Saturday couldn’t have been a more perfect day for baseball… and dogs! It was Bark in the Park day at the Lakewood Blueclaws minor league baseball stadium in Lakewood, New Jersey.
The day was sunny and nearly cloudless. Temperatures in the low 70s, but the sun made it feel warmer. Let’s be honest here: I was in Aimee’s Personal Heaven. Sunny day, stretching out in the grass, dogs all around, and a fun minor league baseball game.
I thought long and hard about my dogs, and whether or not they would enjoy a day at the stadium. Lally, my somewhat skittish little boxer mix would probably be very scared with all the noises and action of the baseball game. Moose wouldn’t mind the noises as much, but isn’t always the best behaved on a leash. In the end, I opted to leave both of them at home.
My friend Laurie brought her puppy Casey, who you may remember from some puppy sitting adventures I’ve had. Casey was SO excited to be there, and around so many dogs. Even as we stood in line to get tickets, she was all wiggles and wags. While we were waiting, we met two Schnauzers, a Greyhound, a Bernese Mountain Dog, and some assorted mutts.
We opted to sit with the “Sod Squad” — the grassy outfield area. Just spread a blanket and enjoy the game. Behind us to the left were a pair of ladies with Dachshunds; to the right was a couple with a gorgeous pair of Huskies. We also managed to meet Sammy, a Boxer who sported a pair of human sunglasses throughout the game; Maggie, a Newfoundland who had retired from the show ring; and tons of others.
From what I saw, 99% of the dogs at Bark in the Park were completely well behaved. There was lots of sniffing, playing, and barking, but that is to be expected. I can only think of one dog who had decided he had enough of the park, the game, and the dogs and was snapping at other dogs as his family walked him out towards the parking lot. Part of being a responsible dog owner is knowing what your dog will do in different situations and taking action to make sure he behaves properly.