Pup walk, dog park, rant.
I've been off work, ill, for two days. Yesterday, Subchunker came with me for my walk of the dog, and it really did exhaust me (as he found me on the floor while making spaghetti sauce a short time later - sitting and trying to rally some more energy to finish chopping celery).
Today, however, I'm feeling better and Subchunker went rock climbing. So I took the pup for her walk after he left, after a light dinner of a Tofurkey slice sandwich and cut veggies. I was only going to do an easy path walk, but as we approached the intersection of Island Park and Byron, I decided to go to Hampton Park again.
I say "again" because I have been avoiding the park as of late. I received a warning from an National Capital Commission (NCC) conservation officer not too long ago for having the dog off leash. It was when our friends were visiting from Toronto, and we were co-walking as we used to do. Although my pup and their pup don't play the way they once did - I think my pup may have hurt or scared theirs at some point, so now theirs doesn't want to play like that anymore - wrestling and running and gnawing on each other.
Shortly after our warning, I made the decision to avoid the park for a little while. That way I wouldn't be tempted to let her run through the trees of the forest, as she loves to do (and I love to do). Our one friend stayed in Ottawa to do a little contracting work, and kept their dog here, and received a ticket and a year-long ban from the park during another visit.
And this is what I observed happening tonight. Two conservation officers and two RCMP officers, one middle-aged mother of a ten-year old girl who was sent off with the dog (on leash) (warning everyone she saw to keep their dogs on leash) while the mother dealt with the authority. Another man, unrelated to her I think, who I met on the other side of the park with his cute slender dog, standing backup with his dog on leash. Me, standing and observing (and wanting to ask a question but knowing it wasn't the right time) with my dog on leash and lying on the ground, chillin'. Other dog owners coming through, asking what was going on. The mother was speaking calmly, but confidently, to the RCMP officer, arguing her case. The conservation officers had their papers out. The other RCMP officer was sitting in the stealth car, on the pathway in the park.
I had seen the NCC pickup truck in the Island Park parking lot as I walked up Island Park towards the off leash area. I wasn't going to let the dog off leash anywhere but there anyway, but this made me a bit more paranoid cautious - trying to make sure she wouldn't accidentally be off leash in an on leash area - playing far back in the off leash field, almost against the 417 embankment, just to be sure. When I'd decided to keep going, I'd leashed her in the back of the field and walked the perimeter of the forest, far away from the City playground - where I encountered the 10-year old girl who told me stridently (and I think was scared) to keep my dog on the leash because there were conservation officers back there with her mom.
Now, let's be clear here. We *all* know that there are bylaws in place requiring us to keep our dogs on leash except in clearly marked "off leash" areas. Conservation officers have the authority to enforce these bylaws. We *choose* not to keep our dogs on leash. For whatever reason -- because we have assessed that our dogs are "good" and "under control"; that they need exercise they wouldn't otherwise get if just walking beside us; that the likelihood of being levied a fine is low enough to risk having the dog off leash; that everyone else is doing it therefore it must be okay... It's a choice, not a right. These bylaws have been agreed upon to keep the balance in society - dog owners, cyclists, joggers, parents with children, walkers, etc. We all benefit from bylaws keeping our comfort and peace "enforced".
So, as much as I get flustered by the thought of crossing authority, having an authority tell me that I've done a wrong, I still think that, if you are knowingly breaking a law (whether it be speeding, stealing, or anything else), the honourable thing to do is to accept your lumps. This is the risk you took, these are the consequences.
One other thing - despite the fact that you "don't have to" give your identification to an NCC conservation officer, they are backed up by the RCMP. They are asking for your identification so they can issue a ticket, so is it really worth your while to argue? Is it worth it to have the RCMP show up, force you to comply, and then receive your ticket? Chances are good that the reason this escalates is because of the lack of respect being shown to the conservation officers. And anyway - do you have a problem giving your ID to a bouncer to get into a bar? How about to the guy at the LCBO so you can buy your wine? Or to the guy at the car rental place so you can rent your car? Or any other person you "don't have to" give your ID to... The difference? They are not figures of authority, and I think we all, deep within us, have a tiny problem with authority.
I can't tell you how embarrassed I was the day I watched someone's dog chase a terrified boy around his car, barking, while he was crying and trying desperately to escape. I have no idea where the dog owner was, and it was at that moment that I wanted to distance myself from the group of self-important dog people who had no idea what it was to be a responsible dog owner. If that dog had bitten that child, guaranteed that the afternoon dog swim would be cancelled, and the City part of the park would be a "No Dogs" area. The dog itself would have been put down. All because someone was too busy having their conversation and not paying attention to what their dog was doing - but surely their dog is "good" and "under control" and that's why they can have their dog off leash.
One of the other owners that goes to the Park is going through the courses to be a dog trainer. I watch her as she looks so sad and distressed by how some of the people are treating their dogs. She told me once, when I was having trouble maintaining my dog's attention, that bringing the dog to the park, only to walk around talking to my friends was sort of like inviting my friend to a party and then ignoring her because I was talking to the other party-goers. It was after that that I tried a different tack to my dog walks - they were about me and the pup, having an outdoor adventure. She still has to listen to my rules, I'm the one in charge of the walk, but it's the two of us doing it. I would still do the co-walks with my friends, but I tried to maintain contact with my pup more often. This has strengthened the bond between my pup and me. And I benefit from it when I take her to the big off leash parks like Bruce Pit because she's always turning to check where I am, what my commands are, which way we're going and if I have a treat for her.
All that to say, I've gone looking for more easily accessible off leash parks, and I don't know that they exist within a reasonable drive during rush hour at the end of the day. Unfortunately. So the pup will just have to make do with the on leash walk and small off leash area runs, and get to do the all-out sprints on the weekend when we can get to Bruce Pit or elsewhere.
Today, however, I'm feeling better and Subchunker went rock climbing. So I took the pup for her walk after he left, after a light dinner of a Tofurkey slice sandwich and cut veggies. I was only going to do an easy path walk, but as we approached the intersection of Island Park and Byron, I decided to go to Hampton Park again.
I say "again" because I have been avoiding the park as of late. I received a warning from an National Capital Commission (NCC) conservation officer not too long ago for having the dog off leash. It was when our friends were visiting from Toronto, and we were co-walking as we used to do. Although my pup and their pup don't play the way they once did - I think my pup may have hurt or scared theirs at some point, so now theirs doesn't want to play like that anymore - wrestling and running and gnawing on each other.
Shortly after our warning, I made the decision to avoid the park for a little while. That way I wouldn't be tempted to let her run through the trees of the forest, as she loves to do (and I love to do). Our one friend stayed in Ottawa to do a little contracting work, and kept their dog here, and received a ticket and a year-long ban from the park during another visit.
And this is what I observed happening tonight. Two conservation officers and two RCMP officers, one middle-aged mother of a ten-year old girl who was sent off with the dog (on leash) (warning everyone she saw to keep their dogs on leash) while the mother dealt with the authority. Another man, unrelated to her I think, who I met on the other side of the park with his cute slender dog, standing backup with his dog on leash. Me, standing and observing (and wanting to ask a question but knowing it wasn't the right time) with my dog on leash and lying on the ground, chillin'. Other dog owners coming through, asking what was going on. The mother was speaking calmly, but confidently, to the RCMP officer, arguing her case. The conservation officers had their papers out. The other RCMP officer was sitting in the stealth car, on the pathway in the park.
I had seen the NCC pickup truck in the Island Park parking lot as I walked up Island Park towards the off leash area. I wasn't going to let the dog off leash anywhere but there anyway, but this made me a bit more paranoid cautious - trying to make sure she wouldn't accidentally be off leash in an on leash area - playing far back in the off leash field, almost against the 417 embankment, just to be sure. When I'd decided to keep going, I'd leashed her in the back of the field and walked the perimeter of the forest, far away from the City playground - where I encountered the 10-year old girl who told me stridently (and I think was scared) to keep my dog on the leash because there were conservation officers back there with her mom.
Now, let's be clear here. We *all* know that there are bylaws in place requiring us to keep our dogs on leash except in clearly marked "off leash" areas. Conservation officers have the authority to enforce these bylaws. We *choose* not to keep our dogs on leash. For whatever reason -- because we have assessed that our dogs are "good" and "under control"; that they need exercise they wouldn't otherwise get if just walking beside us; that the likelihood of being levied a fine is low enough to risk having the dog off leash; that everyone else is doing it therefore it must be okay... It's a choice, not a right. These bylaws have been agreed upon to keep the balance in society - dog owners, cyclists, joggers, parents with children, walkers, etc. We all benefit from bylaws keeping our comfort and peace "enforced".
So, as much as I get flustered by the thought of crossing authority, having an authority tell me that I've done a wrong, I still think that, if you are knowingly breaking a law (whether it be speeding, stealing, or anything else), the honourable thing to do is to accept your lumps. This is the risk you took, these are the consequences.
One other thing - despite the fact that you "don't have to" give your identification to an NCC conservation officer, they are backed up by the RCMP. They are asking for your identification so they can issue a ticket, so is it really worth your while to argue? Is it worth it to have the RCMP show up, force you to comply, and then receive your ticket? Chances are good that the reason this escalates is because of the lack of respect being shown to the conservation officers. And anyway - do you have a problem giving your ID to a bouncer to get into a bar? How about to the guy at the LCBO so you can buy your wine? Or to the guy at the car rental place so you can rent your car? Or any other person you "don't have to" give your ID to... The difference? They are not figures of authority, and I think we all, deep within us, have a tiny problem with authority.
I can't tell you how embarrassed I was the day I watched someone's dog chase a terrified boy around his car, barking, while he was crying and trying desperately to escape. I have no idea where the dog owner was, and it was at that moment that I wanted to distance myself from the group of self-important dog people who had no idea what it was to be a responsible dog owner. If that dog had bitten that child, guaranteed that the afternoon dog swim would be cancelled, and the City part of the park would be a "No Dogs" area. The dog itself would have been put down. All because someone was too busy having their conversation and not paying attention to what their dog was doing - but surely their dog is "good" and "under control" and that's why they can have their dog off leash.
One of the other owners that goes to the Park is going through the courses to be a dog trainer. I watch her as she looks so sad and distressed by how some of the people are treating their dogs. She told me once, when I was having trouble maintaining my dog's attention, that bringing the dog to the park, only to walk around talking to my friends was sort of like inviting my friend to a party and then ignoring her because I was talking to the other party-goers. It was after that that I tried a different tack to my dog walks - they were about me and the pup, having an outdoor adventure. She still has to listen to my rules, I'm the one in charge of the walk, but it's the two of us doing it. I would still do the co-walks with my friends, but I tried to maintain contact with my pup more often. This has strengthened the bond between my pup and me. And I benefit from it when I take her to the big off leash parks like Bruce Pit because she's always turning to check where I am, what my commands are, which way we're going and if I have a treat for her.
All that to say, I've gone looking for more easily accessible off leash parks, and I don't know that they exist within a reasonable drive during rush hour at the end of the day. Unfortunately. So the pup will just have to make do with the on leash walk and small off leash area runs, and get to do the all-out sprints on the weekend when we can get to Bruce Pit or elsewhere.