*Labor Day Weekend *BASH* @ Findlay, OHIO Bark Park ~ *SUNDAY* AUG 31, 2008 ~

[4 Dog Mother]

That's funny because I was thinking the same thing..........mess with OUR DOGS!??? - he would have become Mr. Picnic Table!!

Oh, Gini, that's not the half of it. The DOG (Logan) didn't just mess with our dogs but he actually grabbed the sleeve of Jasmine's shirt! When I said to Lawn Chair Guy - He grabbed her shirt. He said Sorry! Sorry - that's it!

In his crazy jumping and chasing our dogs around he also ran into her head with his and their was a very big thunk. That is why she and Pippi were up at the shelter with me. I could tell some of what happened but Staci and Amy know more because after I took Jasmine up to the shelter things got worse!

If they don't kick in soon with their report, I'll tell you what I know and saw but Amy told him off as did some others when I wasn't there so let's hear from one of them!

Gini, the first one, Phred has listed on the 1st page of this thread is Memorial day 2003 and it was said that that was the 4th one. So they must have started in 2002. Amy and Staci set up the first one - I think it was Amy, Staci, Anna and me. (I was not a member of Pet Talk but Amy's tag-a-long.)

[Cincy'sMom]

Oh, Gini, that's not the half of it. The DOG (Logan) didn't just mess with our dogs but he actually grabbed the sleeve of Jasmine's shirt! When I said to Lawn Chair Guy - He grabbed her shirt. He said Sorry! Sorry - that's it!

In his crazy jumping and chasing our dogs around he also ran into her head with his and their was a very big thunk. That is why she and Pippi were up at the shelter with me. I could tell some of what happened but Staci and Amy know more because after I took Jasmine up to the shelter things got worse!

If they don't kick in soon with their report, I'll tell you what I know and saw but Amy told him off as did some others when I wasn't there so let's hear from one of them!

I will post more of the story, but I'll have to do it from home...I am afriad to stay on here too long at work!

[4 Dog Mother]

I found Amy's first post about the first meeting. It was dated 9/27/2002. And she had "just gotten her pictures back" which I think meant it was before digital camera days. Now doesn't that age them. So any way that means they have been going on for at least 6 years! Wow!!!

[Cincy'sMom]

Okay I lied... I typed it up in word so i could just post quickly.


To get the full story of Mr. Lawn Chair guy I think others will have to fill in with their own experiences…but when I got then I went to the shelter house first to put things down. Christy warned me about the guy and his dog, saying that the dog, a 1 yr old black lab, named Logan who must have weighed 80 lbs at least, was really wild and his owner was not controlling him. She said he had bumped into Jasmine and they knocked heads. I know Phred mentioned he bopped the dog on the nose and was told not to “hit” the dog, and that Logan also grabbed Madison the little Yorkie and was treating her like a squeaky toy. This was all before I got there.

So I went over with a negative attitude already, and sure enough, as we were trying to get in the gate, the dog is jumping all over at the dogs. I just used my legs to guide him away and let the dogs get in. Mostly the dog just wanted to play. But he was obnoxious about it and would pounce on the other the dogs, regardless of size and if they wanted to play with him or not. With my dogs, the puppy would jump on them; they would growl at him and run away. They are big enough that he wasn’t doing them any harm,
and they were holding there own, so I didn’t get involved, but I also didn’t correct the dogs for growling at him.

Then in his jumping around and mad play, he grabbed Jasmine’s sleeve. As my mom said, when she told the guy, he said Sorry in that way that it is expected but not really meant. Another couple came in with a young golden, and right away, Logan jumped at the guy and knocked a full cup of coffee out of his hand. Logan then ran to the picnic table, and stole another ladies’ camera off of it. For awhile he was just running around be obnoxious, when she started going after the young golden retriever. The golden’s owner, try to pull Logan off and used his leg to push him away. Mr. Lawn Chair immediately comes running over and tells the guy not to kick his dog. The guy told him to control his dog then, and the Mr. Lawn Chair pipes in that he shouldn’t be bringing coffee into the dog park, that you should leave all personal items outside. I said excuse me, but I don’t think you have a lot of room to be accusing people of things here when your dog is causing the issues. He said he is a large, dog and only 1 with a lot of energy and people need to understand that. I said I do understand that, I have 3 large dogs who were all 1 once, but they did not behave that way. His dog is the one attacking other dogs, stealing peoples things, and out of control. He started in that people should have anything in the park. I said I disagree, that no other dogs were bothering anyone’s possessions, and we have a right to our cameras and a bottle of water on a hot day. He said well, I’m not leaving. I said I am not asking you to, I am asking you to watch your dog. ( If Phred or anyone else wants to add in what I may have said I'm not sure I remember it all, but you get the idea)

So for awhile anytime his dog would come near me, he would call him away. I told him it was fine the dog could visit, and I petted him and muttered into his very soft fur it was his fault he was stuck with such an owner, that he could be a good dog if he were trained.

So Logan continued to try to steal things, and we took them away from him. Then he started getting rowdy with a local ladies’ two smaller dogs (slightly bigger then Pippi). He also grabbed her shirt. She put him in a submissive position and told him that was not appropriate. The guy ran over and told her not to do that to his dog. She screamed at him much of the same things I had said, with a few more 4 letter words, and told him if he was not going to control his dog, that she would call the police. He offered her his phone number and told her to go ahead and call because when Logan was a puppy and other dogs bothered him the cops did nothing about it. He also said that it was a park for the dogs and that you just had to let them be, let them play.To which the lady replied it is for the dogs, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be a responsible owner and teach your dog what is appropriate and what is not. He again started in on people brining things into the park. She asked what about his chair and his sunglasses...if other dogs were tearing them apart, would he be okay with that. (no reply). When an 80lb dog, it jumping on a 20 lb dog and ignoring the signs that the dog does not want to be jumped on, it is up to the owner to control their dog. And if they don’t I think the other owners have every right to protect their own dogs. While some people may not agree with the methods people were using (I know not everyone agrees with the submissive roll), no one did anything that would hurt that dog, or anything other then protect the other there.

Not long after that, he left and there was much rejoicing (yeah!)

[Ginger's Mom]

I would have responded much like the second lady (telling him I would call the police). If he is not going to follow the rules of the dog park by keeping his dog under control then he would have to leave. I am not shy about calling the police to enforce the rules at the municipal dog park. Trust me, make a big enough stink and they will make him leave. I have no problem being Miss B***h when dogs or people could be hurt by an irresponsible dog owner.

[gini]

I feel so sorry for his dog. If at one year of age he hasn't even started on some training - I hate to think what he will be like in a year or so.

And some people (outside of the Findlay dog park) may not be quite so nice about his jumping or grabbing of shirts and ultimately it is the dog that will suffer.

Not sure what proticol you all use - but I sure would report him.

What IF he had hurt Jasmine or any of the other dogs?

[gini]

Gosh, look how many I have missed.

Findlay isn't exactly right around the corner - but I sure had a great time over Memorial Day and I know that Slick agrees.

I have to laugh because one of my clients has been to New Zealand,
Spain and Sedona this year so far. When I told him where I was spending a few days vacation he said "WHERE" "WHY???" I had fun telling him I was flying back to meet people and their dogs.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Gini, the first one, Phred has listed on the 1st page of this thread is
Memorial day 2003 and it was said that that was the 4th one.
So they must have started in 2002.

Amy and Staci set up the first one -
I think it was Amy, Staci, Anna and me.

"Gathurin #3" was the first really BIG Gathurin at the Findlay Daw Park -
held on Sunday, March 30, 2003.
Attending were:

Amy: Spot, Cincy, and Sadie
Amy's Mom (Diana): Taggert, Snoopy
Christy: hers were there in spirit!
Staci: Keegan
Donna: Ashley (sister-in-law's dog)
Kim and Andy: Kia
Anna: Roxey and Huney
Anna's friend Jennifer: Nikki and Zack
Johanna: dog babysitter while people ate
Mike and me: Jazzy, Daisy, Sox, and Max
Phred: Cinder and Smoke
Leslie: Graham and Kersey

And enough food to feed about 15 more people!!

The Tails of the Event are covered in the thread >>>
"What a day at the dog park!!"
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=23642