We used to have a park in the area that would allow dogs to romp around off-leash. I used to love to bring Miko, my shepherd-husky mix, there to play with the other dogs!
There were a bunch of regulars that were there almost every day. We had the clever border collie… the frisky chocolate lab who would race around and around with endless energy… the three chubby, elderly dogs with gray muzzles who always wanted to lay around and be adored… the lovable rottie… the feisty mini-pinscher… and me and Miko, every chance we got.
Miko wasn’t a small dog – he tipped the scale in the 75 lb range – but he absolutely adored ANY dog who was bigger than he was. It was absolutely adorable to see him play-wrestle with Schultz, the rottweiler. I remember one day, someone brought a lovely Great Dane to the park. Annie was her name, if I remember correctly. Well Miko decided that Annie should be his new special friend and he would not leave her alone. He kept nudging at her and nudging at her until she finally had enough.
It happened in a flash: she knocked Miko down, rolled him over, and sat on him. Poor Miko looked so confused, laying there with a Great Dane sitting on him!
When the dogs would get to chasing, Miko wasn’t always able to keep up. He was an older fellow, but would still want to play. He would wait for the parade to get close, then dart forward and bark at them.
I really lucked out with Miko… he came to me from a shelter at age seven, already fully trained and smart as anything. I could trust him without a leash – he always came when I whistled. Even when we lived in Vermont, I could just let him out the door in the morning and he’d come back when I whistled. (I wish Moosie were more like Miko in that respect… Moosie will get out and just keep going!)
The dog park is a great adventure for your and your pet, as long as you’re reasonably sure you can trust them to not make a break for it and to behave around other dogs. The park I used to visit with Miko has banned off-leash play, but there are two or three other real dog parks in the area that have opened up since then. You may have to pay a membership fee, and all your dog’s vaccinations must be up to date – but it’s a great way to let your dog interact with other dogs. It’s a good way for you to get out and socialize, too.