TheWongDogs

New Open Space – Dog Run At Sembawang Park

The weekend is finally here. So, the question today is… Have you visited the Dog Run at Sembawang Park? If you haven’t, here are what The Wong Dogs thought about our first visit.

Officially opened in mid-September this year, there was much fanfare (the opening coincided with a pet carnival )when quiet Sembawang Park was set to be the location of Singapore’s sixth dog park (there are so many?!).

However, the Dog Run at Sembawang Park did not come easy. When The Wong Dogs visited, I was told that nearby residents have been appealing for a dedicated space for quite a while now. “We kept pestering our Member of Parliament (MP) since there was so much open space at Sembawang Park. After so many years, this dream has finally become reality,” said a regular park visitor.

Unlike most dog runs, Sembawang Park’s is interestingly different. Instead of facing a flat piece of land, dog owners will quickly realise that the fenced-up area is located along a slope – making for quite the workout for our pets.

Did you know that Singapore currently has five other dog parks located at Bishan-AMK Park, Clementi Woods Park, Jalan Pari Burong Playground, Katong Park and West Coast Park. I certainly did not know that there were any at Clementi Woods Park and Jalan Pari Burong Playground!

While we start planning our visits to some of these rarely mentioned Dog Runs, here is what The Wong Dogs thought about the dog run at Sembawang Park.

THE WONG DOGS REVIEW

My first thought was, "Like that only?". But hey, let's give Cory and Cole a chance first.

As mentioned, the slope allows for our furkids to expand more energy as compared to other places. Cory and Cole would accompany me to the bottom of the hill before we made a dash to the top. Hey, a dog run does not mean pet owners should just be standing around, right? Though unique, furkids with limb disorders would be advised against too much physical activity here. Dogs with hip dysplasia and luxating patella are advised not to do too much leg work on such a gradient.

Drivers will definitely love that there is ample parking. With two huge car parks (Car Park 1 and Car Park 2) on either entrances, I would recommend you park at the entrance further up as it is closer to the Dog Run.

However, there are some major flaws that we noticed on our first visit to the Dog Run at Sembawang Park. Hopefully these will be rectified soon.

- The lack of a water point. Unlike the dog run at Bishan-AMK Park and West Coast Park, there was no water supply! The nearest is outside the fenced-up area 200 metres away at the park’s toilet.

- A gaping hole at the side of the fence which leads to a construction site. An extremely dangerous flaw, especially for canines with poor recall. I personally saw a dog disappear underneath to retrieve his catch toy and even though he returned in five seconds, not every furkid is so fortunate.

- No lighting. By 7pm, the Dog Run was pitch dark. Other dog parks are well-lit with Bishan-AMK Park conducting Agility classes in the evenings.

In a nutshell, it is commendable that more open spaces are being converted into dog runs for our furkids to play their hearts out. However, as I do not live in the vicinity, (25 minutes by car), visits here will be rare. But The Wongs Dogs are more than willing to meet friends if they ask! :)

The Dog Run aside, this is my first visit and it made me realise what a serene and huge place Sembawang Park is. With plans to do a mini hike along its coastal Park Connector. Now, I am really excited!

For more information on the Dog Run at Sembawang Park, you can visit the website here.

Labels: dog park, dog run, dogs, dogsofinstasg, miniature schnauzer, mixed breed, north, pets, sembawang park, singapore special

❤ "New Open Space – Dog Run At Sembawang Park" was Posted On: Thursday, 13 November 2014 @21:40 | 0 Wong comments ✿

Knight - An American Making Singapore Home

Nine years. Almost a decade since I first met Simo Kuar at the then Singapore Fashion Festival 2005. It is surreal how we still keep in contact through the years, even when she went along with her husband, Karam Singh to the United States.

Then came about Knight and Simo says it was love at first sight back in August 2012.

“I was at PetSmart (a huge warehouse for pet products) when I saw an attached animal shelter which had a couple of puppies for adoption. That was when I saw Knight at eight weeks old who was abandoned with his mother and sister at the state capital. We are not sure what his bloodline was though he seems to have German Shephard, Bernese Mountain Dog and probably a little Australia Shepherd. All this doesn’t matter as we love him all the same,” she says.

When it was finally time for Simo to return to Singapore, it was never a question whether Knight was to come back to the little red dot with her. But transporting a pet via plane is no easy task.

“There were tons of paper work regarding his health and there those from EVA Air, which were all in Mandarin! It was less of a headache when Karam’s colleagues rendered their help,” says Simo.

But it was not paper work that was their biggest problem but the flight home. “Knight was in a crate for 30-plus hours from Seattle, transiting in Taipei before reaching Singapore. We even lined his crate as we didn’t think he could hold his bladder. But he actually didn’t poop or pee till reaching Singapore’s quarantine centre where he relived himself for a good 10 minutes,” says Simo.

It has been six months since Knight has been in Singapore and he is slowly adjusting to life here. “He obviously has issues with the heat! Also, he misses his friends back in the States as he saw them almost every day. But he gets quite a bit of attention, especially when he plays ‘fetch!’ at the field. People just stop and watch!”