New dog park in Rochester now open to visitors – but not all dogs are welcome

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

The wraps have been taken off the much anticipated dog park within Rochester’s Case Eagle Park. Since its opening last month, owners have been taking their four-legged friends to the 2.5-acre green space.

But local experts are cautioning dog owners to be vigilant while visiting Racine County’s newest dog-friendly park space. Across the country, there have been documented cases of skirmishes between canines that have caused injuries and even deaths.

Manette Kohler, a veterinarian specializing in dog behavior, and Kathy Edstrom, owner of the Union Grove-based dog training business Paws-A-Tive Choice, gave a presentation Monday on dog park do’s and don’ts before a group of several dozen people at the Waterford Public Library.

“We want to keep this upbeat and positive,” Edstrom said at the beginning of the talk. “But the reality is, there are challenges and risks.”

Across the country, 10 percent of all canines visiting a dog park last year were injured by an altercation, Edstrom said. A number of preventative steps can be taken to stem the statistic.

While many dog owners and their canine companions across western Racine County will enjoy the new grounds at Case Eagle, Kohler and Edstrom emphasized throughout their two-hour talk that the grounds will not be beneficial to all dogs – regardless of breed.

“Dog parks are not a joyful experience for all dogs,” Edstrom said. “You have to be honest about your own dog. This isn’t about your dog being good or bad. Some people are not party animals, and the same is true of dogs.”

As they delved into a number of topics around the theme of dog park safety and etiquette, Kohler and Edstrom drove home the point that animal behavior intricately plays into the equation. Bringing an overly aggressive or overly timid dog into the mix can result in unintended consequences.

“If Spunky hasn’t socialized with dogs before, it’s really not a good idea to let Spunky off the leash to interact with other dogs,” Edstrom said. “You also really need to be aware of your dog’s health.”

Like many animal-friendly grounds across the country, Case Eagle’s dog park is divided into two areas – one for larger breeds and another for smaller ones. The large dog area encompasses 1.84 acres, while the small dog area is about two-thirds of an acre.

The division occurs for a good reason: so similarly sized dogs can enjoy a positive social experience. This is not a fool-proof scheme, but bringing together similarly sized dogs helps mitigate bullying and other unwelcome behaviors.

Kohler and Edstrom also addressed animal behavior, discussing how a dog owner can tell if his or her pooch is happy and playful or feeling distressed and wanting to be left alone.

Signs of distress in a dog include lip licking, looking away, heavy panting, yawning and a so-called display of “whale eyes” in which the whites of the eyes are showing. Also, the posture of dogs t in distress varies dramatically from that of dogs feeling happy and social.

While no graphic images were displayed, Kohler and Edstrom shared a few videos displaying bullying behavior that many audience members found difficult to watch.

“At the end of the day, you and your dog should leave the park smiling,” Kohler advised. “Well-socialized and trained dogs are best for this kind of setting.”