Dog parks and playgrounds

When we first adopted Peanut, she was an awful dog to live with and in order to exhaust her into submission, we would spend a lot of time at the dog park. I used to take her to the park 5 days a week for at least an hour and the other 2 days she went to doggie daycare. After a year of that, I felt pretty well versed in dog park etiquette and social norms of the park.

Since Faith has been old enough to enjoy it, we have gone to the play ground. After a few months of doing this, I found some striking similarities between the playground and the dog park.

Your enjoyment is largely dependent on the other parents/owners. You know how there is always that one strange person who shows up to the dog park with a dog that has seemingly never been let out of its house before? Or the dog owner who won't stop freaking texting on their phone and pay attention to the fact that their dog is humping the crap out of yours? Well, it's pretty much the same at the play ground, but with less humping. You can see behavior from kids that shocks and appalls you, but there is nothing you can do about it.

If you bring your own toys, be prepared to share. There is always that one asshole at the dog park who brings their dog's "special" ball and yells at you if your dog picks it up. It's a little better at the playground because usually the parent doesn't really care, but it is a good way to make a kid cry if he can't play with a fancy toy or if he doesn't want to share.

When they form a herd, you can get knocked down. At the dog park, all of the dogs would occasionally start running like crazy in one pack in big loops around the park. This is a dangerous time to be a spectator at the park because when 200lbs of excited dog hits the back of your knees, you're going down. The same thing happens with groups of kids at the playground and then it's prime time for toddlers to get trampled.

Hit the deck!

You will meet the oddest people. There is something about the public park experience that brings out the crazies. The worst is when you get cornered into talking with them.

It's easier to not argue

If you haven't figured out, I spend my time pushing my kid on the swing observing the park like Jane Goodall.

She brought organic snacks for her kid...Hmmm...genus: Yuppie Stuckupitus

Luckily I have one cool person to hang out with at the park:

If you push me really high, I forgive you for being weird

Biggest perk of the playground versus the dog park? You don't have to pick up poop or listen to arguments about who didn't pick up their poop the last time they were at the park! I have seen people almost get in fist fights over poop issues, but maybe that's just a southern MD thing.


Are you a Jane Goodall type who likes to observe everyone's behavior at public places or do you just mind your own business like a normal person? 


Also, this is a funny video of Faith looking for the cow that's hiding right in front of her: