The new cross-country skiing center at the Capital Hills golf course is off to a ruff start. Scarce snow is one problem. Dogs are another.

Wait. Forgive me. Not for that awful ruff pun --— there's no forgiving that — but for saying dogs are a problem.

It's dog owners who are causing problems at Capital Hills. The animals, as always, are blameless.

Skiers have long taken advantage of Capital Hills and its 300 acres of city-owned fields and hills. The new effort involves grooming a more extensive network of trails and encouraging veterans, the disabled and schoolchildren to use them. Skis are available for rent to the general public.

But in the winter, Capital Hills is also Albany's best, if unofficial, dog park — the rare place where they can run unleashed and unfenced.

Before we go any further, I'll reveal a bias.

I am crazy, nearly fanatical, about dogs.

One of my life disappointments is that I don't, on most days, work with a dog sleeping at my feet. I distrust Donald Trump because he doesn't have a dog and apparently doesn't like them. I spend more time than I care to admit perusing animal shelter websites, just to see which dogs are available.

I've had a dog for nearly every moment of adulthood, and I divide my life into dog eras. The Riley Era ended in 2015, God rest his soul. My family is now in the Olive Era.

Dogs remind us to live in the moment. They keep us connected to the wild and unknowable. I believe they are good for our hearts and souls.

Meanwhile, I have never so much as touched cross-country skis, much less strapped them to my feet. If I have ever been tempted, it was probably because it seemed like a good way to get a dog some exercise.

So if there were ever a war between skiers and dog owners, you know which side I'm on. But I also believe there's a special place in hell for irresponsible dog owners — especially the ones who don't, you know, pick up.

"This is what you're going to see a lot of," said Russ Myer, pointing to a brown pile on the snow.

Myer is the founder of the Capital Region Nordic Alliance and the brainchild behind what he calls the Nordic/ParaNordic Center at Capital Hills. The effort is a public-private partnership: Myer runs the program, while the city and its employees groom the trails.

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Myer exhibits the boundless energy and optimism typical of winter-sport enthusiasts. He seems like a person who is never in a bad mood. All that cold air does him good, apparently.

To my disappointment, he is not the Russ Meyer who directed "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" and similar films. But you probably figured that.

Myer believes cross-country skiing at Capital Hills could be Olympic class. Its trails could be a tourist attraction and an economic asset. Where else, he asks, is there so much great skiing territory so close to a city's heart?

And it's going to the dogs.

On a recent afternoon, Myer and I strapped on snowshoes so he could show me the problems he's experiencing, including the aforementioned piles of poop. We looked at groomed trails ruined by foot and paw prints. He told me about skiers chased by dogs. Some employees, he said, even carry pepper spray.

Myer, stressing that he doesn't want to be confrontational, says the vast majority of dog owners are respectful. As usual, a small number cause most of the problems.

"There have been a few people who are outspoken about not cleaning up," Myer said. "One woman told me that's what her taxes are for."

Myer would prefer that dog walkers stick to the park's golf-cart trails and stay off ski trails. But City Hall, he said, has said it will not restrict the range of dogs. It has even discouraged signs designed to make people aware of ski trails, Myer said.

I asked a City Hall spokesman about that.

"The park, and all of its trails, are open to the public," Brian Shea said in a written response. "No private group has exclusive rights to any of the trails."

It may prove that free-ranging dogs and high-quality skiing are incompatible. Myer conceded that he may be forced to take his program elsewhere next winter, which would certainly be a loss for the city.

But perhaps with a little more consideration and cooperation, skiers and dog walkers can find a way to get along. Isn't Capital Hills big enough for everybody?

After all, most dog owners and skiers share a goal. They want to get outside and enjoy the staggering beauty of winter — without dodging poop.

C'mon, people. Pick up after those wonderful dogs.