Dog parks

[JacksonsMom]

For some perspective, here's a shot of our dog park:

That actually looks "crowded" to me but anyway, that's kind of the main field where dogs play (it extends back further than it looks), and then there's a walking path all around the pond and it's relatively wooded along the path. When I go with my dogs, we just walk around the pond - we never really stop and hang out UNLESS they find a dog they really enjoy playing with. So for us it's just a nice off leash walk, I like it because I get to keep moving, they like weaving in and out of the trees and jumping in the water, and we don't have incidents with other dogs because at most, they sniff a dog as we're walking past and then move on.

We wouldn't go if they couldn't handle it. And we still really only go at off-peak times because I get a little annoyed when it's busy.

I'm jealous.

 

[Skits]

I'm sorry, but you're being a little Unrealistic. You have a pit breed. MOST grow up to be intolerant of other dogs or aggressive. One incident at a park is EXTREMELY unlikely to make any dog 100% untrustworthy around other dogs.

So because I'm sharing my experience and events, it's unrealistic? Okay.

My dog has become aggressive. He snaps at other dogs, and there was a time where he'd fight with my other dog. And if you see how he acts with other dogs, you'd understand. Him being a "pit" doesn't help his dog reactive-ness but him being attacked that first time did maybe scar him enough to fight with dogs from there on.

 

[Skits]

Actually that was the case with Charlotte. She's not "100% untrustworthy" but it did change her and what triggered her fear aggression. Before she was attacked, she was actually really mellow and tolerant of other dogs. All it took just one horrible incident to change her. Also, she wasn't a puppy when this had happened. She was well into her adulthood.

So that's not unrealistic at all.

Exactly, thank you.

I think there's a certain trust still with my dog around other dogs. I would be comfortable with him walking on leash with another dog if they were introduced properly, but never off leash in my own home or outside. The way he reacts to dogs is completely tense and he gives his posture that I've learned to know is when he's about to fight. The sounds of dogs fighting and barking in itself makes him react. However, he has gotten LOADS better, luckily.

 

[ErinMC]

The only dog park I can take Leo to is about 45 minutes away. It's a public park and he loves it, but I get kind of anxious. Leo has a strong correction. He has a large bark and has a tendency to pin when he is pushed too far when he is playing at the boarding facility that I work at - which is an appropriate reaction. Mind you, this is HIS territory since we live on the property so I think he is shorter within the facility than he is outside of it.

When we go to the public dog park I get anxious for a couple reasons: 1) he's a bully breed and I worry that if he makes a correction people will get fearful, 2) you never know what you're going to get at a public dog park, 3) I wonder if people will worry about his play style because he's loves to playfully nip at the butt and paws at others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fusrkYKGcmI

 

[JaneNY]

None at all for my boy. He was four months old, he was greeting every dog happily, had no problems playing with my dog and no problems when we introduced them together. He never barked at other dogs and on walks he ignored them. Then one day a huge GSD got in his face and they started fighting, I was on it the second it started but I feel like that turned things around for my boy.

Four months old? Isn't that within the critical age range where pups are especially vulnerable to negative experiences & can have longterm consequences?

My prior dog always ended up on top of the picnic table when I took him to the dog run. He clearly didn't like the run so I stopped going. But, what triggered his fear aggression was a horrible experience where an off-leash dog attacked my dog out of the blue while I was walking him on leash in an on-leash park. Recently happened to a neighbor who adopted a puppy mill rescue - she was teaching the dog how to walk on leash when an unleashed dog ran over & attacked the poor thing. Now the dog doesn't want to go outside at all.

With my current pup, an english shepherd, I waited until she was about five months & had many pup socialization classes under her belt before taking her to the run. I go on a semi-regular basis but do not feel 100%. While playing, she will sometimes dart under a bench to get away or take a 5 sec break & then rejoin the group.

Not sure if it is fear or just a diff play style - given her very primal cow/sheep herding lineage, theoretically, other dogs "shouldn't" frighten her. And, being a herding breed, she prefers chasing to wrestling or boxing, which the many retriever-type dogs at the run prefer. At times, it looks like my dog would prefer to referee the play than actually participate. She also loves to make her rounds & say hi to all the owners.

My other concern is that, at 7 months, she is a nice size gal, weighing around 50 pounds. The weight differential between her & the tiny dogs worries me - she is a sweetie & has a size appropriate play style but an accidental bump could easily hurt a small dog which, of course, would be devastating. At the same time, my pup is high energy & needs exercise so I am conflicted as to whether to take her to the run or not. I recently splurged on a dogpacer treadmill to supplement her exercise and hoping that between the treadmill & agility classes & long walks/hikes & mental training, I can meet her needs.

 

[LostAndConfused]

Four months old? Isn't that within the critical age range where pups are especially vulnerable to negative experiences & can have longterm consequences?

My prior dog always ended up on top of the picnic table when I took him to the dog run. He clearly didn't like the run so I stopped going. But, what triggered his fear aggression was a horrible experience where an off-leash dog attacked my dog out of the blue while I was walking him on leash in an on-leash park. Recently happened to a neighbor who adopted a puppy mill rescue - she was teaching the dog how to walk on leash when an unleashed dog ran over & attacked the poor thing. Now the dog doesn't want to go outside at all.

With my current pup, an english shepherd, I waited until she was about five months & had many pup socialization classes under her belt before taking her to the run. I go on a semi-regular basis but do not feel 100%. While playing, she will sometimes dart under a bench to get away or take a 5 sec break & then rejoin the group.

Not sure if it is fear or just a diff play style - given her very primal cow/sheep herding lineage, theoretically, other dogs "shouldn't" frighten her. And, being a herding breed, she prefers chasing to wrestling or boxing, which the many retriever-type dogs at the run prefer. At times, it looks like my dog would prefer to referee the play than actually participate. She also loves to make her rounds & say hi to all the owners.

My other concern is that, at 7 months, she is a nice size gal, weighing around 50 pounds. The weight differential between her & the tiny dogs worries me - she is a sweetie & has a size appropriate play style but an accidental bump could easily hurt a small dog which, of course, would be devastating. At the same time, my pup is high energy & needs exercise so I am conflicted as to whether to take her to the run or not. I recently splurged on a dogpacer treadmill to supplement her exercise and hoping that between the treadmill & agility classes & long walks/hikes & mental training, I can meet her needs.

Yep, that sounds like a lot of herding breeds. Fun policing the parks

 

[Ali1010]

I used to take my youngest to the dog park ALL the time. When my oldest was in the car and we spontaneously stopped at the park, I would just keep her on my lap or near me.

That being said, things quickly took a turn for the worse, and I began to realize that is wasn't the individual dog parks; it was the people (and dogs) in them that was causing all the trouble.

My puppy LOVES the dog park. Absolutely loves it. He loves other dogs, he loves people, and he loves fetch. We live on an acre, so being "off leash" in a big area really isn't a problem, but his need for dog interaction brought me to the decision to take him to the dog park. We went to several different dog parks between 4 months-8 months. By 8 months, he was being humped and attacked EVERY single visit to the dog park, and although it didn't seem to phase him, I was upset at other people's lack or control of their dogs. I chalk it up to him still being intact and more of a submissive dog, but it really upset me how many people thought it was "funny" to watch their dog try and attack mine when he was PLAY BOWING and trying to hard to initiate play, only to be attacked or dominated. I also had several instances where dogs came up and attacked my 13 year old, who literally would just stay by my side, either sitting or laying with me.

However, I think more than anything it was the PEOPLE who inhabited the dog park with their pets. You had two types:

The "hover" parents who had to intervene whenever THEY felt things weren't going well. God forbid the DOGS be allowed to tell each other when they had enough, or didn't want to play. Not only did they hover, but in one instance I got into a heated argument with a man who believed HE owned the dog park. He started harassing a poor family for bringing their 4 month old GSD to the park, because she wasn't fixed. Nobody was stepping up and telling the guy to basically shove off, and so it fell to me to remind him that the park was a COMMUNITY convenience.

The other kind, is the dogs you're not sure even HAVE an owner. The kinds who let their dogs attack other dogs, bark at/crowd the entrance, dominate other dogs...they seem to be even more frustrating. They don't care even IF you point out their dog is being terrible.


To make a long story short....no dog parks for me. Just too many idiots with demon dogs for me to feel comfortable around here.

 

[Skits]

Four months old? Isn't that within the critical age range where pups are especially vulnerable to negative experiences & can have longterm consequences?

Yes it is, but no one had ever told me that and I seen people bringing puppies all the time (forums, facebook, irl) and thought it was fine to do so. I know it definitely impacted him more being at that age. That's also the age where dogs treat puppies more as dogs than pups.

 

[Paige]

It was pretty vacant yesterday so I let arya and bandit in the dog park yesterday... It went well but only because there were only two other polite dogs there. I scoped it out before entering