Dog Park Scuffles

[shais_mom]

an uneducated guess would be b/c of the hormones are different for females. Our dog park - the same one that 4 dog mom goes to - doesn't allow dogs in heat there. Sometimes you don't know when your female is in heat or starting it. You have other unaltered males around and the outcome wouldn't be good. I know you keep an eye on your dog but at our dog park some people don't - don't pick up poop either, and if the dogs go behind trees, the male and the female - unaltered will do what they do. And whose fault is that?
I think you are wise to leave when the pits get to doing that. People don't have a friggin clue sometimes. I have a golden that specifically goes after other goldens/golden mixes, I dunno if it is a dominant thing or she wants to play. I cut her off before it gets to that point. I was there one day and she was trying to engage another golden in play and to me it sounded aggressive and I was getting very upset with her. I kept stopping her b/c I was afraid she would frighten the dog and the owners. And they stopped me and told me to let them go and they were only playing. They played for a good long time and nothing happened.
I think taking a spray bottle is a great solution or if you have kids, borrow their super soaker!
I was at the dog park last year while on Crutches, my golden was being chased by a extremely rambunctious boxer. She headed right for me for protection and I put my crutch out to stop her she stopped by running into the crutch and the boxer took that opportunity to jump on her and try to hump her. She doesn't tolerate humping she was turning around growling and snarling at him and neither do I b/c she has hip dysplasia and if she goes down b/c some dog is trying to exuberantly hump her I'm gonna be . My good friends whose dogs have humped her usually don't even get started before she tells them like it is. Their dogs aren't as big as she is but this boxer was very large. The owner wasn't doing anything but quietly watching the whole exchange, when be boxer tried to mount her I didn't even think about it - protecting my dog was my top priority, I hauled off and wacked him with my crutch while yelling "OFF!" The owner never said a word to me and that dog never bothered her again the rest of the day.
Am I proud of it? No. Would I advocate physical violence against a dog? Absolutely not!! Would I do it again if it happened again? You Bet. My priority is the safety and well being of my dog.

[Spiritwind]

an uneducated guess would be b/c of the hormones are different for females. Our dog park - the same one that 4 dog mom goes to - doesn't allow dogs in heat there. Sometimes you don't know when your female is in heat or starting it. You have other unaltered males around and the outcome wouldn't be good. I know you keep an eye on your dog but at our dog park some people don't - don't pick up poop either, and if the dogs go behind trees, the male and the female - unaltered will do what they do. And whose fault is that?

I personally think, as long as you don't take a bitch in season to the dog park, I see no reason why an unspayed female can't go to a dog park. I totally agree, a dog in heat should not be at a dog park, but I do on occasion take my unspayed females to the dog park. I know when they are due to come in season, I know when they are in season... and I absolutely would not take them to the dog park if I knew they were due in season anytime.. were in season, or had just gone out of season... give them a month or so after going out of season and I'd take them back..

My girls typically come in season about every 8-10 months. They are typically 10-14 months old before their first seasons.. and whenever they come in season I write it down in the records I keep on each dog so that I can track when their next season should be. I have 2 girls that come in season every 10 months.. one that comes in every 8-9 months and one that comes in every 7 months (to the day)....

Since the original poster has a 6 month old great dane, its more than likely she'll be closer to a year old before she first comes in season -- tho obviously no guarantee.. though I find larger breeds tend to come in season when they are a bit older.. than say a smaller breed that may come in season the first time around 6 months of age.

Anyway... all my point is.. unless the female is actually starting to come in season I see no reason why an unspayed female shouldn't be allowed at a dog park. I've seen males (neutered or not) go after spayed females the same as if they were not spayed... some males just act like.... males LOL

[shais_mom]

I personally think, as long as you don't take a bitch in season to the dog park, I see no reason why an unspayed female can't go to a dog park. I totally agree, a dog in heat should not be at a dog park, but I do on occasion take my unspayed females to the dog park. I know when they are due to come in season, I know when they are in season... and I absolutely would not take them to the dog park if I knew they were due in season anytime.. were in season, or had just gone out of season... give them a month or so after going out of season and I'd take them back..

My girls typically come in season about every 8-10 months. They are typically 10-14 months old before their first seasons.. and whenever they come in season I write it down in the records I keep on each dog so that I can track when their next season should be. I have 2 girls that come in season every 10 months.. one that comes in every 8-9 months and one that comes in every 7 months (to the day)....

that's b/c you are an excellent dog owner/breeder. Other people not so much. I also would bet money that you watch your dogs (altered or not) like a hawk at a dog park, the behaivor I've observed by some people at our park is that they have no responsibility over their dog or the dogs actions. Some people don't even pay attention to what their dogs are doing and sometimes they bring their kids along as well and don't pay attention to them either!
The one incident that really infuriated me was there are acres and acres at this particular park and this family brought their kids and a football and their kids played football INSIDE the fenced in dog area and then got pi$$y when the dogs wanted to play and took the ball. There is a time and place for Playing Human Football and INSIDE the dog park with 20 exuberant dogs is not it!

Anyway... all my point is.. unless the female is actually starting to come in season I see no reason why an unspayed female shouldn't be allowed at a dog park. I've seen males (neutered or not) go after spayed females the same as if they were not spayed... some males just act like.... males LOL

boys will be boys!