*What Makes A Good Park? A Paw Based Rating System...

Greetings fellow Canine Angelenos!

I've spent my entire life looking for fun places to explore in Southern California and I'm often asked what is my favorite place to visit. I really don't have a single favorite because there are so many great things to see and sniff around here that its impossible to choose one. Almost any place a dog can go has some redeeming quality to it and the incredible variety of features available from one location to the next makes it difficult to compare them.

Here in Los Angeles alone, we've got forests, beaches, mountains, deserts, and of course...parks. Heck, the word "park" itself can mean many different things and there are a lot of different types. You could visit city parks, county parks, state parks, national parks, wilderness parks, dog parks, pocket parks, and so on and so on and so on...

So just what do I consider a "park"? Wikipedia defines a park as:

...an area of open space provided for recreational use. It can be in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and is set aside for human enjoyment or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas, but may also contain buildings and other artifacts such as play grounds.

I'd call that a pretty accurate description; except I'd add 'for canine enjoyment' too.

You never know what you might find at the park! (at Franklin Canyon Park)

Because parks are probably the place you visit most often with your pack and friends, I've decided to create a rating system, based on my personal experiences, to share what I think about them.  I'll include my rating whenever I visit a park in future blogs. Notice I've mimicked the popular restaurant star rating system, replacing the stars with paws.


The Official Canine Angeleno Park Rating System:

0 Paw - Wouldn’t set paw there.
1 Paw - Its better than staying inside.
2 Paw - Its got the basics.
3 Paw - Pretty Good; has a lot going for it.
4 Paw - Very Nice; a place to visit again and again.
Tail Wag - Awesome; a doggy paradise.

What am I basing my rating on? Here are some of the major things I look for in a park:

• Surface

Is it easy on the paws? Are there bald spots, dirt, and rocks or is it lush grass that you can roll in?

Plush grass is always a good thing...

• Trees

Who doesn't like trees? They're beautiful, provide shade, clean the air, and all the boy dogs can't resist "lifting a leg" around them.

• Creatures

Trees often come with squirrels, which all dogs know are a menace to society. They must be chased back up those trees, and that's a lot of fun to do.  Many parks in greater Los Angeles are also inundated with gophers.  At least I think they’re gophers (if anyone is an expert on the topic, please comment). Gophers make those little mounds of dirt; which I just love digging in search of the little buggers.

Humans just don't appreciate how evil squirrels really are.

Carl Spackler knows what I'm talking about...

• Poop Bag Dispensers

You should always carry your own bags because you're not one of those rude jerks that doesn't pick up after your dog.  But we all forget them from time to time; and sometimes we have to go more than once... you just never know.

• Trash Cans

Because nobody wants to walk around too long with a bag full of poop.

• Water Fountains

If you know the park you’re going to has them, then you won’t have to carry a water bottle around. Just don’t forget a dish because most of us are too short to drink from the spigot. If you have a spare dish or any old container you don't use anymore, consider leaving it at your favorite park by the fountain so other dogs can use it.

There are other factors that go into my rankings such as whether or not there is any water I can dip my paws into, walking/hiking trails to explore, and interesting things for my human friends to see and do. These things aren't necessary for a typical "park" to get a high rating (its not fair of me to compare a local park to something like a National Forest) but they sure help.



*** MISC TIPS ***

• Parks that have tennis courts in them are an excellent source of lost tennis balls. Many of the City of L.A. Recreation Centers have them and the “finders keepers” rule is in full effect.

I found the Mother lode!

• If you visit a particular park regularly, pay attention to what day and time the grass gets mowed and insist on going out then. Is there anything better than rolling in freshly mowed grass? I don't believe there is...

It feels sooooooo good....

• If you think its time to go to the park but your humans aren't taking you, try to look as good as possible and don't be afraid to use those "puppy dog eyes"...

Works every time...

Well there you have it. The Official Canine Angeleno Park Ranking System. I hope it helps you when you're deciding where to explore. If you know of a great park you'd like to see me cover in this blog, please leave a comment. I love discovering new places!


See you at the park!

Chloe Canine-Angeleno





All photographs were taken by my pack leader, Jim Gross

Everything else was discovered by getting my paws dirty and the extensive use of my nose.