Puptown

Winter Fun at Puptown

 

No wind or snow can stop these guys from having fun!  A few impromtu photos of our local canine friends were taken this afternoon which will probably bring a few smiles your way. 

Enjoy.

 

Dog Fancy Magazine: Puptown Among the Best in the Country

(by David Goyer)

The June 2010 issue of Dog Fancy Magazine listed the top 40 dog parks in the United States and our beloved Puptown placed 5th!!  The article commented that, "despite our small size........we make up for it with big-time community spirit."  Kudos to all our members and volunteers who made this possible.

Remember:

• Keep you membership current
• Help Clean
• Volunteer a few hours every year

Bark in the Park - May 1st - Montrose Harbor

Puptown will be on hand for the annual "Bark in the Park" fundraiser - a 5k/3.2 mile walk (with or without your dog) to raise funds and awareness for The Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicago’s only private, open-admission humane society.

The event takes place in Lincoln Park at Montrose Harbor (exit 4400 north Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, head east to the Lake and look for the tents).

Registration opens at 7a.m. and the walk steps off at 9a.m.

We are joining a few other dog-friendly area volunteers to help get folks more involved with their local dog parks.

Puptown Nominated America's Best Dog Park

It has just been anounced - Puptown Dog Park is under review for Dog Fancy Magazine's Best Dog Park of 2010!

We are very proud to receive this nomination and thank the hard work and dedication of Puptown volunteers, the office of Alderman Mary Ann Smith and the Uptown Business Community.

We have submitted the follow-up paper work, now cross your fingers...

Hamlin Dog Park Fundraiser

Our friends at Hamlin Dog Friendly Area have invited us to their fundraising event.

"Bears vs Packers Fundraising Event"

Sunday, December 13th, 12 P.M.

Faith and Whiskey Saloon (1365 West Fullerton)

Admission will be $30 and includes food, beer and entertainment (after the big game of course).  There will also be a silent auction.

Proceeds go to the upkeep and maintenancew of their park.

Vox-PUP-uli: Strange or what?

A Puptown member wrote in to alert us to some odd goings-on. With permission, I am sharing her observation:

I was at Puptown this afternoon and saw something that may or may not be alarming: Around 1:30 P.M. a man on a bicycle came by and left a small red pouch clipped to the bottom of the gate -- it appeared to have a small amount of dog food in it. Within five minutes a second man walking three dogs came by and picked the pouch up. The second man appeared to feed his dogs some of the food then slowly walked away from the park area.

Strange, no? Does anyone know what this might be about? Please keep a look out. Could be nothing but just keep your eyes open.

Puptown Improvements: New Entrance and Tree

Some of you may  have noticed that a new tree was recently planted at Puptown. The tree is a River Birch, known for its exfoliating bark, pest resistance and distintive look in winter. Located at the southeast corner of the park, it is a gift in memory of David Wallace and his dog, Tyler. 

Another gift from David's friends and family will be a second entrance at the Northwest corner of the park (adjacent to the shed). As Puptown has become more popular, increased crowding at the entrance has become a problem. To reduce the ensuing risk of dog fights, a second entrance was proposed by the Puptown Dog Owners Group and approved by the Chicago Park District. 

Below are the drawing plans (click to enlarge). The entrance construction should begin soon.

We thank the friends and family of David Wallace for their generosity. The park will be a better place because of them.

Vox Pupuli: Sustainability at the Dog Park

by John Lenti

Innovative sustainability projects are being pursued at Dog Parks across the nation. For example, Bayview California's dog park received a $40,000 grant from Foster's Beverage Company to install solar panels for lighting and water pumps. San Fransisco is looking to convert dog waste into bio-fuel.

Puptown hosted a Wag for the Bag event in May to educate pet owners on sustainable dog products and services. Puptown hopes to make it an annual event -- a Green Flea Market. The Puptown Volunteer Group is dedicated to the principles of sustainability and strives to incorporate good design practice. Some areas where Puptown could reduce its carbon footprint:

• Create more permeable surface to prevent storm water from entering the sewer
  
  
• Eliminate plastic grocery bags
  
  
• Implement recycling programs

If anyone is interested in how they can help make Puptown more sustainable, drop a line to volunteer@puptown.org or leave a comment below.

 

Vox Pupuli: Picking Up After Ourselves - And Others

by John Lenti

Like most responsible citizens, I was taught not to litter. But what about the litter we come across on our daily activity? Should we step over it? Ignore it? Or do we have a moral responsibility to pick up litter we see?

I came across the following story at Working From Home Today, a Canadian blog. It was so applicable to Puptown that I wrote its author to ask if I could share it with you. The author enthusiastically agreed:

I pulled up to the dog park to witness all of these plastic bags rolling around in the wind. A bunch of people seemed to standing there, just watching them. So I walked up to one lady. "What's with the plastic bags?"

"They blew out of the ones on the fence." She was referring to the bags of bags that generous types tie to the fence for other people to use.*

"Is anyone going to do anything about it?" I asked.

"Who, like, the City?" the lady looked confused.

"No, the people just standing there!" I replied.

"I'm not chasing a bag in the wind!" She seemed angry I'd even suggest it.

"Well, we could at least try to get some of them," I said, stomping off.

But the lady was not the worst part of the whole thing. The worst part was the four other dog owners, all men, all aged 30 - 60, who then watched me, a heavily pregnant woman, run around a field chasing bags AND DIDN'T BOTHER TO HELP. One guy even stood there and watched as a bag rolled past right him.

There are no words.

Despite the free bags, there remains an inexcusable amount of dog crap all over the park.

When I read this I immediately thought about Puptown and Margate Park. How often have we seen plastic bags rolling in the wind? Aren’t we obligated to pick them up? Everyone agrees litter is the bad, but it is not enough simply not to litter. We must also pick up litter. In this war on litter, everyone is needed.

Remember what Edmund Burke (sort of) said: "All that is necessary for the triumph of litter is that good men do nothing."

Vox Pupuli: Chicago Spay/Neuter Ordinance Making Fur Fly

by John Lenti

In an attempt to curb dog fighting and animal overpopulation, Chicago aldermen Edmund Burke (D-14) and Virginia Rugai (D-19) are proposing that Chicago require all pet owners to spay or neuter their pets. The Pet Overpopulation and Safety Ordinance has become one of the most polarizing forces in the otherwise unified dog-loving community. 

The American Kennel Club, the Anti-Cruelty Society and the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) oppose the ordinance. The Humane Society, P.A.W.S, and Mayor Daley support the ordinance. Who would imagine that the Humane Society and Anti-Cruelty Society would ever find themselves on opposite sides of an issue? 

Vox Pupuli asked Dr. Scott Rovner from the Roscoe Village Animal Hospital why the CVMA opposes the ordinance. Officially, the CVMA worries that the ordinance will discourage otherwise responsible dog owners from visiting their vets, resulting in increased incidents of rabies. But Dr. Rovner actually thinks the ordinance is a good one and stands opposed to the CVMA.

The CVMA's position seems odd: spaying and neutering your pet is part of responsible pet ownership unless you are a breeder. The Pet Ownership and Safety Ordinance accommodates breeding. 

From my point of view as a dog park user and Puptown volunteer, the proposed ordinance would make things much easier. Chicago Dog Friendly Areas (DFAs) in general -- and Puptown at Margate Park in particular -- can get crowded. Introduce an intact dog to a crowded dog park, and the atmosphere becomes absolutely electrified. The Pet Overpopulation and Safety Ordinance would help toward the goal of reducing dog fights. 

The City of Chicago already acknowledges that special precautions are required when visiting dog parks. To obtain a DFA permit (required as of 2006), dogs must be up to date on their vaccinations, including bordatella, which protects against the bacterial strain of "kennel cough." This vaccination is required in most boarding and daycare centers as well, since kennel cough is easily spread in crowded environments.

If we acknowledge that crowded environments need special precautions to protect the health of the dog and their handlers, shouldn't spaying or neutering be considered a reasonable precaution?

What do you think about the Chicago ordinance and the dog park suggestion? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Raise a Glass to a Dog Park in Clarendon Park!

Clarendon Park Neighborhood Association hopes to designate a dog friendly area in Clarendon Park to do what Puptown has done for Uptown: enhance a sense of community, provide for the well-being of dogs and their guardians, and improve the safety of the park and surrounding neighborhood.

They're holding a benefit Friday, May 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Driftwood, a very cool dog friendly bar (1021 W. Montrose -- get directions). Suggested donation is $15. 

For more info, contact cpnassoc@gmail.com. And check out an active discussion on the dog park issue at Uptown Update.

Chicago Dog Park Bike Tour

If you're looking to check out other dog parks this summer -- and get some biking in while you're at it -- here's a challenging 24-mile loop starting at the Waveland Clock Tower that will get you to most of the dog parks in the city.

The Chicago Cycling Club put it together several years ago -- if anyone knows of an updated route, leave a message in the comments below.

Puptown Reviews at Yelp

It's recently come to our attention that Puptown has received a bunch of really great reviews at Yelp -- check 'em out here.

And thanks to everyone who left comments! It's great to see what people (and dogs) enjoy most at the park and ways we can improve the park experience for everyone.

Tribune Story Barks Up the Wrong Tree

by Bernie Heidkamp

At first glance, I was very excited to see a story about dogs and dog parks on the frontpage of the Chicago Tribune. Obviously, we're biased, but we like to think of the creation and maintenance of the Dog Friendly Areas in Chicago as one of the shining examples of a successful citizen-led, city-supported initiative to improve the quality of life for everyone in the area.   

I also realize, though, that the dog parks fly under the radar. People seem to discover a place like Puptown by accident or word-of-mouth. So frontpage-level publicity is obviously something to cheer.

Or so I thought.

My excitement died down almost immediately as I realized the story was full of blatant misrepresentations of dogs and their owners as well as the dog park experience in general. 

Relying on random anecdotes and a misuse of "data," reporter Lisa Black portrays dog parks of dens of iniquity, full of aggressive dogs and irresponsible owners.

Where to begin? Well, how about the photo that accompanies the story on the frontpage. It shows two dogs at Pooch Park in Skokie baring their teeth at each other. Obviously, we're meant to be fearful of these vicious creatures -- stark evidence of the dangers of dog parks.

Anyone who knows dogs looks at the photo and sees two dogs playing and having fun together. Yes, they are baring their teeth (mouths, of course, act as human hands in four-legged interactions), but from the submissive belly-up position of one of the dogs and the relaxed body language of the other, they are having a good time.

The caption does acknowledge that they are playing, but it adds, "Sometimes dog play turns rough and problems result."The shock intent of the photo is clear.

The misuse of the photo becomes a microcosm for the entire piece. Black essentially ignores what is actually going on in the dog parks to advance the thesis that, as the headline reads, "Dog parks bring out beast in some pets," and the sub-headline follows with "Fights and maulings raise questions about who is responsible for maintaining control."

In the second paragraph, Black cites her "data." After an anecdote about "Deardra" -- a Chihuahua mix who was attacked at a Libertyville dog park last July -- she writes, "Deardra is among dozens of dogs bitten or attacked in the past year at the region's dog parks, according to data kept by various agencies." Later in the piece, Black gives a little more detail about where she got that number. Lake County said they receive 20-25 reports of dog-on-dog bites annually and Dupage County recorded 26 dog-on-dog incidents last year. Chicago, Cook County, McHenry County and Will County do not keep statistics -- and Chicago and Cook County officials say they "have received very few reports."

Putting aside the fact that she extrapolated her "dozens" from a very shaky sample, her data is meaningless unless it is put in the context of how many dogs go through the dog parks and how many dog-on-dog incidents occur outside the dog parks.

For example, on a nice summer day, the Lake County system might see thousands of dogs. I don't claim to have the statistics, but from personal observation of all four of their parks, I'd says that's a very good possibility. How many dog visits does that make a year? In that context, 20-25 incidents appears to be a pretty amazing track record.

Being an active member of Puptown and a frequent visitor to many other dog parks in the Chicagoland area, I know that dogs do fight at dog parks. And I also know the sinking feeling I get when I see an irresponsible owner (or negligent dog walker) enter the park -- and I get that dog-owner sixth sense that something bad is going to happen.

But those "incidents" are few and far between. And I don't say that to diminish the pain of those owners and dogs who have been victims of attack, but only to point out that for the great majority of dog owners, dog parks are places filled with a unique joy, the kind of happiness that can only occur in a  genuine community -- both for the dogs and the dog owners themselves.

And community is what rules the day at Puptown and most other dogs parks I've been associated with.  Although the headline asserts that there are "questions about who is responsible for maintaining control" at the parks, Black provides no evidence for such anarchy.

On the contrary, reading between the lines of the story, it is clear that a coherent system is in place at most dog parks -- usually some type of citizen-city partnership -- that takes their responsibility very seriously.

We at Puptown certainly do -- because we know what a special place it is.

Organizational Meeting on January 10

You are encouraged to attend an organizational meeting of the the Puptown Dog Owners Group (P-DOG) on Wednesday, January 10, at 7:00 p.m. inside the Margate Field House, which is located just north of the dog park at 4921 Marine Dr.

We will be discussing the present needs of the dog park -- such as purchasing a new toolshed and coordinating the delivery of more pea gravel -- as well as looking to the future and longer-term projects.  Everyone is welcome to bring their own concerns.

If you haven't already, don't forget to become a member of a Puptown.

And don't forget to RSVP for the indoor play dates P-DOG has organized at The Barking Lot in January and February.

Water Reminder

Despite the warm weather this week, we are in the midst of the fall/winter season at the park, which means the water fountains are no longer operating. So if your pup loves to run, remember to bring water and a drinking bowl.