Balls/toys in dog parks..

[Squishy22]

This is much of what I have experienced as well. There was one time that Buddy was chasing his ball and he got there and another dog got snarky with Buddy because he was in his space. A quick "out" to Buddy was all it took for him to get out and a good yelling at the other dogs owner and her promptly leaving with babystroller, two kids and her dog ensued. Sometimes people just don't think. I think it's becoming a lost art, actually.

Its people like that who are ruining it for everyone.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Its people like that who are ruining it for everyone.

I agree. I understand it must be difficult to raise a couple kids and have a high energy dog, but a dog park is not place for a baby and toddler with a dog that is not only high energy but lacking manners as well.

We've gotten really good at reading dogs even though their owners don't show to have a clue. And since Buddy is the one that mostly goes to the dog park he gets lots of training while there in case of some kind of emergency. But if we see idiots and their dogs we tell them so and leave promptly. My goal is always to have a good experience at the dog park because we rely on it for stretching their legs out.

 

[TheGoldenRetriever]

thankfully that has not been my experience at all and i will continue to do classes with both of my DA dogs as well as continue to compete with them. a well-managed DA dog is NOT disruptive in the least. my novice competition class has three reactive dogs, two of which are also DA. it's not been an issue, but all three handlers understand their dogs and the trainer understands how to run a class with these dogs.

Yes, but you and those others know very well how to handle your DA dogs. Surely others on this forum (as well as other fora) also know well how to control their well-trained DA dogs. That is an essential clarification.

obviously if the dog is losing his mind when he's anywhere within ten feet of another dog, it's not a good idea to put the dog in classes,

Conversely, your comment up there ^^^ is more common among general-public owners of DA dogs. Their DA dogs are not well-trained and they don't know how to effectively manage those dogs, exactly how tragic mistakes happen. This is a popular forum, likely with far more lurkers than posters. It would be very unfortunate to put forth the idea that it's OK to enroll any DA dog in classes, just for the opportunity to work around other dogs. Your clarification was needed.

 

[Labra]

If you took a child to a park and they didn't want to play with other kids, would you force them to? I sure hope not!

No. But I think if you use a dog park, you have to face the fact that other dogs will come up to you and your dogs, possibly annoy you and your dogs, try to steal your dogs toys, etc. MOST dogs will want to interact with other dogs at a dog park, and most people take their dogs there because of the exercise playing with other dogs provides.

I don't see anyone having a problem with a owner playing with their dog with toys, but if that owner wants to be left in peace and quiet to do so, it is up to the owner to seek out off peak times. The owner with the toys can't rely on other people to keep their dogs away...95% of the time that won't happen.

 

[sillysally]

Maybe by your definition, but I want to exercise my dogs however they want, NOT by how YOU want me to exercise my dogs.

If you took a child to a park and they didn't want to play with other kids, would you force them to? I sure hope not!

Coincidentally, I found a dog park definition on wikipedia and it says, "A dog park is a facility set aside for dogs and their owners to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment... " Funny it doesn't mention playing with other dogs.

Sorry, but if you bring you dog to a dog park, expect other dogs to want to interact with that dog.

Jack will not pester a dog that clearly does not want to interact with him, but if he wants to go a greet a dog, I am not going to stop him. I don't bring him there to exercise, I bring him there for socialization, stimulation and learning. If that learning means that he is recalled away from a dog and we go on our merry way, fine. However, I'm not going to stop him every time we see a dog and ask if it is OK to interact with that dog. IMHO you should just expect that at an off leash park.

 

[noodlerubyallie]

I understand that many, many people go to dog parks to play with their dogs. If your dog doesn't want to interact with others, that's fine with me. My only issue with TOYS in a dog park is a situation that happens about every 3rd time we go:

Clueless lady and her daughter bring their high-strung, AGGRESSIVELY possessive Springer into the park. This dog is so overly possessive that she SNAPS into other dog's muzzles if they have a toy. This dog also does this to dogs that are WALKING near toys. On a particularly pissy night, the Springer LATCHED onto Ruby's face as she was trotting by a tennis ball. Clueless lady walks AWAY from her freakin' psycho dog instead of grabbing her. Ruby is reacting defensively, and this dog keeps coming at her face. I YELL at Clueless lady and run to get Ruby. Lady puts crazy dog in small dog area. I tell her that she should NOT bring her dog back unless she brings no toys and clears the park of everything that her dog could "own." This dog will react aggressively over a small stick in the park. Lady laughs, and keeps saying "Oh I don't know what is going on, I don't know anything about dogs....."

Most dog parks have separate areas. If you go to a dog park to play with your dog with toys, my only suggestion would be to use a portion of the park where you are alone, if at all possible. Or go during an off peak time. Like Sizzle said, you never know what kind of dog is coming in after you.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

I think people are misunderstanding.

Other dogs can "interact" with Buddy but he simply does not care. They can chase him as he flies after his ball. But he is not there for them, he is there to run which is why I don't see a problem taking a chuck-it and a ball for him to chase. I don't take my dogs to the dog park for others, I take him for himself.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

... and most people take their dogs there because of the exercise playing with other dogs provides.

Ongoing joke at our dog park.. or they take their dogs because they are too lazy to throw the ball/exercise their dogs themselves. :rofl1:

 

[sillysally]

Dog that guard people can get pretty scarey too. We were there once and this lady had a GSD that had apparently formed an ever changing perimeter around her owner and would charge dogs that got too close to those bounders, whatever they may be.

The woman refused to stop her dog from doing this because she believes that dogs at the park should be allowed to "fight it out."

Jack kept trying to diffuse the situation with calming signals, avoidance etc. The dog would be fine for a while, then randomly decide that another dog was too close and charge again. Finally she charged Jack snarling and he showed his teeth at her--just for a split second (if I'd blinked I would have missed it), and she backed off and left him alone. he had never done anything like that before or since--even when Sally is being a jerk to him--but it seemed to be just what the other dog needed.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

The woman refused to stop her dog from doing this because she believes that dogs at the park should be allowed to "fight it out."

That mentality truly scares me. I've met far too many people who think it's okay, not a big deal, and something that should be allowed to happen.

 

[sillysally]

Ongoing joke at our dog park.. or they take their dogs because they are too lazy to throw the ball/exercise their dogs themselves. :rofl1:

I think that people do this too. There was a lady that came once with a cute little lab mix who told us how relieved she was that there were dogs in the park because it would give her dog a chance to run herself out and also be caught. Apparently the only way the woman could catch the dog was to wait until other dogs came running to their owners and grab her dog when she followed them.

When I say I bring Jack to socialize, that really is it. Sometimes this socialization involves exercise, but the more high impact stuff that goes on, the sooner he has to leave so that his elbow doesn't get sore. He is just really a social butterfly and craves social interaction from a variety of dogs. We once had a couple bring in six dogs and he was in heaven just hanging out with the whole pack, which was very accepting of him and seemed to enjoy his company as well. I think if we were a 10 dog household he'd be the happiest dog *ever.*

 

[Tankstar]

I always bring 2 balls with me. The river or another dog we are with always steals one of them on us lol. I only play fetch with Blaze if we are by ourselves, OR if there is other dogs around who do not care for the ball. If I see a strange dog coming, I put the ball away. for every ones saftey. Blaze is not ball or toy agressive int he least. if he even sees another dog look at his ball, he will not go for it. Which then we either loose to the river, or to the other dog.

I agree, and then I don't. I think going to the dog park in off times is a great way for aggressive dogs to be exercised, they need to be exercised too. If you live in an area that I do and neighborhood walks are not safe, then you really have no other option to really exercise your dog, other than taking them to other places, which all have dogs around them, too. I do NOT in any way, think that an aggressive dog should be able to come in full force with a full dog park, though. That is simply and very stupidly asking for trouble. Though Buddy and Banzai are not aggressive in any ways, we go to the dog park in off hours to avoid all of the people and multiple dogs. I want them to have a good experience while they are there.. really stretch their legs and run because that is one of only two spots in which they can do so.

p

I agree. a dog agressive dog needs excersise too. But I wouldnt feel comfortable taking a dog agressive dog to a dog park. even on off hour times. unless there is more then 2 exits, and you can always see who is coming in. My dog park is impossible to see who is coming, and from where, off the top of my head I can think of 7 entrences to the main part of the park.

I always go on off hour times aswell. Blaze is not agressive, but he wont back down to a over pushy dog and will fight back. so with our offhour times its alot safer as we know 98% of the dogs in there are regulars at that time, and I know every dog and owner by name (email adress, telephone number, home adress ect lolwe are a very tight group) so I never worry. but when I see a new dog. I normally take off. Over the last few months I have just been to suspicious of strange dogs. Blaze has been attacked a handful of times by strange dogs (normally weekends, which is why I dont even bother going on weekends any more). So I almost always have a panic attack when I see a strange one now lol.

 

[sillysally]

See, with our park you cannot see the gate from all areas, and cannot always tell if there is someone in there when you enter.

Thankfully, we have only come across a couple dogs which I would consider actually aggressive rather than just rude. There is a ACD whose owners know she is aggressive and try to only go on off hours and will warn people so that they can get her out of the park. I don't mind leaving if we see her there because she is considerate.

There is an ACD mix whose owner just pisses me off--if I see her car I very carefully inspect the dog park (there are walking trails there too) to make sure she did not take him there. She will sometimes let him off leash outside the park even though he approaches other dogs growling. When Jack was 4 months old on one of his first trips to the park this dog jumped him in the parking lot (he was loose). Jack flipped over an the other dog was on top of him biting his face, while the owner was standing 10 feet away, doing nothing but saying, "now Shep--he's just a puppy--I don't like it when you get aggressive." :yikes:

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Our dog park is completely different (or at least it sounds like it is). You can see the gate from anywhere in the park and it is an actual dog park, fully fenced in, not just a bunch of land called a dog park. It's also the size of a really good sized back yard, lol. There is no private areas, no areas where dogs can hide or where owners can take DA dogs, etc.. It's all out in the open.

 

[sillysally]

Our dog park is completely different (or at least it sounds like it is). You can see the gate from anywhere in the park and it is an actual dog park, fully fenced in, not just a bunch of land called a dog park. It's also the size of a really good sized back yard, lol. There is no private areas, no areas where dogs can hide or where owners can take DA dogs, etc.. It's all out in the open.

Ours is fenced, but it kind of loops around in such a way that you cannot always see the entire park except for one spot, and then you still can't see what's going on on top of the hill.

I do think it would be cool if we had private areas, just for a chance to do some off leash training with the distraction of dogs nearby without the ability for the dog to reinforce it's own behavior if it disobeys and goes to meet other dogs, etc.

 

[Tankstar]

Our dog park is completely different (or at least it sounds like it is). You can see the gate from anywhere in the park and it is an actual dog park, fully fenced in, not just a bunch of land called a dog park. It's also the size of a really good sized back yard, lol. There is no private areas, no areas where dogs can hide or where owners can take DA dogs, etc.. It's all out in the open.

Yea that is alot different then ours. ours is a old gravel pit, so its tons of acres or rolling hills and pits. plus it backs on to 100's of acres of forest. only fencing is along the road, and even then its iffy fencing (very old, fallen down in most spots.)

 

[Punkygirl0101]

The dog park I go to most often is also filled with tennis balls. I bring Harry there to play fetch, and that is ALL he does at home too. If I just brought him there without a tennis ball, he would go crazy. I don't bring Cartman there anymore cause all he does it try and gather tennis balls, and guard them so he would start a fight with another dog over them. But Harry, he is perfectly fine with them, when another dog is sniffing him he could care less. When another dog takes his tennis ball, he doesn't get aggressive, he looks at me to get it back. He never tries to take it from the dog that took it from him. There are so many tennis balls there, every dog could have one for themselves.

I don't bring any other type of toy. My friend almost got bit by a dog (I won't mention its breed) because it took her Kong frisbee, and she was trying to get it back, and it wouldn't let go and then aggressively growled at her and snapped. Her owner was laughing up until her dog almost bit someone. People need to take responsibility for their dogs.

Another thing I hate, is when people allow their dogs to gather at the entrance gate..That makes every dog coming in nervous, especially when there are a bunch of them, and they are barking. And then people don't get their dogs so other dogs can enter. That is another way to start a dog fight, when the "new" dog is getting smelled and chased by a pack of other dogs. That scared the crap out of Bjorn one day. I don't think I will go back to a dog park again unless its empty with only a couple dogs in it. And I think I am going to stick to small breed sections from now on, for my dog's safety. I much prefer letting my dogs off leash on hikes by the river.

 

[Doberluv]

We humans commonly call that "aggressive" when a dog tries to take a ball from another dog or when that dog defends his toy. I take a little different meaning from that behavior. A dog that takes a ball off another dog (who has possession of the ball) is a little naive about "proper doggie etiquite and food distribution. But organization and disribution only happens in pack animals and even then it's a somewhat limited or irregular an activity. A dog that takes a ball that has been thrown for the other dog, but not yet in possession of that other dog is not being rude in my opinion. Possession is 9/10ths of doggie law. It's normal behavior...two animals wanting the same resource. And fighting or lashing out at the other dog regardless of who stole what or who had it first is also normal behavior for a dog. It doesn't line up with our morals, but dogs are dogs are dogs.

Contrary to popular opinion, dogs are not pack animals, don't enjoy joining up with every dog they don't know in an interactive fashion.... and it is certainly unnatural for them to get along, share or distribute limited resources with a bunch of random dogs that they don't know well, don't live with, don't share a home with. There is no evolutionary reason why dogs should share resources. Animals don't survive very well in order to reproduce and evolve if they say, "Sure, go ahead and take my bone." (or ball/toy) If a dog thinks he stands a chance of getting something he wants with minimal risk, he may well try it, regardless of "politeness." It's an evolutionary, advantageous and adaptive behavior to try and get the resource or try to keep it...not an aggressive ("mean") behavior.

So.......that being said, I think if the park rules say to keep toys away...they have a legitimate request. This kind of "aggressive" behavior is not the fault of the owner who didn't "train" the dog to share and share alike as we humans teach our children. Management, keeping an especially reactive dog under control IS the responsibility of the owner. But off leash, that is very difficult. And those dogs need exercise too. So, I agree that toys and playing fetch can be done at home, somewhere else or when the park is not busy...where there are dogs who couldn't care less about the ball. And if a dog is truly aggressive, dangerous, going after other dogs and wanting to fight, then they really need to either be under control or not allowed unless they're the only dog in the park at the time...something like that.

I am certainly no authority on dogs parks. There are none close to me because I live in the mountains and there are all kinds of places to run off leash, even on my own land. But, I don't think, by the sound of it I would be a fan of dog parks.....generally speaking. I think I've only taken a dog to one one time when I was visiting elsewhere. Lyric got along fine with a Corgi and I think one other dog. It was not busy at all. He was a dog-reactive dog when on leash, but not truly aggressive and too, this was when he was younger and less that way. Plus, he couldn't care less about toys or balls. He just wanted (now get this) to play and to herd the Corgi when he ran around. My goodness, could that Doberman herd! And a Corgi no less. LOL.

 

[sillysally]

Contrary to popular opinion, dogs are not pack animals, don't enjoy joining up with every dog they don't know in an interactive fashion....

I am going to have to disagree with this. My lab does most certainly enjoy interacting and hanging out with pretty much any dog he comes across. We have a second dog but interaction with her does not fulfill his doggy social needs.

Maybe it's a breed thing, but he is very, very social.

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

I am going to have to disagree with this. My lab does most certainly enjoy interacting and hanging out with pretty much any dog he comes across. We have a second dog but interaction with her does not fulfill his doggy social needs.

Maybe it's a breed thing, but he is very, very social.

My lab is also very social...but really, when we are at the dog park--she is there to play retrieve! She could care less about the other dogs there. If we couldn't play fetch with a ball, she may as well stay home.
Also, Baxter pays little attention to the other dogs as well...he just needs to have lots of time and space to do his sniffing, like a good beagle boy!
And what I find funniest....if they play with other dogs, it's brief, and then they go back to walking around with each other!
And Wilson, he doesn't "play well with others"=so he doesn't go in the park if there are other dogs there.

Our park is small, one entrance, one exit--both at the front of the park. You can see the whole park, so knowing who is coming / going, etc. is easy. We (the people who frequent the park) keep a crate full of tennis balls, various toys, etc. for all to use. Most are good about knowing their dog and what problems could arise. If my dogs get too obsessed about a toy, we put it away. It works well for the most part. But there are always those that think they are above "courtesy rules"--and that's when we leave the park...