What is the right thing to do?

We were at the dog park yesterday and they have water bowls out that dogs share. I was walking with a lady with 2 dogs and we came upon a water bowl. Jake has never drank from these, he goes to the little creek.

Anyway he was at the bowl looking in and the other dog came over, he would not let him drink, he left and the second dog approached, again he growled and protected the bowl.

I walked away and called him away, he came with me and the others had the bowl. Is that the right thing to do? Any suggestions.

Sounds reasonable to me. You let him have a chance at the bowl. He got to act like a dog a protect "his" bowl for a minute. Then it was time to go and let the other dogs have at it. And he came along with you. I guess maybe I'm not sure what you mean about what was the right thing to do.

I guess I am not either doberlover. He is pretty good about giving stuff up and the growling is new. He is 11 months almost a year.

I wouldn't worry about it. It's a dog thing to protect important stuff like water....to make sure no other dog gets it. LOL. If it had been me, I would have done just what you did. No fuss, no muss, just change the subject and interrupt him and a potential behavior chain....just in case he might escalate to getting more riled up and leave the area. A lot of people would have yanked or tightened up on the leash and/or scolded their dog for growling, lectured their dog on the art of sharing (lol) and made a big issue out of it. Next time the dog would see another dog, he'd really growl, maybe lunge, snarl and gnash his teeth because now he has learned that bad things happen near other dogs...other dogs really ruined his life and he's going to get every single one of them. Nah...I think you did perfectly.

Off topic, but I never let my dogs drink out of community water bowls. One of the best ways to contact a disease.

This.

I take my own water and water bottle with us.

Sorry to continue the hijacking.

I was about to add that. Never let your dogs near communual water bowls!

Thanks yes I actually bring my own water, or he drinks out of the stream. He was just checking out what was in their. Mr Fussy wouldn't drink out of another bowl.