Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are dogs allowed to be off-leash?
A: That is what we are all about! Dog's running and playing free. The only time we see dogs on-leash here is when someone is trying to get their dog to go home.
Q: Is the Property Fenced?
A: Yes, the property is securely fenced with a four foot agricultural fence. Some dogs can jump this fence. One side of our property is on a busy, high-speed road, so if your dog typically jumps fences, Paw Run may not be appropriate for your dog.
Q: Where is Paw Run Located?
A: Paw Run is on North Territorial approximately four miles west of US-23 in Webster Township. We do not give the exact location until a new member has registered and their dog has passed the temperament test. It take approximately fifteen minutes to get to Paw Run from the center of Ann Arbor.
Q: What is the Temperament Test?
A: The temperament test is a low-key procedure to get to know the testee dog and see how the dog reacts to humans and other dogs. It is not an obedience test and we are not testing to see if dogs are outgoing or calm. We simply want to make sure the dog will not react aggressively to our tests.
In the test, we pet the dog all over, pick up both a front and a back paw and feel between the toes, and hold the dog's tail. Next we introduce the dog to our tester dogs (usually Selli and Duffy, the Dog-O-Mat dogs), to see how the dogs react to other dogs. Then we bring out the treats. We pass out treats to each of the dogs and then we throw treats on the floor to see how the dog reacts around treats and other dogs in a tight space. The last part is to give the dog a pig ear, wait a minute or two and then approach the dog and attempt to take the pig ear away from the dog. During this pig ear test, our tester dogs will be in close proximity to the dog being tested. The dog being tested does not have to give up the pig ear, we just want to make sure the dog does not show aggression to our human or dog testers.
All parts of this test are important. If your dog has allergies to certain foods please let us know or bring your own yummy treats. If your dog doesn't want to chew on the pig ear don't worry, we can try a ball or a stuffed toy. The point is that we want to use something of high value to your dog.
Q: Why do you use food in the temperament test?
A: We use food in the temperament test because people bring treats to Paw Run, and many people (including Carolyn) hand out treats to everyone's dog. We don't want to have dogs getting testy about treats at Paw Run.
Q: What is the purpose of testing the dog with a pig ear?
A: A pig ear is our version of a "high value" item. Dogs with possession aggression issues are most likely to aggress over "high value" items and growl or even try to bite either humans or other dogs when they feel challenged. The Paw Run version of this situation is if a dog at Paw Run gets another dog's toy and the first dog or the first dog's owner want to get the toy back. We want to make sure the second dog does not attack the first dog or the first dog's owner. These situations happen, and we want to be prepared.
Q: Are human children allowed in the park?
A: We welcome human children at Paw Run with certain cautions and restrictions. First, remember this is a DOG recreation area, not a child's playground that allows off-leash dogs. The dogs come first. Second, children must be supervised (directly supervised) at all times. Third, children are not allowed on the agility equipment and not allowed in the agility yard unless their parent and their dog are practicing in the agility yard. Fourth, children are not allowed in the water, either the pond, the stream or the natural pond. Finally, since this is a dog recreation area, dogs will be running around like crazy. They may not care if there is a child in the way and may knock them over. The parents assume all liability for their children while at Paw Run and should use all reasonable cautions when they are visiting.
Q: How do I get my dog back when we are at Paw Run?
A: Typically, there is no problem with losing the dogs on the property. Dogs generally stay with their humans. They may run around like crazy for awhile, but they come back. And if there are other dogs around, the dogs stay together with the humans. You may not believe YOUR dog will stick around, but he or she will. In our experience, at least nineteen out of twenty dogs stick around. The ones who don't are typically hounds and we provide bells for those dogs.
Q: do you allow intact (not neutered or spayed) dogs at Paw Run?
A: Yep, as long as they pass the temperament test, and as long as they don't act out at Paw Run, we welcome them. Females in heat can come at their own risk.
Q: Why do you not allow certain breeds of dogs to join Paw Run?
A: We do not allow Akitas, Chow Chows, Shar-Peis, Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bull Dogs, Cane Corsos, and other fighting breeds as decided by Ann Arbor Dog. Just as Border Collies were selectively bred to herd sheep, these dogs selectively bred to fight with other dogs. So while Border Collies will have a propensity to chase cars along North Territorial and stare at humans to try to keep them in a group, fighting breeds will have a propensity fight with other dogs. This does not mean they are bad dogs, just that a place where there are a lot of crazy, often in-your-face dogs is not an appropriate place for them. And because we know that, we must protect our member dogs from possible harm.
Q: Why do you charge to use Paw Run?
A: Unlike municipal parks, Paw Run is a private recreation area. The property is owned by KEI, a corporation that was willing to invest in our dream of a place for dogs to play off leash. We receive no money or support from any governments or other groups. Ann Arbor Dog, the business that operates Paw Run is a limited liability company owned by Carolyn Kinsler. AAD has significant expenses, first we have to pay rent to KEI to use the property, then we have to pay for all the improvements we have made to the property, next we have to pay for administrative expenses and finally, I have to pay the property manager (even though he refuses to take the money) for all his work. We have tried to keep our dues as low as possible since we don't want anyone to be denied use of the area due to financial limitations. However, the more money we take in the more money we can invest in our facilities.
Q: Where did the Paw Run come from?
A: The creek which runs through the property is a branch of Arm Creek. When I lived in Pennsylvania, my sister had a branch of Schoolhouse Run in her backyard and we decided to call that Book Run as a joke. So when it came to our recreation area, I decided to follow that model and call our branch of Arm Creek Paw Run.