A local dog owner is pushing for changes at dog parks in Regina, after she says her dog was recently attacked by a bigger breed of dog at the Cathy Lauritsen Memorial Off-Leash Dog Park.

Tuharsky's 12-year-old Maltese Poodle, Zoe, suffered a broken rib and has to wait about a month before going for walks again. Now, Tuharsky wants to see small dogs have their own sections of the park.

"I would like to see either a separate park for small dogs. Or perhaps they could partition the one that they currently have,” Zoe’s owner Cheryl Tuharsky said.

Opinions on the matter vary.

"We’re not worried about the big, little dog things. Our dogs are socialized, so we don't worry about that. And we stay with our dogs too,” said dog owner Teresa Bell.

"Walk them to another part of the park. And go that way,” dog owner Bill Warren said.

"I think that would be a good idea. We have never had too many complications here,” dog owner Sheldon Eipert said.

At off leash dog parks, owners are free to let their pets run within the boundaries and meet other dogs. But the city says dog owners are responsible for their dog’s actions and must supervise and have voice control of their dog at all times.

The sentiment is similar at places like just us dogs daycare, where people leave their pooches of all sizes and types. But there too, it comes back to the owner.

"You can't mix big and little dogs, if your dogs aren't properly socialized, and not properly trained,” just dogs pet care owner Daryl Fraess said.

Just us dogs daycare sees an average of 14 dogs per day. With all sizes being mixed for a reason

"We do that on purpose. So that, if you as a dog owner have a small dog, you're not freaking out because you're coming up with a big dog,” Fraess said.

Fraess says socializing your dog first, is crucial for proper behaviour at the park.

"If you go to the dog park, you need to have your dog trained, socialized, and has 100%, as close as possible to that, recall,” Fraess said.

Regina currently operates two year-round dog parks and five seasonal off leash areas. The City of Regina says there are no plans to create a small-dog only area.