with that lifting the water into their mouth. A great example of a well done dog run is Echo Lake park in Springfield. Low maintenance and lots of room to run, a couple of benches for the owners to sit down (didn't see one bench in our dog run so I guess bring your own folding chair). Anyway just seems that some of that money (I heard of a figure close to $200,000) could have been used in other areas of the reservation like more garbage cans and more police presence in the lots. | |||
| Bajou Citizen Username: Bajou Post Number: 1076 Registered: 2-2006 |
Hey Tom R.: Do you by any chance own a black lab (or lab mix) that you walk on a very long leash? | |||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15048 Registered: 1-2003 |
No, my only dog is a greyhound. His leash is only six feet long. Here is a picture of us. | |||
| Cerebrus Maximus Citizen Username: Xtralargebrain Post Number: 75 Registered: 4-2006  |
Cant wait to see how many trashy people show up with their menacing pit bulls and rotweillers. | |||
| cmontyburns Citizen Username: Cmontyburns Post Number: 1907 Registered: 12-2003  |
This is great news. (And if it ticks people off, I like it even more.) I'll be there with my hounds on the 31st. | |||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15050 Registered: 1-2003 |
I met a woman this evening at the Echo Lake dog park in Westfield. She lives in Holmdel and was visiting her family in Westfield and wanted to go to the dog park there, even though Holmdel has its own dog park. She says she likes Echo Lake better than Holmdel's park because there are more mutts at Echo Lake. | |||
| Shanabana Citizen Username: Shanabana Post Number: 768 Registered: 10-2005  |
Loved the picture, Tom. Now I wish I'd gotten that puppy! What kind of hounds do you have cmonty burns? There's a cool dog park on the west side of Manhattan with a big statue of a bone. I think the gravel is to thawart the mud bath, n'est ce pas? | |||
| ncakes Citizen Username: Wbwallflower Post Number: 276 Registered: 7-2005 |
Can't wait to bring the newest member of the family there now!! Shana- I saw the puppies you were talking about yesterday when we got our sweetheart.. so cute!  | |||
| Lucy Supporter Username: Lucy Post Number: 4717 Registered: 5-2005 |
WB can't wait to bring my baby to the park they just tug at your heart strings don't they?  | |||
| Bajou Citizen Username: Bajou Post Number: 1086 Registered: 2-2006 |
Tom what a great picture! I love greyhounds! Pinky McBrain is back...the trolliest troller of them all! | |||
| Maplewoody Citizen Username: Maplewoody Post Number: 1261 Registered: 5-2001  |
Why is the Opening on a weekday? I wanted to take our 3 Westies, but they'll have to wait until the following weekend or go up in the evening.  | |||
| Lucy Supporter Username: Lucy Post Number: 4727 Registered: 5-2005 |
Maplewoody they are adorable what are their names? I hope to see you at the dog park | |||
| Cerebrus Maximus Citizen Username: Xtralargebrain Post Number: 83 Registered: 4-2006 |
Bajou, What is it that I posted that made you refer to me as a troll? | |||
| Maplewoody Citizen Username: Maplewoody Post Number: 1262 Registered: 5-2001 |
Cooper, Quila and Hugo Mini Cooper, 3 y/o, Quila as in Tequila, almost 10y/o and Hugo the Boss...9 y/o, but Quila is really the Boss! They can't wait, and are excited for the new Dog Park! | |||
| Lucy Supporter Username: Lucy Post Number: 4732 Registered: 5-2005 |
They are sweet I hope they enjoy playing with my pup sometime. It will be social hour in the reservation  ! | |||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 3972 Registered: 11-2001  |
 I love him.... | |||
| ncakes Citizen Username: Wbwallflower Post Number: 291 Registered: 7-2005 |
SUCH a cutie pizza.. had the pleasure of meeting him and what a sweetie! Maybe our pooches can play at the park!  | |||
| Dego Diva Citizen Username: Fmingione Post Number: 765 Registered: 12-2003 |
YIPPEEE!!! I can't wait to go to the new dog park with my pooch!! This is long-overdue in our area, despite what all the negative nellie's have to say about it. Thanks for the info Tom and hope to see you there some time. | |||
| Oldstone Citizen Username: Rogers4317 Post Number: 808 Registered: 6-2004 |
bajou, 2 full acres of gravel? | |||
| combustion Citizen Username: Spontaneous Post Number: 248 Registered: 4-2006  |
Gravel? Yuck. Echo Lake is nice, it has grass which won't hurt their paws when they run like mad. Who's bright idea was it to put in gravel? By the way, I have a pit mix. She's happy, playful, and hasn't eaten any babies yet. According to what Cerebrus posts about pits, she must just be biding her time, waiting for the opportune moment. I also used to have a sweet rottie. She lived her whole life LOVING babies (human and animal!), she was a true love sponge. I get very annoyed by people who make assumptions based on stereotypes.  | |||
| Bajou Citizen Username: Bajou Post Number: 1119 Registered: 2-2006 |
Hey Pinky Brain I call em how I see em. The other bad part is that gravel heats up so it will get pretty steamy there. By the way to all you small breed dog owners...on really hot days remember that it can be up to 5 degrees hotter on the ground were your small pooch is, so just because you feel ok ( 5 1/2 feet in the air) doesn't mean your little pooch is. Always keep a close eye on them when it gets real hot. | |||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2162 Registered: 5-2005  |
So then we get hot dogs, and if they are real tiny, we get toasty buns too!!!! Only joking.... | |||
| tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 5292 Registered: 5-2001 |
Grass seems like a good idea now, but you should've seen Echo Lake back in March. Out of all that space there were only a few small islands towards the top of the hill where you could stand because of all the mud. Even the dogs wouldn't venture into most of it. Not that I'm advocating gravel, but Bajou is right; haul a wood chipper up there and get rid of some of those downed trees. | |||
| cmontyburns Citizen Username: Cmontyburns Post Number: 1910 Registered: 12-2003 |
No, Bajou isn't right. I drove up there to have a look myself, and it's one of the best dog parks I've ever seen. I can't believe that amidst all of our wishing and bitching and pseudo-organizing for a dog park, somehow, a giant, beautiful one got built. First of all, it really is big. Tons of room for even the most energetic runners to exhaust themselves. It's also got a lot of great agility toys strewn about, which curious dogs are going to love. (One of our dogs got addicted to the teeter totter at a dog park, much to our shock.) The place feels very much like a shrine to dogs -- something I'd say is appropriate, given the number of dog-crazy people in our towns. Which I see as a good thing. I guess Bajou's dogs will have to enjoy a more "appropriate" dog park elsewhere, while the other beasts in town are having a blast in the reservation. | |||
| Amateur Night Citizen Username: Deborahg Post Number: 1889 Registered: 5-2001  |
Westies -- Hey, those three are so cute! Are they good with kids? I would love to get a Westie! How do they feel about cats? | |||
| Marty Tuohy Supporter Username: Martyt Post Number: 89 Registered: 6-2002 |
Looking forward to visiting the dog run. I'm sure there are pros and cons on the various ground covers that could be used in the dog run, but I don't think it is crazy to use gravel. (Is the whole thing gravel?) I'm sure you could use wood chips but wouldn't that basically require replacement on a fairly regular basis? Anyway, this should be a really nice addition to the area. | |||
| Oldstone Citizen Username: Rogers4317 Post Number: 813 Registered: 6-2004 |
Short of me driving up there myself, is the entire 2 acres gravel? Are there hours of operation? Is there a website that posts rules and regulations? Anyone? | |||
| Bajou Citizen Username: Bajou Post Number: 1139 Registered: 2-2006 |
The entire site is gravel ... at least where the dogs can run. Cmonty might not agree but I am sure it will become apparent soon enough that gravel is not smartest but hey we did finally get a dog run. I am assuming the hours of operation are consitent with the hours of the rest of the park. I haven't seen the rules and regulations but that is an important point. The people who have been around long enough to remember the impromptu dog run get togethers in the park can tell you a few not so pleasant experiences. Like the dog owners who didn't pick up after their dog. Or the people that deceided to bring their kids down not realizing that when dogs run full speed they might knock into people (even our very dear very small people who can easily get hurt that way). But first and foremost the dog owners who have no control over their very dominant dogs, very missbehaved dogs, dogs that hump anything and anybody. Certain dogs do not belong in a dog park and if you have never taken your pooch to one realize that some of them do not appreciate when five dogs come running at them. Some dogs find it intimidating and some get overly defensive or downright aggressive when faced with a pack of strange dogs. Give your dog some time to adjust and recognize if that is not your dogs favorite venue. Adult unfixed dogs and puppies under 4 months should not visit dog parks. Most adult dogs are fixed nowadays (thank god) so if you throw a dominate unfixed male into the picture you can get a pretty bad dogfight. Same goes for unfixed females ... even fixed males will react to her feramones. Puppies under 4 months old should not go as adult dogs can carry parvo without getting sick from it. here is the rules for Echo Lake and since this is a State Park I would assume the rules will be similar. | |||
| Bajou Citizen Username: Bajou Post Number: 1140 Registered: 2-2006 |
Here are some links to issues with gravel in dog runs: http://www.petitiononline.com/LP030903/petition.html http://www.firstrunfriends.org/index2.shtml | |||
| Marty Tuohy Supporter Username: Martyt Post Number: 90 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks for the info Bajou. Anyway, as evidence of having too much free time, I just came across an article/review of "Unleashed: The Dog Runs of New York City" by Frances Sheridan. Looks as if we need to send a team of experts up to the run to investigate the specific nature of gravel being used. Hopefully it is not the dreaded "pea gravel" "For those neighborhoods planning to build a dog run, the book offers technical information such as which surfaces work best: Crushed granite is "durable, well draining and soft on paws"; quarter-inch pearl gravel mixed with rice gravel also is praised. Pea gravel "hurts some dogs' paws and provides spaces for bugs and fleas to hide"; cement is "hard on joints and ligaments"; and black asphalt "gets too hot in the sun to walk on and can tear the pads of paws."" http://www.nysun.com/article/18636 | |||
| Bajou Citizen Username: Bajou Post Number: 1152 Registered: 2-2006 |
I am pretty sure it's pea gravel. I have three dogs and one is not suitable for a dogpark as he gets defensive with other males. I will try it out my newly rescued dog but slowly and with care. Also realize that dogs like to wrestle with each other and that is just happy and healthy play. The signals dogs give before it get serious can be very subtle. Rural Area Veterinary Service is the outfit I worked with in New Orleans and they supply excellent training material for their license. http://www.ruralareavet.org/ The file below is one of their many training manuals. Go to Page 4 of the document to read about Animal Communication Analysis.
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| Oldstone Citizen Username: Rogers4317 Post Number: 816 Registered: 6-2004 |
Thanks for all the information, Bajou. |
