UPDATE on June 6, 2022
The Oneonta Parks & Recreation Dept. has announced that the small dog area of the Oneonta dog park is now open again for small dogs only after dealing with the mud issue and establishing more grass.

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original story from May 5, 2022

Ever since the new Oneonta dog park opened in Neahwa Park last fall, dog owners and their furry friends have been enjoying the opportunity for fun and socialization. There have been a few hiccups along the way with too much water and the grass getting worn out in certain areas, but that's all to be expected since this is a relatively new venture for the City of Oneonta. Most things are a work in progress, right?

According to a release from the city, the latest in "turf management" for the dog park is that Oneonta Parks and Rec has closed off the "small" dog section of the dog park. Unfortunately, that area has gotten very muddy and needs to be reseeded with grass. City officials hope that it can be reopened at the beginning of June but that remains to be seen depending on the readiness of the field. Updates on the status of the dog park will be available on the City of Oneonta Parks and Recreation Facebook page. If you ever have questions about the Neahwa Dog Park, you can call the Recreation Department office at 607-432-0680.

Meanwhile, so dogs can continue to play, the large dog pen is now open to ALL-sized dogs. It's up to owners to know their dog's behavior to determine if their canine friend can behave around all different-sized dogs. I know my beloved pooch Tovi can't. She gets very "uppity" and aggressive around bigger dogs so I'll have to wait for the small dog pen to reopen before bringing her back there. Maybe your dog can be unpredictable too? Many dogs are like that.

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You can always test your dog out BEFORE bringing it into the dog park by first doing a walk around the perimeter of the penned-in area with your dog so it can sniff dogs inside from a safe place and you can witness if your dog and other dogs seem to get along. See the tips below. They are very helpful!

DOG LOVERS: 5 Tips On Introducing Your Dog To A Dog Park

We all want to be responsible dog owners and create a wonderful experience for our dogs at a dog park. If you have a dog that you think would love a chance at playing with other furry friends at a public park, here is some very practical and simple advice from certified dog trainer Sarah Cummings who has a lot of experience as a staff member of the Susquehanna SPCA.

Here's what Sarah has to say to us dog parents...

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The Susquehanna SPCA helped to rescue a puppy mill female dog, a 6-year-old Siberian husky named "Candy" that was retired from breeding. Through an alliance with Furever Friends Dog Rescue of WNY, a nonprofit group in Ohio that saves retired dogs from puppy mills, the dog was being cared for at the Cooperstown shelter and being prepared for adoption. Part of that process is to spay the dog before adopting it out. A big surprise happened during the surgery - the very thin dog was found to be carrying inside her a litter of four puppies. Three of them were found to be still alive and were saved. What a miracle!

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