1.) THE DOG PARK IS NOT A PETTING ZOO.
If you must bring your children (or any children under your supervision, regardless of whether or not you gave birth to them) to the dog park, please make it clear to them that they are to ASK before touching a dog that is not theirs. Make it abundantly clear that they are not to reach in between dogs that are playing, grab at dogs, or try to take toys from strange dogs.
Your children do not have the right to molest or attempt to play with every dog in the park. If a dog is uninterested in playing with them, do not allow them to continue to pester the dog until it shows interest. This will usually be the kind of interest that will get your precious offspring bitten.
Do not bring kids to the dog park just because they like doggies and want to play with them. Frankly, if you don't have a dog, go to one of the many other parks in this town. The dog park is the one place where we can legally turn our dogs loose and let them be dogs, and with your children running amok, we have to exercise a much stricter level of control over our dogs.
Seriously. If you want a petting zoo, go to a petting zoo. My dogs and I are not at the park for your child's entertainment.
2.) THE DOG PARK IS NOT A PLACE TO TURN YOUR CHILDREN LOOSE.
Please, please supervise kids. Do not allow them to harrass other park patrons or their dogs. No, your child may NOT throw the tennis ball into the mud for my dog. If I am playing fetch with my dog, chances are I am not going to let them take over. I don't want to repeat this 100 times for the point to sink in. I would greatly appreciate it if your child would leave me and my dogs alone when I ask politely. Frankly, I don't bring my dogs to the dog park so they can play with children, and you should not bring your children to the dog park so they can play with dogs. I would also appreciate it if you didn't allow your child to run next to my dogs yelling "sit, Sit, SIT!". Just as you expect me to keep an eye on my dogs and not allow them to harrass people, I expect you to keep an eye on your offspring.
3.) THERE IS A FREAKING PLAYGROUND RIGHT NEXT TO THE DOG PARK. USE IT!!!
Dog parks are not the place to bring your whole family. If you don't own a dog and your kids are not dog-savvy, why not go to the playground and let them watch the dogs from outside the fence?
I have to wonder WHY people bother bringing kids to dog parks to begin with? Of all places to let your children play, why pick a park full of large, muddy, slobbery, potentially dangerous animals?
The obnoxious little girl I regrettably encountered today at the dog park ("supervised" only by her older sister, who was too busy flirting with a guy to even spare a glance for her little sis or her Chihuahua - who was frankly *terrified* of the larger dogs in the park and should've been in the "small dog" area) was very, very lucky not to be bitten. Aside from her obsession with my dogs, she was walking around taunting dogs with tennis balls and calling them away from their owners, giving them commands, and generally just running amok and being *obnoxious*. To prevent myself from strangling her, I left. I realize it probably wasn't her fault, but she was old enough to understand people and listen to them. She just chose not to.
I am steaming mad. How her floozy sister or any of the fools with her could sit back and allow that kid to ruin everyone's time at the park is beyond me. To and from the park, it's a 40 mile drive, and usually it's worthwhile... this time was a total waste, all I did was tell my dogs to "leave it" and prevent them from interacting with this little brat.
*sigh* Rant over. Sorry. Had to vent somewhere.
If you must bring your children (or any children under your supervision, regardless of whether or not you gave birth to them) to the dog park, please make it clear to them that they are to ASK before touching a dog that is not theirs. Make it abundantly clear that they are not to reach in between dogs that are playing, grab at dogs, or try to take toys from strange dogs.
Your children do not have the right to molest or attempt to play with every dog in the park. If a dog is uninterested in playing with them, do not allow them to continue to pester the dog until it shows interest. This will usually be the kind of interest that will get your precious offspring bitten.
Do not bring kids to the dog park just because they like doggies and want to play with them. Frankly, if you don't have a dog, go to one of the many other parks in this town. The dog park is the one place where we can legally turn our dogs loose and let them be dogs, and with your children running amok, we have to exercise a much stricter level of control over our dogs.
Seriously. If you want a petting zoo, go to a petting zoo. My dogs and I are not at the park for your child's entertainment.
2.) THE DOG PARK IS NOT A PLACE TO TURN YOUR CHILDREN LOOSE.
Please, please supervise kids. Do not allow them to harrass other park patrons or their dogs. No, your child may NOT throw the tennis ball into the mud for my dog. If I am playing fetch with my dog, chances are I am not going to let them take over. I don't want to repeat this 100 times for the point to sink in. I would greatly appreciate it if your child would leave me and my dogs alone when I ask politely. Frankly, I don't bring my dogs to the dog park so they can play with children, and you should not bring your children to the dog park so they can play with dogs. I would also appreciate it if you didn't allow your child to run next to my dogs yelling "sit, Sit, SIT!". Just as you expect me to keep an eye on my dogs and not allow them to harrass people, I expect you to keep an eye on your offspring.
3.) THERE IS A FREAKING PLAYGROUND RIGHT NEXT TO THE DOG PARK. USE IT!!!
Dog parks are not the place to bring your whole family. If you don't own a dog and your kids are not dog-savvy, why not go to the playground and let them watch the dogs from outside the fence?
I have to wonder WHY people bother bringing kids to dog parks to begin with? Of all places to let your children play, why pick a park full of large, muddy, slobbery, potentially dangerous animals?
The obnoxious little girl I regrettably encountered today at the dog park ("supervised" only by her older sister, who was too busy flirting with a guy to even spare a glance for her little sis or her Chihuahua - who was frankly *terrified* of the larger dogs in the park and should've been in the "small dog" area) was very, very lucky not to be bitten. Aside from her obsession with my dogs, she was walking around taunting dogs with tennis balls and calling them away from their owners, giving them commands, and generally just running amok and being *obnoxious*. To prevent myself from strangling her, I left. I realize it probably wasn't her fault, but she was old enough to understand people and listen to them. She just chose not to.
I am steaming mad. How her floozy sister or any of the fools with her could sit back and allow that kid to ruin everyone's time at the park is beyond me. To and from the park, it's a 40 mile drive, and usually it's worthwhile... this time was a total waste, all I did was tell my dogs to "leave it" and prevent them from interacting with this little brat.
*sigh* Rant over. Sorry. Had to vent somewhere.