Delaware Park Dog Walkers

[Linda_D]

One of Buffalo's least known and most enduring underground institutions is the "Delaware Park dog walkers", those hardy folks who bring the canine members of their families almost daily to the area around the soccer field off Rumsey Road so that the dogs can romp and socialize with others of their kind. The dog walkers are "underground" because they violate the city's leash law that all dogs must be on one. There's no official membership list, no dues, no fancy logo on a tshirt or cap. Actually, the dog walkers are purposely unobtrusive, avoiding the park when there are large crowds and finding secluded areas away from family picnics or bridal parties or kids on the sledding hills.

The best times to view the dog walkers are when the park isn't very busy. Mornings are good. Weekday afternoons are even better since the working people have come home. During most of the year, the numbers of dog walkers in the park at any one time is small, sometimes only two or three. They stay away from the streets, and stick close to the woody areas because it's safer for their dogs, and more interesting, too.

Surprisingly, winter is the best time to view dog walkers and their dogs, especially on week-ends and on winter holidays like Christmas and New Years. The limited daylight and the lack of good weather compresses the time people have to bring their dogs, so instead of only four or five dogs, the area around the soccer field is filled with canines. They sniff along the woody slopes for whatever it is that fascinates doggy noses. They chase one another or wrestle in the snow. They chase the bold, brassy squirrels from tree to tree. They roll in the snow. They keep their eyes peeled for newcomers, who might be old friends or brand new friends, people and dogs.

The welcome mat is always out. The dogs are completely democratic. Some are pedigreed show dogs. Some are mutts. Some are bold as brass and others are shy and some a little wary. They are all sizes, all shapes, all colors, all ages but they all recognize their common link: they are pups playing in the park. Some have known only love and kindness and plenty, and others have been rescued from horrible circumstances. They are all the luckiest of dogs now, though, being so thoroughly loved that coming to play in the park isn't a rare occurrence but a part of their regular routine.

The people are friendly and democratic like their dogs. They walk their dogs up Lincoln Parkway or Windsor Avenue or they bring them in sedans, minivans or SUVs. They dress for the cold, damp weather in washable, durable clothes not fashionable stuff that won't stand up to Buffalo's cold or frequent washings. This isn't a club based on who you are or how much money you have or what your politics are or any of the other things that separate people into tiny little boxes. It's a club based on loving your dog enough to take time to see that he gets a chance to run and socialize with his own kind on a gloomy Christmas afternoon or Boxing Day morning -- and that you do, too.

I'm not sure when the dog walkers began, perhaps they were always there, but I became a member 20+ years ago when I lived in the Grant-Amherst neighborhood and walked my Airedale Bandit there in the company of many good friends, canine and human. Some of the people at least, are still members, although all the original dogs are gone now. Although I no longer live in Buffalo, whenever my current dog, Rusty, and I visit, we always stop at Delaware Park and invariably meet up with some fellow dog walkers.

Delaware Park and its dog walkers are among the very best things about Buffalo -- and all of WNY.

[speaker]

I agree. Whatever happened to the proposal to put a dog run in Delaware Park? I know there was such a proposal and there was a "hew and cry"about that.
It's just a fence enclosed space where people can unleash their dogs to socialize and romp. I've spent substantial time watching the one in NYC and it's a real pleasure. Doesn't take up a lot of space, doesn't smell, and is high entertainment.
Buffalo does have some of the best dogs I've ever seen.

[LHardy]

Whatever happened to the proposal to put a dog run in Delaware Park?

Sounds like a great idea and fun to watch. Let the dogs run!

As long as it is assumed sole resposibility of the owners.
Its' the biting part that can be a problem

[speaker]

Originally posted by LHardy
Whatever happened to the proposal to put a dog run in Delaware Park?

Sounds like a great idea and fun to watch. Let the dogs run!

As long as it is assumed sole resposibility of the owners.
Its' the biting part that can be a problem

The owners would have to chaperone and be totally responsible.

[therising]

I think I may have asked this question before, but I forgot the answer; How come EVERYONE walks their dogs around the loop in the same direction? (counter-clockwise)

I hate going with the flow, and getting caught up with people throughout my entire walk, so I always go against the grain. I do stay to the left (sometimes on the grass), but it makes me feel like an oddball for walking in the wrong direction.

Is there some unwritten code of dog-walking I don't know about?

[Linda_D]

I didn't know there was supposed to be one in Delaware Park. I thought that there was a proposal to put one in one of the parks in Tonawanda -- Sheridan Park, I thought -- but that seems to have died.

Delaware Park is a natural place for one because there is such a tradition of people walking their dogs there. All they need is a grassy field, some kind of shade, and a water fountain inside a fence. Down by the lake would be an ideal place, I think. There's space, it's not used by many people, and since it's primarily a filled area (the lake used to be much bigger), it's not "historical". The only drawback there is that it's not as easily accessible as the soccer field for some of the elderly dog walkers.

There's an old roadway behind the stone building near Rumsey and Delaware that used to provide access down to the creekside for park vehicles. I don't know its condition now, but perhaps that could be fixed/paved for easy pedestrian access to the lower part of the park.

[buffy]

i took my little yorkie, rocco, there once
he was having a great time until a huge newfoundland took an interest in him and almost trampled him to death. as little rocco yelped, a big german shepard came to his rescue and ran the newfoundland off, then, circled around rocco daring anyone to hurt him again, bared teeth and growling while he protected him.

i love dogs

[therising]

Originally posted by buffy
i took my little yorkie, rocco, there once
he was having a great time until a huge newfoundland took an interest in him and almost trampled him to death. as little rocco yelped, a big german shepard came to his rescue and ran the newfoundland off, then, circled around rocco daring anyone to hurt him again, bared teeth and growling while he protected him.

i love dogs

You see, now if you were walking against the grain like I do, Rocco would've never gone through that horrible experience.

[Linda_D]

Originally posted by therising
I think I may have asked this question before, but I forgot the answer; How come EVERYONE walks their dogs around the loop in the same direction? (counter-clockwise)

I hate going with the flow, and getting caught up with people throughout my entire walk, so I always go against the grain. I do stay to the left (sometimes on the grass), but it makes me feel like an oddball for walking in the wrong direction.

Is there some unwritten code of dog-walking I don't know about?

There's definitely a favored direction in almost all dog walking areas that have loops of any kind. I walk my dog primarily at Bergman Park in Jamestown, and virtually everyone walks the same way, despite the fact that it might be warmer to walk with your back to the wind instead of your face into it most of the way.

[speaker]

Originally posted by Linda_D
IDelaware Park is a natural place for one because there is such a tradition of people walking their dogs there. All they need is a grassy field, some kind of shade, and a water fountain inside a fence. Down by the lake would be an ideal place, I think. There's space, it's not used by many people, and since it's primarily a filled area (the lake used to be much bigger), it's not "historical". The only drawback there is that it's not as easily accessible as the soccer field for some of the elderly dog walkers.

There's an old roadway behind the stone building near Rumsey and Delaware that used to provide access down to the creekside for park vehicles. I don't know its condition now, but perhaps that could be fixed/paved for easy pedestrian access to the lower part of the park.

Linda, there's a fenced in area, small, near Amherst and Colvin. Don't know why it's there but at first I thought it was going to be the run. That's a good spot.