Comments on: Why are Chicago DFA’s ‘hard surfaced’? http://southloopdogpac.org/2010/06/why-are-chicago-dfas-hard-surfaced/ Support your local dog parks! Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:10:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: sldogpac http://southloopdogpac.org/2010/06/why-are-chicago-dfas-hard-surfaced/comment-page-1/#comment-1712 sldogpac Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:22:11 +0000 http://southloopdogpac.org/?p=1391#comment-1712 Chicago Park District policy is to create very small dog areas (about one tenth of an acre) that have to be hard-surfaced so that they can accommodate the large number of dogs in their service areas without turning to muck. Seems logical enough. Is it the right policy? We don't have concrete data, yet, but casual observation suggests that far more owners and their dogs are driven away from DFA's because of this policy than are drawn to using the parks for recreation with their pets. And, when we've brought up potential infectious disease risks (e.g. filthy standing water) due to construction defects at the DFAs... we've been blown off. So, there are contradictions. Chicago Park District policy is to create very small dog areas (about one tenth of an acre) that have to be hard-surfaced so that they can accommodate the large number of dogs in their service areas without turning to muck.

Seems logical enough. Is it the right policy?

We don’t have concrete data, yet, but casual observation suggests that far more owners and their dogs are driven away from DFA’s because of this policy than are drawn to using the parks for recreation with their pets. And, when we’ve brought up potential infectious disease risks (e.g. filthy standing water) due to construction defects at the DFAs… we’ve been blown off.

So, there are contradictions.

]]> By: Jennifer http://southloopdogpac.org/2010/06/why-are-chicago-dfas-hard-surfaced/comment-page-1/#comment-1711 Jennifer Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:15:02 +0000 http://southloopdogpac.org/?p=1391#comment-1711 I completely agree: this research needs to be questioned. There should be a group of professionals who look into this and determine whether this "research" is even valid. One of many examples of different cities who build dog parks with grass (REAL grass): New Orleans finished a beautiful, nearly all-grass dog park last year: http://www.nolacitybark.org/ There are too many dog parks out there that are all grass, so I can't imagine that everyone else is doing this wrong and only Chicago is correct. I'm upset because I just want my dog to exercise on a grassy area where his paws won't be torn up. Montrose dog beach is incredibly crowded and dirty (from the people). I literally cannot find a single dog-safe area within a few miles of Chicago that contains grass for my dog to play on. Is it really too much to ask for? Am I and the previous poster asking for the moon here? I completely agree: this research needs to be questioned. There should be a group of professionals who look into this and determine whether this “research” is even valid.

One of many examples of different cities who build dog parks with grass (REAL grass): New Orleans finished a beautiful, nearly all-grass dog park last year: http://www.nolacitybark.org/

There are too many dog parks out there that are all grass, so I can’t imagine that everyone else is doing this wrong and only Chicago is correct.

I’m upset because I just want my dog to exercise on a grassy area where his paws won’t be torn up. Montrose dog beach is incredibly crowded and dirty (from the people).

I literally cannot find a single dog-safe area within a few miles of Chicago that contains grass for my dog to play on. Is it really too much to ask for? Am I and the previous poster asking for the moon here?

]]> By: Charlie Maison http://southloopdogpac.org/2010/06/why-are-chicago-dfas-hard-surfaced/comment-page-1/#comment-503 Charlie Maison Wed, 23 Jun 2010 04:48:48 +0000 http://southloopdogpac.org/?p=1391#comment-503 I recently moved to Chicago and this research should be questioned. I came from MN and there is a large dog park with grass and my sister is a vet who help design the dog park. I'll like to see the data behind this. It seems that these answers were back-ended and not based on science. If this study is to believed, wouldn't all dog owners be required to have hard surface back yards? I've lived in several cities and usually travel with my dog and the vast majority of dog parks surfaces in the US are grass. Dog parks that have been around a lot longer than Chicago ones! The problem is that Chicago dog parks are way too small which is why the grass can't survive. I recently moved to Chicago and this research should be questioned. I came from MN and there is a large dog park with grass and my sister is a vet who help design the dog park. I’ll like to see the data behind this. It seems that these answers were back-ended and not based on science. If this study is to believed, wouldn’t all dog owners be required to have hard surface back yards? I’ve lived in several cities and usually travel with my dog and the vast majority of dog parks surfaces in the US are grass. Dog parks that have been around a lot longer than Chicago ones! The problem is that Chicago dog parks are way too small which is why the grass can’t survive.

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