Dog Owners

Downtown Baltimore's only legit dog space is re-opening! And it's a safe bet that most folks didn't even know that it was closed.... or even existed. But this week, it's a chance for downtown dog folks to get re-aquainted (or, aquainted) with the Liberty Park Dog Walk, which people can find at the convergence of Park Avenue, West Fayette and West Baltimore streets. There'll be a Yappy Hour in the mini-park on Thursday evening, from 6 to 8 p.m. It's free, sponsored by Downtown Partnership and the 39 W. Lexington residences.

Hagrid, a 9-year-old bichon frise , got to celebrate his birthday with a night out on the town for the first time this year. At the edge of the patio leading into Jilly's, a bar and grill in Ellicott City, Hagrid met Saba, a 4-month-old mixed breed who was just recently adopted from an animal shelter. Julie Zinski, Hagrid's owner, said she couldn't be happier as she surveyed the scene (meanwhile, the two canines sniffed each other). Jilly's, encouraged by a new state law, is one of several establishments in the area welcoming patrons who come with dogs.

There are few more joyful sights in the world than a big old dog sticking its head out a car window with a goofy grin, its tongue hanging out and its ears flapping in the breeze. Up until about 15 years ago, that was me in the driver's seat and a golden retriever named Gusty riding behind. A survey released last week brought that image to mind. It showed that dog owners, a group to which I once belonged, by and large do as I once did: They let the animal ride without restraint. After all, who would put a seat belt on a dog?

The Towson-based AAA Mid-Atlantic says 56 percent of drivers responding to a national survey of pet owners said they have driven with their dog at least once a month in the past year - and more than half said they've had some physical contact with the dog while driving, either petting it, holding it on their lap or using their hands to keep it out of the front seat - or even taking the pet's photo. In a statement on the survey, AAA said the results indicate "drivers not only love to bring Fido in the car, but often engage in risky behaviors when man's best friend is along for the ride.

Ever-prepared, executive assistant Marian Smith stocks her desk with all the trappings of a modern office: Paper clips. Sticky notes. Pup-Peroni. That last one? It's the only thing Smith's officemates at the Maryland Institute College of Art actually beg for. Coscimo, for instance, a white bichon, regularly wanders from one vice provost's office to join Smith for snacks - his little coffee break. And there's the rescue dog that's a regular in the alumni relations department.

As of July 1, dog owners who bring their pets to the city's dog park will be required to purchase an annual membership. The dog park, named the Dr. Bruce Morley Dog Playground, was opened in 2008 adjacent to the city's Leo. E. Wilson Park, just east of Van Dusen Road between Route 198 and Cherry Lane. Memberships are $30 for residents of the city, and $35 for non-residents, and can be purchased at the Laurel Municipal Center, Robert J. DiPietro Community Center and the Laurel Armory Community Center.

Before Halo sets one furry paw inside the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show's hallowed ring, the Samoyed will get the equivalent of a half-day spa treatment — pampering that most women would kill for on Valentine's Day weekend. First, his owner, Lisl Dutterer from Perry Hall, will scrub his dense, silky coat with a brightening shampoo to bring out its whiteness. Then she'll blow-dry and fluff the pup for not one, not two, not even three — but four full hours. She'll brush his teeth, trim his nails, clip the fur that grows thick around his feet and keep up the primping until it's showtime Tuesday afternoon.

A judge dismissed an unconventional challenge to Baltimore's leash law Thursday morning but considerably reduced the dog owner's fines. Environmental Control Board Administrative Judge Patricia Webb dismissed a challenge by Dawn Conte of Patterson Park, who argued that she shouldn't have been fined for having her dogs off leash last summer because the city hasn't followed through on promises to construct more dog parks. Webb denied Conte's argument, pointing to existing legal dog parks in the city — in Canton, Locust Point and downtown.

After Dawn Conte unclipped the leashes of her two Labradors to let them chase a ball in Patterson Park last summer, she walked home with a hefty ticket — $200 for each unrestrained dog and more charges because the animals weren't wearing their tags. Thursday, before Baltimore's Environmental Control Board, Conte will challenge that fine, but instead of arguing "I didn't do it," she'll try a slightly more complex version of "Why shouldn't I do it?" The 39-year-old appraisal archivist wants the fines to be dropped, but she also wants to make a statement on behalf of Baltimore pet owners who believe city officials would rather ticket them than work with them to establish legal spots for dogs to run free.

I grew up in a household of four boys and multiple dogs. We had a basset hound with impressive leash pulling power who, in pursuit of a neighborhood cat, once yanked my little brother through a cactus patch. We had a golden Labrador, a beautiful bird dog, who, when out for a walk, would suddenly stiffen and "point" at doves in distant driveways. We had a spirited Irish wolfhound whom one of my brothers brought home, along with a new girlfriend. My mother disapproved of both the girl and the hound, and they eventually moved on. While I don't own a dog now, I consider myself dog-friendly.