AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Chat Area Lessons Learned at the Dog Park

I take Bruce to the dog park most days. Its about the happiest place I ever visit, with so much unconditional love and play going on that at times I can forget all the other crap that life hands out, but today even this oasis was defiled!

Entering and leaving the park is a supposedly simple process: To enter, one dog/owner combination at a time enters through gate #1 with the dog on leash, and once inside the secure area, the leash is removed and the dog enters through gate #2 into the park. To leave, the process is reversed.

Anyone in a state of total confusion over this concept? Anyone shaking at the thought of complying with a fairly simple set of rules?

This morning I saw both gates open at once and dogs escaping while 2 women chatted, oblivious to all around them, I saw dogs enter the park still on leash and get into it with other dogs as they feel threatened when they cannot maneuver as other dogs greet them, and I saw owners chat away on cell phone while their dogs crapped everywhere without the slightest thought of cleaning up after them.

My presentation of an enormous turd from a Great Dane to its owners feet brought about overt hostility from it parents, possibly for disturbing their phone conversations, but also applause from other owners!

If you take your dog to the park, be responsible for it: Bikes and walkers use the trail, so be aware of them and put the phone down just for a while?

Bruce knows he has to sit when approaching a gate, not to go through it until he is told to, and that if he does not obey, he does not get to go to the park! It took not entering a couple of times for him to get the message, but now it his routine: when I throw his ball, it doesn't get thrown again until its returned to the bench I'm sitting on, and placed beside me, and when I pullout a plastic bag and ask him to be a "Good Dog" he takes a dump.... not rocket science, just discipline

Its sad to see that while my dog is more responsible for his own actions than half of our country seems to be, and his quality of life is a consequence of those actions, other owners are often mystified about the concept, and tell me how "lucky" I am to have found such a smart dog......Duh!

Bruce has done a fine job of training you to do exactly what he wants.

You've been wrong about almost everything else, so I shouldn't expect anything different this time!

I had a "boss" once, before I bought the company and fired him, who would insist on spitting tobacco juice all over the area where customers entered the Dealership

At Christmas, I gave him a plaque which said:

"The standards you set are by definition the standards you are prepared to accept"

He looked confused, but thanked me anyway

Its true for so many aspects of life

It was meant to be humour! Geez...

So was my reply: I've added a smiley face so now you will be able to tell ?

Seems more snarky than funny...

Pug isn't a jerk!

hey jesse, lots of times it's all in how you decide to take it!
I agree on the training part; took Mr. Lunch to the dog park today and realized he has me trained perfectly. While, unlike Bruce, Lunch does not poop on command, he does have me perfectly trained to follow him around and pick it up whenever the mood does finally strike him! Never been much of a question at our house about who's the boss!

i guess Pug has an image problem with his doggie...

I'd love to have pictures of Pug picking up after this dog