Going to the dogs on Sunday

Posted 3/8/16

You would think you would bring your dog to a dog park.

Maryanne Zanfagna and Susan Caddeus do that, but Sunday afternoon Zanfagna was dog-less as they joined at the dog park at City …

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Going to the dogs on Sunday

Posted

You would think you would bring your dog to a dog park.

Maryanne Zanfagna and Susan Caddeus do that, but Sunday afternoon Zanfagna was dog-less as they joined at the dog park at City Park.

“I’ve met such good friends here,” said Caddeus as she looked around the fenced-in enclosure with about a dozen dogs chasing after one another, staying close to their master’s side or just off on their own exploring. Caddeus said she adopted an “abused dog.”

“She was a brat, an alpha,” but that changed as she started socializing with other dogs. “This is the best place to bring a dog if they’re not overly aggressive.”

Zanfagna didn’t bring any of her three dogs to the park Sunday, but she wanted to come anyway. She, Caddeus and Adam Lindsey sat in plastic chairs under the pines and just beyond the sandy strip that is the heart to the enclosure for large dogs. There’s an adjoining smaller fenced-in area for smaller dogs.

“I love to come and just watch,” said Zanfagna as a trio of dogs charged by and then piled on one another in a cloud of dust. “They love one another.”

There weren’t any growls, barking or disputes, although Caddeus said there have been a few fights.

John Redmund and his golden and husky mix, Boomer, are regulars at the park. Redmund says he visits the park at least five times a week. Boomer knows the routine. He loves fetching a tennis ball, although, on occasion, he becomes distracted and doesn’t always return it.

Redmund said Sunday mornings, once the temperatures hit the 60s and 70s, is when it really gets busy with hundreds of dogs. Redmund said there have been times when dogs jump the fence between the two compounds. And then there have been the times when they have jumped the fence and just taken off, too.

But, as Redmund acknowledged, the park is more than just dogs. It’s people.

“She’s great,” he said of the girl throwing the ball for Boomer. The girl was Susan Caddeus’ daughter, Lexi. (Text and photos by John Howell)

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  • BFD_FosterDad

    I visit this dog park every few weeks; it's a great resource for pet owners. My Great Pyrenees Griffin loves to sniff the perimeter and schmooze with the people. I like to take high quality photos so the owners can see the joy, concentration, and surprise on the faces of their dogs at play. There's so much going on that you just can't catch with a cameraphone as they race by. If you'd like to see more, you can find hundreds of my Warwick dog park photos from February online: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.554790774681856.1073741844.515664151927852

    Enjoy!

    Saturday, March 12, 2016 Report this

  • VioletJupiter

    Great park. With a few adjustments this park would be ideal but there are so many beautiful areas that are worth visiting with your dog on a nice day. The sand is not sanitary or good for their wounds or eyes and more trees need to be added on the small side for sure. It gets so so hot in the summer. There also seems to be a lot of tension at this park as of late, such as the handlers tension rubbing off on their fur babies so we no longer visit but it definitely is a great convenient spot for a quick, safe escape after work or in between the day.

    Sunday, March 13, 2016 Report this