Tails wagging, noses touching, and four legs jumping and bounding with joy. While Shore Dogs Park in Redwood Shores provides dogs a nice, safe place to play and have fun, it also provides benefits for dog owners in the community.
Shore dogs Park, which is located near Radio Road in Redwood Shores, has been around for over ten years. The park has a huge, gated dirt play area for large dogs and a smaller, enclosed grassy park setting for smaller dogs.
People bring their dogs to the park for many different reasons.
“We go because it’s great to be outside and let our two dogs run free and play with other dogs. Our dogs get bored in the house and need to exercise,” said Patty Jewett, who goes to the park regularly.
Going to the dog park not only builds relationship for dogs, but for dog owners as well. Jewett says that she meets a lot of new people when she goes to the park.
“It’s easy to start talking to people at the dog park. We start talking about our dogs and it leads to conversations about our families, friends, work, and things we’ve done lately — you never know, could be anything,” said Jewett.
Karen Carbonnet, owner of The California Fly Shop, frequently brings her two-year-old black lab named Rocco to Shore Dogs Park.
“We talk about dogs almost 100 percent of the time. The dog I have now, the dog I had before, my favorite kind of dog, my least favorite, my recommendation for a vet, trainer, dog sitter, etc,” said Carbonnet.
Dog parks can be a catalyst for new, friendships, relationships, and more.
“I think the parks like Shore Dogs give the opportunity for people to meet others in the community, which is a good thing,” said Scott Evans, a frequent visitor. “When you’re walking your dog, you don’t have to talk to anyone. When you’re at the dog park, somehow, people just start talking.”
So, dog parks really aren’t just for the dogs; they bring together the community as well.
“Regular visits can lead to friendships, sharing community information and ideas, disconnecting from the cell phone and other things — it’s great to just enjoy the moment with the people at the park,” said Jewett.
