I was dead set against getting a dog. With two young children, I felt that getting a dog would be like having a third. We had enough on our hands without taking on the hassles that can come with a pooch. And what about the poor dog? Too many people get a dog without thinking about what it is like to be locked up all day while you are away at work.Then one Saturday, on a walk downtown with my daughter Vanessa, we met a friendly dog just around the corner from our house. He was of uncertain ancestry, but his shape and coloring suggested that a corgi had been in the picture somewhere. We exchanged pleasantries and went on our merry way.
On the return trip, he was still there. No tag or license. Where does he belong? Uninvited, but determined, Ollie followed us home and curled up by the back door. That was 10 years ago.
As it turned out, Ollie had none of the difficulties I feared. He is less neurotic and less trouble than any human in our household. Like your pooch, he is a key family member and deserves a day in the open just like we do.
It is difficult to categorically describe dog-friendly parks and reserves, because different locations under the same jurisdiction will have varying requirements. So be certain to check the rules at a park you plan to visit. In state parks, dogs are generally allowed, albeit on a leash and generally only near developed areas and not on trails. At Henry Coe State Park, for example, dogs are only allowed on leashes near the visitor center.
County Parks, on the other hand, usually allow dogs on trails as long as they are on a 6-foot leash. In the South County area, this includes Anderson Lake, Chesbro and Uvas Reservoirs, Harvey Bear/Coyote Lake, Uvas Canyon, Mount Madonna (except in archery area), and Santa Teresa. Three county parks - Los Gatos Creek County Park, Ed Levin County Park and Hellyer County Park - have off-leash areas for dogs to run free. For details, visit www.parkhere.org and click the "Bark Here" tab for more information. At the bottom of the page is a link to a PDF document you can download with all the details regarding dogs in county parks.
The preserves of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District lie mostly north of us in the hills of the peninsula. Dogs are allowed in 10 preserves, including Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve, just north of Edgewood County Park by U.S. Highway 280, which has a 17.5-acre off-leash area for dogs to run free. Visit www.openspace.org, then click the "Activities" tab, then "For Dog Owners."
The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority has two preserves, including Rancho Ca'ada Del Oro near Calero County Park. Pets are prohibited in these two preserves.
The closest leash-free playgrounds for your pooch are the dog parks in Morgan Hill and Gilroy. Gilroy's Dog Park has been carved out of Las Animas Park, and the Morgan Hill Dog Park is by the Centennial Recreation Center at the City Park. Information about the Morgan Hill Dog Park and their owners group is at www.morganhilldog.org.
A good general reference for hiking in the Bay Area is www.bahiker.com. Look for the "Hiking with Dogs" tab for a comprehensive list of parks and preserves and links to descriptions of those destinations. Finally, there is a series of books called the "Dog Lover's Companion." Each volume is limited to a geographic area, including one volume on California and one on the San Francisco Bay Area, which describe in detail dog-friendly features of the area you plan to visit.
Dogs must have very low standards because, despite all our foibles, they love us unconditionally. Say thanks by taking Fido on a field trip.
--Ron Erskine writes an outdoors column every Friday for the Dispatch. He can be reached at ronfoxtail@msn.com.
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