Make your town more dog-friendly

#Middlebury #DogPark #Dog

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I live in a town with no dog parks and very few sidewalks, other than in the town center and a few subdivisions. When I take my dog Greta outside in the morning I get dirty looks from the neighbors, even though I pick up after her. I live in an apartment with no yard, so I have to drive into the city to find an off-leash dog park so Greta can run. I love my town and don’t want to move, but I’m getting tired of this. Is there anything I can do? – Leeanne G., via email

DEAR LEEANNE: It can be frustrating to have to go so far to give Greta some recreation time. Here are a few ideas to try:

  • Find like-minded dog owners by searching for or creating a Meetup.com group in your town, and get together to talk about concerns they have with walking their dogs.
  • Contact city hall to find out if they have considered a dog park, or designating a park as dog-friendly. If so, ask how you can be a part of the process. If not, look into starting a community dog park. The AKC has some helpful tips on how to do this.
  • Talk to your neighbors and ask if they have concerns about dogs.
  • Commit to other solutions that may help make your town more dog-friendly: remind other dog owners to pick up droppings, post flyers that explain how to approach a strange dog, and of course, keep Greta on a leash where required.

Unfortunately, these tips put much of the onus on the dog owners. But that may be the best place to start. Good luck.

Send your questions, comments or tips to ask@pawscorner.com.
© 2019 King Features Synd. Inc.

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