The Truth About Dog Parks

Dog parks have really become a big deal. They are used daily by hundreds of families with dogs. They romp, run, play and wrestle. Sometimes, they just hang out. It often reminds me of McDonald's Play Place. Throw a bunch of random kids together and they’re bound to hit it off, right? As a child, it was my favorite restaurant to eat in.

A Kid’s Meal with a toy and a place to play with bouncy horses, ball pits, Merry-Go-Rounds and slides. McDonald's knew that if they built it, the kids would come — and the kids would bring their family! It was brilliant marketing on their part. The kids, after all, are typically the ones who get to choose where. The parents were happy because after eating, they got to chat while the kids played in the little windowed cell — safe and contained. What kid wouldn’t love it at the Play Place? Well, there are some. The ones who get bullied by other kids. The ones who get hurt. As a kid, I remember an incident where I was pushed from behind by a child on the slide. I didn’t know him. I wasn’t sure if he was impatient and I was taking too long or if he truly was looking to bully me. All I know is I ended up with a goose egg on my head and a fat lip where I bit down hard. My mom came running in to help me and after attending to my immediate needs, she turned to find both child and parent had vanished. They were nowhere to be seen.