coastdogs.org

Who’s the Top Dog?

joan — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:47:42 +0000

Dogs are naturally hierarchical. Back when survival depended on coordinating activity, there had to be one dog and one dog only that was the leader. Usually this dog was a male, just because of size, strength and hormonal influence.

Sometimes size isn’t even the most important thing. For instance, dachshunds are often dominant over larger dogs. This can be amusing at times.

The top dog may be the most assertive one in the pack, but the other dogs can be pretty self confident as well. These “subdominant” dogs meet each other without a lot of tension and may end up in a relaxed game of tug of war or some other fun activity.

It’s fascinating how their early pack nature has carried forward to the modern domestic dog.

Dogs in All “Flavors”

joan — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:04:29 +0000

Dogs, like humans, naturally enjoy their own kind. Of course some dogs are suspicious of strangers even if they are canine.

But the great thing is dogs don’t harbor any surface prejudice against a dog that looks different than them. Who ever heard of canine racism?

Instead, the difference in physical attributes between dogs is more a cause of celebration! Wolves are beautiful creatures, but I would miss the variety if all dogs had the same basic shape and size. And animal artists might become bored if all canines looked the same.

Interesting thoughts to ponder from a dog lover who loves them all, even the euphemistically dubbed “mixed breeds”.

Playful Dogs Everywhere

joan — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:02:43 +0000

Dogs, like many other animals love to play. Whether it’s a good game of tug of war, fetch, or mock fighting play keeps dogs entertained and happy.

Of course puppies are the most playful of all dogs, but even elderly pooches like to engage in fun activity with their owners or their friends. For puppies, the play serves more than one purpose. They learn how to “talk” with each other and they learn exactly how hard they can bite without causing harm.

It helps them coordinate their activities, balance and it even gets them familiar with problem solving! All this can be done under the protective eye of their parents and owners.

Coastside Dog Park

joan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:37:18 +0000

“Since 1997 a group of private citizens has been petitioning the city of Half Moon Bay for a dog park: a safe off-leash area for dogs to exercise and socialize with other dogs. The City Council placed the dog park second in priority to a skateboard park, but there was never subsequent action. In November 2000, dog owners organized and formed a Committee for a Coastside Dog Park. They proposed a temporary, privately run dog park until a permanent Coastside Dog Park could be built. The temporary park would be located on city land with all construction and maintenance costs paid directly by the private citizens. The solution was a partnership between the city of Half Moon Bay and the Committee for a Coastside Dog Park (CCDP). The city agreed, and in October of 2001, the temporary dog park was officially opened. CCDP is responsible for the interior park maintenance, fencing, and ground cover. The city donated the land on a temporary basis.

The park is open during daylight hours seven days a week. There is no charge to use the park, but please remember that maintenance is provided solely by private citizens. You can help by joining the Committee for a Coastside Dog Park. For only $20.00 per year your membership entitles you to participate in decisions concerning the park, and helps defray the cost of fence rental and maintenance expenses. You can also help by attending our fund raising events, and using your network of friends to help us in our mission of finding a place for a permanent park. We are still working with the city and county for a permanent dog park. As in all city operations, financing, construction, and maintenance are big factors in the decision for a permanent dog park.”

It’s amazing what a group of citizens can do when they get together. I especially love this information about how they created a dog friendly park.