Sometimes, a dog has just got to run. Or sniff around or wrestle with a pal in the grass.
That’s certainly the case for my Jack Russell rescue, Olivia, whom I’ve owned for just over a year.
We live in the Harrisburg exurbs, on three acres 25 miles west of the city. I fenced in a section of our barnyard for her, which makes a nice play area, providing our resident snakes aren’t sunning. But with only a house full of cats to terrorize under our roof, I like the idea of her having a chance to socialize with, well, her own kind.
So, we headed off to the dog park nearest to our house—the Lower Allen dog park. It’s a good two-dozen-mile round trip, but it’s worth it.
After registering with the township (that means providing basic information and proof of vaccinations), we parked ourselves in the small dog (under 30 pounds) section of the park. Segregating dogs by size is really a must lest the little ones end up as doggie bait for the 100-pounders. The park provides “doggie bags” for waste and trashcans, chairs, picnic benches and water fountains.
The park is heavily used, as evidenced by the bare spots in the otherwise grassy fields and the occasional leftover, chewed-up toy. However, I’ve never found it too crowded, and people generally abide by the cleanup rules.
Not everyone is a dog park fan. Several folks I talked to say they avoid the parks because they are concerned about disease from unvaccinated dogs or parasites when waste is not cleaned up or the possibility of injury in a fight.
I’ve witnessed a few altercations in the big dog park at Lower Allen but owners responded quickly to break things up.
I find the dog park is a great place for socializing for owners too. On a recent visit, a woman told me about the monthly pug “meet up” event that draws about two-dozen pugs and owners. Another woman said she and her dog last year drove all the way to Lancaster to try out the stunning new Beau’s Dream Dog Park, a veritable Disneyland for dogs, with its obstacles, water sprinklers and animal sculptures.
But perhaps you can’t get all the way to Lancaster—or even to Lower Allen.
Harrisburg proper lacks a dog park, though many residents try to make due. For instance, while cycling in Riverfront Park recently with a friend, I asked her where city residents take their dogs to play, and she gestured to the little strip of green near where we were riding and said, “This is the dog park.”
She has a laid-back Labrador retriever that has never strayed far off the leash and loves to swim in the Susquehanna. But ask any dog expert, and they will advise you to keep your dog on leash all the time for safety reasons.
Might the situation in Harrisburg change?
A few years back, a group of residents lobbied the city for a dog park in Midtown, where, at times, it seems that dogs outnumber the human population. The Thompson administration, though, never acted on it.
Now, the mayor himself has resurrected the idea.
Speaking recently before the Pennsylvania Press Club, Mayor Eric Papenfuse brought up a dog park as a way to improve the quality of life for both the city’s four-legged and two-legged citizens. He also mentioned possible locations, including a temporary play area on the vacant lot where the future federal courthouse is planned at N. 6th and Reily streets.
“In his public remarks, the mayor has suggested the land might be used in a variety of ways, including having part of it used as a dog park,” said his spokeswoman Joyce Davis. “These were some ideas that he floated, but nothing is yet confirmed.”
Hopefully, one day soon Olivia and I will be able to attend the ribbon cutting at Harrisburg’s first dog park. But until then, when we need a little adventure, we’ll head on over to Lower Allen.
After our play dates, she and I usually take a leisurely walk along the park’s neatly manicured nature trail by the Yellow Breeches and listen to the chorus of frogs in the wetland.
We stick our toes in the creek and watch the passing parade: the seafaring dogs floating by in kayaks and canoes and the water-loving dogs bounding past us to chase sticks in the current.
Dog Park Dos and Don’ts
- Do make sure your dog is a good candidate for a dog park. Dogs that are overly excited or exceptionally shy or nervous around other dogs or people might not enjoy the dog park experience.
- Most parks have a website with posted rules, so check before going and make sure to register if you need to.
- Make sure your dog is up to date on her state dog license, vaccinations and heartworm medication. Most parks require dogs to be spayed or neutered.
- Clean up after your dog. No one wants to dodge doggie doo in the park. Most parks provide plastic bags and trashcans for disposal.
- Keep an eye on your dog not and not on your mobile device. Casual sniffing can turn violent in an instant, and you want to make sure you can react quickly to prevent or break up a fight—or just make sure you have the plastic bag ready when a potty break calls.
- Bring fresh water if none is available
Midstate Dog Parks
Happy Tails Dog Park, Dowhower and Union Deposit Rds., Lower Paxton Township. Located on two acres inside Kohl Memorial Park, it has separate areas for large and small dogs.
Lower Allen Township Community Park, 4075 Lisburn Rd., Mechanicsburg. The popular dog park has large and small dog areas, water fountains, shade trees and chairs. The larger community park sits along the scenic Yellow Breeches and has picnic areas and ball fields. After your yard play, take a walk along well-manicured nature trails and wade in the creek by the boat launch. Another nice feature for humans is the restrooms inside the old barn that is now a community center.
Shaffer Dog Park, 1700 Carlisle Spring Rd., Carlisle. This beautifully maintained, shaded park is a membership-only facility. Members pay $50 a year and receive key fob to access the park, which has dedicated areas for small and large dogs, benches and water fountains.
Biglerville Dog Park, 2880 Table Rock Rd. Located at Oakside Park in the heart of Adams County’s apple orchard region, this park, which just opened last year, features separate areas for small and large dogs. Trees, benches and agility equipment are being added over time.
West Manheim Park, 245 Bartholomew Rd., Hanover. This large park sprawls over the hillsides near the Maryland border. The park has separate areas for large and small dogs. There are many trails, ball fields and picnic areas, so you can make a day of it.
Beau’s Dream (formerly Buchanan) Dog Park, 905 Buchanan Rd., Lancaster. Once a well-worn city park, it won a $500,000 makeover two years ago in a contest sponsored by Purina/Beneful. Today, it can only be described as the Taj Mahal of dog parks, with obstacles, water sprinklers, sculptures and astro-turf footing. It is the vision of celebrity TV interior designer Nate Berkus.
The Canine Spa, 140 Ore Bank Rd., Dillsburg. Need a change of pace, a place to rehab an injured dog or just a fun spot to exercise in bad weather? The Canine Spa, in a former horse barn, gives dogs a place to frolic in the water or try dock diving on a pay-as-you-go basis. There’s even a bathing area to lather up and hose off when you’re done.
Amy Worden is a staff writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer and author of Philly Dawg blog. https://www.philly.com/dawg.
