01/25/2026
I’m asking the Key West community for respectful opinions only — no trolling or personal attacks.
I will be sharing a short video of a young standard poodle (about one year old) who has been playing in the Higgs Beach small dog park since he was a puppy. His closest dog friends are there. He is gentle, social, and well-behaved. He does not play much in the large dog park next door and is visibly intimidated by bigger, rougher dogs.
The question is this: Should this dog be banned from the small dog park where his friends are, simply because of his size, even though he has no history of aggression or injury?
Here is what is actually happening at the park:
• A trio of very regular users constantly complain and confront others.
• One person brings a personal ball every day and yells at dogs when they naturally grab it, even pushing dogs away. He tells newcomers he “doesn’t tolerate” other dogs touching his dog’s ball and claims he helped create the park.
• Another person’s small dog repeatedly tries to fight other dogs, yet that dog is never removed.
• A third person says she is 80 and fears being knocked down. Ironically, my husband (74) was actually tripped by a small dog and fell flat on the ground.
• Now the claim has shifted to saying a small dog could have its bones broken by a bigger dog — with no evidence of this ever happening at Higgs.
Public dog park etiquette is clear:
• No personal toys
• No treats
• Remove aggressive dogs immediately
• Do not police or harass other park users — it creates confrontation
Despite this, these same people are pushing for a rule change:
➡️ Dogs over 25 lbs would receive a warning, then a $25 fine if they enter the small dog park.
I have visited many dog parks across Florida, including Coconut Grove in Miami, where 40+ dogs of all sizes play together calmly and respectfully. Size alone is not the issue — behavior is.
I feel strongly that if such a rule is passed, it should either:
1. Be applied consistently to all dog parks, or
2. Be reconsidered entirely, focusing on behavior and etiquette instead of size
This Monday I plan to go in person to the government office to respectfully ask that this rule be reconsidered before it is enforced.
If you have thoughtful opinions, similar experiences, or believe rules should be based on behavior rather than fear-based assumptions, I would truly appreciate hearing from you.
If anyone would like to come with me or speak privately, please message me directly.
