Pets, owners alike enjoy visiting park together

The dog park is open 24 hours a day.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU

HERMITAGE, Pa. — When Amy Javens got her puppy, Dewey, she wanted to make sure he was well trained and socialized.

So since the Hillcrest Dog Park and Wellness Center opened at 2619 E. State St. about a month ago, Javens has found herself, 15-week-old Dewey — a Labrador/Poodle mix — and her three daughters there multiple times each week.

“We’ve had no other outside activities this summer. No softball, no soccer. We come here,” she said as Dewey romps with several other dogs in the gated play area. “We got a great dog and we see him as an investment.”

The dog park and wellness center are just the latest dog friendly service being offered in the Hillcrest complex. Last December, the Hillcrest-Flynn Pet Funeral Home and Crematory opened just across the street from its human counterpart.

Owner John Flynn said the idea for a dog park and wellness center really grew out of the pet funeral home.

Prolonging a pet’s life

People who had brought in pets for burial were asking what they could have done to extend their four-legged friend’s life — and that’s when they knew they had to start a pet wellness center, he said.

“One of the things that can prolong a dog’s life is, 15 minutes of vigorous play a day will add one to two years,” said Roberta Knauf, an experienced dog trainer and director of the pet funeral home and dog park.

The private off-leash park is about a quarter acre just off East State Street near the Avenue of the Flags, also owned by the Flynn family. The fenced in area is full of large tubes and other toys where the dogs can play and romp. A smaller section is set aside for puppies and smaller dogs.

Knauf said since opening June 28, more than 50 dog owners have signed on for a year’s membership to the park. A year’s membership is $295. That number doesn’t include those who are paying and using the park on a weekly basis, which costs $10. There is also a monthly membership for $30.

“It’s just amazing how many people are so involved in their animal’s lives. The response has been phenomenal,” Flynn said.

Off-leash parks

Organized off-leash dog parks got their start about 20 years ago in California, said Claudia Kawczynska, editor of Bark magazine, based in Berkeley, Calif., which started 10 years ago as a supporter of off-leash parks. The magazine is now circulated worldwide.

She estimates there are now more than 700 off-leash dog parks in the United States. They range from public parks, which charge no fees, to state and federally owned lands where dog lovers have petitioned the right to take their pets and may pay a fee to use those lands. She said there are fewer private dog parks like Hillcrest.

“People love walking with and playing with their dogs. I personally like to be able to exercise with my dogs,” Kawczynska said.

Dog parks can be a valuable place for responsible pet owners, said Traci Shreyer, an animal behaviorist at The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

They are a great place for doggy exercise and entertainment, she said.

But it’s not for everyone, she cautions.

Being aware

“Dogs who are very shy or overwhelmed by large groups or showing aggressiveness shouldn’t be at the dog park,” Shreyer said.

And, dog owners need to be fully aware of their pet’s activities — and not just socializing with the other dog owners, she added.

“It’s a very exciting, overstimulating environment,” she said.

Knauf said she does test the temperament of each dog before they are allowed to join the dog park in Hermitage and they have turned dogs away.

The park has also taken the precaution to not accept Pit Bull Terriers, Chow Chows, Akitas, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and wolf hybrids, she said.

“We want this to be a positive experience for everyone,” Flynn said.

Dogs and their owners have been coming from as far away as New Castle, Niles and Vienna, he said.

In addition to off-leash playtime 24 hours a day, the park boasts a variety of programs including puppy classes, a book club and a singles night. Veterinarians give seminars as well as a pet chiropractor who comes once a month to lecture and give adjustments, Knauff said.

Flynn said their next venture will be in doggy day care, but no launch date has been set yet.

cioffi@vindy.com