DogBoy's Dog Blog

Here at DogBoy's Dog Ranch, we live and love dogs so much, and we are thankful every day that we get to do this job.  In the early days of DogBoy's, things where very different than now, but very much the same still.  We use to say that we "create wild-domesticated dog packs", meaning we would pick our play groups to run the same way that wild packs or wolves would run their pack...with a heirarchical social structure.  Although we now know this isn't necessarily the true way dogs "run" together, the basic idea still stands. The dog world has changed A LOT in the last 25 years and even more in the last 10 years.  One of the biggest changes is the explosion of dog parks around the country, especially in the super-dog friendly cities like Austin and the surrounding areas.

"I don't know that there was anyone more exited about the opening of Dogboy's Dog Park than I was! I've always had large dogs, and even though I would take them walking and jogging each day, I knew they needed more. I've previously taken advantage of public off leash areas, but was concerned with the hidden dangers (old barbwire, concrete with protruding rebar, etc.) that resulted in more than one injury to my dogs while they bounded in and out of the woods. I've visited several public dog parks with initial success, but later became disappointed with the number of irresponsible owners who spent more time socializing with friends or using their cell phones than watching, picking up after, or interacting with their dogs. Irresponsible behaviors led to numerous altercations between dogs and consequently the owners, and took the joy out of the visit.

My dogs LOVE heading to DogBoy's while I go on vacation, and I love it too. As much as I love my 2 bubbly, bouncing Brittany’s, it’s nice to know whether I’m lying on the beach or visiting family they are having the time of their lives swimming, running and making new friends. However it’s nice to take a trip that includes them every once in a while.

Visiting DogBoy's private dog park is a great way to spend some quality time with your dog. Whether visiting for a private reservation, or coming on the weekends as a dog park member, following these tips will help you have a safe visit and a fun time too! 

I decided to write this blog post to let you (our clients) know that I will be leaving DogBoy’s as of March 9^th.  I realize this is short notice on my part and I apologize for that.  I will be moving to beautiful Vancouver, WA to be closer to my family.  The decision to move has been a difficult one for me and still is heart wrenching.  To all of our clients reading this, I want you to know I would not be the same without having met every one of you. 

Many people debate on weather (pun intended) or not it’s appropriate to bring their dogs out for a day of play on the coldest of days. It’s understandable that one would be concerned about their dog in our outdoor setting when it’s especially chilly or icy. It’s a tough choice; let my dog stay at home all day when I’m away or allow them to go to daycare, as normal, where they may be out in the elements? Let us assure you of a few things.

Not unlike parents, any dog owner is going to quickly become familiar with things that are toxic to dogs because just like kids, dogs love getting into things that are bad for them. It’s just a fact of life. Most of us know, for instance, to keep things like baker’s chocolate, antifreeze, and poinsettia plants up where our pups can’t get at them. But have you ever given much thought to sugar-free gum? What about sugar-free peppermints and breath mints?

This is a repost of an article we printed in 2011. The info is still important to remember each and every winter - Enjoy!

There are so many options for leashes out there these days. As you can imagine, we see the whole gamut, from nylong to leather to flexi-lead, or retractable leashes. Retractable leashes have become a very popular item, often out of convenience, for dog owners. At DogBoy's Dog Ranch, we are not fans of the retractable leash, and we're here to educate you as to why not. Here are just some of the common concerns when using a retractable leash and why we discourage their use: