Freedom and peace of mind for your pooch
A private dog exercise park which opened for business just before Easter is already proving popular.
Marilyn Jensen of the Follyfoot Farm and Cattery, has fulfilled a ‘‘dream of 15 years ’’ by setting up a high fenced 900sqm paddock for hire.
Offering ‘‘freedom for your dog and peace and relaxation for you’’, Follyfoot – in contrast to public dog exercise areas – is designed for the exclusive use of owners and their dogs.
Six customers were booked for the opening day and Jensen is happy with the response.
She believes it will appeal to owners who struggle to feel secure with their dogs in open public spaces.
‘‘They can have this space all to themselves, that’s what this is about.’’ Jensen said.
Owners can be fearful of their dog being hassled, or even attacked, by free-running dogs in parks and on the river trail.
‘‘People often don’t understand what the problem is and they can be quick to judge owners who clearly do not want their dog singled out by their animals,’’ she said.
‘‘A lot of people have rescue dogs and do a great job with them. But because their background is a bit of an unknown these incidents might be a trigger for their dog.
‘‘And because they are dog people they have got their head screwed on and they know they can never be one hundred per cent sure.
‘‘So it can be a stressful time when it should be the opposite.’’
The exercise area, hired at $20 a half hour, gives people a choice.
‘‘I had a lady who came with her dog and two kids and their bike. She simply cannot run them all in a park but here she had the children playing with the dog and was watching and relaxing.’’
At the foot of valley side of Mangaroa hill, Follyfoot has operated as a cattery and horse home for more than 20 years.
Jensen is a animal advocate who was at the police dog training school for 12 years, working with puppies before their home fostering.
For more information call Marilyn Jensen 5266172 or email: m.jensen@clear.nt.nz