Fall Park Clean Up !!! Saturday November 13th 8:30-Noon

Its that time again. Time to get out the rakes, the shovels, and the garbage bags! The Seaview Park Clean-up Committee has set this coming Saturday as Fall Clean Up Day. Volunteers are needed to help not only with the clean up but also to assist with the organization. If you can help please e-mail Maddy's Mom Paige at paigec@eastlink.ca Maddy's Mom will coordinate the clean up with Charlotte's Mom Donna.
If you can spare 15 minutes, or 2 hours, please come out . We need you there.

On another note, As of Monday November 15th, the Winter Maintenance Schedule will begin. All garbage cans will be removed from the interior of the park. There will be one garbage can left in each parking lot. Also the poop bag dispensers will not be refilled, so each and everyone is reminded to BRING YOUR OWN POOP BAGS. ( An extra one in the pocket is also useful to help out those who have forgotten) Even in the dead of winter, we must pick up behind our dogs. Not only is it the law, its the responsible thing to do.

Have a great week everyone, and see you on Saturday. WOOF!

The Star !!!!

Hank...3 years young August 10th

Blessing of the Animals at St Margarets of Scotland

"Blessing of the animals
10:30 am On Sunday October 3, 2010

St. Margarets of Scotland Church
3761 Robie St
Halifax, NS B3K 4T3, Canada
Phone: 902) 455-2451"

Belated Happy Birthday Hank!!

Many Apologies to any or all of you who sent mail through the blog. It was supposed to be forwarded to another account that I check daily, and it wasn't. So Chandler & I are very sorry. We promise to check the mail account here regularly from now on. We missed posting Hank's Birthday Ppicture in the Birthday section..so today Hank gets the front page! Happy Birthday Hank, and I see liver treats in your future.

Belssings for the Animals

St Phillips Anglican Church, ( corner of Bayers Rd and Connaught) will be hosting a Blessing of the Animals at 2:oo PM, Sunday October 3rd. All are welcome, denomination and inclination are irrelevant. Please join us. All pets are welcome. ( Their owners/caretakers as well) Chandler can hardly wait..he thinks he needs a new collar for the occasion.

http://www.nspeidiocese.ca/parishes/parishes/Region%208/st-philips.htm

Hurricane Earl is coming.......

Hopefully everyone has been getting prepared to batten down the hatches. Even if Earl doesn't make landfall on our side of the province, the winds will be fierce and there is a good chance we may lose power. In that vein, the following is Chandler's checklist to stay safe;

1) Fill your car up with gas --no electricity means no working pumps

2) Have cash in your paw. Credit and debit wont work.

3) Fill the bar b q tanks

4) Get batteries for flashlights, radios etc.

5) Have candles and matches/lighter at hand

6) Clear off decks and patios of anything that can move

7) Pack a small emergency case for your 4 footed friends in case you have to evacuate your home. This should include any meds they need, 3 tins of food and dry food, treats and a large bottle of water. Emergency aid always has food for humans, but our furry buddies need to be taken care of. ( Also remember to pack 4 days of any meds you may need)

8) Have enough drinking water for 4 days per person. 1 gallon per person per day.

9)If you MUST go to the grocery store, buy canned goods only. If the power goes out you will eating everything in the fridge and freezer first anyway

10) My favorite--make sure you have wine/beer to sip as you are watching the storm!

Stay safe everyone,..and see you all after the storm!

Woof!

PS...Hank says make sure to buy a large steak, so that your fur kids have to help you eat it before it goes bad.

MouseBGone NOT !!

MouseBGone came, saw, and did NOT conquer, but the mouse is having a party!

I think we need a Plan C.

Yes, Chandler is still friends with the mouse! See pic above of MouseBGone at work .

The Great Mouse Hunt

Chandler and his Mom have an univited visitor who has NOT been minding its manners. We have a MOUSE in the HOUSE. All attempts to catch Mr. Mouse in a live trap have been unsuccessful. Mr. Mouse has taken to sitting in the middle of a room and taunting us. So, tonight we imported some help....Mr. Kayden & Mr. Justus of MouseBGone have taken up residence for a few days in the hopes that they will chase Mr. Mouse away, or at the least teach Chandler some valuable mouse handling skills. I will keep you all posted...

We Get to Party in the park

"SPCA Events
September 25, 2010
SPCA Metro Shelter Presents Bark in the Park
The Nova Scotia SPCA Metro Shelter invites you to participate in Bark in the Park on Saturday September 25 from 11 am - 3 pm. Join us by collecting pledges and walk or jog a trail with or without a furry friend(s). This year's activities will include: Live Music, Sport Demos with Lietash Canine Academy, Ask a Vet, Ask a Special Constable, Dogs with Jobs featuring a special guest, information tents, contest, prizes and MORE!

To get an event poster or to download a pledge sheet, visit the following link;
www.spcans.ca/events.html

Africville Picnic & Park Closure

The park will be closed to all dogs for the Africville Picnic & Reunion. Dates are from Thursday July 22 to Monday July 25th.
Schedule of activities follows;


Annual Picnic and Reunion Schedule
NOTICE TO CAMPERS @ MOTOR VEHICLES DRIVERS:

For safety reasons there are to be no vehicles parked on the camp grounds.
Campers have 1 hour to unload their vehicles and then park them outside the gate.
There are not to be any open fires at any time.
Thank you for your support for creating a safe environment for all.
- AGS Board of Directors


Thursday July 22, 2010
Open and set-up
Meet and Great - 6pm (tent)

Friday July 23, 2010
Free: BBQ at 6 pm (by tent)
Free: Dance with DJ at 9 pm (tent)

Saturday July 24, 2010
Kid's Day: 10 am (assisted by Pax North Church) with food, games, ponies and other petting animals. Tie-dye shirts and aprons with face painting are part of the day with lots more!
Free: Dance with DJ at 9 pm (tent)

Sunday July 24, 2010
Church Service: 2:30 pm at the tent
Supper to be held at the tent (no more details at present)
Free: Dance with DJ at 9 pm (tent)

Monday July 25, 2010
Tear down and clean-up"

Kennel Cough

Charlotte's Mom has had to quarantine her baby due to kennel cough ! According to Charlotte's doctor kennel cough is always present, and is prevalent whenever there are groups of dogs interacting.
Inoculations can last anywhere from 3 months to 1 year, depending on exposure. The more exposure, the shorter the time the dog is immune.
Luckily treatment is fairly simple, a strong course of antibiotics for 2weeks,and isolation from other dogs. BUT....this can be prevented. Please make sure your canine buddy is current with all their shots, and if you are unsure, you are better off to err on the side of caution, and have a booster.

Bits and Pieces

For those of you who were wondering what happened to the background pictures of the dogs, once Matt moved, he neglected to send me the background he used, and it was refreshing from his server. So, once the server was unplugged, the background went poof. I will add a background of our puppies soon.

Mike ( Bear & Reese's Dad) & Paige ( Maddy's Mom) have been tossing around an idea for a Dog Dayz quasi Pet Fair at the Park. Anyone interested, please talk to Mike or Paige and see where you all can take it. The more paws the better the result !

Chandler, Hank and The PUG Patrol want to remind you all that in hot weather NEVER leave your dog in the car unattended with the windows up. Otherwise they will be forced to pug nap you, make you put on a huge fur coat, hat and mittens, and make you sit in a car with the windows up on the next hot day.

On the right you may have noticed a new section. This area is for anyone who wants to sell/buy services or pet related products --non commercial please.

Its Summer !!!

Chandler wanted to remind everyone that its very uncomfortable to run around in a full length fur suit, and not have any water to drink. So please, bring water with your canine buddy when you come to the park. Its not fair to rely on one or two of the regulars. If you bring water, bring lots. We all share. The more that bring water, the less our buddies will have to deal with being uncomfortable.

On another note, as of Monday, (today) the city will be bringing in equipment to put up the new signs. Safety first ! Curious noses can mean hurt paws...

More later, I think Chandler bespelled my laptop and it is doing bizarre and strange things....good thing Mommy is part geek.

Updates and more Updates

Chandler and I have lots and lots of things to tell you all. We are sorry we ha vent been updating regularly, but Chandler's Mom caught a touch of flu, and didn't even want to touch her keyboard. What was even worse according to Chandler as she didn't want to play "throw the Bear"...

Petition/Fence Info
As you are all aware Jerry delivered the petition to council. And..we all heard a huge resounding silence from him. So Maddy's Mom called him
and this is a synopsis of the convo -written by her..

"Jerry had a meeting with the Parks department on Tuesday May 11 (Peter Verge and Dan English) the people who run the park then will meet with the genealogical society to discuss ideas for the park and get their view on what we have proposed.

The Parks department are concerned that erecting a fence could jeopardize the historical designation pf the park from the government
Potentially Seaview Lookoff will become the dog park in a few years.
Jerry has been in contact with both the genealogical society and met with the park people already
The City Parks department are pleased with the way the park is operating now with people cleaning up and our group taking initiative
Willing to build a supply cabinet for poop bags and give us a key.
Jerry says there are some other good ideas in works

After Jerry's meeting with the genealogical society , he and the Parks department would like to hold a general open meeting in the North End with the park users and dog owners to discuss things the first or second week of June..."

As an addendum to this, Maddy's Mom and I had lunch with Irvine Carvery this week to see what his thoughts were and which way the wind was blowing. It was an excellent meeting. One of the first statements he made was, "Why is it necessary to have an on leash area at all" He doesn't want to see the park sectioned off, and is more than willing to support a fence at the boat launch area, which would then enclose all of the park.
He agreed with me in that his constituents need to be educated regarding dogs and their behavior, to ensure that play is not interpreted as aggression. He further stated that the "dog people" are very much part of the plan for the park once the Genealogical Society takes over. So that was good news to hear. We stressed that all we want is a safe place to take our dogs and continue building the community of "Seaview Park". We all agreed that an open forum meeting with ALL interested parties may not be such a wise idea, as the inclusiveness we are all trying to foster could be shattered with one or two individuals who might have a different agenda. He suggested that we put together a working group of 5-6 people who will work with a group of his "constituents" and together we can form a strategy that is open and fair to all. Once we craft such a strategy we can then jointly present it to City Council. He asked that we wait until the end of next week and then contact him again. All in all a good meeting with a very open and resourceful man.

Clean-up Day

The Third clean up day was once again very successful and about 15 people participated. Big Woof to all of You !! Well done. Special Woof to the Clean-up Committee as a whole who is doing an awesome job keeping everyone organized.

Dinner for 4

Mike ( Reese's & Bear's Dad) won the catered dinner for 4. he brought in over 11 pages of signed petitions. The menu to choose from once again...
1) Ribs & Rice
2) Tortellini in cream and wild mushroom sauce
3) Apricot glazed chicken stuffed with wild rice
4) Roast beast --oops Beef with Yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings
All means include an appetizer, veggies and a cheesecake for dessert.
Come on Mike--let me know when, and what !! Chandler loves it when I cook. His job is to make sure the floor is perfectly spotless !( He may even invite Santana & Hank over to help)

Birthday Page

I am going to start a Birthday Page for the Fur Kids. If your dog's birthday was/is in May or June send me a pic and we will post it.

Gossip Side Bar

We are also starting a sidebar where we can post comings and going or various other tidbits that don't quite make up a post

Of 2 minds here

First off I would like to say I am happy that Jerry presented the petition to council. What I am not all that thrilled with is the spin he put on our request. I understand that for the sake of political expediency sometimes we need to "spin" an issue, however I am annoyed that Blumenthal chose the "lets protect other park users from those frolicking dogs" angel. Instead he could have taken the high road, and said, there are dog owners from all districts in HRM who contribute significantly to HRM's economy, who are requesting a fenced in area for the enjoyment of all. However he chose to use the words..frolicking dogs, and safety issue. Frankly that annoys both Chandler & I. We have worked very hard to present the issue as inclusive of all HRM residents, and by his choice of presentation, Jerry has made the issue potentially divisive. That's my opinion. Feel free to comment-agree or disagree? In the next few days I am going to post a poll here, about how much money we spend on our dogs and dog related items. Once its up, please take a moment to answer.

Jerry Presented the petition-and we got a mention in the paper

City staff touting balanced budgets Council waiting to hear how $30m shortfall was eliminated

By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE City Hall Reporter

City hall’s 2010-11 draft operating and capital budgets are balanced, municipal staff told a regional council meeting Tuesday.Senior finance staff said the $30-million gap between Halifax Regional Municipality’s projected revenues and its expenditures has been eliminated. But councillors don’t know yet how that was achieved, and they haven’t given the bottom line their blessing.The city’s proposed budgets will be tabled next Tuesday.Mayor Peter Kelly said council will learn where cuts were made, and user fees potentially in­creased, when budget deliber­ations begin later this month. He acknowledged a tax rate hike is now an unlikely scenario.“Any potential tax increase would be a last resort, and staff heard that message (from coun­cil) and they heard all the other issues and options," the mayor told The Chronicle Herald after the meeting.Technically, a tax rate increase remains a remote possibility, Kelly said.

Council on Tuesday approved $16.4 million in advanced fund­ing for projects in the proposed capital budget. That didn’t sit well with Coun. Sue Uteck (Northwest Arm-South End), who wondered if it was premature to authorize the monetary move.“I don’t want all these projects to proceed and go to tender be­fore the 18th," she said.Some capital projects have already started, staff said, so that the city could take advantage of the relatively short construction season.The municipality is required by law to balance its books. Staff have been working for weeks to wipe out the budget shortfall but the politicians must still decide which amounts of money get earmarked for what purposes.Staff said there is some flexibil­ity there.Coun. Bob Harvey (Lower Sackville) told his colleagues that “we’re jumping the gun" on next week’s tabling of the estimates.“The budget’s going to come back next week (and) surprise, surprise, it’s not going to have a $30-million deficit or gap," he said. “It’s going to be a balanced budget like all the other 20 I’ve seen come before council."

In other business, council met in secret to approve a payout of almost $14,000 stemming from an accident claim against the municipality.Kelly said a mishap years ago in Dartmouth resulted in undis­closed property damage. The city settled with an unnamed insur­ance company; no details from a confidential staff report will be released.

Also, Coun. Jerry Blumenthal (Halifax North End) presented a 707-name petition calling for a fence in Seaview Park to keep dogs using the off-leash section of the park from frolicking in other areas near other park users.He said it’s a safety issue.The park is the former site of the black community of Afric­ville. The north-end spot is a national heritage site, and pro­posed new structures there are key elements of a multimillion­dollar redress package announced in February. (mlightstone@herald.ca)

Petitions are In !

The numbers are in, the petition has been delivered, and the results ARE...(drum roll please )
809 Signatures
These represent 22 out of 23 districts in HRM. You all deserve a huge WOOF !! This was a major undertaking, and everyone pulled together and worked together. We had help from other dog groups, vets, pet day cares, and pet food stores. The entire HRM dog community should give themselves a huge Woof and a pat on the back. A special mention to Maddy's Mom, who was a fixture at Seaview with her clipboard, and was up until 3 last night getting everything together. Now she just has to tell me who had the most signatures, and I will start planning a menu. Chandler can hardly wait for the cooking to begin. In all seriousness, what we accomplished was monumental. We proved that we do have a united voice, and that we can all work together for the sake of our dogs. Well done. Now lets see what happens at City Council tonight...."We've only just begun.."

PETITIONS NEEDTO BE DELIVERED TO PAIGE ON MONDAY

EEEEEEEEEEEEK !!! or in Chandler speak "WOOF"?? We received a call from Jerry Blumenthal this am, and he wants the petitions by Tuesday so that he can present them to council. We all thought we would have at least another week...BUT...please either drop your petition off to Maddy's Mom, or send me an e-mail here to the site and we will arrange to have them picked up. seaviewpark@gmail.com The last push is on..get a signature, drop off a petition. Together we can do this !

Clean-up Day for May

The Clean-Up Committee has scheduled another clean-up day for May 15th. 9am -Noon. If you can spare 10 minutes or an hour or 2, all help is welcome, and all volunteers are especially appreciated. We need your help! Chandler & I hope that each of you can donate at least 15 minutes of your time. To quote Chandler's great great granny--Many hands ( paws) make for light work.

A warning about ParoVirus

From this morning's Chronicle Herald--PLEASE make sure all your shots are up to date.

Dog owners warned of rise in parvovirus cases Dog owners are being warned to take precautions amid a spate of canine parvovirus cases.An unusually high number of cases of the potentially deadly virus have been reported to the Nova Scotia SPCA.There have been at least 15 cases in Halifax Regional Munic­­ipality, the SPCA said in a new release Wednesday.Puppies are more susceptible to the virus than adult dogs, but all unvaccinated dogs are at high risk. The disease is trans­mitted through contact with infected dogs or with the feces of an infected dog.Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, which is often bloody.Tips for dog owners: • Make sure vaccinations are up to date; • Inspect outside areas where your dogs play and avoid off­leash areas if your dog isn’t vaccinated; • Go to a veterinarian if you suspect the animal has been exposed to the virus.

A Giggle

Chandler thought we were being much too serious, so he is forcing me to post this, or he will insist on at least an hour of "throw the bear". Since I am bushed, due to no afternoon nap ( ahhh going back to work after a break is no fun) I am listening to Chandler.

Top 10 Reasons You Need a Vacation from your Dogs

1. When your spouse's shocked voice shouts from the shop, "Honey, come quick, I've had a terrible accident!", you show up breathless with a mop and scent neutralizer.

2. You wake panicked in the middle of the night when you sense you suddenly have room to move your body around the bed.

3. You can't sleep unless you hear lots of heavy breathing and snoring in your bedroom.

4.The emergency number on your speed dialer is for the dog's veterinarian.
5. When someone taps you on the shoulder, you tell them firmly, "Off!", then "Down!".

6. When tempers flare among your family members, you pull out the long forefinger, pointedly raise your voice and shout "Go to your crates, now!"

7 When someone asks what's for dinner you automatically reply, "Kibbles and Bits".

8. When you are walking a ring around the local park and someone points at you and your dog, you raise both arms over your head, whoop and go looking for a ribbon.

9. When shopping, your best friend asks you what you think of that snappy suit in the window, and you scowl and mutter, "Useless, it is the same color as my dog and it has no pockets."

10.When your neighbor points to her crawling infant and asks you what you think of her new baby, you study it for a minute and reply, "Well, a little short on coat and long in the hock, but that kid has a great topline!"

Grrrs & Nips !!

The park is getting dirty once more. I have picked up a number of "presents" that didn't belong to Chandler, as have a number of other people. That's a good thing. Big Snort and Woof for all those who are doing more than their bit ( and there are a lot of you ) But...there is still that contingent who believes that there is a magic poop fairy who will swoop down from the heavens and immediately vaporize their dog's deposits turning them into precious gems. If you see this happening.. Please walk over to these people, hand them a poop bag, and nicely point out where their dog has fertilized the grass. If you need to, explain that the city does not pick up, and that if everyone does not do their share we will lose the park. If that doesn't work explain that there is a fine that can be levied for this sort of behavior. If they are still rude, Chandler says you have his permission to Bark and Grrr at them, even chase them away !

On another note, when you see the garbage cans are getting full, call HRM and ask them to send a crew to empty them. The number is 490-4000. The switchboard is answered up to 9 at night I believe. (I am sure if I am wrong, Maddy's Mom will correct me. )

Chandler & I have been on vacation for a week, but we are back, so many apologies for the lack of updates.

Want a home cooked meal ?

Our petition received a huge mention on Dogkisser ! This will hopefully add a few more names. Everyone is doing very well. So well in fact I was considering offering a prize for the most pages (names) collected. After consulting Chandler, who is very tummy "centric', here is what we came up with; Chandler's Mom is a pretty decent cook so for whoever brings in the most names I will provide a 4 course meal, cooked, and delivered ready to serve to your house for 4 people. Choices for a main entree are 1) apricot glazed chicken stuffed with wild rice 2)roast beef with Yorkshire pudding 3) spinach tortellini in wild mushroom cream sauce 4) ribs n' rice . Dessert will be a home made cheesecake-flavour to be determined. All meals include appetizer and salad. As you fill each sheet, drop us a note here.

We're Lonley!

Okay, so we know that MAYBE someone out there is occasionally reading what we post, and from some of your comments in person, we think you like this newsletter..BUT..SNIFF SNIFF..we would like you to comment..say Hello..tell us what you would like to see here..or just say Hi !

A present in the Inbox

I received a wonderful group of pictures from a lady by the name of Kayla. She is a very talented photographer and spent some time photographing the park. I have posted a group of them in our gallery, but we thought ( Chandler & I ) we would tease you with the one above, that is our personal favorite. A big Woof and Snort of thanks for you. Kayla's website is www.kaylaross.com

Petition is Ready

Chandler is all excited! He is hoping for a new fence for him and his friends. The petitions are ready, and if you haven't already received one,please send Maddy's Mom an e-mail at paigec@eastlink.ca and she will forward you one. Simply print it off, and then go and collect names. We have a very aggressive target of 1000 names. This basically means if 50 people can collect 20 names each we have succeeded. As completed forms come into Maddy's Mom, I will post a side bar telling us how many names we have. So--all humans are potential signatories, co-workers, shop keepers,neighbors and ANYONE out with a dog ! Chandler and his friends are counting on you.

Petition Update

Chloe's Dad is working hard on getting the petition put together. We are hopingto be able to have electronic copies foranyone who wants one,by the end of the week....Stay tuned...more updates as they happen!

Excellent Meeting!! Woof's & Snorts for ALL

Tonight's meeting with District 11 Councillor Jerry Blumenthal went well. There were approx 30 people present, and he was very surprised at the interest shown,as well as the demographics represented. The individuals present were not only from his constinuency, but from Beaverbank, Prospect, Clayton Park, Fairview, and Central to name a few of the other districts represented. Well done! We made our point that the people who use the park come from all over. Further our efforts to keep the park clean, and our sense of community within the park were also duly noted and favourably commented upon. We received a committment from the Counsellor that he would work with us to help keep the park open and assessable to all, including dogs. To that end it was suggested that we present a petition to council vis a vis Jerry, asking that a fence be erected across the "imaginary" line that seperates the on leash area from the off leash area. Chloe's Dad (Jeff) , has accepted the responsibility of drafting the petetion, and then we will work to have it posted on line, whereby we can collect as many signatures as possible. By this method we are hoping to provide enough leverage to see if a fence can indeed be erected.
Presentations were made by Santana's Mom ( Donna) on the clean-up day, and Charlotte's Mom ( Donna ) on obtaining better signage to designate on/off leash areas, as well as additionbal garbage cans and their placement. A question and answer session followed with an excellent exchange of information between those present and the Councillor.
Each person who attended tonight helped bring home the point that Seaview is our community, as well as a park. By continuing to work together, not only can be strive to keep the park open, we can create a community through which we can hopefully make the park a focal point for all canine citizens and their keepers within HRM.
I have posted Councillor Blumenthal's contact info in the box on the right, as he is encouraging anyone with any questions or issues to contact him.
Everyone, give yourselves a big Woof & Snort !

Meeting Tonight!!

Please try and make sure you attend. Its critical that we have a good turnout. You dont have to say a word. Just be there. Numbers count.

Desmond's Dad was published in the Herald !

Desmond's Dad had a letter to the editor published in yesterdays's Herald. Good job! A huge Woof & Snort for Desmond's Dad !

READER’S CORNER
Dog days at Seaview

Sat. Apr 10 - 4:53 AM
There is a very special place in the HRM for dogs and their owners, and that is Seaview Park. For those not familiar with it, Seaview is a fenced-in park in the HRM located on the site of the former Africville community, where most of the land is designated as off-leash for dogs. This site is used every day, year round, for dogs to run and play with each other, while providing a much-welcomed social outlet for their owners as well. On a nice day, it’s not uncommon to see 20 to 30 canines interacting and enjoying their freedom.

For the uninitiated, the idea of this many dogs running around off-leash might sound disastrous. New visitors to the park discover that these well-socialized dogs interact just fine without human help and on the odd occasion when tension occurs, it’s over as quickly as it begins and without injury.

Recently, complaints were expressed to the local councillor about Seaview concerning dog poop not being cleaned up and the park being generally untidy, leading to some calls for its closure. After some discussion, a committee of regular park users was formed to work with the city and initiate a process where we could preserve this place that we all love and which adds greatly to the profile of the HRM.

On March 27, about 25 people came out and did a clean-up of the park. While some dog poop was discovered, mainly on the edges of the park by the gates, we cleaned up a variety of garbage, ranging from cigarette butts to beer bottle caps to condom wrappers. We intend to do more clean-ups in the future and hopefully have a working relationship with the city to maintain the quality of the park.

We love Seaview and what it has created: a community of dogs and their owners who enjoy each other’s company. In a day and age when technology frequently isolates us from our neighbours, this is something truly special. Anyone who wants to be kept informed about Seaview Park and the activities of our committee can visit our website: http://seaviewpark.blogspot.com/.


Jeff White, Halifax

Thanks Joan !

A big Woof and Snort of thanks to my old buddy Joan, who gave us a word of mention on her blog, as well as posting the information about the meeting on Monday. For those of you who already havent read/bookmarked Joan's site, I would urge you to scoot on over and take a look. She has been writing about issues that affect all of our four legged friends since Chandler was a puppy ! We have a link to her site here, in the links section, but to make it easier here is the link
http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/

We Made the News!!

Our Woofs and Snorts are being heard ! Yesterday Maddy's Mom was interviewed by CBC TV, and she made the 6 o'clock news telling everyone about how we are working to keep our park open! Rupert's Dad was interviewed for CBC Radio as well. and..I Chandler's Mom woke up this morning at 6:30 to hear CBC chatting about our park, featuring a sound byte from the previous interview,plus a comment by Irvine Carvery on how he is willing to work with us to keep the park open. This is excellent news and excellent exposure. Well done to all!! I must stress that its extremely important that each and everyone of you come to the meeting next Monday. You don't have to say a word. Just be there. It is only in strength of numbers that we can make the point to HRM that we do have a political voice. Dog owners are traditionally the last to be considered when policy is being made. We need to change that. As a collective group we contribute a significant amount of revenue to the coffers of HRM through tag levies, as well as by supporting those business who supply our canine buddy's needs. If we didn't have canine companions there would be no need for day cares,pet shops, vets, or specialty bakeries and boutiques. All of these businesses pay business occupancy tax to HRM, as well as support employment within HRM. Pet owners as a whole contribute to the largest growing economic segment in North America. Pet Services and supplies have exponentially exploded in revenue growth in the past 5 years. This is the message we need to ensure that HRM receives. We do contribute significantly to the economy of HRM, and thus deserve a voice and a say in its policies regarding pet ownership.

Please pick up any broken tennis balls or toys.

Please pick up any broken tennis balls or plastic toys you find at the park. These small pieces can be easily swallowed, creating a risk of choking or intestinal-blockage.

A BIG HUGE WOOF & SNORT FOR MATT

The changes on the blog are due to the creative brilliance of my co-admin here. Matt you rock ! Matt is Rupert's dad and he and Rupert will be working along with Chandler & me to ensure a smooth flow of communication. Actually we will all be working and Chandler will be barking or snorting to see if Rupert wants to help him raid the treat jar!

The Critical Need for Canine Socialization & off-Leash Parks in the Metro Halifax Region

Susan Jordan is a local dog trainer and very passionate about the topic of off leash parks and gave me quite a bit of information on the importance of dog socialization and the need for parks such as Seaview.

Today’s domestic dog often discovers itself in a place unlike that of its wild ancestors – a single canine living frequently in a pack without other same-species members with which to socialize throughout the day. Through play, our dogs discover, refine and practice appropriate dog-friendly signals and “peace-keeping” techniques designed to alleviate misunderstandings and maintain good social skills and bite inhibition, with other dogs and Humans.

Today’s top behaviourists’ all agree that without proper continuous exposure to other dogs, their social signals and graces deteriorate and eventually extinguish. The puppy classes only initiate the beginnings of a well socialized dog. There must be opportunities for socialization to continue on a consistent basis throughout the dogs’ lifetime.

“Socialization is an ongoing process. Dog-dog socialization also deteriorates during adolescence, often at an alarming rate, especially for the very small and very large dogs…..Here we’re in a vicious circle: the less the dog is socialized, the more he is likely to fight and thus be less socialized.” Dr. Ian Dunbar (1) Pages 166-167

“There is also a ‘use or lose it’ clause: animals will become increasingly fearful of things they may have encountered in the critical period but see too seldom thereafter….Artificial pressure needs to be constantly exerted to get animals to be have tolerantly. It must be instilled in the socialization period and diligently maintained thereafter.” Jean Donaldson (2) Page 61

“Through play….They learn how to use dog language to avoid conflicts. Social playgroups provide multiple potential playmates with different experiences and communication skills” Robin Bennett & Susan Briggs (3) Page 37

The Metro region needs well-managed, safe off leash parks for these socialization necessities to occur. Dog owners need to be aware of their profound responsibilities…ensuring their dogs are taken to areas designated for supervised off leash play, plus following the rules of the area with regard to cleaning up the waste, and maintaining control of their dogs.

To facilitate well socialized dogs in our society, the City management must also step up and recognize their responsibility to offer a balanced, realistic opportunity for citizens to access parks of this nature.

Before & After Getting Your Puppy (The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy & Well-Behaved Dog) Dr. Ian Dunbar, New World Library (2004)

The Culture Clash Jean Donaldson, James & Kenneth Publishers (1996)

Off-Leash Dog Play (A Complete Guide to Safety & Fun), Robin Bennett, CPDT, & Susan Briggs, CKO, C&R Publishing, LLC (2008)

Susan Jordan, Professional Pet Dog Trainer
PAWS for Family and Friends
Phone: (902) 499-7569 E-mail: js.jordan@ns.sympatico.ca

A note on the slideshow below....

To make it bigger ( the slide show of course ) --simply put your mouse over it, once a hand appears double click. Its that easy..( No I don't work for Staples... rather I am a slave to a domineering overbearing pug who insists I spend all my time and money catering to him. But--that's a PUG!)
Since Chandler takes a vested interest in all things blog related, he thought he would pass along the info that he is now legal. Yes--the shame of it..his "boy" did not have current tags for him. He was caught today. He was a felon ! But all is now fixed, and he is once again a legal pug, enjoying the freedom of all HRM. Chandler would like to send a Woof out to all, to remind everyone that animal control is in the park, and they are handing out tickets. Please make sure your tags are current. You can apply for a new license or renew your old one at any vet. All they need is proof of neuter or spay. Otherwise you will pay an additional fee.

More Pictures!

Pictures

Please check picture gallery at right for a few pictures..

You all Rock !! SNORT SNORT WOOF

Chandler says everyone should give themselves permission to snort and woof loudly and in unison. Chandler's Mom agrees! Ready? One..Two..Three..SNORT SNORT WOOF !! Park Clean-up-Day was a resounding success. Approximately 20 people came out with rakes,shovels, bags, gloves and plenty of goodwill and elbow grease. We collected lots and lots of doggy droppings, along with bottle caps and glass. And last but not least, I have included a picture of Chandler, at the end of clean up day. A special thank-you to Santana's Mommy for coordinating a successful day, and for making sure we were all organized. A big Woof to Bear's Daddy for the extra bags and gloves too !

Update from Donna-Santana's Mom

Donna was very busy yesterday, and instead of trying to tell you about it and missing a few facts, I am posting a an e-mail she sent yesterday;

"Hi everyone

Just wanted to give ya'll an update of what I have accomplished today.

After our meeting on Thursday night I was gung-ho do get going so I contacted HRM (490-4000) to see if indeed we were permitted to post signs of our clean up day(as per Paige's advice, she is city savvy). Unfortunately we are not permitted to do so. I was directed to CLEAN-UP NOVA SCOTIA. I arranged a meeting and registered us with them. They gave me a handout, garbage bags(20), disposable gloves , recycling bags(2) and 3 posters we can post at community centres ,stores etc with their permission of course. If you have an appropriate place in mind I will be dropping these off with Paige today.I amended the time to 9am to noon on the posters to give late risers an opportunity to join in.

I will need to fill out a questionnaire about stuff we collected, # of participants , number of bags collected etc

Here is a list of things you may want to bring on Sunday:
WORK GLOVES
2 GARBAGE BAGS
WATER JUG (CAN BE USED FOR CLEANING HANDS ETC)
SHOVEL/RAKE

I will also bring along a first aid kit and a wheel barrel, my husband, Dave is recouping from surgery and can man the wheel barrel and have a home base for extra supplies, water and first aid

Feel free to bring a friend or pass on our cleanup to your own family, friends and email contacts."

Park Clean Up Day

Come on out Sunday March 28th from 9-11 in the morning. Bring a garbage bag,a rake..whatever you feel you can help with. As it is the start of the summer park season, in order to demonstrate to the city that we do in fact care about our park, we are having a clean-up day. Please, if you use the park..come and help. 5 minutes, or one hour..it all helps. See you there.

A Big Woof & Snort of Welcome

Chandler wants to know why we are suddenly on the web,not that he doesn't appreciate his picture published globally. He is after all a pug. I will explain while he naps and gnaws on liver treats...
Seaview Park is a place that is used, loved and cherished by many people in HRM. As dog owners we seem to have a very small voice within city council. Individually we have an even smaller voice. Collectively we can together raise enough awareness and hopefully generate enough political capital to ensure that our needs are considered and acted upon by HRM. To that end, we have formed the Seaview Park Committee. The mandate of the committee is simple; keep the park open, keep it clean, and provide a vehicle whereby all users of the park can communicate with each other on any issues that impact the enjoyment of the park for all of us. Also, since Chandler has appointed me web mistress, I will try and make sure we have have some fun here as well. ANYONE who has an interest is invited to join. Drop me a note, e-mail addy is in my profile, or when you see Maddy's Mom, Paige give her your contact info, or Charlotte's Mom (Donna), or Chloe's Dad ( Jeff) or Marty's Dad (Jeff)...or just ask any of the regulars. Its just that easy. Have some suggestions ? Want to get a message out? Just drop me a line. The idea behind this site, is to act as a community newsletter and bulletin board for all things Seaview.