I was recently at the Dr. Paul's Memorial Dog Park in Coral Springs and came back impressed. Mightily impressed.

It is not just the facilities, the ambiance or the manner in which most of the dogs were on their best behavior; there is more to the place. There is plenty of quality in the humans out there too. People smile at each other quite a lot and seem to take genuine interest in others' pets.

Bill Garrett, a retired pilot who comes to the park almost every day with Pilot, a Doberman Pinscher, and two Standard Poodles - Pika and Shadow, likes the time he spends at the park. "This is perhaps the only place in Coral Springs where people smile and say 'hi' as they walk past. The dogs love being here too; there is plenty of place for them to run about."

Rob Lacey, another man I met at the park, knows more about dogs than many. His dog, Alex, is a rat terrier. Smaller than most of the dogs at the park, he moves around like a king. The other dogs seem to treat him that way too. He throws his weight around sometimes, but his companions don't seem to complain too much.

Rottweilers, said Lacey, were used by the Roman army. "They accompanied the troops to battle. They are really good at guarding things. I once had one, and if I had him in my car, I was never worried if I left stuff behind. He wouldn't let anyone else even come near."

Lacey also corrected a misconception I had. "The Great Dane is not the biggest dog; Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest dog breed. Some of them are as big as a pony. They are nice; sweet-tempered, and patient."

I also bumped into Mark Schult, who was at the park with Baby, his 18-month-old Pitbull. "They say Pitbulls are nasty, but Baby plays with the two kittens that I have. She treats them like they are her children."

I don't have a dog, but I've a feeling I will go back.

PHOTO: Pilot, a Doberman Pinscher, spends a quiet moment at Dr. Paul's Memorial Dog Park in Coral Springs.
Photo/Arun Sivasankaran
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