Barking to excess! In Stylish Chevy Chase…a teachable moment.

Barking to excess! Stylish Chevy Chase locale in Maryland preclude excessively noisy dogs at new park who ‘are disrupting their peace’

According to a recent report in the Washington Post residents in the village of Chevy Chase, Maryland, have complained about the barking at a new local dog park, saying the noisy pooches have disrupted their peace.

Those of us at Doggedly Yours” have a vested interest in this story. The thing is we like to bark. In fact, we do lots of it. One might say we are experts.

Indeed, the issue is a classic one. It bits one group with particular desires against another group with different interest. My old economics professor might observe that one group is suffering the externality costs occasioned by a different group,s benefits.

It occurs to me that this case of Chevy Chase dog park controversy can serve as a teachable moment for us all. We can, and must, learn to communicate with others with whom we do not identify. After all, we all live in the same “dog park” known as society.

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Responding to the complaints, the village put up signs at the park warning, ‘no excessive barking’

Despite putting up the ‘no excessive barking’ signs, residents kept on complaining.

Residents living near the the dog exercise area at Brookville Road Park barked loud enough about the noisy canines that the Chevy Chase Board of Managers is now considering scrapping the park. A public hearing is scheduled in September

One the one hand….

As much I love to hate on the 1%, and as much as I adore dogs, I do feel for the lady… I wouldn’t want a dog park in my backyard either.  As another commenter mentions, many dogs are not properly socialized — the dog park is often their only outing, and can actually be very stressful for some.  The barking is a natural consequence of this.

On the other hand…

Where were the complainers when the park was approved?  Calling the police?  Try discussing it with the dog owners first.  Even the cops grow tired of petty disputes.  Yes, I consider this petty.  It is a big deal if you are living it and it bothers you, but honestly, adjustment and a little bit of change on all sides is quite achievable

On yet a different hand….

What do people think dogs do?  People talk, dogs bark.