When my mom says ”dog park” I know that this means something really special. As we pull up to the park, I am overwhelmed with delicious smells of dog butts, dog hair, and doggie drool. I love that initial jump out of the car, reaching the fenced gate, and watching all of my new friends greet me with wagging tails and long tongues that nearly touch the ground.

I love going to the dog park. There’s nothing like running free with my own species and letting loose. I love being home, but gosh, just a day at the park does a body good.

I notice that when we are at the park, my mom seems pleased and happy that I am having such a good time. However, I can also tell that she is nervous. That’s my mom–always nervous. She gets nervous because of the germs, and she is unsure of the other dogs at the park. Maybe they will be aggressive, maybe they won’t like me, or maybe I’ll hump them. She sure does hate humping–but I love it! I try to tell her not to worry; after all, I’m a likable guy, and of course I know when to stay away from the aggressive, mean dogs.

Let’s face it, we dogs always love going to the park. But of course, our parents are skeptical at times of the germs, diseases, aggressiveness, and the humping. I don’t blame them, but it’s important for us to let our energy out, let loose, and exercise. Exercise is fundamental to our health and well being.

If you can’t go to the dog park, make sure that your human gives you plenty of good exercise. For a few safety tips that my mom and I came up with, check out Harley’s Mission to keep you and your human safe at the park: http://harleysmission.blogspot.com.