Offleash Park question

[4 Dog Mother]

We have also found that dogs tend to be a little more defensive when leashed. It seems to work better if they are off leash but as Anna said if you know your dog has problems it would be better to keep them on leash. Sometimes when there is a new dog, I will leash Dazzi until she meets the new dog one on one and if she doesn't react then I let her off the leash again. There is also something about the way they enter the park - all the dogs have to come meet the new one, sniff each other, check each other out and if that one is on a leash, he/she can feel overwhelmed by the numerous greetings and get defensive.

At one of the Pet Talk meetings, there was quite a number of huskies and as a pack they wanted to chase Pippi (a small Jack Russell mix) - one of them in particular put her on the defensive. She was scared and so was I - so I kept her leashed until I could take her home later.

On the other hand, some dog owners who only have one don't understand how dogs play and they are afraid to let their dogs loose. Two of my dogs have grown up together (Taggert and Snoopy) and so they get very rough with each other (or so it looks like) and snarl and growl and chase and grab. But they don't do it with other dogs. They will try to get other dogs to play and chase them though and a dog on a leash can be a problem if the owner is always worried that one of the other dogs are going to attack theirs when the dogs are just being curious and not going to hurt theirs at all.

The bottom line is that I would do whatever feels comfortable to you - you know your dog best and not worry about what others say.

[elizabethann]

When Fenway goes to the dog park, I always take his leash off.

[CagneyDog]

Thanks for your replies He usually is offleash but he hasn’t been listening to anything lately and I thought it would be better to keep him on a leash. This is some interesting information.

[IRescue452]

Pepper has to stay on a leash becase she is deaf. People occasionally ask, but they don't freak out.

[pnance]

I've had the same problem before with Hunter. I took him down to dog beach and had him on a leash for the simple reason I was working on his recall with distractions. He'd come everytime with minor distractions, etc. but anything major like lots of dogs, etc. I couldn't get him to listen. Anway a lady basically yelled at me that this was an offleash park and I shouldn't have my dog on leash...etc, etc.....I tried to explain, but she was to busy telling me why I was wrong to listen. I just left I was so irritated and found another park. While I understand and agree with most reasons given for having dogs offleash, that shouldn't give people a right to harass others just because your not comfortable having your dog offleash. They should be for all owners and dogs to enjoy.