Tuggeranong Dog park - the Happiest Place on Earth (for dogs anyway)

My dog is too scared to go there. He is fine with other dogs around, but get anxious and overwhelmed when 3-6 strange dogs all come running up to him and jumping all over him at the same time. He tried to jump up into my arms last time we were there and this happened. It was sad, but cute.

My kelpieX yaps too misshelly; high pitched, ear piercing and constant – for about the first 5 minutes until she settles down. Vey embarrassing (and annoying for everyone, including me). I know what you mean about the bigger rambunctious dogs – they do tend to trample all over everyone and the little dogs don’t stand a chance.

I walked past this every weekend before it opened with my small white ball of fluff…. and was really excited when it finally opened! But unfortunately I have come to realise that my little girl is just too small 🙁

It would have been great to have a small dog area too 🙁

My girl has been socialised with bigger dogs so she’s not scared of them, but unfortunately she does tend to get trampled. And she yaps… alot 😛 I feel like the outcast freak when she starts barking as we walk in (she just does it when she hears other dogs – even at home on the TV).

But yeah, i think it’s a great facility! I’ll just have to stick with the round-the-lake loop (better for my butt too than standing in the dog park :P)

burkes08 said :

I am always a bit nervous about these places as my dog is a 55kg Rottweiler. She is really good with big dogs but the little fluffy white things look a little too similar to marshmallows and would quite easily fit in her mouth.

Haha, mine can be quite boisterous too. I’ve been there a few times and if I happen to see the dog owners by the bench, I’ll always ask first. Most of them are okay with me letting my dog off the leash. Sometimes, they’ll tell you how their dog(s) react to bigger or smaller dogs. I’ve only encountered a grumpy owner once.

And, sometimes, good samaritans will leave some plastic bags by the gate.

We were there much later.

deezagood said :

LOL. TP, did you go today at all? There was a fluffy white dog there this afternoon!

I was there from 12:30ish to 13:00ish

LOL. TP, did you go today at all? There was a fluffy white dog there this afternoon!

“how about installing a couple of poo-bag dispensers (for the humans who occasionally forget)”

Or you could just make sure you go before you leave home

deezagood said :

TP, what is the FB site called?

It is Lake Tuggeranong Dog Park (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=148279295572&ref=ts).

I didn’t see any info about size??? Strange. The one tip that I did notice was the advice to ‘keep walking, so that your dog doesn’t become territorial over a certain area’. I thought that this was good advice for ‘first timers’ (until you see how your pooch will go in this ‘free-from’ situation), but most people seemed to just cluster together and chat whilst their dogs romped around chasing eachother (piddling on everyhting) and having a great time.

The dog park etiquette brochure says the following about poo bags:

Why are bags for dog waste not provided?
The ACT Government encourages dog owners
to carry bags when they take their dog out, as
required under ACT law. Further reasons for not
providing bags are to avoid problems caused
through vandalism such as spreading bags through
the surrounding area and potentially causing a
hazard for water birds, or if bags are stolen and
not available for park users who have become
dependent on them.

It also says the following about areas for the size of your dog. I don’t see separate areas on the map. Are there areas for small dogs and big dogs?

What to do once you get to the enclosure
Make sure you use the right part of the enclosure for your dog’s size.

I am always a bit nervous about these places as my dog is a 55kg Rottweiler. She is really good with big dogs but the little fluffy white things look a little too similar to marshmallows and would quite easily fit in her mouth.

TP, what is the FB site called?

Yeah my dog has fun, he is the big white fluffy dog that greets all creature dog or human.

There is also a little one on Amy Ackman Street, Forde (near the Jessie Street roundabout) & at the northern end of Lake Ginninderra (off Ginninderra Drive, on the west side of the bridge).

Someone has also created a Facebook page for people to share anything about the dog park.

I agree, deeza. Dog poo bins and bags should not only be in the dog park but also at strategic places around Canberra. I noticed them in some small towns in Victoria (they also had rubbish bins in parks, something the ACT government has deemed unneccessary).

I’ll have to take my own (selective hearing loss) out there soon. She loves other people and puppies and doesn’t get to socialise a lot!

That sounds nice, a place for dogs to socialise and play.