Carpinteria dog owners group celebrates new off-leash dog park after years of planning

CARPINTERIA, Calif. – It's been a tail wagging week for The Carpinteria Dog Owners Group or C-DOG. The new off leash dog park has now opened.

It is located at Monte Vista Park at the north end of Bailard Ave. near the back side of the condos located there.

The group has been working for years with the city to identify a location and establish rules.

Saturday, the park was officially opened with a ribbon cutting and many dogs scampering around. It was a frolicking time with some high speed running, wrestling and making dog friends.

C-DOG officially established as a non-profit in 2018.

The group has appeared in the city's parades for several years as an entry with dogs and their owners.

Carpinteria City Councilmember Monica  Solorzano said there is a community benefit in many ways to have the park. "It's their way to socialize, not just with their dogs and with their friends, but with their friends dogs. And so it just it creates a lot of more and more circles of, of socialness for people."

C-DOG president Van Fleisher said for the dogs, "they walk up to each bump noses, tails wag, they remember them. They really look forward to their friends."

Lorraine McIntire is the C-DOG treasurer and said, the dog owners have bonded. "A lot of people lived here over 25 years, and they said, I've met more people in a week at the dog park than I've met in 25 years living here!"

It's also a place for both fun and some community comfort.

McIntire said, "Their only socialization is their dog. And they've come here every single day. And they get attention from the kids, from the owners of other dogs. They're making friends."

For the youth, "It helps kids have something to do after school. We have a lot of kids come here just to watch the dogs," she said.

For those who do not have a dog, Fleisher said they, "may not understand that the bond that that humans have with dogs and the comfort that dogs, give every day is Christmas for a dog. They wake up and they're going to see the tail wags. "

One resident described herself as  a dog owner, a senior citizen and an introvert. 

"And to be able to come to a place and have so many friendly people and so many friendly dogs made a world of difference, honestly," said Sandra Duncan. It makes a difference in a dog's behavior, "to actually be in a park where they learn to socialize and they get to know different people in different types of breeds so that they don't freak out everyone."

Before coming to this location the trial off leash dog park was at El Carro Park closer to the center of town but the Monte Vista Park location has turned out to be a better fit.

Solorzano said, "It's not interfering with with the the field areas or with the playground. This this feels like this park was made for it."

The dogs and owners have to abide by rules, and the dogs need to be on good behavior.    Now and then you do hear barking, but it's said to be playful. McIntire says it's often because they want to chase a ball.

For very active dogs it's a way to work out all the energy. Tania Conrad for her dog, "and so even though we hike the Franklin Trail in the mornings, he still has energy. And we might come here one to three times a day. "

For more information go to: c-dog.org