The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Wednesday July 25, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A5 Leash-free zones in parks not the place for all dogs By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A dog's big, sloppy kiss is a give-away, but what else are dogs saying with body language? Being able to read dog body language is key when taking Fido to a leash-free zone, areas where dogs may roam freely to frolic. Obedience, health status, size, and social ization are also considerations w hen your pooch is at the p ark 's leash-free zone. Suzanne H arris, assistant com m unity ser vice co-ordinator w ith the O akville Humane Society visits the leash-free zone at Post Park tw ice a year to dish out tips about dog body language and behavior. "Leash-free zones give dogs an outlet for their energy level," said H arris, though some dogs would rather, or should, stay at home. H arris teaches people the signs to watch for and how, by reading those signs, they can avoid having their dog intim idated or even em broiled in a fight. "Dogs w ill fight. It can be a horrible thing to watch, but if no dam age is done, they are allow ed to fight. Children fight in the play ground," said Harris. Yet, to keep things friendly, H arris said dog ow ners should know how to tell if their dog is uncom fortable or overwhelm ed. W hen a dog is happy, they're eager to inter Photo by Brent Foster act. If they scurry away or hide behind their Jill Young with her dog at the Post Park leash ow ner, th e y 're likely uncom fortable, said free zone:, not all dogs are well suited for these Harris. Signs that things are becom ing too intense areas. include a lot o f grow ling, barking and pinning if the dogs are just playing and this occurs, size does m atter and injury could occur, said each other on the ground. Barking or grow ling, raised hackles and Harris. Similarly, small dogs who aren't socialized baring teeth can be a sign o f aggression, but barking with a w agging tail and jum ping can to large dogs and bark constantly may be too aggressive. be an invitation to play, said Harris. "A lot o f little dogs can hold their own, "Look for early signs and d on't let it get to amazingly enough," observed Harris. the point o f a fight," advised Harris. M uch depends on w hether large and small The best way to intervene is to call a dog to you and rew ard them for coming. If an aggres dogs have been taught early on to respect the sive dog follow s, leave the leash-free zone -- other. Sometimes, a leash-free zone isn't the place whether or not you were there first. N ever put your hands on a dog's collar for a senior dog or one with bad hips or legs, since an aggressive dog may bite at you or since play may get too rough, advised Harris. And, some real "m usts" before going to a your own dog may bite backw ard in anger or leash-free zone include having a dog vaccinat surprise, s'aid Harris. If voice com m ands d on't do it, grab the ed. That means no dogs should make the trip to the zone earlier than 16-weeks o f age. dog's tail or back legs and tug them away. And spaying and neutering is also a must N or should dogs be allow ed to form a pack -- th at's when a leader starts runriing and the -- since the lack o f it can lead to aggressive behavior. rest chase. "I always em phasize that people m ust keep "It's best to break up the pack m entality," an eye on their dog; Sometimes it's a social said Harris. Large dogs shouldn't use their body weight thing for the people and they com pletely for to m anipulate, push or pin sm aller dogs. Even get about their dog," said Harris. HORIZON TA6KW0N-D0 Taekwon-do is known as one of the best means of developing and enhancing: · Confidence · Self-control · Physical Fitness We offer: M r. Louie Sanchez, Head Instructor · Separate Children & Adult Classes · Day & Evening Classes · Classes 6 Days a Week . j p I llS fo ro n )¥ $ 9 9 .3 1 Be* GST & a FREE U N IF O (Limited time offer) RM. · 15 yrs of martial arts training · 10 yrs of teaching experience ` North American Gold Champion . Certified National Coach , C sX /tM M {four /T W tfM ,' Register NOW! 1027 Speers Rd. Unit 25, Oakville (Corner of 4th Line & Speers Rd.) /Q nc\ QAA QOQA 0 4 4 -0 J 0 4 How many reasons do you need to becom e a volunteer? W e can give you 60,000 - Th e number of Canadian children reported m i s s i n g each year. Help bring them home. O N T A R I O Helping to keep kids safer in our community for 16 years. Call 1-800-447-6047 O r visit www.ontario.childfind.ca I'm going to slam on my brakes for no apparent reason. The Mercedes-Benz Accident Avoidance System. Because life doesn't come with warnings. M -CLASS FROM $48,600* The 2001 ML 320 The world may be an imperfect place. But through a system of safety features, the M-Class does its part to make it a little better. Features like ABS, and Brake Assist, which senses emergency and panic braking situations, and instantly applies all possible braking power. It's been proven to reduce stopping distances by as much as 45%. Should you have to make emergency manoeuvres, our ESP stabilizing system makes sure you stay on your intended course, instead of fishtailing or sliding. And if any wheels lose tractiom, the M-Class' 4-ETS+ system instantly restores full grip by distributing power only to wheels with traction, even if that's only one. Powerful allies in a world that's full of surprises. Call Meray Motors at (905) 845-6623 for more details. M ercedes-Benz The Future of the Automobile QO/ T '.y /O 94- m o n t h * IC aoC la ic Lim ited Tim e Offer! C hoose An O ption... * N o C h a r g e S c h e d u l e d * M erced es-B en z S ig n a tu re C la ss Q i\/[ · & E x ten d ed L im ited W arranty r a fp M S lI ltG I lc lI lC G ^ - 4 yrs or 80 ,000 kms (Choose maintenance or warranty options and receive a no charge 6 disc CD player) total of 7yrs or 160,000kms M eray M otors & C ollision Ltd. Q.E.W & Dorval Drive, Oakville 905 ·845-6623 www.meraymotors.mercedesbenz.ca ©2001 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., Toronto. Ontario. A DaimlerChrvsler Company. *MRSP for 2001 ML320 Classic. *Some restrictions apply, contact Merav Motors for details.