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FROSTBURG — Schatzi, a 7-year-old American Eskimo, said it best, “Arf, arf, arf. Arf, arf!”
Schatzi’s owner, Amelia Johnson, translated, explaining that the canine was saying that the Frostburg Dog Park, located within the city’s Calhoun Park, officially opened at noon Saturday.
The spacious canine recreation area has been eight years in the making and is the product of a unique operating agreement between the city and the Upper Potomac Kennel Club.
The club gets exclusive use of the middle portion of the three-chambered park and the public gets to use the portions on the left and the right.
In return, the 50-member club will maintain the facility, an effort that started Saturday with the posting of signs warning users to “Prevent Poo Prints” by picking up dog droppings and placing them into the portable toilet nearby. Bags are provided at each of the three double-gated entrances.
“We saw the need for a dog park, but we didn’t want to spend any city money to have one,” said Brian Vought, director of parks and recreation.
Johnson, secretary of the kennel club and a dog trainer, said one of the public areas is designated for small dogs and the other for large canines.
“We allow the owners to decide if their dog is large or small,” Johnson said. “That decision can be made based on the dog’s weight or on its height. Some little dogs like Jack Russell terriers can deal with bigger dogs, but you probably wouldn’t want to put a lap dog in the large dog area.”
The park has a fan page on Facebook. Johnson envisions the building of a dog owner family that could have far reaching impact such as one owner caring for a hospitalized owner’s dog.
Vought said the park is open to everybody. Frostburg residency is not required. The facility is reached by turning from Grant Street onto Powell’s Lane and then Willow Street.
As a “No Pets” sign of long standing was removed from Calhoun Park, Raegann, a yellow Labrador retriever, Cha Cha, a greyhound, Gracie, an English springer spaniel and Rhyse, an Airedale, were sniffing everything, including each other.
“We’ll probably use the park three or four times a week,” said LaVale residents Lex and Linda Siehler, Rhyse’s owners.
Cha Cha’s owner, Nathan Bennett, said he believes public use will increase significantly as word about the recreation facility spreads.
Susan Eisel, Gracie’s human, was wearing her Frostburg Dog Park T-shirt.
“I’ve been in this effort since Ken Baxter first brought it up eight years ago,” Eisel said. Baxter was a teacher at Beall High School at the time.
The kennel club’s next public meeting is Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. in the LaVale Library, at which Johnson will explain the American Kennel Club’s new program called Canine Partners.
Local club president Milt Hagerer explained that it is an effort to allow mixed breed dogs to compete in AKC performance events.
“It is an effort to broaden our horizons and bring in new members,” Hagerer said. Previously, only purebred dogs were allowed to participate.
Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.
Local News
Related Photos
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Raegann, a 2-year-old yellow Lab owned by Ray Presley and Carol Mason of LaVale, runs through a tube as members of the Upper Potomac Valley Kennel Club meet in the newly constructed Frostburg Dog Park to train Saturday afternoon. John A. Bone/ Times-News
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