Puptown

Neighborhood Man Uses Dog to Threaten Other

We came across an odd story from Uptown Update. A reader described a couple of encounters with another dog owner that became threatening and intimidating. Any help identifying the fellow in the photo would be greatly appreciated. Police are hoping to talk to him about his threats, homophobic remarks and claims of being a fireman.  The man is regularly spotted at Clarendon and Montrose.

 

David Wallace Memorial Dedication

The David Wallace Memorial Dedication will be held in late August. Dave's friends and family are trying to prepare an appropriate gathering and need help.

Please contact volunteer@puptown.org is you can help with food, set up, or if you want more information.

Thanks

Goldi Safe and Sound

We are happy to report Goldi is home - we want to thank everyone for
participating in the very large effort to bring our Goldi home. We got
her back tonight. She was with an amazing family in South Chicago. They
took very good care of her and we are truly grateful to have her home
and for the wonderful people around us that did everything possible to
bring our baby back home.

 Thank you.

Jacque
ContactsandSpecs.com

Lost Dog: Please Help

Shih-Tzu

• white/gray/gold
• no tags

Last seen on Hollywood Beach and Sheridan Road Saturday afternoon.

Please help bring her home today.

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.

Park Closed This Saturday for Powerwashing and New Gravel

We are having our annual powerwashing of the park this Saturday to kick off a new sunny year at our favorite dog park.  We'll also be bringing in truckloads of new gravel -- which we do about every two years. The park will look sparkling afterwards -- a state which we will work hard to maintain (more on that in a later post).

Because they'll be some pretty heavy machinery moving around, consider the park closed -- starting about 7:30 a.m.   Everything should be completed by early afternoon, although we can't give a definite time.

The crew from Larry Asimov landscaping is paid for from member contributions.  If you haven't renewed your membership in 2010, visit the membership page.

Thanks for your understanding and support.

Lost Dog - Please Help

At 2 p.m. on Friday, a dog was lost at Lawrence and Broadway.  Her name is Dahlia, and she is a mixed breed with black and white paws.  

She is two years old and about 20 lbs. She doesn't have a collar on (she got out of it and started running), but she is microchipped.

A reward is being offered -- no questions asked.  She is timid and shy -- so don't try to chase here -- just call 224-489-2726.

 

Quarterly Meet and Greet - April 14th

Mark your calendar:

Wednesday April 14th
7 P.M.
Fat Cat Bar and Grill
4840 North Broadway

Everyone is encouraged to join the discussion. Puptown volunteers and patrons are constantly working to make our dog park the best in the city. Your ideas are critical to make it a success. 

And the food is darn good, too!

April Showers Bring...Sick Dogs?

Corri form the BowWow Lounge has been getting the word out about the rash of dog illness going around. With permission, I am posting part of her letter here:

There have been a few dogs over the past couple of weeks who have come down
with similar symptoms:

1. throwing up food / white or clear liquid (many times in a row)
2. diarrhea (sometimes)
3. acting sluggish / lethargic
4. drinking a lot OR little water

I have contacted a few vets (including ER vet on Clybourne) and the consensus is: "the
snow outside has melted and therefore all the feces that is left over from the winter and
the garbage that is on the grass is causing the dogs to get sick". One vet said they
had seen approx 30 dogs all within the same time period with all the same symptoms.

Every vet has had the same response. They said even if your dog doesn't have the desire
to pick something up off of the grass, nose contact and walking through it then licking their feet has the same effect. The symptoms sprout up all of a sudden and much like kennel cough, you don't know they are sick until they already are.

If your dog is showing signs of illness, by all means, be considerate, use common sense.  Do not come to Puptown and expose other dogs.

Also, it's time to think about park clean ups. Remember, this is done by volunteers. The park district does not clean the park - we do. 

When we start the Saturday clean-ups, please chip in.

Vox Pupuli: Photo Contest

Hey Puptown fans- 

Yesterday it was more than apparent that the dogs are ready for the warm sun and soft grass - the park was roiling with enthusiasm. 

One special dog caught everyone's attention - a new comer I think? A true friend to small dogs, this gentle giant seemed to prefer playing with the toy breeds. I tried my best to capture the moment but the results were fair. 

That lead me to thinking that there must be special moments going on all the time at the park. Let's capture those moments. 

 So with some fanfare, I'm excited to announce we're  having a photo contest. 

 The rules are simple: 

• Use your cell phone or camera and capture a digital image that illustrates the theme: "At the dog Park"  
• Send your entries to info@puptown.org
• Entries will be posted here for comments 
• Winners will be announced based on comments  
• The prize will be an official Puptown Hat 

  

The Kong that doesn't belong

pups and peops
and pups with peops
and pups and goings-on

my little dog has just come along
with a kong that doesn't belong!
is my little guy wrong?

sorry I say?
worry? or nay?
either way 
I must sing the song:

Drop...little boy
drop
Drop...little boy
drop

drop...

DROP!

good Boy!
and sorry 'bout that!

Puptown loses a friend

The Puptown Community is sad to learn that our good friend and treasurer, David is mourning the loss of his pal, Kobe. 

 

Kobe was a special part of my visits to the park - he used to greet me enthusiastically at the gate because I always gave him a good butt scratching:  he liked that.  I also gave him a treat once and he ever forgot that (I think he always expected more).

 

He was stoic and majestic (he looked SO much like a lion). We are going to miss him.

 

Farewell good friend.

 

 
Kobe (09/23/2000-02/23/2010)

 

Kaya and Winston Visit Puptown

Shout out to Lance for sharing his photos of Kaya and Winston enjoying Winter at Puptown. Please feel free to share your random moments and we'll post them!

Check out those ears - Careful Winston, don't get them in the water bowl!

Happy puppies...

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...

Quarterly Meeting Memo

Volunteers and patrons of Puptown gathered at Fat Cat this past Wednesday to discuss park improvements and strategies for 2010. It was a great turn out and everyone had a good time - thanks Fat Cat for your hospitality!

The City of Chicago requires Puptown Park Users to meet periodically to ensure that the park is clean and maintained.  Puptown volunteers meet the second Wednesday of every quarter (January, April, July and October).

The following is a recap of that meeting:

• The Wallace Memorial Gate design has been approved by the park district. The Park District will let us know when construction can start.

• A fund-raiser planning committee was formed and will develop a theme for a Spring event.

• Several folks volunteered to take the lead on some other critical issues including:

Repair the door to the shed which is current broken

Prepare 2010 Annual Report to the Alderman

Manage Announcements in the Bulletin Board

Thanks to everyone who helps Puptown be the success that is is.

Puptown Quarterly Meet-and-Greet

Mark your calendar:

Wednesday January 13th
7 P.M.
Fat Cat Bar and Grill

4840 North Broadway

Everyone is encouraged to join us to discuss what 2010 holds for our park. Puptown volunteers and patrons are constantly working to make our dog park the best in the city. Your ideas are critical to make it a success. 

And the food is darn good, too!

Pet Care Tips for the Holidays

One of our readers submitted the following tips on how to take care of our pets over the holidays:

1. Keep pets on a regular diet and caution visitors against giving them human food.
2. Keep candies and wrappers away. Foil wrappers can be like razors if ingested.
3. Candles and their flickering flame attract pets - keep them out of reach.
4. Decorations should be carefully placed so pets can't swallow small pieces.
5. Cover or tack down electrical cords. 
6. Holiday Lights can be toxic - many contain methylene chloride.
7. Angelhair (spun glass) can cause irritation of the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract.
8. Artificial snow and snow flock can cause toxicity from inhalation if sprayed in the mouth.
9. Hang valuable ornaments high on the Christmas tree. Use wooden, metal, or resin-cast on the lower branch ornaments.
10. Tinsel isn't toxic, but if ingested, it could cause choking and/or intestinal obstruction.
11. Avoid tying ribbons around pets necks and keep ribbons and bows put away to prevent pets from eating them.
12. Replace metal ornament hooks with light-weight twine or yarn.
13. Increased activity and visitors during the holiday season can upset your pet's routine. Try to keep them on their regular routines, and always give lots of love!

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.

Puptown meets with Park District Architect

 
We are making progress with plans to re-configure entrance and exits at Puptown. Ryan Wallace (no relation to David Wallace) has been spear-heading this effort. He recently met with the Park District's architect to ensure that Puptown's needs are met.

We are all so thankful to Ryan. He has really shown tenacity when needed. With his permission, excerpts of his meeting notes are as follows:

The new fence to be installed will be a 10' section to divide the entrance in two sections. It is easiest and safest to enter and exit the dog park with the gate opening in the direction of travel (i.e. push not pull). The current outer entrance gate will remain as is. The other three gates will get new hardware in order to reverse the swing such that all gates open in the direction of travel (push). This is the most cost effective way to achieve a double gate with our current set up.

We recommend installing a visual screen on all facades that face the interior of the park and the divider of the entrance. This way dogs already in the park will not crowd the entrance to greet the new-comer (this can be a little overwhelming) and dogs entering and exiting will not see one another.

Recommend an outdoor bulletin boards (made of recycled material!):

http://www.kirbybuilt.com/products/products-by-category.cfm?categoryID=12&gclid=CI2Mhanvmp4CFRPxDAod5UZqlA
http://www.usmarkerboard.com/s/Outdoor-Enclosed-Bulletin-Boards/390
http://www.myvisualdisplay.com/messagecenters.html

We are so excited that the project is moving forward. Please take a moment to share your thoughts. 

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.

Winter at Puptown

We have received word that the water fountain at Puptown has been shut off for the season. Now is a good time to review some tips for visiting Puptown in the Winter:

Bring Water

Pups can get dehydrated in the winter too. If there is no water available, your dog may resort to eating contaminated ice and snow.  Some generous souls make a habit of bringing gallons of water to share --Thanks! The more folks helping out, the better.

Shovel Snow

Soon there will be shovels placed near the entrance. It makes things much easier if we shovel as the snow falls instead of waiting for 4" to accumulate. We try to keep the entrance and a path to the center planting area shoveled. A few good people (Jay, Wes, Brendon et al) really chip in and it's appreciated but everyone should help.

De-icer

We use a dog and earth friendly de-icer and will make it available shortly. Feel free to spread it out as needed.

Winter at Puptown is fun - just bundle up, bring coffee and enjoy the pooches romping in the snow.

Howl-O-Ween Photos

This is just a quick post to let you all know that photos from this year's Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest and Fundraiser are available for viewing.

We'll try to post an official list of the winners soon, but some of them are pictured below: Doggy Gaga, Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, Lightguard, and Swiffer and Dust Bunny.

Howl-O-Ween, in addition to being loads of fun and goofiness, is Puptown's main fundraiser for the year.  If you haven't become a member yet -- or renewed your membership this year -- please support the park.

Howl-O-Ween: Prize List

Check out the great list of prizes Puptown received for the Howl-O-Ween fund-raiser this year. It is amazing how generous the Uptown Business Community has been to us.

If at all possible, you really should stop in Saturday and try to get something off the Silent Auction Table - such a bargain. These items make WONDERFUL, unique holiday gifts too!

SILENT AUCTION TABLE:

• Behind-the-Scenes at Lincoln Park Zoo: Regenstein Center for African Apes Tour - Priceless
• Blum Animal Hospital – Annual Exam, vaccinations, parasite check - $185
• City Boy Forge: Hand forged steel Belt Buckle of your Dog - $250
• Collins Canine Training - $100 value
• Spornette Hair Brush Set - $100 value
• Essence Pilates : 5 mat classes
• Larry Asimow Landscaping - Gift Certificate for Landscaping Services - $200

If you can't make the event, you should at least pick up a raffle ticket. You can buy one for $5 or get five for $20. There will be over a dozen chances to win with each ticket you purchase. Also, if you sign up or renew your Puptown membership before this Saturday, you automatically receive a free raffle ticket.

RAFFLE:

• $100 Certificate from Sir Spa
• Gift Certificate from Continuum Studio
• Crew Sports Bar - $25
• Wild Pug Bar - $25
• Calo Restaurant - $25
• Fat Cat Bar and Restaurant- $25
• DaVinci Group Restaurant -  $50
• Fireside Restaurant - $20
• Five winners will each receive 5 free car washes from Uptown Car Wash
• Three winners will each receive a certificate from The Bark Bark Club for 30% off any service
• Manigua Academy – 4 salsa or belly dance classes - $50 value
• Bark Bark Club- $30 certificate and a box of treats
• Essence Pilates – 1 mat class $25
• Free Grooming from Chad Jensen @ The Houndry

If you and your dog want to strut your stuff for our judges, you could walk away a winner of one of the following prizes:

DOG COSTUME WINNERS:
First Place

• Home-made: Barking Lot gift certificate for 2 days boarding/2 days daycare $125 value, $30 gift certificate and box of treats from Bark Bark Club
• Store-Bought: Pet Portrait by Paul Strabbing Photography $125 value, $30 gift certificate from and Box of Treats from Bark Bark Club

Second Place

• Home-made: Soggy Paws Gift Basket, Leash/Seat belt from The Houndry
• Store-bought: Urban Animal Gift Basket, Leash/Seat belt from The Houndry

Third Place

• Home-made:  $50 gift basket from Butcher’s Block Bones
• Store-bought: $50 gift basket from U.S. Bones

All money goes to upkeep and maintenance of Puptown Dog Friendly Area at Margate Park.  Puptown donations are tax exempt.

Renew On-line -- Get a Raffle Ticket!

Hey Puptown Fans,

 

For this week only, renew your membership on-line and be automatically entered in the Puptown Howl-O-Ween Raffle. Yes, you read that correctly: renew and get a raffle ticket.

 
This year's prizes are Puptown's best ever and there are more chances to win then ever.  You really want to take advantage of this. You do not need to be at the drawing to win -- we will contact you.

Offer expires this Friday (October 23) at midnight -- so don't delay.

To renew your membership, go to: http://www.puptown.org/membership.html

For information on Howl-O-Ween and some of the raffle prizes, go to: http://www.puptown.org/2009/10/howloween-2009.html

 

 

Vox pupuli: Question

Should Puptown organize a "Positive Loitering" event and show our support for our friends living around Leland and Sheridan?

Please comment Yes or No.

Vox Pupuli: Give Me a (Tax) Break

The UPI reports that there is a bill in front of congress to give pet-owners a tax-break of up to $3,500 for pet-care realted expenses. The idea came from actor Robert Davi ("Goonies," "Diehard") and was introduced to congress by U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-Mich. According to Davi, the proposed bill is "a pro-active way to be able to help the economy and change the culture in this country around animals."

Puptown fans, isn't this too much? What with war, health care, recessions, unemployment - is now the time to consider this?

PLEASE tell me what you think.

Howl-O-Ween 2009: Saturday, Oct. 24

Join us for Puptown's scariest event of the year ...

Date: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 - 4 p.m.
*rain date: Sunday, Oct. 25

Costume Contest
Registration ($5) begins at 1:15 p.m.
Judging begins at 2 p.m. 

Judges
Nancy Myerson
Jill Moyse 
Stephanie Aldort

Prizes
1st, 2nd & 3rd prize for best homemade and store-bought costumes 

Raffle Grand Prize
Restaurant gift certificate

Additional raffle prizes include gift certificates to area restaurants, dog stores and more! Silent auction, too! 

Need costume inspiration? Check out last year's Howl-O-Ween photos.

Please support our generous donors: 

Restaurants 

• DaVinci Group Restaurants: $50 gift certificate
• Wild Pug: $25 gift certificate
• Crew: $25 gift certificate
• Fat Cat: $25 gift certificate
• Fireside Restaurant: $20 gift certificate 

Art

• CityboyForge: Belt buckle custom designed with your dog's image
• Paul Strabbing Photography: Portrait of your dog

Pet Supplies & Services 

• Blum Animal Hospital: Vaccination package
• Collins Canine: 5 training sessions
• The Barking Lot: 2 days of daycare & 2 days of boarding
• U.S. Bones: Gift certificates & bones gift basket
• Urb-Animal: Gift basket
• The Houndry: Dog leash & seatbelt
• Chad Jensen: Free dog grooming
• Bark Bark Club: Gift certificates & box of treats

Music & Movement

• Manigua Academy of Music/Dance: Package of 4 dance lessons
• Essence Pilates: Package of 5 pilates classes

Spa & Beauty

• Continuum Studio: $25 gift certificate (4)
• Sir Spa for Men: $100 gift certificate
• Spornette: $100 hair Brush Set

Other Offers

• Uptown Car Wash: Package of 5 free car washes (5)

Vox pupuli: Film Crews at the Houndry

Our friends at The Houndry (Sheridan El Stop) report that there will be a new arrival for the Meet-the-Parents franchise -- Little Fockers is in production, and film crews hit the Houndry neighborhood to do some filming. 

We at Vox Pupuli could tell you what Robert De Niro said to Houndry owner, Chad -- Yes, they talked -- but it's a story for Chad to tell. So head over to the Houndry and poke around. If the coast is clear, tell him Puptown sent you and get the full story.

Volunteer Opportunity: Bulletin Board

Puptown seeks volunteer(s) to manage bulletin board.

Tasks include:

• Update bulletin board posts

• Organize content
  

Anticipate 1/2 an hour of service per month.

No experience necessary.

Contact volunteer@puptown.org if interested.