Dog Owners: Pls Take this survey to help shape the future!

[furryfaces]

A fellow F-cuber shared this and we think it is important to get lots of feedback from dog owners. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey and share it with other dog owned friends, on Facebook, etc.

Seattle City Officials are doing a survey that will inform the next decades of policy for off-leash dogs in Seattle! It is urgently important that all dog owners take 10 minutes and COMPLETE IT TODAY! And tell your dog owning friends!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SeattleDogSurvey

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[anonyme]

I took the survey, but it really pissed me off that they did not include 98146 as a Seattle zip code. More than 60 years after annexation, Arbor Heights residents are a bit sick and tired of being told and treated like they don’t live in Seattle.

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[JoB]

i too saw holes in this survey

but i took it anyway

it’s a start

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[KBear]

Some of the questions are very poorly written. It will be impossible for them to determine whether someone rated something like the importance of proximity in their use of dog parks “low” because it doesn’t matter to them, or because the dog park is far away from them.

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[wakeflood]

That’s always frustrating to have to interpret the intent of the question and then pick an answer that you hope is interpreted accurately to the intent. Which is why it’s good to include a comment box on every survey.

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[mtnfreak]

Anonyme, I just took the survey and saw your zipcode standing tall and proud – third column, first item, coming after 98144 and before 98154.

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[anonyme]

It’s been added since I made a comment about it on the survey. It was not there originally. Squeaky wheel, all that.

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[GoGo]

I took the survey and also found some of the questions poorly worded. Thanks for telling them to add “our” zip code, anonyme!

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[Greystreet]

I agree, it was poorly written and a lot of it didn’t make sense. If one can’t tell that the west side is underserved just based on the map of OLA’s then wow. Besides Lincoln park I’m not sure where else they could install an OLA and I can hear the cacophony now from the forum tunnel now about “preserving the park, natural habitats etc” if it can’t go in at Lincoln park the dogs will just continue to run amok there anyways, so I hope we didn’t all take the time to do this survey in vain. Nonetheless, happy Tuesday!

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[wakeflood]

OK, we can all stop looking for places to put dog parks folks, Greystreet has done the analysis and it’s Lincoln Park.

Phew, thanks for doing the in-depth research for us and determining that a handful of smaller neighborhood locations – like the dozens of already owned city property for substations that they’re wondering what to do with – won’t work.

And gee, they’re currently asking folks what we should use these parcels for, doncha’ know? And people have been mentioning low income housing, pocket parks, etc. But thank goodness I haven’t heard a DAMN WORD from dog lovers about using some of them as OLA’s. That would positively not be worth getting involved in, now would it?

Rant over.

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[wakeflood]

Hey, I’m sorry for being snarky but good gawd you dog owners are some of the most frustrating people to co-exist with. You take near zero responsibility for your 100% voluntary decision to own pets that aren’t appropriate for your living situations and then arbitrarily decide it’s my problem to deal with your lack of integrity.

And yes, there’s a number of perfectly reasonable owners on this blog who do the right thing…and get pooh-poohed frequently for voicing it.

Now, having seen this first hand for years, I’m going to fight tooth and nail to prevent you from turning Lincoln Park into a dog poop marsh if I can possibly help it.

You want something easy, go tell the city to use those parcels as dog parks and make your case.

Rant 2 over. :-)

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[wakeflood]

Oh, and I apologize in advance that some of these parcels aren’t spectacular water views with old growth trees and native habitat. You will simply have to gaze upon the urban landscape the city was so careless to have purchased.

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[Greystreet]

Hey Wakeflood, while I appreciated your recommendation on an excellent house painter, I don’t appreciate your unneeded sarcasm and attack on a simple post about a poorly written survey. If you read any of the postings on this juvenile PTA complaint board you will find the some of the biggest hitters on complaints of off leash dogs are Lincoln Park, Fauntleroy and Schmitz…now I did not perform a proper statistical analysis to provide you with a formal level of significance or confidence interval but a simple windshield survey could tell a four-year-old where the need is…”owning pets that don’t fit your living situation”, I’ll have you know we own a home with an 8100 square foot lot and some dog owners aren’t afforded that luxury…a regulated off-leash area in one of the city’s largest parks makes sense like hmm, Warren G. Magnuson park THE ONLY PARK IN THE GD CITY that allows dogs in the water, pay no mind to ALL the thee viable options that they’re prohibited, oddly enough that off leash area works there and I bet there are native animals and trees that survive just fine…so now my rant, is over.

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[Greystreet]

Wakeflood while I appreciated your house painter recommendation to much delight, I don’t appreciate your sarcastic attack on my take of a poorly written survey. While I did not perform a statistical analysis to generate a confidence interval or level of significance, anyone doing a windshield survey of these postings about off-leash dogs could see the biggest complaints are usually(italicized) Lincoln, Fauntlerot and Schmitz parks. Hmm lets see, another giant park in the city with an off-leash area, oh yea, Warren G. Magnuson, that oddly enough had THE ONLY LEGAL WATER ACCESS for dogs in the city seems to do just fine with native trees and animals galavanting about, pay no mind to all of the other accessible water options in this city that could be shared, I made my comment by what makes sense and what is actionable, it would not be super challenging to utilize a portion of Lincoln Park as an off-leash area and quite frankly all of the haters on this blog will shut down any idea to convert an area of ANY existing park into off-leash because somehow it violates their personal rights to a park that I’d bet some delicious baked goods on, they never utilize themselves. And now my rant, is over.

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[anonyme]

Wake, I agree with you completely. In the comments section of the survey, as well as the comments section of the news piece here on the WSB, I mentioned that the substations would be perfect for this purpose.

We cannot keep chopping up natural habitat (like Lincoln Park) for every imaginable use and abuse. One of the requirements of ‘habitat’ is space. Most dogs do not need huge amounts of space, and if they do, they’re probably the wrong breed for urban living. I’m sick of people who insist on having a dog they can’t possibly take proper care of given their living/financial/job circumstances, then whining that everyone else must accommodate their illegal solutions. The dog deserves better, and what they usually suffer most from is lack of companionship – not lack of salt water, or the need to slaughter federally protected wildlife.

Dogs do not need a view. They do not need an agility course. They certainly do not need a salt water beach. These are all perfect examples of humans anthropomorphizing canine needs. And just like human recreational activities, not every experience is – or should be – available within city limits.

Off-leash parks are as much about socializing and socialization than exercise. The substations are perfect for this, as they would provide neighborhood pocket parks where it would be likely that folks would either already know one another, or soon be introduced. This might also help with the problem of attacks by strange dogs, with stranger owners that then flee the scene. Smaller parks in greater numbers would be more practical than large expanses which are hard to come by in the city.

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[wakeflood]

Nailed it, anonyme.

Ok, so, two suggestions offered with goodwill toward all men/women/geese.

One: the SGSC Seattle Green Spaces Coalition that is helping determine the fate of these substations has a contact. Her name is Mary Fleck. She can be found online no doubt.

Two: there is a new pocket park going in the new King County area across from Lowman Beach.

Might someone who owns a dog pursue these options, please??

Many of us would be most appreciative!!

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[JoB]

Greystreet..

congrats on taking care of your furry friends. i too am one of those dog owners who pay through the nose to make sure that my pets have more than adequate play space at home..

however.. i don’t think awarding people who have abused our city’s parks by putting a dog area in the parks where they run amok with their off leash dogs is the answer.

there are plenty of suitable locations.. like the substations that were mentioned.. that will suit the dogs just fine.. even if their owners would prefer something more.

best use and all of that …

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[Greystreet]

Anonyme, I agree that substations would make a great OLA; however dogs DO need exercise, some breeds do need agility-like activities to both satisfy their instincts and to keep them healthy through exercise. Small OLA are great for ankle-biters and folks who just want to take their dog out for their “business” but larger dogs need exercise and need to be able to run, obesity in canines is just as dangerous as it is in humans. Dogs don’t need a view, ok I’ll buy that, but dogs are also creatures of curiosity and have senses a million times more in tune than a human, they may not need an Olympic mountain view to satisfy their needs but shouldn’t they be afforded at least some degree of nature too? Ugh, this is a losing battle and I’m out of the discussion, but I would love for the WSB to organize a “mixer” perse, where everyone wears a nametag with their Forum handle and see if the verbal interactions are the same. Have a great day!

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[wakeflood]

Greystreet, thanks for sharing your thoughts and putting up with my snark.

I’ll leave this thread with the following thought:

Your note about non-ankle-biters (which is a pejoritive btw) assumes that it’s a good idea to own dogs that need big areas to exercise when living in a dense urban environment.

THAT’S part of the core issue that just gets glossed over. If you WANT a Border Collie, you damn well better own an acre of land or you get in your car and drive to the suburbs BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR WHEN YOU MADE YOUR DUMBASS decision. :-)

Don’t make that the rest of your neighbor’s problem.

And if you want to get your dog some good views, then just follow the leash laws and pick up your poop and everyone’s copacetic.

None of this is rocket science, all it requires is a little personal responsibility for your decisions and choices.

OK, I’m out too. Y’all have a super week! :-)

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[JoB]

there is absolutely nothing to stop any dog owner from running most of our wooded trails with their dogs.. as long as that leash i so often see draped around the runner’s neck is actually attached to their dog.

this morning i spent about an hour on my deck watching the world go by. Even in an urban environment, one house back from a major arterial with bus traffic, less than half of the dog walkers had their leashes attached to their dogs.

this is a problem

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[clulessinws]

Wake, you rock!

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[anonyme]

Greystreet, I absolutely agree that dogs need exercise; no question there. A good, leashed WALK once or twice a day is adequate for most breeds, and good for owners, too. If you’re too damn lazy to walk your dog – don’t have one! Large dogs do not necessarily need lots of room to run; as a matter of fact, many large dogs need less activity than smaller ones. If you happen to have one that does, perhaps you should not rely on the City and taxpayers to provide you with vast, open spaces for that purpose. And that is what I meant about having the right pet for your lifestyle. Get a house with a big yard, move to the country – or get a gerbil. But, as Wake said, don’t expect everyone else to accommodate your bad decisions.

I remember a time when people actually said “I’d love to have a dog, but not until I have a yard.” “I’d love to have a dog, but I work too many hours”. “I’d love to have a dog, but I may be moving from my apartment soon”. Not any more. It’s me, me, me, instant gratification, with no regard for the dog itself. And that’s all I care about in the end – what’s good for the dogs, not narcissistic humans.

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[JoB]

anonyme

i couldn’t agree more

i live with 2 shiba inus

every time i turn around someone is telling me how dang cute they are.. and they are

but.. i brush them every day.. yup.. every day because they shed like some kind of floating dustball machine

and they have a yard to play in

and a second yard out front to run in

and they get walked every day

and i don’t leave them home alone because they get bored and that’s not a good thing for escape artists..

and i take them to a different park at least a couple of times a week because they get bored..

they destroy toys faster than i can buy them

and i don’t buy cheap toys

they are easily bored

they are great dogs but there is a pattern developing here

having a dog is a major commitment

an even larger commitment if you have one of the more active breeds

if you invite them into your home it’s your responsibility to keep them happy and healthy…

and your responsibility to keep them adequately secured in public.. not only for the safety of the greater public.. but for their safety.

I know that i sometimes go overboard when it comes to taking care of my pups…

but, if you aren’t willing to do that

don’t get a dog.

it really is that simple.

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[JoB]

Greystreet…

i don’t know whether you are a homeowner or a renter. I rent.

When i chose my rental i required three things..

1) adequate room for the dogs and secure perimeter fencing

2) permission to add more fencing to create containment areas for the dogs

3) permission to plant the kind of environment that would stimulate my dogs and provide multiple environments for their stimulation.

I have a great landlord who not only agreed to my requirements for outdoor space but recognized the added value for her property.

after 5+ years we now have the kind of park out front that causes people to stop and chat over the front fence.

the pups get to visit our local parks at least once a week and generally more. Where possible i let them explore on a retractable leash but most of the time they are on a solid 6ft…

i trust them implicitly, but i can’t say the same for the people and loose animals around us:(

they get plenty of exercise…

even when i am not up for a run..

the squirrels are

we have lots and lots of squirrels in West Seattle

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