Illegal Dog Park First Visit

I call it Illegal Dog Park because it sounds sneaky and mysterious, but really what we do is go to vacant schoolyard playgrounds and let the dogs off leash.

We don't actually have a real dog park in McAllen, but we do have a group of people and dogs who meet up at another elementary school on Sunday afternoons. Because I work Sunday I haven't gone in a very long time. Working on Sundays is not the only reason I don't go though. The main reason I don't go is because it is an Unofficial Dog Park (see that doesn't sound as cool as Illegal) there isn't a seperate place for big dogs and small dogs. The other reason we don't go anymore is because Spencer is not happy or friendly with Little Kids Who Steal HIS Frisbee. Again because it is unofficial, there are no rules against bringing children to the dog park. But that is a different story/rant for a different day.

Anyway, tonight there were a few people and dogs who are trying to start a mid-week play group at another elementary school on Thursday evenings. So I decided to take Audrey by herself to see how she did. And because at around 30lbs right now she is by far my "biggest" dog and I knew it was likely going to be just large dogs.

The school yard where we met was a small grassy area surrounded by shallow ditches and fenced in on three sides and leading into a parking lot. Since it was 6:30PM or so when we arrived, there weren't many cars so I wasn't worried about it not being totally fenced in since the parking lot was mainly empty with very little action. As we were walking across the parking lot I took off Audrey's lead and we walked toward the other dogs. The dogs were Buster, a very VERY large Lab X, and Grace a 4-5mo GSD (who I just graduated from puppy class) was roughly the size of Audrey just a bit taller.

At first the other dogs hadn't noticed us but when they did Grace came barreling at Audrey and Audrey was OFF like someone had lit a fire under her nubbin. She made it all the way to the parking lot area when I decided to call Grace to me. Once Grace came running towards me Audrey decided no one was going to eat her so she came back. Her recall throughout our time there was fabulous by the way. Every time I called her she would drop what she was doing and run her crooked little bum all the way to me and I would love her up and release her to play again.

For the next half hour or so the dogs (now including a huge Doberman named Brando) chased Grace's Chuck-it ball, played with my water bottle, hung out with each other and were having a lovely time. When the other dogs were getting tired and just laying around Audrey got bored and decided to explore the ditches surrounding the area we were in. She went all the way into the shallow ditch at the far end of the fenced area and I saw her get something in her mouth. I knew if I made a big deal she would come and show it to me so I started yelling "AUDREY WHAT DID YOU FIND, GOOD GIRL? BRING IT HERE, LEMME SEE IT!!" She loved that and came flying back to me with a rabbit carcass (I'm guessing that's what it was) in her mouth.

Once she got to me I told her to drop it and surprisingly she did (good girl!) The other dogs each stole it one by one and got it in their mouths before we covered it with a water bowl. Then they postured and growled at each other while they all guarded it (Audrey was not involved in the guarding, she was already moving on to another adventure). Once we had disposed of it, Audrey could tell things were boring again so she went back to her ditch and brought what appeared to be a jaw bone, or wing, or bone of unknown origin. Again she ran right back to me when I called her like an obedient little hunting dog. After a brief victory lap with the bone in her mouth she dropped it and Buster crunched it up and ate it.

Overall she did really great, aside from her wonderfully naughty retrieving skills. Her recall was amazing and she seemed totally happy and at ease with the other dogs and even the people. She looked like the most graceful, beautiful dog I've ever seen while she was running towards me and again when she would stop and sniff the air or strike a pose.

We had a great time and next week we're going to go again, and then afterwards there is a bar down the street from the school that apparently allows dogs out on the patio. So that will be our next adventure. :)