dogs - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

09-28-2003, 03:41 PM

It is unfortunate that you do not allow leashed dogs at your park. I hope you change this rule soon so the "entire" family can enjoy time out doors. Thanks- Karla

Shannon · 09-28-2003, 04:20 PM

Karla,

Thanks for writing. You don't mention what park you visited. It sounds like you are referring to one of Texas' many City or County Parks, since almost all Texas State Parks/Natural Areas/Historic Sites allow dogs if they're properly restrained on a leash.

If you have a complaint or suggestion for a particular park, I encourage you to write that park directly or to the organization responsible for the park. WildTexas.com is not affiliated with any particular park or parks department.

For instance, if the park was a San Antonio City Park, such as Friedrich Wilderness Park (which does not allow dogs), you would write to the San Antonio Parks & Recreation department at 950 East Hildebrand Ave., San Antonio, Texas 78212 (or call them at 1-210-698-1057.)

If you are referring to a Texas State Park/Natural Area/Historic Site, you should contact the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department at 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744 (or email them directly by using their TPWD feedback form).

For future reference, every park reviewed on WildTexas.com includes contact information either to the actual park headquarters (in the case of state-run parks) or to the organization responsible for operating the park (in the case of city or county parks, Corps of Engineers parks, etc.) Parks we review are marked with a red icon (

) on our Parks Directory listings. Parks aren't reviewed until I've actually had an opportunity to visit them myself. Prior to being reviewed, parks are listed on WildTexas.com but simply link off to other websites I neither run nor manage, so I can't guarantee they will have adequate contact information on them.

Hope this helps.

Cube · 10-28-2003, 08:36 AM

Nice Snipe

Since the topic of dogs is on the table, especially in the "family" mindset, I'll opine.

I like dogs and have owned more than a few, but dogs are not people. Frankly, the dogs I saw this weekend at Lost Maples were horribly mannered, even though most were on lead.

If you want to take your dogs, then please..
keep them on lead
clean up after them
teach them to be quiet, get them socialized.

OK, I feel better.

copuswalker · 10-28-2003, 11:32 AM

I'm with Cube. I do a lot of 3-4 day trips and get tired of listening to barking dogs. Stepping in thier feces is perhaps more frustrating?
I have had many dogs but prefer to see them boarded rather than on the trail.
They frighten wildlife and hikers amongst other things.

kai · 11-04-2003, 11:17 AM

i agree- poorly mannered dogs are a pain. but they tend to belong to poorly mannered people. Having a dog as a pet means that you have a responsibility to take care of it, and don't let it destroy your environment (whether in your neighborhood or in a park). I have a dog. a very hyper dog that needs a LOT of exercise (border collie/lab mix). on the weekends, i have to take her for long hikes, or else she'll destroy my house, my garden, my sanity. But we always take plenty of bags for cleanup, and keep her on the required 6 foot leash (by some miracle, she has never really taken to barking, thankfully- on those rare occasions where she does, she gets reprimanded).

its really easy to take the time to be responsible. and the fact that so many people don't (both in my neighborhood and in the city and state parks) infuriates me. those folks that can't be bothered to take responsibility for their pets shouldn't have them in the first place, regardless of where they take them or don't take them.

speaking of which- the people that have dogs, and leave them in their backyard all the time to bark away constantly- well, why have a dog if your going to do that? i'd rather have a well behaved furry friend who I can share experiences with.

copuswalker · 11-04-2003, 01:07 PM

I agree, resposibility is the key. Unfortunately not all think that way.
I suppose the same can be said for those of us raising children.

Oh and the barking dogs,,,, we have two across the street. The owner lives 1/4 mile away and thinks the dogs are gaurding? We complain and they give the dogs Benedryll and aspirin. Says it calms them down? It does seem to work sometimes.

Shannon · 11-04-2003, 01:42 PM

Wow, that's sad -- medicating pets with OTC medications seems at best, foolhardy, and at worst, deadly.

We have a yappy and uncontrolled dog next door to us that frequently gets out. Everyone in the neighborhood knows its name because one hears it yelled at least once per day as the owners try to track it down. It's a tiny dog and has already had one broken leg.

We have three indoor-only cats. Everytime I think a dog would be a great pet, I look at the size of my backyard (tiny, but filled with birdfeeders and a nice deck) and my schedule and know we wouldn't be a good home for a pup, much less a fully grown adult dog.

All of my bad experiences hiking or camping have been exclusively with people, thus far, not pets. However, it's safe to say if the people are noisy, discourteous or prone to polluting their pets will cause similar problems. Folks who don't cause those problems keep their pets from doing the same, or take swift action (such as cleaning up after them) after the fact.

kai · 11-04-2003, 02:01 PM

since i've been unable to find a job down here (and at this point, i've almost given up hope), we decided that this was the year to get a puppy, because i'd be home a lot more than i otherwise would be... its a lot like having a kid i guess. after this, i'm not sure there will BE any kids

we have 2 doxens next door. they yap and yap all day long, especially when the dog and i go outside. My puppy just stares at them, sometimes runs along the fence, but doesn't bark (when she barks, she gets put inside- doesn't like that much). I used to be afraid that she would adopt their bad habits, but she's almost a year now, so I'm begining to think we might be safe.

i can't believe those people drug their dogs like that. it would make me feel bad to complain, but what else can you do? of course, some people do that to their kids as well, for the same type of reason...

i just adopted 2 kittens (russian blues) from the shelter... the dog loves cats (weve cat sat for some folks, and she really loves having a cat around). after this, i am not allowing myself to go back to the humane society. my zoo is complete. the cats will be indoor cats only- dont need them to tease the doxens, dig in our neighbors flower beds, get in fights or get hit by a car...

copuswalker · 11-04-2003, 02:27 PM

The dogs would literally bark for hours on end. When the weather cooled and we opened windows I would wake at night to the sound of woof woof woof! I complained and they aploigized. They said if the drugs did not work they would have to put the dog (the worse one) to sleep. I suppose they thought i would say no. personally I would be happier putting the people to sleep.
I bet they get another dog when this one dies or whatever happens. Can't figure them out.
Kai you say you can't find work? Where are you from? What do you do.

kai · 11-04-2003, 03:11 PM

I'm from Boston. We moved down here (San Antonio) late last December, but I've been out of town for 4 1/2 months off and on (that makes it hard to find a job, i know, i know...).

In Boston I was an environmental scientist doing mostly groundwater remediation. I would have thought it'd be easy to get a job down here, with the aquifer being so important to daily life, but so far, nothing has jumped out at me.

so for now, I'm volunteering for the San Antonio Parks Dept.- helping them with a couple of baseline biological studies they need to do before they can open some new parks next year. I figure that way, if nothing else, I'll have a local reference. And I get outside, and I get to exercise my brain a little bit, and maybe I'm helping some people get some new recreational areas too.

copuswalker · 11-04-2003, 03:31 PM

Wow, I moved down here 24 years ago from Norwell Mass. I lived in Plymouth for a year again in 88 or so. My wife is from Hingham.

My brother works for Envirotest. They do enviromental testing (used to do mold). He says it is tough lately.

Small world.

kai · 11-04-2003, 03:58 PM

I had a site in Plymouth (Levis Gulf - the gas station right near that tourist trap known as plymouth rock)... my office was in Norwood. I grew up in Acton, but was living in Arlington when we moved last year.

My monster.com acct keeps sending me plenty of jobs in Boston... but have yet to get one sent to me for San Antonio.

copuswalker · 11-04-2003, 04:19 PM

Plymouth rock. Got a Plymouth rock paperweight on my desk.
My claim to fame.......3 of my buddies and I stood around the cage and pissed all over the rock. of course this was late and alcohol induced. The old lady walking by thought we were disgusting. She was likely correct!