My dog and I have had hundreds of pleasant walks at the Northampton Dog Park, one of the gems of the city. Unfortunately on this beautiful warm morning, I returned home from the park in a miff with ripped gym shorts and two long scratches on my upper leg. A gentleman walking a medium size yellow terrier mix watched as his dog jumped on me twice in a matter of minutes. The second time the dog jumped on me, the man was a few feet away on the narrow path along the upper hay field. I said “that hurt.” He didn’t say a word to me or the dog, just kept on walking. If my dog jumped on a stranger or showed any type of aggression towards other dogs, I would either have it on a leash or walk the dog somewhere else away from loose dogs. At the very least, I would call the dog back. People, including myself, feel deeply for our pets. I know it’s hard to admit your dog may not be trained properly to be in a public park off a leash. That was the case today.
Mandy Marsh Szkotak
Florence