For many, fall means back to school. And it should for dog owners as well. A
college is a great place to look for a canine hike when you are traveling. You will
find many a campus to be dog-friendly. The best time to visit with your dog is early
on a weekend day or when school is not in session. At smaller colleges you can
maneuver your dog unobtrusively around campus most any time. Here are some of
my favorite campus canine hikes:
Swarthmore College - Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Scott Arboretum - Route 320 north from I-95
The 300-acre Swarthmore campus is developed to be an arboretum, established in
1929 as a living memorial to Arthur Hoyt Scott, Class of 1895. Stop in the office to
pick up a tour map to the collections that are integrated with the stone buildings of
the college that date to 1864. A dog-friendly campus, you’ll find dog water bowls at
the drinking fountains as you travel among the 3,000 different kinds of plants. You
can finish your tour in Crum Woods where your dog can go under voice control on
the rolling dirt paths. You can easily spend an hour or more with your dog exploring
these trails.
West Virginia University - Morgantown, West Virginia
Core Arboretum - Monongahela Boulevard, next to the football stadium
The 91-acre Core Arboretum on the campus of West Virginia University is named for
Earl Lemley Core, the Mountain State’s leading botanist, one-time mayor of
Morgantown and faculty member at WVU for 44 years. Students began coming to
the small forest in the early 1900s and the school acquired the property in 1948. Its
steep slopes negated development and today visitors (free admission and parking
right at the arboretum) can enjoy the old growth forest that covers the hillsides as it
sweeps down to the Monongahela River.
There are 3.5 miles of trails for canine hiking that begin in an upper lawn sprinkled
with native specimen trees. The trail drops some 200 feet to the river, past trees
estimated at 400 years old. Look for specks of black rock that are remnants of an
old coal mine that once operated here. The forest changes composition as it nears
the floodplain and thirstier species like silver maples begin to dominate the
landscape. The Caperton Trail, an old rail-to-trail, crosses the park for longer
explorations of West Virginia’s fifth largest city.
Duke University - Durham, North Carolina
Duke Forest - Research Drive off Erwin Road from NC 751
College planners began buying up small farms and forestland as a buffer for the
Duke campus in the 1920s. The lands have now evolved into the Duke Forest with
nearly 8,000 acres spread across six divisions. Much of the canine hiking is easy
going in the woods is through airy pine trees, including stately loblollies and
majestic white pines.
Although there are few footpaths in the Duke forest there are more than 30 miles of
old woodland roads to travel on. There is also a three-mile graded loop used as a
cross-county course that winds through the woods around the campus golf course
that makes an ideal one-hour canine hike.
College of the Siskiyous - Weed, California
Bear Trail - College Avenue off I-5
The College of the Siskiyous was founded in 1957 at the base of free-standing Mt.
Shasta - the second highest volcano in the Lower 48 at over 14,000 feet. The Bear
Creek Trail - so named for the many black bear sightings near the path - is 1.7
miles and easy going on level dirt through a shady forest. The trailhead is within 20
feet of the college sign at the entrance parking lot. The trail is extremely paw-
friendly and often padded by pine straw. In addition to the easy-to-follow main
trail, there are several forks where you can extend your canine hiking day. Enjoy a
stroll through the 250-acre campus after you finish the Bear Trail.
Cornell University - Ithaca, New York
Cornell Plantations - Judd Falls Road off Route 366
According to the arboretum brochure, “The name Plantations was coined by Cornell
University professor Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954), who is often called the father
of American horticulture. Bailey understood a plantation to be ‘a large group of
plants, especially trees, under cultivation.’” The Plantations welcome visitors year-
round, are free and open sunrise to sunset. Dogs are allowed.
The trails are divided between cultivated collections and natural areas, spread
across rolling terrain. The natural areas include over 3,000 acres of diverse habitats
- bogs, fens, gorges, glens, meadows and woodlands - as trails roughly trace Falls
Creek. Nearby, another four miles of woodland trails beckon in Sapsucker Woods,
maintained by the Cornell Ornithology Department, by dogs are not permitted in
this sanctuary.
Clemson University - Clemson, South Carolina
The Simpson Agricultural Station between Pendleton and Anderson on Lebanon
Road
This is a spacious farm owned by the university and a great place to hike with your
dog. Foot travel is invited and there are lots of different terrains to choose from -
woods, ponds, miles of level gravel roads, and huge fields for your dog to run in. On
a clear day there are beautiful vistas of the mountains. It’s a great, off the leash,
unfettered walk with your dog!
I am the author of over 20 books, including 8 on hiking with your dog, including the
widely praised The Canine Hiker’s Bible. As publisher of Cruden Bay Books,
we produce the innovative A Bark In The Park series of canine hiking books found at
http://www.hikewithyourdog.com. During the warm months I lead canine hikes as tour
leader for hikewithyourdog.com tours, leading packs of dogs and humans on day
and overnight trips. Tours, ranging from one-day trips to multi-day explorations,
visit parks, historical sites and beaches. My lead dog is Katie, a German Shepherd-
Border Collie mix, who has hiked in all of the Lower 48 states and is on a quest to
swim in all the great waters of North America - http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Katies%20Blog/Katies%20Quest.html. I am currently building a
hikewithyourdog.com tours trailer to use on our expeditions and its progress can be
viewed at http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Teardrop%20Trailer/Building%20A%20Tour%20Trailer.html.
When I had a Toy Poodle, I used a small beanie baby toy tied to a twenty foot long cord to exercise him for at least ten minutes at a time, twice a day. I’d throw it across the room and he’d run after it to snatch it up, fueled by canine fantasies of ripping it apart.
But he knew he wouldn’t be able to act out his warrior instincts if he brought it back to me which is why I had it tied to a cord. As once he got hold of it, that was the only way I could get it back, unless I wanted to chase him around under tables.
Most of the time I’d start yanking on the cord as soon as the toy landed, and he’d have to pounce on it to keep it still long enough to grab it in his mouth. But frequently, I’d be too quick for him and I was able to get it past his lightening fast paws. Then I would pull the toy across the floor as fast as I could reel the cord in, while he ran after it like a cat chasing a mouse.
He’d usually lose those races, and would have to wait for me to throw it again. But this way he knew the game wasn’t fixed, and that it required genuine skill on his part in order for him to ‘win the prize’ which made it all the more exciting for him.
When he was successful in keeping me from getting the toy past him after it landed, he’d clamp down on it with as much force as his Toy Poodle jaws would allow. Then he’d continually shake it while I pulled the toy, and him, back to me.
He even ‘applied his brakes’ frequently during the process, and played tug of war with me quickly scooting backwards about three feet whenever I allowed a little slack in the cord. This was like reeling in an eight pound dogfish that was on steroids. But after slowly dragging him across the floor to within arms reach of me, he would suddenly release his alligator grip on the toy and let me have it.
Then he immediately tensed up and assumed a position to spring after it when I threw it again. But he watched it very intently until he actually saw it fly past him, because he had been fooled too many times in the past when I just pretended to throw it.
During those occasions, he ran to the area where he was expecting it to land, and would then look back at me with a puzzled expression wondering what had gone wrong. When he saw me laughing and dangling the toy in front of me, he’d instantly get a big grin on his face. Then he’d come charging back at me full speed in order to do a Toy Poodle version of a drop kick on my knee.
But I’d usually throw the toy before he reached me which resulted in him slamming on his brakes, and then running back to where he had just been. So he soon learned to wait by my side until he was sure that I had really thrown it.
He never got tired of this game, and would have done it for hours at a time if he had been able to coax me into playing with him for that long. This daily tug of war was so entertaining for me I never got tired of it either. As it was a lot like going fishing every day, without any of the hassles or expense. Plus, I was guaranteed to catch ‘a big one’ every time I ‘cast my line out’. Another benefit was that I could reuse the same bait over and over. 
Whenever I walked towards the file cabinet that I initially kept the toy on, he thought it was playtime and would start prancing around and barking. To avoid disappointing him several times a day with false alarms, I had to keep the toy stored inside an out of the way cabinet when it wasn’t ‘in use’.
Needless to say, this is excellent exercise for indoor dogs, as well as being great for their mental health. As it gives them a fun activity to look forward to each day, etc. Thus it can only serve to extend their life to a ripe old age if done on a daily basis. It would also be a lot of fun for you!
So if your dog’s exercise routine consists of nothing more than slow-paced back yard sniff patrols, you may want to give this technique a try. To save wear and tear on your arm, simply swing the toy by the cord in a loop and release it allowing the momentum to carry it across the room.
If you have a lazy dog, you may need to tease him with the toy first, to get him riled up enough to want doggy revenge. Simply place it on top of his head, and ‘walk’ it across his back, etc. Then when you finally throw it, he’ll be more motivated to run after it so he can give it a good shaking.
Once he experiences the ‘thrill of the chase’ a few times, it will likely become habit forming, and he’ll want to keep doing it. Unless he’s just not into chasing stuffed animals. Ironically, as much fun as my dog had with this game, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with ANY type of ball. Whenever I rolled one past him, he would just glance at it for a second and then ignore it. So whether your dog takes to this dogfishing sport will undoubtedly depend on his personality.
Obviously, this exercise method wouldn’t be practical to use with all dogs, since large dogs would probably win a tug of war with most people. The problem with the dog winning is that it could create a top dog power struggle over who should roll onto their back as “a sign of submission”. Meaning that your dog may get the idea that he’s the new pack leader in your family.
It would also be a bad idea to play this game with an aggressive breed of dog. Because if he gets loose, his canine brain may kick into ‘game mode’ if he sees a jogger running by which could result in serious injuries for the jogger, as well as criminal charges for you.
If your dog has a loose tooth, then the game is over before it starts, due to excessive pressure from the toy causing him pain. This would be a good cue for you to take your dog in for a thorough teeth cleaning as your veterinarian will be able to pull any loose teeth that he finds during the procedure.
In fact, annual teeth cleanings/dental checkups are crucial for the overall health of your dog. As a single loose tooth can result in serious health problems due to bacteria getting into the bloodstream and can wind up costing you a lot more than preventative teeth cleanings would have cost. (Check out article #35 on my Web site for some good information on canine periodontal disease.)
Also, I never tried this dogfishing game on a carpeted floor, so I have no idea what the results would be. It’s conceivable that a thick carpet would give even a small dog a big advantage in a tug of war. Which might allow an excessive amount of pressure to be exerted on fragile bones, teeth, etc. So before pulling too hard, you should consult your veterinarian to determine if this activity would involve any risk for your particular dog.
About the Author
Visit my Web site for other interesting articles: http://www.MostWantedDogs.com
Copyright © 2005 G. Metcalf. All rights reserved.
Have you ever wondered what a dog thinks, or if he dreams? Canine companions, by far, are amazing creatures of habit. If you’ve ever adopted one, your life has been enriched by the spirited side of nature.
Deep, within their childlike eyes is the innocence of perpetual bliss. These fury friends live to satisfy you and you alone. They soothe us with their undying love and devotion, come to our aid in a moment’s notice, anxiously await our return and fill our hearts with years of joy and laughter.
At will, they pleasantly astound us with their cunning mannerisms, comedic maneuvers and gentle demeanor. Always seeking to please, never failing on loyalty.
The nearly Humanistic side of dogs is their keen ability to display real emotion and feeling. When we are saddened, our loving counterparts tenderly nudge us or brush our faces against ours as if they understand. And when we are happy, they mimic our excitement with mirror reactions all their own.
These sweet, extended family members are known to lower stress, tension and even blood pressure. And it’s no wonder — they never refuse our requests, they compliment us with their adoration and they’ll follow us to the ends of the Earth if necessary.
You see, being the “mom” of two Chinese Sharpies, in addition to two “Heinz-57″ Rottweiller/Shepherd mixes, I’ve discovered the true and priceless value of a dog’s companionship and love.
During moments of sorrow, happiness and even depression, I’ve found that when we’re at our worst, our four-legged “children” are there not only to enhance our lives but to extend our longevity as well.
From recorded days of ancient history, dogs have been man’s best friend. Always assisting — love unwavering. Mutually, we care for them for their material needs, but return benefits last a lifetime. Thus is the reason dogs are utilized for so many venues - from assisting the blind, the disabled and now therapeutic hospital visitations that promote help in healing
If you have one of these fury sidekicks, realize they are just like children. Their spirits are broken easily. Love them for who they are, what they are and just maybe, you will be rewarded with the greatest gift in return…an extended lease on life.
© Loyal Companions Promote Longevity
All Rights Reserved
by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot
C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations’ Director &
Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners, Massage Therapy Schools, Healing Arts Schools, Alternative Health Education, Insightful Literature and so much more!!
With an increasing number of serious incidents being reported at dog parks, I want to introduce the safe alternative that a well-run private dog park can provide. You will find that a properly designed and managed private dog park is a dramatically different experience than what you have read about or have witnessed in public parks. A privately run dog park can properly screen, staff and enforce park regulations. We do caution you that even with the information you will gain from this article, please know that any dog park is not regulated, so we encourage everyone to do their homework before visiting any dog park to ensure it is right for you and your dog.
The current trend is that community and homeowner associations are responding to community demand by setting aside a small plot of their land for a public dog park. Unfortunately these unmanaged and unregulated fenced areas often turn to that of neighbor confrontation, injury and horror, even with the best of intending groups and dog owners. Let’s face it, without any oversight or enforcement, incidents are going to occur. Because I recognized the dangers in dog parks to the point that I would not take my dogs to one, I was motivated to devise the complex recipe for a safe off-leash dog park. Therefore; I conducted an in-depth investigation of many existing dog parks to establish the precise formula needed to create an off-leash haven.
I visited many, talked with visiting dog owners and observed many dog parks, both private and public. From my investigative travels and with my inherent understanding of dogs, I developed the complex operating matrix for a safe, off-leash dog park. Since that design work, we have successfully opened the first of our many private dog parks that thousands of qualifying dogs and their owners have already enjoyed. Our safety performance at the Royal Paws Dog Park & Doggie Day Camp facility speaks for itself with an impeccable safety performance and industry leading staffing ratio.
Benefits to your Dog with Off-Leash Exercise
The benefits to a dog at an off-leash dog park or any open area of land are immense. Unleashed running elevates heart rate, increases metabolism, improves gastrointestinal efficiency, and extends muscles and joints, all of which contributes to general overall fitness. It is known that maintaining such a healthy lifestyle for your loved dog will increase longevity and reduce risk of all associated conditions and diseases that obesity can cause. The experience for your dog in open field run is like no leashed exercise we can otherwise provide and the benefits will last a lifetime. When letting your dog run in an open field for exercise value, please consider that there are many risks to both you and your dog. You may be violating leash laws, the dog can track a scent or get lost, run into traffic or unwelcome neighborhood area, confront aggressive dogs or dangerous wildlife or foliage; which are all of the reasons as why I do not take my dogs to any open land without fences despite their excellent obedience.
In fenced area designated as a dog park, in addition to fitness improvement, your dog can enjoy benefits from the social interaction with the other dogs IF experienced without incident. The advantage for a dog that is well exercised and socialized benefit the dog, the owner and the community ONLY IF they have somehow avoided traumatic incident. Well exercised and socialized dogs are much less likely to contribute to neighborhood nuisances like chronic barking or showing aggression to other dogs.
If public parks could operate as well-run private dog park do, these benefits would be maintained. Unfortunately, many dog parks are not continuously regulated nor do they have the resources or knowledge to accurately screen the dogs; therefore, odds are that incidents will occur. Incidents like your dog being attacked by another dog or even being bullied by another dog can cause regression in social skills, cause behavioral issues, invoke fear aggression or cause physical injury or death. Following any incident at a public park, without a safe and regulated choice of private dog park that can best create positive experiences to overcome the impact of the incident, your dog may never physically or emotionally recover from the past trauma. The likelihood of good experiences for your dog in a well-managed private dog park is the reason that many loved dog owners everywhere chose private over non-regulated public parks.
Premise of a Safe Dog Park - It’s Private
The advantages a private dog park has over any public dog park is the ability to secure more favorable, larger parcels of land, improved grounds maintenance, set dog health requirements, enforceable park rules, screening of appropriate tempered dogs and third party intervention. Beware though and do your homework about any private dog park you intend to visit. Just because they can do all of the above does not mean that they do! While it is integral that the private dog park has the ability to control all of the above to make visits to a well-managed private dog park enjoyable, the most important to me are the health and temperament screening and ability of park staff to intervene.
If you have read the actual details in the recent headline grabbing horror stories of incidents in dog parks, they almost always are a result from a dog being in the park that should not be or from uneducated/erroneous decisions made by visiting dog owners. Both of these should not occur if your private dog park is consistent in managing and operating the facility for the safety and enjoyment of all. With private dog parks operating as a business, financial success is always a consideration. So turning away visiting dogs equates to lost revenue, so unless the park is focused exclusively on maintaining a safe environment for all, a private park that is short-term financially driven can pose the same risks that a public park does.
The third party oversight ability of park staff to intervene is required to eliminate personality clashes and biased evaluation of situations and/or dog’s behavior. So when the experienced screener determines the dog lacks the temperament so he/she can play with others, it is the park staff’s responsibility to deal with the disappointed dog owner. Same intervention by park staff goes in the event a visiting dog owner does not abide by park rules or a dog plays too rough or violations of any other park code of behavior. You can imagine these discussions are difficult; however, by park staff entertaining such discussions it eliminates any personal intervention by visiting dog owners.
Telling a dog owner that their dog is not allowed or can no longer come to the park until troublesome behavior is removed is always difficult. However, it is critical that the staff of the private dog park you are intending to visit has the proper screening system, the diligence to comply and financial ability to effectively turn away the revenue for dogs that do not appear to be capable of socially interacting at such level to keep the park safe for all.
As important to the screening is the park’s development and maintenance of expertly developed park rules. To the novice dog owner, many of the park rules appear to be too cumbersome and detailed. The reality is that each rule of a well-run dog park is well thought through and derived from merit by an expert in dog behavior. Compliance to all of the rules is key to the safe enjoyment of the park by all. For example, the toy aggression of a dog or rough play can within seconds turn into a dog fight even with the best of mannered & socialized dogs. Without such detailed rules and the full oversight to insure they are all followed, the private dog park could turn into mayhem.
Dog Park Management of Sizes and Breeds
For the safety of all, we highly recommend separating small dogs from large, excluding entrance to a few breeds, requiring males be neutered unless under strict command and requiring that dogs be at least four months old to enjoy the park. What we hear the most from small dog owners is that they want their small dogs to be able to play in the designated big dog area because “they like to play with big dogs”. Although the small dogs may have enjoyed past experiences playing with a large dog of neighbor or friend, the risk remain of physical injury to the small dogs if they are allowed in the same area as big dogs. It is my opinion each size should have designated areas to create safe play for all. Thus, we recommend that when investigating which dog park is right for you, this should be part of consistent operations.
Let me first say I do not believe in stereotyping any particular breed for temperament. However, due to instinctual drive levels, size and bite capacity, there are some breeds that I believe should be prohibited from entry to an off-leash park and some that should have elevated entrance criteria. Pit bulls, not specifically because of temperament but rather from jaw force/releasability should be forbidden from the off-leash dog park. Although we have met some of the sweetest and well-socialized pit bulls, we do not allow them to visit our parks because the risk is so high of severe injury to another dog if they were to bite.
Chow Chows are another breed that unless have a lifetime of scalability or coming in as a young dog, do we rarely let into the park. Any of the other “working breed” dogs, including terriers, due to their breed characteristics, prey drive, protection dog status and/or sheer size should go through elevated entrance criteria. These types of dogs must meet entrance-required temperament, in addition must demonstrate clear owner command. Upon meeting entrance criteria, they undergo frequent evaluations for continued social ability and owner command. All other dogs must pass dog socialization evaluation and demonstrate basic obedience.
Many Responsibilities of the Dog Owner
Even with the best of run private dog parks, the dog owners retain a high level of responsibility upon park entrance while be willing to withstand the occasional park staff directive. They must carefully watch their dog, abide by all park rules, maintain the obedience skills of the dog and know their dog well enough to predict their dog’s behavior. Knowing your dog’s mood, watching it’s posture and identifying or correcting any potential troublesome behaviors is critical so all can enjoy the park. Every dog will encounter occasions where they will meet another dog that they do not like or are uncomfortable around.
It is the best of private dog parks where entry requires command of your dog so that incidents of escalated aggression can be avoided when each dog owner carefully watches their dog and can command their dogs away from each and every situation. Incidents occur only when the dog owners are not vigilant in watching their dogs or do not understand their dog’s behavior and the slightest of uncomfortable encounters prolongs to escalate into a dogfight. Again, each dog owner should understand their dog’s postures, expressions and movement to be able to differentiate in off-leash situations when they are comfortable and when they are not. If the dog owner does not intuitively understand their dog, we recommend seeking the assistance of a professional dog trainer.
Safely Socializing Dogs Early Benefits Everyone
We believe that all dogs, when in receipt of proper health vaccination should be socialized in a safe environment to improve their ability throughout their life of all of the benefits an off-leash park can provide. Any puppy, following final adult vaccination booster should be introduced socially to other dogs, people, children and other distractions and a well-managed private dog park creates the perfect place. Puppies visiting a safe off-leash park will easily learn good behavior in the dog social structure and provide the dog owner the ability to enhance obedience training with distractions. Just as the benefits of teaching good manners to a dog early in their life are immense, so are the risks that behavior issues or dog aggression will occur in the event the early experiences are traumatic.
With puppies, we strongly encourage you thorough investigation on the park you are considering to take them to best create the opportunity for good experiences. We recommend you confirm that the park is well maintained, strictly managed and rules enforced. Taking the puppy to a private off-leash dog park will provide your dog a life-long of comfort around other dogs, people and children. However; even with the best of private dog parks, there are other distractions that you should have your puppy comfortable with, which is why we also recommend taking a puppy (when fully vaccinated) to busy shopping malls with diverse people and sounds, nature walks with children & bicycles and on-leash dog walking trails to learn on-leash manners.
Picking the Private Dog Park for You
While private dog parks are gaining in popularity because they may be the only choice for safe and enjoyable off-leash fun, enter with caution. If a dog park is “Private”, it is operated as a business entity, but this does not guarantee it is safe for you and your dog. It is our recommendation that with any place you intend to take your dog, you first tour the facility. Inspect the fence and the grounds, as well as talk with some of the dog owners visiting to learn about their safety record and staffing. After touring, talk with the park staff about what is required to visit. If you do not have to show paperwork confirming vaccinations or they do not meet your dog and determine social ability with other dogs, we would recommend that you know there may be risks. As with any place that you take your dog, insure you have great command of your dog and you are comfortable with the park layout and your dog’s social skills to lessen the chances of a possible incident with another dog.
Terri Malueg-Ray, President & Founder of many industry leading, innovative companies who is an international pet industry expert.
Terri L. Malueg-Ray is President and Founder of six-year-old company, Royal Paws Resort & Day Spa, Ltd., one-year old company Royal Paws Dog Park, LLC and founding partner of My Owner Has Gone To Heaven, LLC. Terri is known throughout the pet industry as a true innovator. She has created many premier products and services and most recently introduced her new line of gourmet pet meals, called Pet Tasties. Terri’s background in engineering, chemistry and computer science provides her the ability to develop, design and execute the creation of Pet Tasties, the only complete line of healthy, yet tasty brand of gourmet pet meals available in the market today. Following the design of Pet Tasties, Terri utilized her leadership background to open the first pet restaurant in the Atlanta metro area and has made headlines nationwide. Most notably, on the reality hit TV show, Ambush Makeover, The Montel Williams Show, CNN, Jezebel Magazine, Atlanta Magazine.
