A dog daycare and boarding business is set to officially open its kennel doors to local pups later this week.
District Dogs is scheduled to hold a grand opening party this Friday, Nov. 18, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to celebrate its new digs at 3210 Georgia Ave. NW. The open house will include light refreshments and discounts on pet merchandise.
The business has separate play areas for large and small dogs, a private feeding space and a “retail boutique” stocked with pet supplies, gifts and treats.
“Our mission is all about helping busy owners provide excellent care for their furry family members and we look forward to bringing you the same level of thoughtfulness and attention you expect from District Dogs in a whole new environment,” the company said on its website.
The new business will begin taking daycare clients on Nov. 19. Boarding reservations will be available on Thursday, Dec. 1.
An annual outdoor celebration will bring dogs, beer, German food and costumes to the Glen’s Garden Market in Dupont this weekend.
Glen’s Garden Market (2001 S St. NW) will host its third annual “Dogtoberfest” this Saturday from 3-7 p.m., according to an event listing. The event is free to attend.
Maryland brewer Flying Dog Brewery is slated to bring seasonal brews, pumpkin ales and other beers, a Glen’s employee said. The market will also serve German fare like beer soup and cabbage.
True to its name, “Dogtoberfest” will also feature a dog costume competition where pups can dress up in lederhosen and funny hats.
Photo via Glen’s Garden Market
The National Park Service has reversed a contentious rule banning dogs and their owners from walking in the area around Logan Circle park’s statue.
According to the federal agency, leashed dogs and their owners are now allowed to roam every part of the park, including the fenced-off area that surrounds the statue of Major General John A. Logan. Dogs and humans were previously banned from that area, sparking a neighborhood debate back in May.
The rule change came about over the summer, said Robin Nixon, Chief of Partnerships at the NPS.
“After further consultation with solicitors at the Department of Interior, it was determined that we could not restrict pets from open areas, including the grassy area around statues,” Nixon said.
But that doesn’t mean dogs have free run of the place, she cautioned. Dog owners must keep their canines leashed at all times. It’s also illegal to let dogs go to the bathroom on or near the base of the statue, Nixon explained.
“Would you let your dog pee on the Washington Monument? It just seems like a common sense thing,” she said.
Some neighbors and local leaders have complained the park’s inner circle has become an unofficial dog park, leading to holes in the ground and discoloration of the statue’s base. Unleashed dogs can usually be seen running and playing in the area on any given evening.
Nixon said that while the agency won’t hesitate to ticket dog owners breaking the rules, it would prefer a more positive solution to the problem.
“We’re probably going to put up some educational information there by the statue that says, this is a memorial,” she said. “The history and the artistry of the statue is really important. We are doing everything we can to preserve them.”
Still, if all else fails, owners who break the law will be subject to fines, Nixon said. The agency plans to ask D.C. Police for extra help enforcing the rules in the coming months.
“It is regulation that your dog must be on the leash and it is against the law to deface government property. Urine will damage the statue,” Nixon said. “Hopefully, the educational effort has some impact, but we’ll go from there.”
A luxury goods retailer plans to give away treats and freebies to local dog owners at its 14th Street store this weekend.
Employees at Shinola (1631 14th St. NW) are scheduled to give out “special dog-treat bars” and red, white and blue bandanas to four-legged friends who visit the store between 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, according to a press release.
The Detroit-based retailer of watches and leather accessories will hold the giveaway in conjunction with National Dog Day, a self-explanatory celebration that occurs every year on Aug. 26.
This isn’t the first free event the store has held. Shinola also hosted a neighborhood block party with bluegrass music and food trucks in June.
Photo courtesy Shinola
Updated at 10:48 a.m. Friday: The National Park Service contacted us to clarify its rule regarding the park’s inner circle. As it turns out, some of the information originally given to us was “incorrect.” Humans and dogs alike are banned from entering the circle. The NPS initially told us that only dogs were banned from that part of the park.
We’ve updated this article to reflect the clarification.
Yesterday, we reported on a dog fight between some Logan Circle locals and the National Park Service.
The disagreement centers on whether dogs should be allowed in the small, fenced-off circle that surrounds the statue of Major General John A. Logan in Logan Circle park. (As an aside, it’s important to mention that leashed dogs are allowed to play in the surrounding park itself, just not the area around the statue.)
The NPS says dogs should not be allowed in the inner circle, citing possible damage to the statue and grass around it. But members of a group called Logan Circle Dogs are crying foul.
In the comments section of our article, one reader pointed out “there is also a dog park ‘ruffly’ 2 blocks away [from Logan Circle]. I understand using the circle for neighbors to take their dogs out for a quick potty break, but having dogs play around it when there is a good park nearby doesn’t make any sense.”
(Updated at 4:22 p.m.) Some local dog owners are butting heads with the National Park Service and other members of the community over where their dogs should be allowed to frolic in Logan Circle park.
According to the National Park Service, leashed dogs are allowed to roam the park but are not allowed in the inner circle that surrounds the statue of Major General John A. Logan. Dog owners who disobey that rule could be cited, said to NPS spokeswoman Sgt. Anna Rose.
Humans, however, are allowed in the inner circle. Logan Circle’s ANC 2F discussed the issue during its monthly general meeting last week.
“There’s dogs running around the statue, kids climbing on it. All the grass is gone,” said 2F chair John Fanning during that meeting.
Fanning later added in an email to Borderstan that locals “should all be mindful and respectful that we all have a role in protecting the park’s beautification and historical significance.”
To deter dog owners from walking their dogs in the inner circle, the NPS erected signs throughout the park. But someone stole those signs on two different occasions, Rose said.
“The original signs were posted on a pole in two different entrance areas of the park,” recalled Fanning. “The replacement signs, which were posted over a year ago on the smaller fencing area… went missing one by one.”
An anonymous letter that circulated through the Logan Circle community in March lamented that dogs had filled the park’s inner circle with bare patches, holes and poop. That letter, addressed to the NPS, asked for better enforcement of the no-dogs rule.
But some members of a recently created group called “Logan Circle Dogs” are crying foul over the rule. Members say banning dogs from the circle is “a slippery slope,” as the group wrote in response to that letter.
“It should be a reminder to respect our park, if your pup digs holes, stop it; if your pup pees on the statue, stop it,” the post reads. “Let’s all respect and enjoy our park.”
Dogs are set to have a D.C.-approved space of their own to sniff, frolic and play outdoors without their leashes in West End next week.
The unofficial Francis Dog Park at 25th and M streets NW is slated to become official Nov. 27, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation tweeted today.
Deemed the “Best Future Dog Park” by Washington City Paper this year, the fenced-in field is “one of the few spaces in the city where dogs can still be dogs and owners aren’t prone to hovering or fretting,” according to the newspaper.
“Little dogs are welcome, but the action gets rowdy: The sheer size of the fenced area attracts big, fast dogs ready to chase tennis balls and wrestle in mud,” Washington City Paper noted. “Wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty, and be prepared to see a few snarls and dust-ups.”
Photo via Twitter/D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation
A pet daycare and grooming business in Logan Circle is set to temporarily close next week, then reopen under a new name next month.
An employee at Planet Pet (1738 14th St. NW) said today the store will close on Nov. 14 at 10 p.m., but will reopen under a new name and new management in “mid-December.”
A sign posted on the door of the business promised a “new name [and] a new vibe” and that “D.C.’s next big pet pavilion is coming to the 14th Street corridor.”
The employee at the store did not provide more details as to what that might mean, but said more information about the forthcoming changes would be available soon.
The final day for Planet Pet’s daycare service is this Sunday, and all boarding dogs must be picked up by 9 p.m next Monday. The store is also currently hosting a clearance sale with discounts up to 30 percent, said the employee.
A “bio-retention area” previously used as a makeshift dog run at Bruce Monroe Community Park in Park View will stay forever closed to sprinting canines, said District Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) officials.
A group of dog owners rallied to regain access to the unused patch of grass after workers locked the gate that led to it last month.
“People have been using that as a place to run their dogs for basically as long as the community garden has been there,” said dog owner and “Save the Bruce Monroe Community Park Dog Run” group organizer Dave Bobeck last month. “It’s been uncontested as far as I know and we want to restore access to that immediately if possible. Failing that, we’d at least like to know what the issues are with the dog run use and have a chance to address those issues.”
In a handout sent to Borderstan by ANC 1A Commissioner Rashida Brown, DPR makes its response clear:
“Foot traffic (by both humans and dogs) degrades the function of bio-retention areas by compacting the layers of soil that serves to absorb storm-water, eventually leading to erosion issues and reduced function of the bio-retention area. Further, dog waste (especially urine that can’t be picked up) is harmful to the required plantings in this type of bio-retention area.”
Furthermore, Brown said in an e-mail to Park View residents that “the padlock and ‘no dogs allowed’ sign on the gate around the bio-retention site must not be removed. Trespassing laws also apply to this area.”
But a permanently locked gate may soon be the least of the dog owners’ worries. A proposal to redevelop the Park Morton housing community could put the Bruce Monroe Community Park itself at risk of being paved over entirely.
Naturally, some Park View residents have already launched a petition to “Save Bruce Monroe Community Park” in response.
Petition-signers will meet with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to discuss the proposal at the Park View Recreation Center (693 Otis Place NW) tomorrow evening at 7 p.m.
Dogs in costumes will frolic through Shaw Dog Park during the pet park’s annual “Howl-O-Ween” event this Saturday at 11 a.m.
During the event, humans and canines alike will compete to win in three costume contests: best big dog, best little dog, and best owner/dog costumes. Attendees can also enter a raffle to win prizes from Logan Hardware, Avenue Jack and Nelly’s.
Shaw Dog Park Volunteers will also sell T-shirts and poop bags branded with the park’s name and logo.
Steve Oatmeyer, a member of the Shaw Dog Park board, said the part of the event’s goal is to raise $3000 to replace the park’s failing gate and fence.
“We need repairs of the gates and the fence. They need to be replaced,” Oatmeyer said. “Hopefully, by the end of the year we will have it done.”
“We also have to resurface the gravel on a weekly basis, water and take care of the trees,” Oatmeyer said. “We’ve been around for nine or ten years, so now things are happening we really need to start replacing.”
Locals who can’t show up on Saturday can also donate to the cause via Paypal here.
Photo courtesy of Shaw Dog Park
Mike Silverstein is an ANC 2B commissioner, an Alcoholic Beverage Control board member and a former journalist.
Last week, he wrote to us and shared a touching story about a series of events that occurred exactly ten years ago today. We thought the story, a tale about the rescue of a dog during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, was best told in the commissioner’s own words.
I found these items among my souvenirs — keepsakes of a story that happened ten years ago this week. It’s a story how three people from DC somehow joined together to save the life of a dog in New Orleans.
Hurricane Katrina had destroyed parts of the Gulf Coast more than a week earlier, and much of New Orleans was still under water.
I was at work at ABC News on DeSales Street when I got a call from my good friend Emmett Woolfrey, who had moved from D.C. to New Orleans several years earlier. Emmett had safely evacuated to Baton Rouge. He called to ask if there was any way to help his friend, a fellow hospital technician names James Coates. James had been forced to leave his dog Chanelle behind, with a maybe a week’s worth of food and some bowls full of water. James was terrified that the water was running out, and Chanelle would die of dehydration.
I had seen a story about animal rescues (this was twelve days after the storm hit), and tried to contact the group that was coordinating those efforts. I was unable to reach the woman in charge by phone, so I sent her an e-mail. It was, in retrospect, a bit melodramatic, but I wanted to get her attention.
I never did hear from Ellen, but the results were even better. The next day, I got a phone call from a neighbor. It was Scotlund Haisley, from Georgetown, whom I knew both from Montrose Park and from the Washington Animal Rescue League. He said he was calling from New Orleans, from a boat, headed down a flooded street, and on his way to try to find Chanelle. He was asking for specific instructions on how to find James’ apartment. Fortunately, I had met James at Mardi Gras 2002, and had stopped by his apartment before one of the parades, so I could describe the house and the path back to James’ apartment. The directions were all that Scotlund needed. He said he’d get back to me after he found Chanelle.
An hour later, he called back, and said he had found her and she was in bad shape. She was near death from dehydration, and was unconscious and barely breathing. He said he was taking her to a hospital unit to get an IV into her. Later, he had her taken up to LSU in Baton Rouge, where veterinary doctors stabilized her, and put her on the road to recovery. Scotlund, meanwhile, went back to searching abandoned and ruined homes for animals to be rescued.
Scotlund called me about a week later, and told me Chanelle was well enough to be reunited with James. Eventually, James and Chanelle returned to New Orleans, and he sent me this picture, which speaks for itself.
Chanelle lived to be 14 years old, and was James’ best friend and faithful companion. Her tongue was always too big for her mouth, and it always stuck out, especially when she was happy. Sadly, James died last year. Emmett now lives in Florida. And Scotund, who left the Animal Rescue League to work with the Humane Society, now works with the Animal Rescue Corps, a group that rescues animals after natural disasters and from abusive situations.
Very few good things came out of Katrina, but one was a change in the way animals are treated in disaster evacuations. We are no longer forced to choose either to stay behind with our pets or to evacuate and leave our animal companions behind. Our dogs and cats are members of our families. They can come with us, and their love and loyalty can help see us through whatever storms we must endure.
It’s a lesson I learned ten years ago this week, a lesson with a happy ending.
Photos courtesy of Mike Silverstein and ANC 2B
Locals will have one last chance to pet a puppy during Golden Triangle BID’s Farragut Friday series this summer.
Furry friends from the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) will wag their tails at Farragut Square this Friday at noon.
Visitors will be able to play with the puppies, learn about them from WARL volunteers and even fill out paperwork to adopt one on the spot.
“People coming to the park love it,” Golden Triangle BID executive director Leona Agouridis told Borderstan last month. “And of course WARL loves it because there are hundreds of people who come and pet the dogs and they do get adopted.”
This Friday from 12-2, @warldc will be at #FarragutFridays for the last time this summer! Be sure to join us! pic.twitter.com/mWkx5v2W0d
— Golden Triangle BID (@GoldenTriDC) September 8, 2015
Photo via Twitter/GoldenTriDC
So many dogs, so many places to go. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Sarah Griswold. Email her at sarahg[AT]borderstan.com.
Hi friends, and happy summer! With these past couple weeks of high temperatures, it finally feels like summer is upon us! With the warmer weather, we have all been getting out into the sunshine, and I’ve been seeing more and more of our furry friends out and about too.
So today I wanted to talk a little bit about the thriving pet culture we have here in DC. It seems that everywhere you look there are happy pups strolling along 17th Street NW or lounging on an outside patio over on P. It’s true, DC residents love their pets, and I want to talk about some of the best places to take your pooch along with you this summer.
First off, if you don’t have a dog but are exploring the options and breeds that would be best for you, or if you are looking for a buddy for your dog (I personally believe in the buddy system), I have researched the best “apartment dogs” for you. By “apartment dogs,” I mean what dogs do well with small spaces and don’t require a lot of maintenance. You might be surprised to learn that Great Danes top the list! They are known for being quiet, gentle and lazy giants. You will also find that Pugs, Greyhounds and English Bulldogs won’t require lots of exercise and tend to be relatively low maintenance.
Next, if you live in the District you really need to know about the nearby dog parks and what times they are open so your furry friend can socialize and also to get out of your tiny, but cute, partially remodeled with exposed brick and über chic +/- 600 square foot apartment and get some exercise.
I love the dog parks; they remind me of a big back yard from back home — something most of these dogs are not familiar with. A little piece of advice though — keep your eyes on your pup. You never know how those interactions with other dogs will go and you don’t want a full-scale dog fight on your hands. Here are some of the dog parks in the area. For a complete list of dog parks, follow this link.
You may be wondering about some places you can take your dog for some socializing of your own. As it turns out, there are lots of places that welcome pets. Some key spots in our neighborhood are:
- Logan Tavern, 1423 P Street NW
- Commissary, 1443 P Street NW
- Bar Pilar, 1833 14th Street NW
- Hank’s Oyster Bar, 1624 Q Street NW
- Ulah Bistro, 1214 U Street NW
- Lauriol Plaza, 1835 18th Street NW
- Cafe Dupont, 1500 New Hampshire Avenue NW
Check out this complete list of dog friendly spots in your local area.
Since we are all feeling the heat this summer, I encourage you to get out there and explore what options are available in your particular neighborhood so you and your pooch can get that vitamin D without getting too overheated.
Enjoy!
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From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
How did Joey do that? (Rachel Jones)
We’ve all heard the stories of dogs that find their way home after being separated from their owners. Now Borderstan has it’s own variation on the theme, but with a twist.
On April 30, Joey, a resident Chihuahua, went out for an afternoon walk with his dog walker. According to the MPD, the dog walker was then the victim of a robbery near the intersection of 11th and V Streets NW — she was not assaulted though she did fall and hit her head.
During the course of this robbery, Joey managed to slip out of his collar and run away from the scene. This was at 4:12 pm.
At 4:27 pm, just 15 minutes later, Rachel Jones, the owner and head trainer at K-9 Divine (and also a Borderstan contributor), happened to look out her window to see Joey at her doorstep. Joey and his owner are clients of K-9 Divine. Moreover, K-9 Divine is not conveniently located just a block or two away from the scene of the crime. It’s all the way over at 11th Street NW and several blocks south — a full nine blocks away from where the robbery happened.
For Joey to have run that distance in such a short period of time, he must have known where he was going and wasn’t confused or lost. Amazingly, Joey has barely ever been walked from his home to K-9 Divine; he usually travels stylishly by car. He has seen the route from a passing window but nobody would have imagined he knew how to get there on his own. And yet, his survival instinct kicked in during the robbery and led him to what he knew would be a safe place, even at such a distance.
This isn’t a skill you’re necessarily going to want to test out with your dog, but it is an interesting look at the intelligence of dogs. At the same time, let’s all be sure to keep the collars securely fastened on our canine companions.
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From Rachel Jones. Email her at rjones[AT]borderstan.com. She is she is the owner of K-9 Divine and a professional dog trainer,
Plenty of room for everyone. (Rachel Jones)
Living with multiple dogs can be both rewarding and challenging. Here are some suggestions to make your multi-dog household run as smoothly as possible.
When making a decision to get a second dog, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. If your first dog has a behavior problem, the addition of a second dog will not make it go away. In other words, get a second dog because you want one, not because you think your dog wants a friend. Try to work on your first dog’s issues before the arrival of the second dog.
It is also very important to choose the right second dog for your household. Generally, it is best to get a dog of the opposite sex and one that is not the same age as your first dog.
Dogs that have too much in common tend to fight more, as they see each other as competition. If you are getting a dog from a rescue group or shelter, bring your first dog along to make sure they like each other before you bring the new dog home.
Once you have all the dogs at home, set them up for success to minimize fighting. All dogs need some space from each other, even if they are best friends. Make sure you separate the dogs at some point during the day so they can have a break. That might be a good time to spend quality time with each dog by cuddling, grooming or training while the other one is elsewhere.
Feed the dogs separately or at least on opposite sides of the room and supervise them during meals. Even if they are not fighting over the food, one might be eating the other’s share. You don’t want either dog to feel anxious about mealtimes, or to go hungry while the other one gets fat.
Lastly, the dogs have their own social system in the house. It is normal to have some squabbles and some attempts to establish dominance. Let them work it out unless they are making each other bleed. If they are fighting to a degree where one or both dogs are getting injured, keep them separated until you can work with a trainer to resolve the issues.
Dogs enjoy the companionship of other canine friends in the house. Careful planning and management can ensure a peaceful and happy group at home.
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