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This is Prospect Park, and as an urban dog owner you're always looking for a safe, healthy place to have your dog exercise
and thanks to the Prospect Park Alliance and the dog owners' group, which is called FIDO, in Prospect Park
we have this wonderful dog beach, which you see behind me.
I adopted my dog from a shelter in New Hampshire, and they were shocked to hear "Brooklyn."
And then I sent them photos of what it actually looks like in Brooklyn,
and they said, "Oh, your dog has a better life in Brooklyn than our dogs have in New Hampshire."
She's not fenced in and she has so many dogs to play with.
The dog beach is located in what is known as "the pools."
It's a very ancient body of water that was originally a part of Prospect Park.
I think at one time it actually had swan boats or paddle boats in it.
And then it kind of filled in, and the park, about ten years ago, decided they were going to dig it out and restore it to its original configuration.
We were trying to teach him to swim. We were looking for places where you could take a dog to a beach or a to lake
and they usually said, "Oh, you know, dogs are allowed in the park, but not on the beach, or not in the lake."
So actually, if you follow the rules, it's really hard to find a place where you can take your dog to swim.
From what I gather, this really was an experiment. No one's ever done a dog's beach before.
Prospect Park has given us dog fountains, and all of a sudden they're saying, "Hey, we're going to give you a dog beach."
And everyone said, "Well, what's it going to be?"
And it turns out it's a fenced-in area, it gives the dogs enough space to exercise, swim,
but it also protects the ducks, so your dog doesn't go swim off into infinity after a flock of ducks.
I guess it's sort of like a cocktail hour but more like for dogs and people to hang out.
I love the dog beach because it gives my dog a chance to play with other dogs.
She's not comfortable swimming, but she loves to wade and she loves to hang with the other dogs.
He's supposed to like to swim--he's got the webs between his feet--
and his friend Denali, I think it's the brown dog that looks like him, is a great swimmer.
But he didn't read the manual, I guess. He didn't know he was supposed to be really good at it.
Not all breeds like the water, but many Brooklyn pups begin their days by doing the dog paddle.
In Prospect Park, dogs must be leashed between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. so dawn is the best time for a refreshing doggie dip.
Bring it back! Get back in.
We call him The Canine Cannonball. He just takes big leaps and just goes.
He just loves the feeling of swimming and pursuing things. He's a hunting dog.
Just exercising, running around, jumping in this water, you know? It's very good for the dogs.
Every day is an adventure for dogs and their owners when you come to Prospect Park, and that's the most wonderful thing about it.
You never know what's going to happen. There are wonderful people out here,
and I would say the dogs get more socialization here in the city, in this particular park, than any dog that lives in the suburbs.
Thank Fredrick Law Olmstead for creating this gorgeous park, and Tupper Thomas for really maintaining this park,
and all the people who contribute to making this park a true community.
It's a great thing that happens here.
I'm really glad to have it right here in Brooklyn.
There's only one dog beach, but there are many other great spots for dogs all over the city.