Too Much of a Good Thing

Once or twice a day, everyday, a well-meaning, responsible dog owner loads his dogs into the vehicle, drives them out to what is probably the closest thing these dogs will know this side of the rainbow bridge--the perfect location for dogs to get their daily exercise.

For the next hour he follows along the paths as the dogs chase each other, run through the woods and have a real great time!

Satiated, they return to the vehicle, pile in and return home. After their bellies have been filled they'll retire to a comfortable sofa for their much-needed beauty sleep.

What could be wrong with this scenario...?

Of course every dog needs off-leash time. Of course socialization is vital for a well-balanced dog.

But can there be too much of a good thing?

If the off-leash time doesn't balance out with on-leash-learning-respect-for-owner-time, or some form of set guidelines, then yes, you can anticipate some problems.

There has to be respect before the earned reward of off-leash priveleges. (I don't mean respect by behaving while in the vehicle on the way to an off-leash area either!) I mean the challenge- the job of being attentive and submissive.

There are very few dogs who don't love their owners. Loving people comes easy to dogs.

Respect is another matter altogether in the canine world. Just because a dog loves you, it doesn't necessarily follow that it respects you. One has to earn respect.

A dog will give you respect when you will settle for nothing less. When you expect nothing less.

When there is no question about 'who's walking who.' When no means 'no questions-not acceptable.' As with a child who is left to 'run wild' without limits, boundaries or expectations, this can lead to far-reaching effects.

Owning a confident, well-socialized dog is wonderful but too much freedom does not beget self-restraint in the canine world. It can produce a dog with dominance issues.

Dogs are forever attempting to climb that ladder...to be 'top dog.' Not only within a pack but if given the chance, will dominate whoever they can, whether it's subtle in nature (pawing at your knee for affection now or curling a lip when a toy is taken away) or a more obvious behavior. (lunging at an approaching dog while being walked or letting out a quiet growl of disapproval when ordered off the sofa)

So before you allow your charge unlimited exercise and socialization, make sure there's a balance-make sure it's well-deserved!

Clean-Up Crew

Most days we get down to the shores of Lake Ontario once--either for our early morning walk or the afternoon one. Our long walk. Our off-leash, socializing, play-with-other-dogs, camera-toting walk.


Today it was the early morning walk. When we got onto the boardwalk, I was disappointed to see an Animal Control van parked on the grass, along the boardwalk, which meant no strolling along the shoreline with my dog off-leash, without chancing a ticket issued to the tune of $500+. No dogs are allowed on the sand of our newly-designated 'Blue Flag' beach. They are not allowed off-leash unless in the designated, partly fenced in off-leash area (but we do take our chances when there are no officers on the beat!)

As I drew closer, it struck me that today was the day set for the dog owners in the beach to come together and do a beach clean-up, sponsored by the Toronto Beaches Dog Association. I assume this is done so we can show how much of the garbage along the beach does not originate from the canine community but from the 'others' who use the beach.

I decided to join in the efforts, since I am a member of the association--grabbed a garbage bag and some gloves (which the TBDA provided) and Journey and I entered the off-leash area. She would be able to socialize while I worked.

After about 20 minutes my garbage bag held some metal shards, lots of plastic items, used kleenex, broken glass beer bottle pieces but....no evidence of anything "doggy"! No bacteria-ridden, dried-up piles of poop, no flea-infested, left-behind dog toys, no sign of any dog-related item. Not one.

There was a great group out there today...the dog owners from our community. I don't recall seeing other groups from within the community exhibiting such enthusiasm and affection for our beach.

On the other paw, I don't necessarily agree we should be doing the city-workers' jobs for them. Just as I don't agree with the Mayor's "20 minute clean up day" across our city. There are staff who are paid a good hourly wage to clean up every day but judging by what's gathered up on that day in 20 minutes, it makes me wonder! I've not seen any city workers do any cleaning up on the beach proper (the sand) for years, although the parks staff are wonderful and keep the garbage bins emptied and the gardens looking beautiful.

On our way home from our morning outing, I came across an area where the guilty parties are definitely of the two-legged variety!! This is evident in the last four photos.

Blue Flag Designation

I've just returned from the very first Toronto Beaches Dog Association meeting. A great turnout with bodies overflowing into the hallway, people straining to hear what was being said.
The politicians of Toronto have met their match with the dog owners .
As far as I can gather, this 'Blue Flag' designation that has been bestowed upon our beach doesn't meet with the criteria for blue flag designation. The Environmental Defence (http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/reports/blueflag.htm) group has measured our beach against the 27 Blue Flag criteria and agree our beach meets these standards. Hmm....
As a person who has walked on the beach three times a day (every day!) for the past 20 years I have a different view.

When I see the litter, the garbage, the pieces of rusty metals; some of which has been there for years, the broken beer bottles (from the teens partying at night) the used condoms left for little kids to pick up, the dirty diapers and chicken bones, complete with used napkins, I am in awe of this Environmental Defence group. Yes, we want to encourage tourism back to Toronto, indeed into the province of Ontario but I have to wonder what kind of political backroom deal this is.
For instance, 'A daily beach cleaning during the bathing season when necessary.' and
' No algal or other vegetation may accumulate and be left to decay on the beach, except in areas
designated for a specific use and as long as this does not constitute a nuisance.'

I have not seen a 'daily cleaning of the beach' since the cutbacks-before that, every other morning there would be a sand-raking machine out there. I have seen the algae in late August so thick, kids wading into the water at certain areas of the shoreline are playing with it and they come out of the water with green legs!

We can't even refer to what is on the beach as sand at Kew Beach, because about 10 years ago there were truckloads and truckloads of crushed stone or gravel brought in to top off our 'sand.'
It would be interesting to analyze the composition of the 'sand' at Kew Beach and let's say the sand down at Woodbine Beach, where the Volleyball nets are set up.

Now we've been told there are no dogs allowed on the beach to comply with the 'Blue Flag Beach' designation. In the European Blue Flag Beach Criteria (2003) it nowhere states dogs aren't allowed on a beach as part of the criteria - it's a 'guideline criteria' so whatever City council decides where this one is concerned, is acceptable.


There is a new website for the Beaches Dog Association and I hope anyone who enjoys the sunrises and sunsets the boardwalk and beach offers, will consider visting the site and signing up to become a member and offer their time and talent. There's also a Facebook group.
I goggled them tonight with no luck but will post the links as soon as I can.

Time to take my girl for her walk.