Dog parks
 

I found the listings for the dog parks in TV, but I can't find the one at Bonita and Buena Vista. Any one know if it is really there?

Welcome to Talk of The Villages. According to The Villages Community District's website: There are three dog friendly leash-free parks in The Villages. These parks are fenced in play areas for both large and small dogs so the dogs can run freely and socialize with other dogs. These parks also have doggy amenities like water and waste stations and people amenities like benches and pleasant scenery. The Villages Dog Parks are:

Paradise Park – east side of golf cart bridge
Mulberry - Belle Meade Circle adjacent to the fitness trail near the Village of Springdale
Brinson/Perry – 1231 Bonita Boulevard
Hours: 7am – Dusk

Dog Park users must be 13 years of age or older and must have their Villages Resident ID card or a valid guest ID card and a photo ID. Guest 13-18 years of age must be accompanied by a Village resident or guest 19 years of age or older.

Further information is available at the entrance to the dog parks or call 674-1800.

The one at Buena Vista and Bonita is right behind the fire station. You park on the east side of the fire station. The times I have been, there is very little grass. It is the smallest of the three dog parks. Hope we get a better one somewhere on the south side.

Dog park
 

It's located on Bonita between the old white house and the fire station in the back.

Meanwhile, google Doggie Doo Run Run. It's on 101 (which is also called Belevedere) about a mile north of 466.

You must leave a copy of your dog's vaccination record, and it is $3 per visit or $25/month for unlimited visits. It is hands-down the biggest, best dog park around TV. They also have doggie day care and boarding.

And no, I don't work for them! There are many people on TOTV who recommend DDRR.

A shout out for Doggie Doo Run Wide open ,clean, a real nice experience for both you and your dog

Mostly grass. Very little dirt. A tub and hose provided if you want to bathe your dog. Covered places to sit, some swings and chairs. You don't pick up the dog poop. They provide flags to mark the spot, and an employee picks it up.

Cyndy, you make me want to go there. I'm just scared that emma will take authority over a nutdog. it would not be her first pit bull to rollover in a dog park. can you calm me down? it would be nice to go, but not while I'm hyper.

ps pits are among my faves. just happened I was holding a boastful spitz that growled at the pit, who charged me, and em rolled the pit. TMI....

Kitty, you know your dog best. The nice thing about DDRR is it is so vast. there are two fenced yards, and when I've gone (I don't go all that often), usually the back lot is less crowded and contains benign dogs. They will come up and say "hello" to Emma in the usual fashion. You would know whether or not she can accept that.

I don't think dog parks are for every dog. Even with mine... I can't take him there with a tennis ball, because he's too territorial over his tennis ball. The ones that are left on the ground are no problem. But if we bring one from home, he knows which one is "his."

You have to know your dog, and I know you know Emma. And there's no mandate that you have to take your dog to a dog park. Mostly we get our exercise walking around the neighborhood and chuckering the tennis ball in our back yard, with no other dogs.

Sounds great but there's one BIG problem. It's not golf cart accessible & that's the part Bonyta loves the most!!

mulberry is the best of all 3 .. but certain owners have very aggressive dogs and wont take responsibility for them..

Paradise Dog Park and DDRR
 

Agree that Mulberry is the best of the Villages dog parks. The one at Lake Paradise is mostly dirt. It is set up quite nice, however, since they redid it last year so that it is quite easier to park and get in-and-out of with your pooch. The Bonita one is at a pretty steep incline on the small dog section and is awful for people trying to walk and avoid stepping in poop at the same time as well as watch over their dog.

DDRR is the best local private dog park even though there are fights between dogs every once in a while and you do need to know what you canine can handle. Very friendly people on staff as well as the many people who use that dog park.

We are new to The Villages. And a priority was finding a park for our black Lab. Doggie Doo Run is great!!! Clean, friendly. Big open spaces. Now, Robbie feels right at home, as do we. We close on our house on Tuesday.

I wouldn't even classify the Bonita property as a dog park. It is more like a dog run.

Doggy Doo Run is a life saver for us coming from Seattle where there are large off leash parks readily available. My husband takes our English Setter there every morning and was taking our Irish Setter there too until he passed away end of December. We are getting a Gordon Setter pup this week and once he has his shots he will be joining in as well. Very seldom are there dog issues or dog owner issues. The dogs come home and sleep all day after their run around. It is worth the $25 for one or $30 for two every month. They keep it clean and the staff are great.

Welcome to The Villages and the forum! I'm sure Robbie will spend many happy hours a DDRR.

Doo Run Run is wonderful and Scott, the owner just as wonderful. My Molly is the most passive girl around, quiet and polite. I did take her to The Villages dog parks but she did not do well at all, too small of an area for her and she turned into Cujo, all 35 pounds! Best environment for her is day care at Doo Run - she does well in a more controlled environment and without me to protect.

I forgot about Doo Run Run's daycare. Are they outside all day? Are they ever put in kennels? Are they closely supervised.

When I was up there one morning, there was a yellow lab-type dog in a fenced in area over by the building. It was out there alone and was barking. I was wondering if that was the daycare part. I would like to find daycare where there is access to outside but I wouldn't want my dog to be left outside alone all the time. Nor would I want him to be put in a kennel if inside.

Yes, it's by the building. I've never had a problem with Molly in day care and she's been a lot. When I pick her up she's with great danes, boxers and small dogs, all in one lot sometimes. Scott and his crew doing amazing work keeping them organized - but the dogs quickly figure out the pecking order. No issues when Molly's been there and she comes home tired and happy. It is quite comical to watch her run down the driveway, up the ramp and straight into the tub for her bath!

We want to go to DDR when we move later this year, but I had a question about puppies. I talked to Scott and he said puppies under a certain age (I thought it was 7 months but I could be remembering wrong) couldn't be in the park with the other dogs. Also, what do you do before spaying/neutering since those intact dogs aren't allowed? I won't do that before a certain age and yet I would want my dogs to have a place to play before then. Gordon's are large enough and active enough that they need room to stretch out like my borzoi do. Just wondering.

My husband confirms they must be fixed and up to date on shots. He is not sure of minimum age. He will find out.

Bonanza - you are so correct. This is the reason so many of us take the drive to Doggie Doo Run. I live within walking distance of the Village Dog Park located on Bonita. We visited a few times with our 15 pound dog and felt being there was an accident waiting to happen. It is way too small with too many people and dogs in close quarters. We feel much happier and safer at Doggie Doo Run.

Bonita is way too small, and an invitation for a dog fight, especially for a larger dog. DDRR is well worth the drive, and it gives them plenty of space to run around and get their energy out. I have seen a couple of fights, but mainly when there is a big group of dogs all bunched up around the gates, and the owners talking and not paying attention to their dog. The smart dog owner will recognize that and keep space between their dog until they know their dog doesn't feel intimidated. With 10 acres, there is plenty of room at the DDRR.

When we checked out DDRR we were told our pups (setters) couldn't go to the larger areas because they weren't fixed yet. They could use the (fairly small) agility area near the entrance - but when my husband took them there another dog was in the agility area, they would have had to wait, so he went to Mulberry and has been happy with that park - and the pups LOVE it. I guess the large dog area there (Mulberry) is maybe half an acre? so I'm thinking any self-respecting bird dog is going to outgrow it!

Actually, I think the requirements for age/vaccinations and neutering are marks of a responsibly run dog park. Even our groomer wouldn't accept our puppies until they had all their vaccinations (3 months), and we were advised by our vet not to take them to dog parks, the beach, or even to Petco or PetSmart until their vac schedule was completed.

As for dog parks/day care and neutering, I won't take our dog to either one of those if it accepts non neutered dogs. The males can be too aggressive. I just think it's not a good mix, neutered and non neutered.

No criticism of DDRR's policies, just info to avoid disappointment for folks whose dogs/puppies aren't neutered yet.

DOG OWNERS:
check these locations for "dog parks"
the Tamarind Grove mail station/pool area is
NOT A DOG PARK
the trash cans have dog poo inside, the air smells from urine, the dogs bark, the green area in our village is a mess from the owners using this park as a toilet.
Take notice the villages have made parks for your dogs, not the common area by the mail station. why can't you use your own yard as a toilet.

RDOG = Responsible Dog Owners Group meeting for residents south of 466A even though everyone is invited. Please come and show your support.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014 7PM
Eisenhower Regional Recreation Center
Admiral Nimitz Room

Our first speaker is Karen T., who helped set up the first RDOG (Responsible Dog Owners Group) meetings and Mulberry Dog Park.

We will have refreshments and a door prize.

This will be the first of monthly meetings with speakers to discuss the care, nutritionally needs, and good behavior of our dogs in the Villages. All are invited and monthly in the Rec News will be the speaker's name for that month. Please see today's Rec News on page 22 for the announcement.

Thanks,
Diane

I beg to differ. There is never any dog poop in the trash cans since they were signed with "No Animal Feces Please." I go there every day to pick up my mail, and my mailbox is right beside a trash can and never smells. The grass looks as green as anyone else's to me, and the landscaping is as gorgeous as it was when we moved in two years ago. I've never smelled urine there. And a dog's urine doesn't really smell, anyway. Perhaps you are smelling some cats?

I do not take my dog there to run around because you're right, it isn't a dog park, but aside from one goldendoodle, the dogs I see there are on leashes. People meet and greet there, which is what we're supposed to do in those park areas. And there's no rule against taking your dog there on a leash.

i don't beg to differ with you, i know what i see and smell when i go to the pool and mail box area. the urine smell drifts through the air, especially on a damp day. try and have a picnic or play the outdoor games, as the parks purpose was intended.
whatever
this area is not a dog park, people drive cars and carts from all over the villages to use this area. also, there is no rule that dog owners can use their own lawn for a toilet.
if anyone can drive to the tamarind grove pool, drive to the dog park for your doggie time and toilet.

:shocked: Doggie Doo Run requires immunization records? I've never seen that notice there. My dog is of course all up-to-date on everything, but we've gone there many times and have never shown anything. Oops!

Yes, you are supposed to put it in the box where you put the $3 (if you're not paying monthly), or give it to the owner. First time we went, we called the owner, and he met us outside and took the vac record. This year I just put it in the box. I went to retrieve it later, but he had taken it. So they must keep them on file.

CFrance
don't waste your breath
People who harbor delusional beliefs do not care about the truth.

Thanks, Cisco.

I'm just saying what I (haven't) seen or smelled.

All of you are invited to attend our RDOG - Responsible Dog Owners Group - on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 a 7PM in the Eisenhower Recreational Rec Ctr. Our objective is to have a dog park south of 466A. More information to follow.
Janet