Speaking of dog parks....

[milos_mommy]

not reading the whole thread...

No. It's the kid's parents fault. I don't have a problem with kids in dog parks, but if the kid is running, it should expect to be knocked over. That's why we have dog parks, so that dogs can run and jump on other running, jumping dogs. A jumping running child sounds like tons of fun...maybe all dog parks should have a few

[Linds]

Originally Posted by smkie

I wouldn't set foot in one the size of the 2 acres they have in the city. Too small too much of a chance for cramped play = fights. No room to run away from a bully either.

I know, those make me cringe honestly. That's why when people talk about the how terrible dog parks are I always think they must be picturing one of those itty bitty ones with a few trees and picnic benches and not some of the nice huge ones like I go to.

I also think that when you are in those little dog parks people aren't moving around. They're staying in one place and things tend to escalate. At mine everyone is moving around, hiking and going forward which helps a lot I think

That being said I did bring Kaylee to this tiny little fenced in area during a Dog Day at a park. It was smaller than my back yard with a ton of dogs and little kiddy pools. But Kaylee is my stone cold bomb proof will not fight dog. The worst she did that day was pee in the kiddy pool, then slip on it's floor, hit her head on the side of it then fall out and run right through the fence

[smkie]

Poor baby!!! THat sounds like no fun at all. DOne a few of those slip on concrete crack body part moves too.

SIze is everything. IF i want my dogs to play in an acre or so I will set up a play date and meet at someone's house. THere just hast to be a body of water. Mine love to run as hard as they can and when they hit the water you almost see steam rise. I have been on the dog beach (which is also the most concentrated space and the only area where i have seen a few arguements) when as many as 30 dogs are present. THis is the space too where dogs will gaurd a favorite toy. Much better to use community balls or sticks. That is when newbies tend to make more problems because they don't know things like that. I know who has treats and who doesn't because one of Mary's more favorite pass times is pocket surfing. I don't bring any food to the park at all. Seen children every weekend, strollers and pack carried babies. Never saw a child act inappropriately around the dogs. Number one problem is usually a owner that is talking to someone else or reading a book. Doing anything but monitoring their dog. Zoom will remember Silver's mom..good grief was SIlver ever trying and the woman oblivious.

[Romy]

Originally Posted by ihartgonzo

I don't mind people who bring in kids... as long as the parent is holding their hand for the ENTIRE stay, the kid isn't running around, and the kid isn't petting dogs without asking. But that kind of parent is 1 in 100.

Once, a lady came in with her daughter, who had to be 4 years old at the most, and an obnoxious adolescent GSD. The little girl is running around with the dog. It was almost dark out, the big dog side with a large group of dogs still out there, and I was doing the laser for Fozzie and a few other dogs. This lady encourages her daughter to CHASE IT WITH THE DOGS!???! I tell her to stop. She doesn't even pay attention, and continues to encourage her daughter to chase it with a pack of dogs. Fozzie gives me an uncomfortable look and stops chasing his laser, as the little girl is stepping on it. The lady's dog poops on the other side of the dog park and she gets out a flashlight to find it for 10 minutes... and... tells her TODDLER to "stay with them until she comes back". Me and my friend just stood there while she scoured the hillsides for her dog's poop, dumbfounded, and her bitchy dog attacks Fozzie for being near the child all the while. We told her she needs to watch her own kid and her own dog (when she finally got back) or don't come to the dog park. We didn't cuss her out only for the sake of that poor little girl.

holy crap! If that had been me, I would have called 911 and let them know some lady just abandoned her toddler at the dog park with total strangers. We had to start doing that when people dropped off their kids at the community art studio I worked at to let them run amok, despite giant signs on the door that said "No children under 15 without parental supervision!"

After getting reamed by some pissed off cops, those people learned very quickly you don't EVER leave your kids in someone elses care without their consent. What are people thinking?!?

[ihartgonzo]

Originally Posted by Romy

holy crap! If that had been me, I would have called 911 and let them know some lady just abandoned her toddler at the dog park with total strangers.

I know... seriously! She went down a hill out of sight, too. I was shocked. I wanted to be like, "you're lucky we aren't child molestors/abducters, lady!" D:

Originally Posted by Tankstar

What happens if you are walking your dog on leash and a child runs by? same thing your dog jumps/ same situation, except dog is on leash, and child is running down a steet.

Well. The dog is on-leash. The dog isn't playing with another dog, doing zoomies at full speed. It's fairly easy to stop a dog from jumping on a child when you're walking with them on-leash. Not so easy to stop a dog from having fun with other dogs to avoid an out of control child.

At Agility class with Fozzie, some one brought their kid in and she was running around being annoying. Fozzie was simply running to me (I had him in a wait for the start), the child ran across his path, he ran AROUND her and to me and in the process tripped her only because she was running straight in front of him. She was crying profusely and acting like she was dying. The Mom acted all huffy, and I actually complained to the trainer about it, because I would have been PEEVED if that kid had fallen on my short little dog! D; Even dogs who are otherwise well-mannered and gentle (which he definitely is) can accidentally trip/run into a child that's racing around.

[JoeLacy]

The dog park is not a place for children to be off leash.

[StillandSilent]

Small kids do not belong in dog parks. I live in the city. I do not have a fenced in yard, nor do my dog owning friends. Other fenced in places (tennis courts etc) are not accessable to my dogs, but they both need a chance to run off leash. Where else am I supposed to take them? The dog park is designed for them to run and play, and I plan to use it.
They both have a good, but not 100% recall. I watch them constantly, and as soon as we see a child, we leave. Argon doesn't really care for kids, especially when they are running and screaming, and I don't know about Neon. It bothers me that my dogs have to leave their park because of a child who does not belong there in the first place. There is a childrens park less than a quarter mile up the road that allows leashed dogs. Families either need to take thier dogs there, or take the kids and dogs at seperate times.
I also had an adult friend who ended up with a broken wrist after being hit by a running dane at the park. It was an accident, and the owner was mortified, but a small child could have been much more seriously injured. That alone would be enough to convince me that dog parks are for dogs, not littke kids.

[Doberluv]

It must be hard for mothers with small kids and their dog to be able to go to the dog park without their kids. I mean, their dog needs to get out too and they can't have a baby sitter every day. So, I can see the dilema. However, they NEED to train their kids or keep them physically restrained so they don't entice prey drive in dogs or get hurt by being run into. They also need to have their dogs relatively well trained and behaved because dividing your attention between the two is difficult. If they can wait until their husband comes home or some other person to help them out, then they could go to the park without their kids. But if they can not control their kids and their dogs, they should not go to the dog park. In cities, there are usually playgrounds and parks for kids and if dogs are allowed on leashes, the mother could take the kid to the kid park first, get the kid fairly exhausted, then go to the dog park. LOL.

[sillysally]

Originally Posted by Doberluv

It must be hard for mothers with small kids and their dog to be able to go to the dog park without their kids. I mean, their dog needs to get out too and they can't have a baby sitter every day. So, I can see the dilema. However, they NEED to train their kids or keep them physically restrained so they don't entice prey drive in dogs or get hurt by being run into. They also need to have their dogs relatively well trained and behaved because dividing your attention between the two is difficult.

But see, not to sound insensitive, but as a dog park user it really isn't my problem that they couldn't find a babysitter. However, bringing their kid into the park MAKES it my problem, and that's what I find irritating. The dog isn't going to die if it can't go to the dog park every day--many can't go at all. Dogs can be very rough, fast, etc when they play and I find it unnerving when small children are present under those circumstances.

[Doberluv]

Well, I agree with you 100%. (as you could probably tell from my previous posts) I'm just saying.....For a mom whose dog needs to be able to run and can't run anywhere else, who feels compelled to take it to the dog park...is trying to be a good dog Mom, but has a kid....she has a dilema. I don't condone misbehavior or preventing other dogs and their owners from enjoying the park due to rotten kids spoiling it....not at all. Those kids that run around, screaming and bothering all the dogs should instead be leashed to a fixture at the park...the drinking fountain, the park bench, the chain link fence, the car bumper or trailer hitch....I don't care. Rfffff. I'm just saying I understand that there must be a dilema in some peoples' minds. See what I'm sayin'? LOL.