OOOOOOOHHHHH..... So frustrated.

[pessimisaurus]

"I was wondering who is responsible in case of a dog fight since all dogs are off leash? How would it be handled? I'm not the greatest fan of pitts but this would be enough to frighten me right out of the park.
Makes you wonder why the owner would be so irresponsible with all the talk and bans re the pitts. I would think pitt owners would do their best to impress people with the friendliness of their dogs???"

Im a very frequent dog-parker, and have been going several times a week for 5 years. I have never witnessed a fight that drew blood in my life. for the most part the people who go are dog lovers and very dog saavy and their dogs are well socialized and have good social skills and thus settle scuffles safely. I love that seattle has so many dog parks, and I think they are definetley worth any of the risks. however its up to responsible owners to keep their dogs from causing trouble, and keeping a close eye for potential trouble and avoiding it when it pops up- like she did with Noba.

and the people who do crap like that owner, are the people who own pit bulls for the wrong reasons. they could care less about the fate of our breed. if pit bull breeds were banned, these people who just move on to the next "tough & scary" breed.

[mike001]

Thanks Pessimissarus. I get it, if the owners are irresponsible it would be the only time there would be trouble, so I guess I'm still envious of all of you who have dog parks. Probably most owners care enough to see that their dog is well behaved. You are probably right about the pitt owners letting their dog get away with this, it's the macho type image they want and would move on to the next breed if pitts were banned. Sad that some people ruin it for everybody.

[Giselle]

Trust me. I feel your pain. Much as I love the socialization benefits of dog parks, I can't help but gripe at some of the truly idiotic owners.

BEFORE people go to dog parks, they need to understand dog behavior and the risks involved. For example, if the park is clearly divided into a big dog section and a small dog section, bring your dog to the appropriate section. You don't see Great Danes lounging in the small dog park. Likewise, fluffy-white-rabbit-looking dogs like Shih Tzus don't belong in big dog parks. Furthermore, people need to understand what is play behavior and when it will escalate into a fight. Unfortunately, most park goers in my area are either hypersensitive or completely apathetic. In your case, the owner definitely needs a bit of schooling on that part.

Sorry you had a bad experience Noba's Mom, but we all feel your pain. You did the right thing by taking yourself out of the situation. There isn't much else we can do besides educate.