Welcome to Harmony Valley Dog Park!
HarmonyDogPark.ca is the offical site of ODAWG (Oshawa Durham Area Walkers Group) and the Harmony Creek Off-Leash Dog Park. Harmony Creek Off-Leash Dog Park is Oshawa Ontario's first official Off-Leash Dog Park. It is located at the south end of Harmony Creek Park on Rathburn St., off Grandview St. North. For information about, upcoming events at, and exact location or map of the park, go to "The Park".
Upcoming Events:
Calendars on Sale Now!
ODAWG Days Calenders are now on sale for $10.00 each at the following locations.
Get them before they're all gone!
- Oshawa Vacuum Centre Inc. - 30 Taunton Rd E, Unit 2
- Global Pet Foods - 789 Taunton Rd E, Unit 5
PetValu - 1414 King St E, Unit 18Sold Out!
ODAWG Executive Meeting
An ODAWG Executive Meeting is being held on January 24, 2012, at 7:00 pm. If you are intersted in attending, please contact membership@harmonydogpark.ca for all the details
Latest Updates:
October 13th, 2011
ODAWG Days Calenders are now on sale for $10.00 each at the following locations.
- Oshawa Vacuum Centre Inc. - 30 Taunton Rd E, Unit 2
- Global Pet Foods - 789 Taunton Rd E, Unit 5
- PetValu - 1414 King St E, Unit 18
ODAWG would also like to present this article, A Beginner's Guide to Dog Park Etiquette, for all our new and old park users.
September 23th, 2011
The ODAWG Fall Membership and Clean-up at the Park is Saturday, October 1st, and the ODAWG Days 2012 Calendar will also be on sale for $10. Get yours and support the park, as all procides go towards more dog poop bags and other park projects. And now, as our summer draws to a close, the folks at ODAWG hope that you enjoyed your summer as much as the dogs in the video.
August 19th, 2011
The ODAWG Executive would like to remind everyone that this is the last weekend to get your photos in for the ODAWG Calendar Contest, as the contest will close at Midnight, Sunday August the 21st. There will be photographers out at the park on Saturday from 9am to 11am and Sunday from 11am to 2 pm and 4 pm to 6pm. Please get your photos in now!
August 15th, 2011
ODAWG would like to extend a HUGE thank you to the King Street Church Youth Group and City of Oshawa Parks Department for building materials and construction of 3 boardwalks and a small bridge on the trails at Harmony Valley Park. It was amazing to see what can be accomplished in 4 short hours. The group of 60+ youth and leaders worked along side ODAWG members under the direction of Bernie from the City of Oshawa to complete the projects. What an AMAZING JOB! Just look at a few of the photos below, as well as another comic from Rhymes With Orange.
Thank you all so very, very much!
ODAWG Executive
August 2nd, 2011
Calendar Crisis!!!
We need your photos now!
The deadline for photo submissions has been extended to Saturday, August 20, 2011! There will be photographers in the park on Friday, August 5th from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm and Sunday, August 7th from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. If there are not enough photos, the calendar will be cancelled. :( Everything for online entries can be found above. Please send us your photos now, and remember that every entry will get into the calendar, and we are still looking for front cover finalists.
July 20th, 2011
Why Your Support of the ODAWG Days Calendar is Important
ODAWG is the volunteer group that works with the City of Oshawa to ensure that the Harmony Valley Off Leash Park is a fun, safe place for people and their dogs to walk. The Funds generated by ODAWG through membership drives and the calendar goes towards park improvements and the dog poop bags provided in the three dispensers at the park. As of mid-July, we have supplied 45,000 (yes, that's right, 45,000!) poop bags. So please, submit your photos for the calendar and support ODAWG. Due to popular demand from people asking for a bit more time, we've extended the deadline to August 1st, as we don't want anybody left out of the calendar, and all the instructions are above. Thank you to everyone who has already submitted their photos.
And now for your enjoyment, two comics, the first from Sherman's Lagoon and the second from Rhymes With Orange.
July 18th, 2011
Due to demand, ODAWG is extending the deadline for the Calender Photo Contest. Details are above, so please try to get your photos in as soon as possible. Remember, we accept pictures of any pets taken anywhere! And for your enjoyment, here are some funny animal videos!
June 8nd, 2011
ODAWG is happy to announce that we can now accept online payments for ODAWG membership fees, donations, Calender Photo Entries, and Calender Ad Entries through PayPal, which can all be found on our About ODAWG page.
CKC Canine Good Neighbour Certification
If you are interested in having your dog evaluated for Canadian Kennel Club Canine Good Neighbour Certification please provide us with your Name and Contact information. Please register by July 29, 2011. A minimum of 10 dogs is needed to run the evaluation session. The evaluation would take place on October 1 at the Harmony Valley Off Leash Park. Details about the CKC Canine Good Neighbour Program are included below. If you have any questions, please contact Debi Foster (905-720-2642) or membership@harmonydogpark.ca.
Canine Good Neighbour Program
The purpose of the CGN Program test is to insure that one of our most favoured companions, the dog, is accepted as a value member of our community.
Objectives of the Canine Good Neighbour Program:
- To increase awareness and appreciation of dogs as valued, contributing members of society.
- To assist in teaching and promoting responsible dog ownership.
- To certify that dogs conduct themselves in a manner which is reliable and trustworthy in situation encountered in everyday living, be it around people, at home, in public or in the presence of other dogs.
Canine Good Neighbour Test
- Accepting a friendly stranger. Your dog must wait quietly while you chat with the friendly stranger. You may talk gently to your pet during the test.
- Politely accepts petting. You may ask your dog to sit but the dog may stand if it wants to but it must stay in place. You may talk gently to your dog during this test.
- Appearance and Grooming. Your dog must be clean, no mats, and allow the evaluator to brush it (with a brush you supply). Again you may talk quietly to your dog to reassure it.
- Out for a walk. You and your dog must walk in a straight line, do a left and right turn and a 180 degree turn. The leash must be loose and the dog must be under control.
- Walking through a crowd. The dog must remain on one side of the handler and walk politely on a loose leash. Again, you may talk gently to your dog to reassure it.
- Sit / Down on Command and Stay at a 20 foot distance. You must walk back to your dog while it stays in place.
- Come when called from a 20 foot distance. You may use a 20 foot lead (supplied by the evaluator) if you wish. The dog must start walking towards you as soon as you give the “Come” command and must come close enough for you to touch his collar without having to reach for it.
- Praise/Interaction. You are required to engage your dog in play and then on command you must be able to calm the dog down quickly without force.
- Reaction to passing dog. Walk with your dog on a loose leash as you approach another handler and dog. The dog must sit and wait quietly while you greet the other handler. The dog must stay in place without force. You may talk gently to your dog to reassure it.
- Reaction to distractions. You must walk your dog on a loose leash and your dog must remain calm while other people walk by with distractions such as shopping carts, bicycles, wagons, strollers, etc. You may quietly reassure your dog.
- Supervised Isolation. You will hand your dog over to the evaluator and go out of the dog’s sight and return in 3 minutes. Your dog must remain calm.
- Walking through a door/gate. You must walk through a doorway with your dog either sitting and staying or walking beside you while under control on a loose leash. The dog must not walk ahead of you.
And finally, a video reminding us that Man's Best Friend enjoys sleeping as much as Man. If you have any videos you'd like to share with the ODAWG community, please send them to our webmaster.
June 2nd, 2011
CALENDAR ADS WANTED!
Are you or your business interested in advertising to hundreds of pet owners? Then place an ad in the ODAWG DAYS 2012 Calendar! The rate is $50.00 for each buiness card sized ad. Please fill out this form, keep one half for your records and send the other half with your business card to the ODAWG Treasurer at the address detailed in the form. Last year we sold over 400 calendars, and are looking to reach even more pet owners this year.
And now, for your enjoyment, some relaxing footage of a cute puppy.
May 26th, 2011
CALENDAR PHOTOS WANTED!
We are looking for your photo entries for the 2012 ODAWG DAYS Calendar. They can be submitted on line using the Entry Form. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your dog a calendar cutie!
There is a new alliance of rescue groups that have come together to reduce animal overpopulation in Durham Region. “Spay Neuter Durham” is working towards establishing a high volume spay/neuter clinic in Durham (similar to the clinic presently operating in Newmarket). If you would like more information about their organization or would like to make a donation you can reach them at:
Spay Neuter Durham
1832071 Ontario Incorporated
905-263-8247
spayneuterdurham@yahoo.ca
www.spayneuterdurham.org
facebook: spay-neuter-durham
And finally, for your enjoyment, here's a video of a cat trying to catch some snowflakes.
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