Latest News

April 26, 2013

MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK

In the confusion of last week, it’s possible you’ve forgotten, but …there’s time for you still to do a little Spring Cleaning at our Annual Callahan Spring Clean-Up this coming Saturday, April 27th, 9AM till 12 Noon.

Members of the Callahan Dog Owners Group will be at the Millwood entrance greeting visitors, encouraging all to add their names to the DCR list of ‘guests’  who have come to clean (we’d like Callahan to be well represented among state parks on Park Serve Day!) and then take a plastic glove and a trash bag on their way into the park to pick up, deposit in the bag and remove from the trails and meadows and woods anything that doesn’t belong (we continue to see filled poop bags left behind on the sides of trails.  What’s up with that??).

Also toss from the trails or move to the sides of trails, any branches that may poke, or limbs that may trip. Don’t try moving large limbs or trunks, but make a note of where you spy large trunks across trails so we can advise DCR personnel who may be able to clear downed trees over the Summer.

Our members also will be introducing our group to dog owners who may not be aware of The Callahan Dog Owner Group and distributing pamphlets and brochures with tips for responsible dog ownership and descriptions of off-leash privileges AND responsibilities.

Please stop to say hi, introduce yourselves and your dog, and of course,  pick up a bag to pick up some trash.  Leave your filled trash bag with us on your way out.

If you will visit the Broadmeadow or Edmands entrances, please being extra bags to use as ‘gloves’ and to fill with trash from the trails accessed from those parking areas.  Leave your filled trash bags in the barrel near the kiosk at the Edmands lot.

UPDATE ON LOST POOCH:

There is word that Enya, the small, young, lost female pit-mix was spotted this afternoon near the aquaduct where Belknap meets Pleasant (Route 30), and later near the Brophy School.  She’s left Callahan so be on the lookout for her in surrounding neighborhoods as well.  She looked frightened but seemed uninjured and no longer is dragging her lead.  She is shy so do not chase. Enya must be pretty hungry by now. She knows and responds to the words “treats” and “supper”, so if you see her, use those words and use treats to lure her to you. Have a leash ready to keep her from running away again, and  please call her mom, Holly: 508 494 1663

CAL-DOG on Facebook and Twitter

We could get the word out about lost pets more quickly if we used social media more effectively.  Callahan Dog Owners Group is on facebook and twitter.  Let’s put those sites to good use!  Check us out!

TREAT TRUCK RETURNS

The Best Friends Treat Truck will return to Callahan on Sunday at 3PM to gift our four-pawed kids with free tennis balls and cookies!

April 22, 2013

Spring Cleanup has been rescheduled to 4/27/2013 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

April 8, 2013

Greetings Dog Owners/Lovers

Mark the date:  Saturday, April 20th, 9AM-12Noon

The date for our annual Spring Cleaning is approaching and if you’ve been to Callahan lately, you know that there’s evidence of mistreatment and neglect from this past Winter.  Not so discernable while snow covered the ground (and then covered the ground again!), but now that the earth has reappeared from under that blanket of white, it’s apparent that newcomers, occasional visitors and/or a few thoughtless humans have been a bit careless.

There is poop to be scooped, and even more abandoned poop bags to be properly discarded (we’re glad and grateful that so many are scooping the poop, but what is it with people leaving poop-filled bags on the trails?? On one walk alone this week, I personally retrieved 12 filled poop bags that lined the trails leading to the Edmands parking lot!!)!!  And of course there’s the occasional soda can; water bottle; dog toy stuffing; tissues/napkins; cigarette pack (!!); lost keys/gloves/hats/maps, etc. etc. etc.

CLEAN-UP –  Millwood:

If you plan to walk the trails or visit the meadows of Callahan on Saturday, April 20th anytime between 9AM -12noon, look for members of the Callahan Dog Owners Group and representatives from the Department of Conservation and Recreation at the Millwood entrance. On your way into the Park, stop by, say “hi”, sign the volunteer sheet (so Callahan will prove to have the most productive user-group in the state!), and pick up some protective and/or plastic gloves and a trash bag.  During your walk, fill that trash bag with anything that does not belong in our beautiful parcel and leave it with us to discard on your way out.

CLEAN-UP –  After 12M or From the Edmands Rd. parking lot:

If you will visit Callahan after 12PM Noon,  OR  if you plan to enter and leave via the Edmands Road parking lot, please, please, please remember to bring your own plastic (i.e. grocery or trash) bag(s), and clean up along the trails as you walk.  From the Edmands Road lot, leave your filled trash bag in the trash barrel on the Pipeline Trail side of the parking lot (near the kiosk) (If it’s after noon and you are entering/leaving via the southside Millwood Street lot, deposit your trash-filled bag in the smelly and unsightly dumpster provided by the DCR.)

Mark Your Calendar:

If you hadn’t planned to visit Callahan on Saturday, April 20th, why not plan it now??  You enjoy Callahan; please help us clean-up Callahan for Spring!  We can use as many hands as possible.

HELP CAL-DOG!!

If you have an hour or so to spare, Callahan Dog Owner’s Group can really use your help!  We’re looking for a few volunteers to stand with us at the Millwood entrance to greet visitors, help distribute cleaning supplies, and hand out Cal-Dog literature to any newcomers with dogs who may not know about our group (introduce) and may not be familiar with the guidelines of off-leash privileges at Callahan (educate!). The more dog owners/walkers we can educate, the better the Callahan experience for all visitors!!

If you can volunteer, please reply to this note with the time(s) you are available on April 20th.  You will be given a lanyard and attractive white baseball cap identifying you as a member of the Callahan Dog Owners Group.  The baseball cap is our gift to you for donating your precious time to our valuable cause.

Mark your calendars!!!

See you on Saturday, April 20th, 9AM - 12PM!!!

And on every visit, remember: Take nothing but memories; leave nothing but footprints…

posted by site admin April 9, 2013

February 14, 2013

Greetings All

An overdue but brief spate of stuff…

Hope you are all enjoying the trails identified and ‘marked’  by our friends, the cross -country skiiers!  What would we do without ‘em?

SNOW FUN (s’no fun?)

For  trekking thru knee deep snow, snow shoes are great for ease of traversing the drifts and working up a heart- healthy sweat. I bought my first pair of snow shoes the day a man twice my age effortlessly passed me by as I huffed and puffed my way to a standstill with exhaustion at only the  halfway point of my trek!  Without snowshoes, take it slow; don’t expect to walk as far; rest if you need to.

SLIP SLIDING AWAY

Two words my friends: YAK TRAX!!  As the trails become packed and turn to ice, be prepared to walk with confidence using a pair of Yak Trax.  Everyone should keep  a pair in the car (along with a flashlight, extra poop bags and a clean towel).   The best $20.00 you’ll ever spend will buy a pair of  these ice traction devices  that slip on over your boots/shoes to prevent you from slipping on icy surfaces!  Get the bright green so you can find them easily when they slip off in deep snow (and it’s not a bad idea to check your feet every few minutes to be sure you haven’t lost one!).  Word of caution: do not wear them indoors, especially do not wear them on tiled floors!  Sources include: Dick’s Sporting Goods, REI, On-line.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Remember to dress in layers when the temps are frigid.  Proper attire is the difference between comfort and pain when the wind does blow.  Layering also make it easy to remove items and stay comfortable if you work up a sweat.  Here’s a general guide to cold weather, layered dressing practiced by runners.

The short version is: layers, protect extremities and – if you’re gonna work up a sweat with a run, or on snow shoes or cross country skiis: don’t over-dress!

For more detail:

1) A moisture wicking first layer; coolmax or dri-fit or any “technical” fabrics that are moisture wicking–NO COTTON, PLEASE, EVER!!!

2) Your second layer can be anything but it should breathe. (You could do cotton here, but coolmax or dri-fit for this layer).

3) When it’s windy, you’ll want a final layer that’s wind-breaking but allows moisture to escape; something Gore-tex is perfect.

4) Keep your extremities warm, but uncover them when you start getting warm. Get a neck protector, face protector, and serious socks and gloves (check out LL Bean or REI.  If you will be out in the cold, you deserve socks and gloves that will protect your important hands and feet!)

5) And, especially for runners: If you’re not COLD for the first mile (or the first few minutes), you’re overdressed.

What’s worse than yellow snow??

It seems that some dog owners get lazy when the snow falls, or can it be simply  that unscooped poop is more visible on a white background??  The trails visited from the Edmands lot in the past few days are – in a word – disgusting!  You can see it, so – poof! –  make it disappear! Please remember to keep your bags or pockets stocked with poop bags, and clean up after your pooch!  Carry an extra plastic bag to store the filled poop bag for a degree of separation until you return to your car and find a trash barrel or container.  Or if you must – and only if you must – bag it and leave it on the side of the trail until you’re on your way out, BUT DO RETURN TO RETRIEVE AND DISCARD!!! Do not leave it for another to discard for you, or for someone else’s dog to tear and consume, or to biodegrade – cause that ain’t gonna happen in this lifetime!   We know it requires a little extra effort, especially without the barrels, but inconvenience is a small price to pay for the privilege of walking with our four legged kids in our gem of a park.

SLEIGH RIDE

If you see careless or clueless masters permitting their canines to relieve themselves along the Earthen Dam/Aquaduct, perhaps a gentle question that alerts to the fact that kids play here will re-direct  (“did you know that this is a favorite hill for young sledders??”).  But, be gentle, be kind, be aware…

ONE BAD APPLE

Don’t you just hate it when one irresponsible dog owner makes us all look bad? There have been reports that the poop bag dispensers are being emptied at an alarming rate (again!).  If you see anyone taking more than their fair share, send us a description of the human and his/her dog,  and the day(s)  and time(s) of the poop bag theft so we can relay information to the local park stewards.

UPDATE

You may remember that there were several reported incidents of canine-on-canine aggression and at least one example of unwarranted human interaction in the Fall.  In an effort to educate users and help to diminish the numbers and/or frequency of such incidents,  Board Members of the Callahan Dog Owners Group recently  met with local and regional directors of the Department of Conservation and Recreation to discuss present conditions and propose suggestions.  Among a smattering of topics (i.e. after becoming an off-leash alternative due to lack of staff for several years, Ashland State Park will welcome staff when it reopens this Spring.  Many used to walking at Ashland are almost sure to find their way to Callahan – bringing  new – and perhaps uninitiated? –  off-leash dog owners  to Callahan;  weekenders are most in need of education; regulations governing DCR lands have been revised and a draft of proposed rules can be found here: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/news/publicmeetings/materials/policiesandregs/draftparkrules2013-jan.pdf.  If you check out the link, know that  the pilot program for designated areas of off-leash recreation at Callahan remains in effect. Let’s do all we can to keep it that way! ), our focus was the need for clear signs at the park alerting any and all users to the presence of off-leash dogs. We are cautiously optimistic that the mutually viable and valuable partnership of Cal-Dog and DCR may produce some positive effect. Stay tuned…

In the meantime, we hope you will continue to make newbies and weekenders aware of our group, directing them to our website (www.callahandogs.com), telling them that there they can find useful information about on and off-leash recreation at Callahan, and encouraging them to join our mailing list.  The more responsible dog owners we can educate, contact and keep apprised, the better for everyone, especially the  furry ‘kids’!

WEEKENDS AT CALLAHAN:

Many cases of canine-on-canne aggression take place in the area of Eagle Pond on weekends and holidays. Many of the weekend visitors are not as familiar with typical canine behavior, and often spend more time socializing with other humans than keeping their eyes on their dogs, many of whom have not been adequately exercised all week.  Many of our daily regulars avoid the pond area on weekends because of this.  If you see a dog  not under voice control or whose behavior seems to be genuinely aggressive rather than play-style aggressive, you might tell the owner about our group and direct him/her to our website for the guidelines of off-leash recreation at Callahan, but if you do, be helpful – not confrontational. Often it is safest simply to do what the regulars do: move along, walk the trails; remove your dog from the possibility of unwarranted aggression.

DUTCH BABY

If any are up for one more petition seeking justice for a pooch, here’s a link to a tale of Dutch the Service Dog, in danger of euthanization by court order when he defended himself against a human who tried to break up a dog fight by punching, kicking and beating Dutch with a metal pipe (dog fights are scary – to be sure. This is where understanding and recognizing canine behavior comes in handy: there are almost always signals that a dog is about to fight, and this human failed to see or ignored the signs, and then used ill-advised tactics to stop the fight.  But this petition is not about that really.  It’s about trying to save a life worth saving.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/590/736/158/save-dutch-the-service-dog/?z00m=20498924

Happy trails dog lovers…

posted by site admin February 14, 2013

December 4, 2011

ALL THE LEAVES ARE BROWN…

Before the leaves had a chance to become brilliant, they were slapped with a heavy, wet snow that brought down trees and limbs, (and knocked out power, eh?) far and wide in our little neck of the woods.   The effects of the Halloween Freak Snow are still evident thru-out the acres and trails at Callahan, where local DCR staff and even some private citizens have been cutting limbs and clearing paths. Still… we see the remnants of the sad demise of some ancient and natural beauties lining the sides of paths…

Along with downed limbs and branches dotting the trails, some of us are also seeing neglected poop bags and unscooped poop  (at least I hope we see it before we step in it!) on or immediately adjacent to the trails that run between the parking lots of Millwoodand Edmands roads.  So it is time once again…

JOIN US Saturday December 10th, 10AM - 1PM for a CALLAHAN CLEAN-UP

Mark your calendar now!!!  Callahan Dog Owners Group members/volunteers will meet you at the Millwood entrance on Saturday, December 10th, from 10AM till 1PM with bags and gloves for you to take with you as you venture into the meadows and trails.  Pick up anything that does not belong (i.e. poop, poop bags – both filled and empty!, tissues, water bottles, candy wrappers, etc.) on and immediately adjacent (within 2 feet) to the trails; deposit the offending matter into your plastic bag, and deposit all in a trash barrel on your way out.

If the trails you choose contain protruding twigs (which pose potential injury risk to running dogs) or large/long/fat branches (which provide uneven footing and pose injury risk to walkers or runners among us – especially as dusk approaches!), pick-up the poking and uneven, and toss them into the woods.  Ditto large rocks (how many of us have taken a bad step and twisted an ankle on a rock? Or am I the only one??): toss ‘em to the side!

Cal-Dog members at the Millwood entrance will also be talking to new or uninformed visitors about  The Callahan Dog Owners Group, inviting newbies to join our ranks and our contact list, and distributing pamphlets with information about the responsible use and care of  Callahan, as well as the parameters of responsible dog ownership.  You are a Cal-Dog member!  If you can spare some time between 10AM – 1PM (before or after your own clean-up walk perhaps), please join us!  And please let us know that you’ll be joining us by responding to this note so we can know who/how many to expect.  All meet and greet volunteers will receive a lanyard with a  Cal-Dog ID.

CAPS for Sale

We also will  be selling white baseball caps with the Cal-Dog emblem and logo ($10.00 each). Promote the efforts of Cal-Dog (and shield your eyes from the sun!) with a good looking cap.

SATURDAY IN THE PARK

On a recent  Saturday, a couple of Callahan Dog Owners Group Board members ventured to the populated meadow of Eagle Pond to shout ‘hello’ to the new faces and dogs enjoying the off-leash privileges of the area, and introduce our group to those who may have been unaware of us and/or the guidelines of dog ownership at Callahan and who probably should be among our numbers.  They handed out cards directing visitors to our website (www.callahandogs.com) where  those guidelines are listed, and where they can find information about the history and accomplishments of our group.  Virtually all were delighted to learn about us.

A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

A huge part of our mission is to educate regular and occasional visitors about the Petiquette guidelines at our multi use, 800 acre parcel – particularly, of course,  the dog-owning users.  We urge all of you, as members, to spread the knowledge of what it means to be an off-leash-privilege-appreciating, responsible dog-lover.  When and if you meet someone new, ask them if they know about the Callahan Dog Owners Group. If they have not heard of us, do what our board members did on that lovely Saturday: tell them what you know, or direct them to our website (www.callahandogs.com) for information about  us and courteous park use.

POOP GOES THE WEASEL

A suggestion (or reminder?): Bring extra poop bags with you when you walk. When and if you see a dog owner ignoring his/her dog’s poop, pull out one of those extra poop bags with a friendly, “uh-oh.  Looks like your dog is pooping.  Do you need a poop bag?” (If you’re so inclined, you can then let them know that whenever they need a bag, they can find a supply in the Mitt Mutt dispensers provided by DCR, located at Eagle Pond and at the Millwood and Edmands parking lot entrances – where they also will find trash barrels for depositing filled bags). This is a polite way to both inform and assist - without judgement - and without offense,  this act often garners cooperation.  In these instances, you will have both helped to clean-up the park AND educated another dog parent.

RESCUE ME

We’re thrilled to share that Winston – the neglected but oh-so-lovable, big boy that had been fostered by Cal-Dog president Kate Grater has been successfully adopted by a young couple in Franklin, MA. “The early days of adapting to life  – with a third dog! and a puppy at that – but then kissing this much loved dog good-bye were two of the most challenging times I’ve known”, said Kate, with the good bye kiss the more difficult of the two.  After the first week or so of incorporating Winston into the fold, he quickly fell into the routine and was a well behaved sibling to her dogs, and easily and truly became a much loved family member. Saving the life of this smart, funny and loving four-legged kid is an experience she is both proud and grateful in which to have played a  part.

With this sour economy, so many dogs are being abandoned to shelters.  Please consider fostering a dog – or other pet (maybe you have recently lost a pet and are not quite ready to adopt another full time? Maybe you have always wondered how your single dog would do with an opposite sex sibling?).  Unless you decide to adopt your foster kid (hey, it happens!), fostering is  a  temporary situation, as every dog is ultimately adopted.

If you cannot foster for an indeterminate time, perhaps you can consider serving as a temporary foster (foster families sometimes need temporary foster care while they vacation). And if you cannot foster at all,   please consider a contribution of  time or dollars to help those who help our homeless friends. (And remember to spay and neuter your pets, and encourage others to do the same to help diminish the numbers of pets waiting to be loved.)

Winston was saved by All Dog Rescue: a 100% volunteer, foster network headquartered in Natick. These volunteers see the worst of the worst of how some dogs have been compelled to live, and they work tirelessly on behalf of abandoned and abused dogs statewide.  All financial contributions are channeled 100% into the costs of caring for dogs in their foster network (all expenses for all dogs in their foster care are covered by All Dog Rescue!). Please check out their website: www.alldogrescue.org/

BEGGIN’ STRIP

Presently ADR is desperate for funds to help a handsome young foster boy learn to trust again. Go to www.alldogrescue.org and in the spirit of the season donate what you can to the Grayson Fund to help cover the cost of a Holiday Boot Camp, designed to help Grayson – a handsome and inherently sweet but until recently mistreated and still very frightened little boy – learn that his world is a safe place.  Will you be part of the process that saves this young life?  Even with the rescue discount, ADR still needs more than $1,000.00 to cover this expense.   If just 50 generous people donate $20.00 each, Grayson could soon be ready to love and be loved in his forever home. But every donation helps – no matter its amount. Please give what you can give to help this little guy.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

We love hearing from all our members – with their observations and suggestions-  and  recently had smiles plastered on our faces by email  receipt of this thoughtful and much appreciated nod of appreciation!

I want to thank all who have put in the time, effort and hard work to make Callahan State Park a wonderful experience for human and canine family members alike.

As someone who has frequented Callahan for a number of years, first with a great Golden Retriever and now with an energetic Siberian 1 year old, I’ve witnessed a significant change in the cleanliness of park trails and respect between dog owners and other park visitors.

Dedication of park volunteers was made all that much more clear to me when I observed last winter, on one of the coldest days, two women chipping away at paths, pulling a sled and collecting “forgotten” doggy bags so the trails would be clean for everyone.

Thank you again!

Best,

Joel Swanson

Thank YOU, Joel!  …for the kind words and the reminder of that cold Winter day!  Below is a moment – frozen in time (ha!) – for those of you who missed our doody-duty  last winter.

We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new members at the Clean Up on Saturday, December 10th, 10AM-1PM.

posted by site admin December 4, 2011

May 1, 2011

The park gets greener every minute…

Merci Beaucoup:

Thank you to all who showed up on a blustery Park Serve/Callahan Clean-Up Day ready, willing and able to don a plastic glove, grab a bag and fill it to the brim with more debris than we knew had been left behind on the roads leading to and trails and adjacent woods in Callahan.  Special thanks to the Sister Clarissa and others from the Center of Light in Framingham whose contingent worked enthusiastically, and to Framingham High School’s environmental group – a hard working assembly of about 6 juniors and seniors – who worked tirelessly – some in shorts! Brrr… – cleaning up areas adjacent to Millwood Street on either side of the parking lot.  High five kudos to next year’s president of the FHS Environmentalists, who stayed behind and went above and beyond helping DCR personnel prep the land for the relocated kiosk!  Thank you Andy!

We also want to thank those Cal-Dog members who volunteered to stand with us – in the wind and cold – to greet visitors, enlist clean-up assistance, distribute Cal-Dog literature and add new members to our contact list. Thank you Jen, Pat, Juli and Michelle.

*A Hole Lotta Shakin Goin’  On

Winter wreaked havoc – again – on the condition of the entrances/parking lots at both  Millwood Street and Edmands Road.  We’re happy to announce – and alert you to the presence of DCR personnel, with assistance from fabulous hard working members ofFramingham High School - that the holes in the Millwood lot will be tended and filled this coming Saturday  April 30th in the afternoon.

Mutt Mitt Mystery

The supply of Mutt Mitts is a courtesy; let’s not take advantage.  Mutt Mitts have been disappearing from the dispenser at the Millwood entrance faster than they can be replenished, and at a rate that threatens to exhaust DCR’s supply/budget as early as mid-summer!  Please try to remember to bring  your own supply of bags when you and your pooch take to the trails at Callahan.   Let’s also be on the look out for possible tampering with the dispensers.  If you should see someone grabbing what seems more than is reasonable, drop us a note (callahandogs@gmail.com) with a description of the bag bagger and his/her dog (with no dog, they are automatically suspicious if they’re grabbing poop bags!), the day of the week and the time of day. We’ll pass this info onto appropriate authorities.

Foster/Adopt Info Session at Especially for Pets/Wayland

(http://alldogrescue.org/index.php/events/)

All Dog Rescue with be at Especially for Pets in Wayland (intersection of Routes 27 and 30) on Sunday, May 1st, 12noon  till 3PM with a couple of human volunteers and some of the dogs being fostered by this all volunteer/foster (no shelter) rescue group.  Maybe you’ve thought about fostering but, of course, you have questions.  They will answer any and all inquiries about the fostering process, and/or suggest other ways for you to help  save lives.  Of course Sunday also affords an opportunity to meet just a few of the beauties waiting for a forever home. Maybe you’ve been thinking about adopting?  Adopting a dog from a foster situation affords greater insight into how the dog behaves in a family situation and how that dog will fit into a home… like yours.

Thinking About Adopting??

… or know someone who is??  If you can’t come to the info session at Especially for Pets (or even if you can!), please, please, please check out our own Foster/Adopt a Pet page at callahandogs.com (http://callahandogs.com/?page_id=274).   Presently there are four magnificent creatures who have lost homes thru no fault of their own (i.e. divorce, death of an owner, relocation of owner), waiting to love and be loved by dog lovers just like us.

CARVED IN STONE

There recently was an unfortunate and unnecessary incident at the Edmands Road parking lot.

Unnecessary because a mother with her child asked a dog owner to leash his dog  when his dog (1) should have been leashed in the parking lot anyway, and (2) every dog should be leashed immediately if another park user makes the request (if you are asked to leash your dog – even if you are on what you know is an off-leash trail – please leash until you pass he or she who prefers not to meet an unleashed dog. This is  common courtesy. Tho it may be difficult to fathom, not everyone – or every other dog – wants to meet you and your unleashed companion).

It was unfortunate in that the dog was physically rebuffed and an angry confrontation ensued – in front the child – no doubt ruining an otherwise lovely day at the park for this young family (and possibly the dog!).  We know about this incident because the mother crafted a beautifully written note outlining what had occurred and politely suggesting that all could have been avoided if the man had simply leashed his dog as requested; she left the note resting on a stone for the dog owner to find and read.

We know that the perp could not have been any of our members, so we take this opportunity to remind:  if and when you spy an unsure, new or unfamiliar dog person, spread the word about our website (www.callahandogs.com) , where information about park restrictions and park etiquette abounds.

Let’s shake the tree of  misinformed apples.

Keep up the good work that makes us all look good!

Now,  get out there and watch in the blink of an eye as Spring is sprung!

posted by site admin May 1, 2011

April 9, 2011

Spring Cleaning:

I know… I know… you can hardly wait to get into the trails and meadows with your plastic gloves and bags to do a little SPRING cleaning at Callahan.  Us too.

We’ll be at the Millwood entrance next Saturday, April 16th, 10AM - 2PM,  with brochures and smiles, along with DCR folks. There will be clean-up paraphernalia, and water bottles for hydration.

Stop by, say hi, grab a glove and a bag, and sign the Clean-Up sheet (let the big wigs at DCR headquarters see how many of us take care of our green space gem!)

And… please, please, please: if any can join us to greet visitors for any hour between 10AM – 2 PM, please volunteer to smile with us, help distribute clean-up stuff and/or brochures (educational pamphlets for the newbies and/or uninitiated that includes with park etiquette for various users, descriptions of on and of leash areas, etc.).

There are a handful of us who carry the lion’s share of the load advocating for the off leash privileges we all enjoy.  We do get weary… We would really appreciate just an hour of what we know is precious time.  We are particularly shorthanded in the AM hours.

Ticks – Tac – Toes

NOTE: If you haven’t noticed already, the ticks are out in full force  - and there are lots of ‘em.  Check your dogs – and yourselves – after a walk in the woods. If you take preventive measures (i.e. Advantix, Frontline), now’s the time to apply.

Homeward Bound?

Take a moment, will you?,  to check our website for a trio of doggies looking for a home.  If you are thinking about adopting/rescuing another four legged love – or if you know someone who is –  please take a look at Blue, Winston and Ruby, and read their ‘tails’ of woe.  Maybe yours is the ‘furever home they are destined to discover…

See you all NEXT SATURDAY, yeah???

 

March 1, 2011

Greetings Dog Lovers!

The squirrels have begun their mating dance; the birds are singing…hang in there, dog peeps: Spring is coming!

…And Spring Cleaning at Callahan is scheduled on April 16th:

Save the Date!!!  Saturday April 16th   Please plan to lend a hand at this year’s annual Park Serve Day/Callahan Dog Owners Group Spring Clean-up.  It’s our park:  let’s help keep it beautiful. DCR personnel and CalDog members will be at the Millwood entrance armed with plastic bags, and shovels to facilitate the clean-up, and water bottles and energy bars to fuel your efforts. Stop by, say hi, and grab a bag on your way in; pick up trash and stuff while you walk, and drop off your filled trash bag as you bid adieu.  Please, please join us.

Is Your Dog Micro-chipped??

Sure your dog is tagged, but tags can break or fall off. Microchipping is a painless and instrumental tool for re-uniting lost and frightened pets with their anxious humans. Dr. Teri Nord of Framingham Animal Hospital is donating her time to provide low cost chipping to dog owners and to help raise funds for All Dog Rescue: an all volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue of abandoned, abused, neglected, forsaken Massachusetts dogs in need (more about All Dog Rescue follows).

Low Cost Microchip Clinic:

What: *Low Cost Microchip Clinic

When: Sunday, March 6th, 12-3PM

Where: Especially for Pets, Sudbury  (424 Boston Post Road; 978-443-7682)

Who: Performed by Dr. Teri Nord of Framingham Animal Hospital

Have You Ever Considered Fostering a Dog in Need?

It’s been a tough winter for all of us, including our four legged friends, and many shelters presently are full.

Rescue groups abound to provide caring and stable environments for dogs who have been discarded. The causes that land a dog in an institutional shelter are endless. Some are legitimate and sad (i.e. aging humans transition to assisting living, or die; some folks can’t afford to care for their dog any longer. In so many cases, their dog is injured or ill, and they don’t have the funds to nurse him/her back to health); some are thoughtless (their puppy “got too big”, or  their pet “got too old”. Did you know that more than one third of all dogs in shelters have been abandoned simply because their ‘families’ thought the dogs were too old?). Often, humans failed to kindly and conscientiously train their pet, or didn’t provide enough opportunity for adequate exercise, and then they abandon these innocent beauties because of behavioral issues (we all know that a Callahan dog – well-exercised dog –  is a well-behaved dog!). This can be especially true for dogs who suffer from breed profiling – those dogs who have earned bad reputations not because of any true inherent handicap, but rather at the hands and whims of owners – or backyard breeders –  who have failed them.

Shelters often rely on rescue groups and rescue groups rely on the rest of us.

Many rescue groups are breed specific (i.e. Greyhounds, German Shepherds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, etc.), but virtually all rescue groups depend on a network of loving homes to provide temporary, transitional  placement until a forever family comes to claim the newest love of their lives.  Most of these dogs are housebroken adults who need little more than a daily walk at Callahan, and the occasional rub behind the ear.   In most cases, rescue will cover all costs associated with the dog’s stay in your loving care - including vet care, food, treats, toys, etc. Locally, Dr. Nord at Framingham Animal Hospital is in the network of veterinarians who offer reduced rates to the non-breed specific All Dog Rescue (and again, those reduced rates are borne by All Dog Rescue).

All Dog Rescue (http://alldogrescue.org/) – the organization sponsoring the low cost microchip clinic at Especially for Pets/Sudbury – has an urgent need for foster families.  Consider if you are able to bring a forsaken and forlorn babe into the bosom of your fold until his/her forever family finds him. Think about it…

Or check out their website and consider if you are able to help in another way.

And if he/she is not already,  have your own dog-child microchipped this Sunday.

Support Off-Leash Recreational Areas…

Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 2nd at 6:30PM at the McGlynn Middle School in Medford, the DCR will host the fourth in their Research Management Plan Workshop series at The Fells.  This one focuses on recreation. A Panel representing some major user groups – including Michelle Biscoe, Off-Leash Advocate who supported Cal-Dog in 2006 at the Public Forum in Framingham when our off-leash privileges were at risk – will offer brief presentations, followed by break-out group discussions.  It would be so helpful to have the presence and participation of people who are experienced with and sympathetic to off-leash recreation. Cal-Dog president, Kate Grater plans to attend.  Can you join her?

The meeting is from 6:30 to 8:30 at at the McGlynn School Cafeteria, 3002 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford.  If you plan to go, please note:  The school address is not plotted accurately on google maps or GPS.  Directions are available on the school website (http://www.medfordpublicschools.org/schools/mcglynn-middle-school/about/directions/). If you know where the Meadow Glen Mall is, you want to get off Rte. 16 as if you were going to the mall on Locust Street, and take an immediate left in front of (what used to be?) the Lincoln-Mercury dealership.  Take a forced right and proceed to a forced left. Then take 3rd left.

Stay warm; take care, and keep up the excellent work of cleaning up after your lucky and lovely canine, and educating the newbies to do the same!

posted by site admin March 3, 2011

February 21, 2011

Take Nothing But Memories; Leave Nothing But Footprints…

In our never ending desire to adhere to the sage advice attributed to *Chief Seattle of the Duwamish Tribe, and thanks to the hours-long  efforts of a few hardy  Callahan Dog Owner Group members on Sunday, February 13th, we were able to do a pretty good job cleaning up the poop piles along the Millwood entrance trail (Moore Road) and its  intersection with the Earthen Dam. We received many ‘thank yous’ from various park users (and had interesting conversations with a couple of pairs of newly transplanted-from-out-of-state couples who were incredulous at how we neglect and abuse our natural resource). Sadly by Monday midday, the results of our efforts were all but obliterated by new brown deposits.   While the clean up made us all look good,  the scofflaws make us all look bad.   Is no one seeing these offending dog owners looking the other way as their dogs squat??  Speak up on behalf of our beautiful Callahan. Educate your fellow dog lovers!

A special thank you to those of you braved the cold and loaned your shovels and lent a hand during our February 13th poop-sicle clean-up!  THANK YOU!

The Worm Turns…

Leaving poop on the trails is not only unsightly, it  is a health hazard to all of our beloved companions – of the two legged as well as the four legged variety! As some of us were scooping the poop, it became squirmingly apparent that a dog – or dogs – who walk (and poop on) the trails at Callahan are/were infected with visible worms.   There are dogs who roll in it and dogs who eat it, but your dog does not necessarily need to belong to either group to be at risk for worms (dogs step in it or on the soil it has contaminated; some infestations can occur thru the skin and paw contact; some, when dogs lick paws that had been exposed to the parasites; still others when they lick the lips of feces-eating dogs).

There are five types of intestinal worms or parasites, and effects can range from nuisance to… death. Dogs infested with roundworms for example –  which may be passed wholly in stool (is this what we saw??) – may experience vomiting, diarrhea, and show a generally unhealthy appearance. These worms also can cause intestinal blockages.  A general guide to worms in dogs can be found here: http://www.wormsindogs.org.

Worms are generally investigated at every annual exam (hence the fecal ‘gift’ to the vet tech at your well-pet check up);  be sure to being a sample to your darling’s next annual check-up (and it must be a fresh sample. An old or a frozen sample may not include live organisms, so may not yield accurate results).

Please, please, please for so many viable reasons: CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR DOG!!  And on behalf of the health of your dog, speak up to others who may be putting your precious pet at risk!

Callahan Spring Clean-Up: April 16th- SAVE THE DATE!!

It’s hard to believe, we know, but Spring will come and the snow will melt and the earth will re-appear under your feet – and with it any and all debris that’s been buried since November! April 16th is the day designated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation as Park Serve Day – and the day in which Callahan Dog Owners Group simultaneously schedules our annual Spring clean-up.  Please save the date and set aside an hour or so of your time to grab a trash bag on your way into Callahan to pick up anything that does not belong and deposit in the trash receptacle on your way out.  C’mon… you’re gonna be at Callahan anyway.  We’ll be at the Millwood entrance with Cal-Dog caps for sale, along with DCR/Callahan custodians who will provide bags and gloves, and water to rehydrate and maybe even protein bars to replenish. Stop by, say hi, grab a bag, give an hour and make a difference in the park we call our own.

WEEBLES WOBBLE BUT THEY DON’T FALL DOWN!

Until the snow melts, be careful on those trails, the oft-trodden centers of which have become packed and can be treacherously slippery. Any who walk the trails during winter should have at the ready (i.e. in the car!) some facsimile of Yaktrax.  These are rubbery slip-ons (over your shoes or boots) with metal spiral cleats that provide sure-footed traction on snow and especially on ice. Yaktrax can be the difference between an effortless walk in the park and a tentative, arduous hike… or worse: a sprained ankle!  When in stock, they can be purchased at REI (Route 30/Framingham) at the bargain rate of $19.95.  They can also be found online (various vendors i.e. Amazon, Eddie Bauer; google ‘yaktrax).

If you walk/hike/jog/run? in the winter, Yaktrax are among the essential gear that make winter walks comfortable and safe.

*Note from site admin: buy Yaktrax online at yaktrax.com or REI. I also highly recommend the Kahtoola MICROspikes, available at REI. Be careful around paws if you use spikes, though!

YOU GOTTA HAVE HEART

The response was so generously overwhelming to the plight of Dora – the gorgeous German Shepherd who lost not one but two homes in the last year – our inbox has seen a sudden rash of heartbreakingly sad and sorry news of abandoned, abused,  neglected,  forgotten, and/or languishing innocents.

Rather than release a notice each or any time such pleas come our way, we will be adding a Foster/Adopt a Pet page to our website (in addition to existing links to nearby shelters:

Buddy Dog/Wayland; Baypath Humane Society/Hopkinton; Sterling Animal Shelter/Sterling;  SaveADog/Sudbury).  We may also include info on our **Facebook page and post a mention on our **Twitter feed.

But since I have your attention…

Do you adore Weimeraners, or know someone who does??

Blue is a beautiful, 5  year old, Weimaraner whose elderly owner died suddenly. This handsome, lovable, gentle boy was on is way to an ASPCA shelter when he was discovered and taken in to be fostered by one in the rescue network.  Weimaraners are athletically built, high energy dogs with a strong desire to love and be loved; they do best in households where they can have some company (definitely human; maybe canine?) more often than they are left alone.

 

Looking for a bundle of love??

Winston is another in an apparently never ending series of sad dog ‘tails’.  An adorable, big-boy (70 pounds),  6 month old Pit Bull Terrier/Cane Corso Mastiff mix Winston was deposited on the doorstep of  Animal Protection Center in Brockton at the age of 4 months, when his elderly owner could not afford to treat the puppy’s injury – which was determined to have been a broken leg that had gone untended.   Winston is left with a limp from his untreated broken leg, but is pain free and otherwise healthy. At a time when Winston should be learning and loving, and being loved by a forever family, he is languishing   – and apparently deteriorating - for two months now, in a shelter. His situation is deemed urgent.

Maybe some have overlooked a dog with a limp – but at Callahan, we’ve  seen and known confident three-legged dogs who run with the best of them.  Maybe this gorgeous puppy has been languishing, unclaimed in a shelter because he’s suffers from breed profiling, but not only is Winston a mixed breed pup (he is part Mastiff. and Mastiff’s are lovable, gentle giants!), generally Pit Bulls have undeserved reputations. We dog owners and lovers know that there are no bad dogs; only bad owners. Every well loved, well trained, well exercised dog is a loving, loyal and well behaved member of the family.  For a bit more info on a disparaged breed, here is a link to pit bull owning/loving site: http://www.pitbulls.org/

Winston’s had a rough start to life.  He deserves to be loved in his forever home.  Maybe, just maybe… Winston is the rescue you’ve been waiting to save??  Here is a photo of this sad puppy (who can also be seen on the Petfinder website: http://www.petfindercom/petdetail/18211681)

For more information on either of the pups who appear above, you can get back to us, here.  We’ll tell you what we know and provide direct contact information for more information from those who brought these ‘tails’ to our attention.

LEND A HAND…

If you do not have the means or the room or the time to foster/adopt/rescue, perhaps you will visit the web sites of some of these animal shelters to contribute in another way. Maybe you could volunteer just a little time; maybe you could send a cash donation or a gift card; perhaps you could donate some new or gently used item(s) on their wish lists…

A visit to the home page of the Sterling Animal Shelter states that February is their Adopt the Love of Your Life Month – featuring reduced adoption fees. Additionally, there is useful information about an ASPCA on-line Animal Behaviorist resource, and valuable information about financial pet-aide for any who are having a difficult time affording medical/emergency pet care.  Check it out.

CURTAIN DOWN

As always, this newsletter will be posted on the Latest News page of our website (www.callahandogs.com).

Whether you are reminding pet-lovers to clean up after their dogs, or you spy an unleashed dog in an on-leash area (i.e. Earthen Dam is an on-leash ‘trail’), please direct  newbies to our site for guidelines for the responsible pet owner/walker at Callahan, and for clearer parameters of  off and on leash areas

**And if you Facebook (callahan dog owners group) or Twitter (callahandogs) – and doesn’t everybody do one, the other or both these days?? … you should check out ours.  We won’t waste your time telling you what we had for lunch.  Our pages are particularly well suited to up to the minute news and alerts when they occur and as they occur: Lost Dogs; Found Dogs; Urgent Callahan News – the kinds of things that demand sudden posting and may facilitate expedient remedy.

Like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Callahan-Dog-Owners-Group/125254604156583)

Follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/callahandogs)

See you on April 16th!

posted by site admin February 21, 2011

February 9, 2011

Brrr.  Baby it’s cold outside! Stay warm…

Dirty Snow: We know it’s not you.  You are not among those who have not been picking up after your dog. It is the occasional visitor, and the puppy owner, and the recently transplanted and uninitiated of course, but as the snow has piled up, obscuring paths off the trails, the trails have become littered with disgusting mounds of poop!  It’s seems particularly revolting after weekends when the population of less informed dog owners take their weekly romp at Callahan.  We can thank some members of Cal-Dog but especially many of our professional dog walkers for going the extra mile to clean up after OTHER people’s pets.  Thank you dog walkers!

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: if you see someone ignoring their dog’s waste, please remind them to clean up. Tuck a few extra poop bags in your pocket, and offer them a bag with which to scoop.  And, while you have those extra bags in your pocket, why not use them? If you see a forgotten pile, why not take the selfless example of our professional dog walking friends – and bag a neglected nugget (it’s not so bad in the Winter. Really… especially on these frigid days – when the waste has become hard and smell-less.  I know… I know… it’s not your fault and not your responsibility;  it’s a lot to ask, but if everyone picked up just one frozen poop-sicle… well, who knows??). Speaking of a clean-up…

THIS COMING SUNDAY 2/13: Everything is easier when you do it with friends. We invite all of you to join us on the Millwood side of Callahan on Sunday, February 13th, between 11AM – 1:30PM.  Our objective is two-fold: (1)  to help eliminate as many poop-sicles as possible!  (The more bags and hands, the more productive we can be. Please come and, please bring some extra bags.  If you usually enter from the Edmands parking lot,  bring some extra bags to scoop some poop marring the trails nearest that parking lot (and dump the filled poop bags in the trash barrel near the kiosk);  and (2) to  introduce our group (that includes you!) to the occasional and newbie visitors. Help spread the word. Let’s direct our fellow dog-owners to our website and facebook pages for information about off-leash parameters and multi-use guidelines on our special corner of the earth.  The weekend visitors seem to need us most!

Be an ambassador of  the Callahan Dog Owners Group every day: tell dog-peeps  about us.  We all talk to each other.  We talk about our dogs – a lot!  Let’s also spread the word about Cal-Dog.  Suggest that fellow dog owners check out our website for information about where to leash and where to set free,  for an email address to which they can direct questions or suggestions  or have their contact information added to our list.  Help make our group better known to the weekend warriors and the newbies.  One of our goals is to educate the new and the uninitiated.  Until the signs are corrected – replaced with the signs that had been promised by the DCR clearly defining on-leash from off-leash areas –  it is up to us to help  clear up misconception and misunderstanding caused by the misleading signs that presently are posted. Education is a good thing…

And now the news you’ve all been waiting for…

Happy Tails: If she could, Dora –  the gorgeous German Shepherd looking for a home as her ‘mom’ transitions to assisted living – surely would say thank you to the many who opened their hearts and the handful that offered to open their homes.  The humans can and do thank you.  Dora’s owner Jeanne, and the kindly neighbor  who made us aware of Dora’s plight (Louisa), relay that there were several wonderful  forever homes opened to Dora – a few from our own Callahan midst.  It was not an easy decision for Jeanne, but Dora will be going to live happily ever after with a dog-loving family in Washington DC, who have a German Shepherd sibling waiting to meet her.

For any who were moved to consider adoption upon hearing of Dora’s plight, remember that there are plenty of already abandoned beauties waiting for their happy ending.  Check out Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton, where presently  a couple of dogs are in URGENT need offostering or adoption (both are about to lose their foster homes)

http://www.baypathhumane.org/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,113/

Meet Earl…

And Max…

See you all on Sunday, yeah???

posted by site admin February 9, 2011

January 25, 2011

MIDDLESEX FELLS RESERVATION
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN

Initial Resource Management Plan Public Meeting

POSTPONED due to the forecasted snowstorm

New Date: Monday, January 31, 2011
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
McGlynn School Cafeteria
3001 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford

Directions:

(Note, the school can be a challenge to find using mapquest, google maps or a GPS).
From Boston / South:
Take Route 93 north to exit 32/Route 60.
Take exit 32, then as you come off the Route 60 ramp, bear right onto Route 60 east.
Travel about ½ mile; when you reach the first set of lights – Park Street – take a right onto Park Street.
Travel along Park Street toward its end, taking a left at the blinking light onto Riverside Avenue.
Travel along Riverside Avenue about ¼ mile, then take a right onto Freedom Way.
You’ll arrive at the School complex.  Drive past the Andrews School and you will see the McGlynn School on your right.  Park is available as indicated above.

From East: Revere, Chelsea, Winthrop
Take Route 16 to Meadow Glen Mall. At the mall, bear to the right. Continue straight through the set of lights to the forced right and proceed to a forced left. Take 3rd left and you may parallel park (please do not leave large gaps). Otherwise, there is parking at the stadium.

From North:
From Route 93 South – take exit #31, Route 16 Everett/Revere. Take a left at the lights, a left at the next set of lights and an immediate left with the car dealer on your right. Take forced right and proceed to a forced left. Take 3rd left and you may parallel park (please do not leave large gaps). Otherwise, there is parking at the stadium.

posted by site admin January 25, 2011

“Warm” Greetings

Is everyone enjoying the snow as much as the cross country skiiers??

A couple of quickies:

(1)

Can you join us this Wednesday, January 26th, 6:30 in Medford????  Please…

The Middlesex Fells Reservation - 2,575 acres spread out over the towns of Malden, Medford, Stoneham, Melrose and Winchester - is,  as Callahan State Park – a vast parcel under the umbrella of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.  For the past year, those who manage and those who use The Fells have participated in an exhaustive process to determine a Resource Management Plan that provides for and best serves the multi-use activities/participants she hosts.  Fellow off-leash dog users and advocates of the Fells can use any and all support that we experienced, pro off-leash dog owners/walkers  can offer. Many of these folks supported us when we were negotiating with DCR for off-leash privileges at Callahan.  It would be lovely if some of us can return the favor.

There is a meeting this Wednesday, January 26th, 6:30 – 8PM in Medford. At the meeting, DCR staff members will meet with Past Cal-Dog president Joel Feingold among others, along with a present Cal-Dog Board member or two.  We would be thrilled and grateful to see and hear from some Callahan folks.

Department of Conservation a­nd Recreation
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

PUBLIC MEETING SERIES
MIDDLESEX FELLS RESERVATION
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN

Initial Resource Management Plan Public Meeting
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
McGlynn School Cafeteria
3001 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford

(2)

Mutt Mitt Dispensers???

We want to thank DCR caretaker Alan for servicing the trash barrel when circumstances precluded Cal-Dog members from our commitment to maintenance a couple of weeks ago.

In a similar vein, it has been brought to our attention that the DCR courtesy-provided poop bag dispenser(s) at the Millwood entrance and at Eagle Pond are presently inoperable and unable to be filled with Mutt Mitt poop bags.

Please remember to bring your own supply of poop bags to Callahan when you accompany your dog on his/her winter walks.

It’s always a good idea to bring your own poop bags to the park when you bring your dog for some exercise.  Bags may be purchased at any pet supply store (i.e. Especially for Pets, PetSmart, etc.), but grocery, produce and newspaper bags are inexpensive poop picker-uppers, and an excellent way to recycle.  Additionally,  if you have some extra plastic grocery, produce or newspaper bags, why not bring them with you to Callahan? You may be able to share with another who has forgotten his/er own poop bags or one who expected bags to be available in the dispensers. Extra bags can also be added to – and taken from – the fabric bag holder that hangs on the wooden pole near the trash barrel just inside the Millwood entrance.

While we’re talking poop, please, please, please continue to pick up after your dog, and remind others to do the same.  Dogs are eliminating on the trails rather than trudging thru the snow beyond the trails, and many owners  are ‘forgetting’ to stoop for the poop. C’mon folks. It’s not as if you can’t find it!

Thanks for yor time this time until next time!

Stay warm!

posted by site admin January 24, 2011

Hi Ho and Hello

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!!

You probably know the cold tolerance of a darling dog that you’ve had for a couple – or more – years, but if your baby or your experience together is relatively young (or if your dog is now a senior), bear in mind that if you’re cold, your pooch  probably is cold too!   If your pet is shivering,  he/she is cold!  In particularly cold wind-chill temperatures, shorter time outside in the cold air may be in order (maybe two  20- 30 minute walks instead of an extended 40-60 minute hike), and short haired dogs and pups may need some extra protection from the wind and the cold.

If your dog is young, gradually adjusting to exposure to cold is as sensible as gradually increasing/extending exercise (for all of us!). Did you know that as the temps dip,  just like us, our pets can get frostbite? …especially on ears, nose and tip of tail. Frostbitten areas may appear red at first, and then fade to gray.

Make sure he/she has plenty of fresh water and maybe a little more food this time of year both to bulk up insulation and provide calories for energy  (just don’t forget that if you feed a little more now, cut back again in the spring. An overweight dog – like an overweight human – is unhealthy. Extra pounds on our dogs contribute to decreased energy and mobility, and can shorten a dog’s life. Here’s a link for an overview to evaluate your dog’s weight: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-evaluate-your-dogs-weight.html.)

Lastly, just as you would not leave your dog for an extended time in a car in the heat of the summer, do not leave your beloved for long in a cold car.

Here’s a link to some other cold weather tips: http://www.petpublishing.com/dogken/news/pfizer01.shtml

Roll Out The Barrel…

The cold moves in and the trash barrel at Eagle Pond gets hauled away.  Thus begins the challenge of garnering cooperation among dog owners and walkers to pick up the poop, and CARRY the  filled poop bags TO  the trash barrels located in the parking lots.  Cal-Dog has proposed maintaining  the barrel (removing and replacing used trash bags) over the winter, and Tim Murphy, DCR Supervisor of Cochituate and Callahan State Parks, is considering our proposal and the return of the barrel to the pond area.  So if you see the barrel back, know that it is your Dog Owner Group at work!  Now, please do you part by picking up the poop and disposing it in appropriate trash receptacles.

Be A Buddy, Dog!

A recent stroll from the Millwood lot to Eagle Pond saw piles and piles of poop lining both sides of the path to the pond. This kind of irresponsibility makes us all look bad, and provides ammunition to those who clamor to have Callahan dogs banned – or put on leashes. Of course,  we all pick up after our dogs, right??  You do not need to be a board member, or active participant  to be a good role model.  As a responsible dog owner who appreciates the off-leash privileges that are constantly under scrutiny, be a buddy to the occasional visitor, and the new pup owner and the recently relocated dog family.

Take it from one who dons an ambassador-of-good-will-and-welcome cap on every hour at Callahan, most dog owners appreciate knowing what is expected within Callahan’s bounty.  Carry extra poop bags and if you see someone looking the other way as their dog squats, say – in your friendliest voice – “uh-oh your dog is pooping.  Do you need a poop bag?”  Most will appreciate the kindness and will cooperate with the ‘request.’.

This is also a good opportunity to tell the new or uninitiated where they can find park-provided  poop bags, where the trash barrels are located, where dogs can romp leash free and where dogs should be on-leash. If you’re shy, you can always direct them to our website (www.callahandogs.com) where they can find these tidbits and more information, and – while you’re at it – encourage them to get on our contact list.  In numbers, we are strong!

If you are particularly wonderful, maybe you will use one or more of those extra bags on your way to the parking lot to pick-up the poop some poor dog’s master left behind.  It’s not your job, we know.  It’s not your responsibility to clean up after someone else’s mess, but if one bad apple can make us all look bad, then a good apple can make us all look, well, delicious!  And really, it’s not as thankless a chore in the cold.  Poopsicles are easy to pick up (once they’re unstuck from the ground) with hard-as-a-rock texture and virtually no smell.

Leashes and Joggers and Fines, Oh My!

The local DCR office has been receiving complaints about unleashed dogs on on-leash trails running up to walkers and joggers, coupled with demands that the park become an on-leash parcel and that fines be issued to transgressors.

Based on these recent complaints, the DCR will have representatives observing/monitoring the situation and reporting to DCR headquarters, possibly with suggestions and recommendations.

It is ALWAYS a good idea to know and follow the rules, and – again – to educate the newbies; so know the rules, follow the rules and make others aware of the rules. The off-leash privileges you help save may be your own!

We cannot print these guidelines (also found on our website: www.callahandogs.com) too often:

1) All dogs are to be on-leash in all parking lots, on trails that access/egress parking lots, along the Earthen Dam (aka the aqueduct) and Pipeline Trail, and on any trail that abuts private property/houses. If your dog is determined to be off leash in any of these areas, you may be fined.

2) Dogs should NEVER approach any park user without first being cleared to do so:

(a) always have your dog in view;

(b) always be aware of approaching ‘neighbors;

(c) call ahead to be sure your off-leash dog is welcome.

In most cases within Callahan, your dog will be welcomed, but we must remember that some people are afraid of dogs; some joggers are leery of being chased (probably with good reason); most people do not want to be jumped on (it is never OK for a dog to jump on a person), and some dog owners do not want other dogs approaching or interacting with their dogs.  We should always assume they have a good reason (after all, they know their dogs better than we) and we are obliged to respect their wishes (as we expect others to respect our own).

3) All off-leash dogs must be under strict voice control. If you call your dog, he/she must return to you immediately. The ‘come’ command is the single most important thing to teach your dog. The ‘come’ command can save your dog from injury or worse.  On a recent Saturday (those Saturday park users seem to need our advice the most!), the humans were engaged in conversation as their dogs romped unsupervised, when a couple of riders on horseback entered the pond area.  The pack of dogs charged, barking at the horses. Some of the dogs backed off when they were called, but one stubborn dog stayed the course  - and was kicked in the chest by the horse!  Obviously this was a very painful price paid by a poor dog whose owner failed his pet. The owner believed that his dog “has a mind of his own”. If  you know that your dog  cannot dependably respond to the ‘come’command, then be vigilant in your awareness of your pet, and be-leash ready (i.e. the dog who was kicked should have been put on-leash as soon as the riders entered and for as long as they remained in the area).  Keep your dog safe…

LOST DOG ALERT:

Not in our neck of the woods, but if you visit Medford or have friends or family in the area, please spread the word and help find mixed-breed Marisol, who was attacked by an aggressive dog, panicked and  fled her puppy play group. She has been missing for a few weeks already, and her family ifs frantic to find her.  Here is a link to a website they’ve set up with pictures and information: http://www.findmarisol.com/about/

If you hear of a missing pet – or heaven forbid you lose sight of your own! –  let us know and we’ll get the word out. Contact us at here at our email address, on our website, or on our facebook page (heck yeah, we’re on Facebook.  Visit and … ‘like’ us!!)

Looking For a Home:

Beagle Mix for Adoption: Sadie Mae is a lovable and friendly but relatively high maintenance girl (high outdoor energy Beagle mix with neurological issues affecting balance; a chewer who needs supervision/training/redirection or crating; an other-dogs-OK-but-no cat-in-the-hat dog who benefits from reassuring attention).  You don’t know anyone who has all the time in the world, do you? If you do, shoot us an email and we’ll put you in touch with Sadie Mae’s foster family.

MEET AND GREET

You visit our website (you do, right? Have you sent in a photo of your baby?), you’ve friended us on Facebook (you will, yes?) and you read our Callahan Dog Owners Group news and newsletters, but have you met us and each other??  Cal-Dog will be scheduling a Winter Meet and Greet at the Millwood entrance and Eagle Pond areas in late January/early February.  We’ll be cleaning up the poop (which seems to be a stubborn Winter problem), distributing  our beautiful pamphlets  (handy resources!), introducing ourselves to each other and to those weekend users who can most use the information, and hopefully increasing our membership and expanding our contact list.

Look for a date to be announced and then make a note of it. Please come for a bit to say hi and help distribute pamphlets and business cards and generally spread the word about our group.  We will also have our attractive white Cal-Dog caps for sale! If you must miss us during our Winter Meet and Greet, then we’ll see you at the Spring clean-up, yeah??

Until then, stay warm, keep Fido safe and Callahan clean, mind those on-leash areas, and have a safe and…

Happy New Year!!!!

posted by site admin December 21, 2010

Horse & Hound Hunt

There is a horse and hound hunt at Callahan (both sides) on Saturday, October 23, 2010. Horses will be on the trails, so please keep dogs under control.

posted by site admin on October 22, 2010

Howdy All

As we turn a seasonal corner, let’s try to remember that (1) only predictably behaved dogs who are IN VIEW and under STRICT voice control deserve the privilege of off-leash romping (if you need ‘em, check or inquire on our website for training recommendations); (2) even the best behaved dogs are to be on leash in designated areas (posted signs can be misleading. Check the maps on the kiosks or our wonderful website for clarification, but definitely in all parking lots, on trails that enter and exit the park, and all trails that abut private property; (3) pick up after your pooch and dispose of the all debris – including filled poop bags -  in trash containers located in all parking lots and seasonally at Eagle Pond (sadly, many discarded bags are dotting – and marring – the Callahan landscape!).

We are our own best examples, advocates and police squad!  If you see someone ignorant of or ignoring the parameters of our restored privileges, share your information. It is in the best interests of all Park users.  Let’s not invite the kinds or numbers of complaints that warrant a call by DCR for a state Park ranger to fine any of us… or worse!

Dog Poop Scoop:

Sunday, 9/5 and Friday, 9/10 DCR personnel will be present at the Millwood entrance, hosting what they’re calling P.U.P.P.Y. Days – Pick Up Poochie Poop Yourself.  Today’s P.U.P.P.Y. day was  rescheduled until next week.  Dates for ridding the park of offending piles that DCR identifies as “overwhelming dog waste contamination” are this Sunday, September 5th and next Friday, September 10th, 11AM until 3PM.  Notices are posted at various locations around the Park.  DCR personnel will be at the Millwood entrance with mutt mitts, gloves, water and snacks, and they will be thrilled to see the responsible among us tending to the mistakes made by the unenlightened.

Hospice for Orphaned Dog?

A sad tale has come to us of a charming  yellow lab (is there any other kind?)… a senior who recently was adopted from Buddy Dog, only to be returned when Jake was diagnosed with cancer.  He is still happy and lively, but would be happier in a loving hospice home in which to spend his final days. If you have the time and heart (and maybe the experience and financial wherewithal?) to give the gift of final days in the bosom of love and family, contact us at callahandogs@gmail. com or inquire at Buddy Dog.

Farewell…

Callahan  bid adieu to a few friendly faces this summer.  Look to the Rainbow Bridge to see Clementine, Autumn, and Maestro.  We miss you already…

Posted by site admin on September 3, 2010

Summer Tidings Dog Lovers!!!!

TICKET MASTER

You are subject to be ticketed and fined  if you are discovered with an off-leash dog in any area designated as *on-leash. The  DCR summoned a Massachusetts Park Ranger to do just that after receiving numerous complaints of unleashed dogs on the earthen dam.

THE EARTHEN DAM at the MILLWOOD ENTRANCE IS A PEDESTRIAN PATH.

NOTE: ALL DOGS MUST BE LEASHED ON THE EARTHEN DAM!! Tickets were written and fines issued to owners/walkers of off-leash dogs along this stretch (AKA the Aqueduct) in recent weeks.

Also, if you love your dog – and we know that you do – please leash him/or her for the safety of all  in parking lots, where regulations require they be leashed. Remember:  All dogs must be leashed in *parking lots, on trails that enter/exit the Park (i.e. access/egress parking lots), and trails that abut private residences.

Let’s not abuse our privileges.  We have Eagle Pond, and acres and acres of trails where our four-legged babes can roam relatively free (in sight and under strict voice control of course!).  Please remember to leash your dog when you traverse leashed areas/trails – or avoid those places where the leash is the law. And be kind – spread the word and tell others to do the same. Speaking of which…

COMPLAINT FILE

Cal-Dog has received several complaints of off-leash dogs approaching leashed dogs (especially in parking lots, interfering with entry or exit).  Let’s nip this in the bud before the complaints are directed to Park officials. Please: Never let your off-leash dog approach a dog at the end of a leash without first asking the owner/walker if it is OK (in fact, it is always a good idea to ask if it’s OK to approach any unfamiliar dog).  And pretty please, don’t take it personally if an owner asks that you not permit your off-leash dog to approach; assume that everyone has a reasonable explanation for their actions – ’cause in most cases, most people do. We don’t assume that every human wants to greet us; we shouldn’t assume that every dog is eager every time to be greeted by every other dog.

SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE

There seem to be lots of new rescue dogs and young pups discovering the bounty that is Callahan.  It’s pretty safe to assume that the pups and their people may not be aware of the protocol at Callahan. Don’t be shy: share what you know and/or direct the new or uninformed to…

OH! THE WEB WE WEAVE

We’re on the web:  www.callahandogs.com

…for information about Callahan (including a map), the privileges and responsibilities of dog ownership, news and updates, photos of our beloved companions (send us your photos!), and our contact info for asking questions, or joining our ranks/contact list. We are 150-plus and growing!

Our website is also available for posting lost dog notices and updates (if you hear of a lost dog, or can report the – hopefully happy – ending to the tale of a lost dog, let us know), and a memorial page – where you can honor your furry family member with tributes and memories.  Callahan Dog Owners Group can also be found…

IN YOUR FACEBOOK

Yup! We’re on Facebook!

Facebook Page for Callahan Dog Owners Group

You know you ‘like’ it, so check it out.  Our Facebook page is a great place to check for late breaking, time sensitive information.

HEARD IT THRU THE GRAPEVINE

Nearly four years after negotiating to retain off-leash privileges, Cal Dog members still run into humans who believe that their canines are not subject to the on-leash restrictions of designated areas of the park because they’ve heard and believe what was ultimately revealed to be little more than folklore.

Be gentle when you let them know that, contrary to rumor and misconception, there is no legal substantiation of the myth/claim that  Callahan was bequeathed as a leash-free haven. Callahan State Park is – as are all state public lands – under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.  The leash-free privileges we enjoy were negotiated by representatives of DCR and Cal-Dog (and we await fulfilment of some other details of those negotiations, including improved and accurate signage). For on and off leash designations, re-read TICKETS section above (or check our website!).

NOT THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN

While we loves us our Callahan, networking among other dog lovers reveals  a few nearby alternatives for those times we want to thrill those numerous and incredible canine olfactory receptors with some new sniffs!.

Due to lack of funds, Ashland State Park, off Route 135 in Ashland (duh!)  is unstaffed – so officially ‘closed’ – this summer, but parking is still available and the trails remain excellent grounds for romping and exploring.

Hopkinton State Park (Main Street to Route 85; 268 Cedar Street, Hopkinton)

There are 10 miles of marked trails here and leashed pets are welcome thru-out the park. Rumor has it that  strict-voice controlled Fido can sometimes go at his own pace if you steer clear of the ‘beach’ and picnic areas, and/or walk after 6PM (when beach and picnic areas are officially closed).

Weston Reservoir (Route 20W; left on Wellesley; right on Ash) gets high marks from walkers with – and without – dogs  around its beautiful 2 to 2.5 mile round trip, but dogs -  on-leash OR under strict voice control -  can expect a lot of like company.

Remember wherever you go, your dog must always be well-behaved (no jumping), must always stay in sight,  and if off-leash, must always be under strict voice control (that means if and when you call him/her to you, he/she comes IMMEDIATELY).  Immediate cooperation to the “come” command can not only avoid  potential and/or unnecessary conflict, it might one day save your dog’s life.

IN MEMORIAM:

Some of you may know Ann Miller and her darling Clementine. After a difficult Spring, Ann kissed Clementine adieu at the beginning of the Summer, and then, when she least expected it, was led to the mutual rescue of Eclipse (also affectionately known as  Clipsey-Doodle, or Pixie Clips), a most adorable little girl who now shares Ann’s home and heart. Hopefully Ann will get get a photo of her new little one onto our website soon.

Here’s to Ann’s miracle dog, Clementine, who now frolics over the Rainbow Bridge…

http://www.petloss.com/poems/maingrp/rainbowb.htm

Stay cool friends. Enjoy the waning weeks of  Summer.

Posted by site admin on August 8, 2010

Incident at Callahan

Be aware: there are reports that a man – believed to have mental health issues – has recently been engaged in behavior that was deliberately startling and/or perceived to be threatening to dogs – i.e., leaping from behind brush and bushes – and then videotaping the animals’ reactions. The plan, apparently, is/was to present the dogs as ‘attackers’ to local DCR personnel and possibly local police.

A call to the Framingham Police Department this evening indicates that they have been made aware of the situation and that “it has been addressed”.

This kind of provocative behavior is unlawful.  Should you experience or witness such unlawful behavior, call the  Framingham Police Department @ 508- 872-1212 (of course, in a real emergency, call 911).

Posted by site admin June 10, 2010

Wielcomen Beinvenu Welcome

A warm yet hardy welcome to the newest members of the Callahan Dog Owners Group who joined our midst and our contact list during Cal-Dog’s Spring Clean-Up on April 24th. A special nod of appreciation to the newbies for writing your contact information so legibly!

Spring Cleaning

Speaking of thanks…thanks to all who entered Callahan on that sunny Saturday to participate in Spring Clean-Up/Park Serve Day. It was great to see so many turn out, happily grab a trash bag and help clear away the debris of Winter. A very special thank you to Happy Tails 2 U Pet Care who again had an entire crew clearing and cleaning up the heavily trafficked meadows in the earthen dam and Eagle Pond areas.

We were joined by Paula and Alan from the local contingent of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, which provided the trash bags and plastic gloves, and snacks and water bottles for the volunteers. Alan is the guy who does the heavy lifting all year round: clearing paths of limbs and fallen trees, trimming brush to widen trails, filling dips to level parking lots, emptying trash barrels, and generally doing an impressive job maintaining our beloved 800-plus acres.

We’re happy to report that there is money in the DCR budget to have Daniella again join Alan this summer; she, whose creative and thoughtful accomplishments include the posting of maps throughout the park and the beautification of the parking lot on Edmands Road, among other projects.

Let’s continue to do our best to maintain the park. Remember to clean up after your dog and dump all trash in a trash barrel on your way out (barrels are located in all parking lots and – for spring/summer/fall only – at Eagle Pond.

Bug Off

Lastly…we’re sure you’ve noticed  as we have, that the bugs are enjoying a population explosion this Spring (ugh!) so just a reminder to take preventive measures (i.e. Advantix, Frontline) if that’s your habit, and always check your dog for ticks after a Callahan romp. You might want to have some bug spray in your car for a quick personal spritz before you head out to the trails (or try tucking a couple of clothes dryer sheets under your cap! Mosquitoes seem to hate these!). In a pinch, I’ve found that a pine branch makes an acceptable swatter!

Happy trails…happy tails….

Posted by site admin on May 13, 2010

Callahan Dog Owners Group on Facebook

We’re on Facebook! Type “Callahan Dog Owners Group” into the search box, and we should pop right up. Don’t forget to “Like” our page to get the latest news in your feed.

Published by site admin on May 11, 2010

WARNING: Cocoa mulch may be toxic to dogs and cats.

Sold at Target and at some garden supply stores, cocoa mulch contains theobromine and caffeine (which apparently are present in virtually all chocolate, but higher, more toxic concentrations are found in dar chocolate). According to the ASPCA, “dogs are highly sensitive to these chemicals (called methylxanthines). Low doses can cause mild gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain); higher doses can cause rapid heart rate, muscle tremors, seizures and death.”

“Eaten by a 50 pound dog, about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces, seizures; and over 9 ounces can cause death. (In contrast, a 50 pound dog can eat up to about 7.5 ounces of milk chocolate without gastrointestinal upset, and up to about a pound of milk chocolate without increased heart rate” – not that your dog should consume milk chocolate either!)

Some manufacturers of cocoa mulch proclaim that their products are theobromine-free and pet-safe, so be sure to check labels, OR choose another mulch form, such as a cedar-based product.

Clarification of an email making its way around the net can be found here:

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

Additional information on this topic from the ASPCA can be found at these links:

http://tinyurl.com/le8m9n

http://www2.aspca.org/site/DocServer/CocoaMulch-NAACT.pdf?docID=1201

Published by site admin on May 9, 2010

Join Us!

Cal-Dog is looking to expand Board membership. It’s time. The present board has been on the job for nearly four years: instrumental in negotiating the off-leash privileges that we all enjoy, as well as having done an admirable job welcoming new members and educating new users, and a pretty good job maintaining positive relations with DCR reps; DCR acknowledges and appreciates the active presence of the Callahan Dog Owners Group. Virtually all of the hard work has been done. At this point, the demands are few, but as with most things in life, we could use some more helping hands – and who couldn’t use an infusion of new energy and fresh ideas?! We must keep up the good work of expanding membership and educating new puppy families. We meet but once or twice per year in person, and most issues are managed via email. Please consider becoming a board member. Let us know of your willingness to relieve retired and retiring members by sending an email to callahandogs@gmail.com. Do it for your dog!

posted by site admin on April 13, 2010

Dam is On-Leash!

I am sorry to relay that Callahan Park Supervisor Murphy has received a written complaint of an alleged dog “attack” along the earthen dam at the Millwood entrance. I await further details. In any case, please be reminded that the trail along the dam is primarily for canine-less pedestrians and is an ON-LEASH trail. If you see any user(s) other than you and your dog anywhere along the aqueduct/earthen dam, leash your dog immediately (if you have not already done s0). If you see anyone with an unleashed dog along that trail, kindly and gently let them know that the earthen dam is an on-leash trail (education is a good thing; we don’t enforce, we educate only). Also, please remember that all off-leash dogs must be under strict and dependable voice control (not occasional). Off-leash is a privilege we must protect for all our four-legged kids.

posted by site admin on April 13, 2010

News Update March 10, 2010

First, a quick welcome to the newbies who have joined us in recent months. Welcome!

And now quickly on to a bit of concern: The voices of discontent are growing louder as the number of complaints about off-leash dogs received by the DCR has been increasing in recent months. Like most of us, the DCR doesn’t enjoy this chorus of unhappy voices, and, again like many of us, leans toward the easiest solution – though it may not be the best or the most democratic: off-leash privileges are always in jeopardy.

Increased complaints brings increased DCR presence and scrutinization. There’s nothing like an unannounced visit to see if our on and off-leash rules are working. Let’s see if we can effect our own positive resolution before it becomes a contentious situation and/or before we have to band together to fight for the off-leash privileges that we sometimes take for granted.

Be mindful of the parameters of responsible dog ownership. Set a good example of same, and if you see someone who may be new and unfamiliar, remind them kindly of our obligations, as well as our privileges (i.e. tell them the negotiated areas of off -and on- leash; remind them to pick up after their dog and to carry the filled poop bag to a trash barrel in a parking lot – and not leave it on a trail or by the poop-bag dispenser).

Let’s follow the rules of park etiquette:

• Clean up after your dog if your dog poops on or within 5 feet of a trail, and then BRING THE FILLED POOP BAG TO A TRASH BARREL IN THE PARKING LOT (carry an extra supermarket plastic bag to put the filled poop bag into, so you can have another layer of protection between your jacket and the offending pile). Especially clean up IMMEDIATELY on the hill used by children for sledding.
• Off-leash areas include the meadow in the pond area and most interior trails.
• Dogs are to be leashed in all parking lots, at all times. No exceptions. This is as much for the safety of your beloved dog as for the peace of mind of all drivers.
• Dogs are to be leashed on the walking trail along the earthen dam/aqueduct (this includes the sledding hill on the Milwood side. Dogs should not be racing or chasing sledders).
• Dogs are to be leashed on all trails that abut private houses.
• Dogs are NOT to leave the park and enter private property. Not ever! No exceptions!
• DOGS ARE TO BE UNDER STRICT VOICE COMMAND AT ALL TIMES. If your dog does not regularly, consistently and dependably respond to your commands, work with him/her so that he/she may enjoy off-leash privileges, and so that you may be spared embarrassment or worse. Aggressive or threatening behavior is not acceptable. If you cannot control your dog, put him/her on a leash. If your dog is a threat to or does not fit in with well-behaved dogs, do not bring him/her to Callahan until he/she -or you- are better trained.
• Dogs may not jump on humans. This is rude behavior and gives all dogs a bad name. A jumping dog belongs on a leash in the presence of humans.
• Pay attention to your dog as you would your child. Know where he/she is at all times.
• If someone asks you to put your dog on a leash, don’t argue – even if they are rude about it (take some pride in being a kinder human). Put your dog on leash until you are out of sight of any who might be uncomfortable around dogs – whether they are nice about it or not.

Let’s be models of responsible dog ownership, and let’s teach the uninitiated or uninformed among us how they too may join the ranks of responsible dog ownership.

Good luck, troops!

posted by site admin on March 10, 2010