What's your opinion on dog parks?

[Roxyluvsme13]

I have taken Brennan to the dog park near my house; however, I will only do so if there are absolutely no other dogs there. No chance in risking a fight, but it helps him burn off energy since we don't have a fenced in yard.

If there are other dogs there on the large dog half of the park, absolutely not. That's too much risk for Brennan.

Lily has never been to one, but we used to take her to a baseball field and let her run when she was younger. Now, she just doesn't care. She's happy with a small walk around the neighborhood.

[IRescue452]

I've gone to both area dog parks for over 13 years, sometimes with 3 dogs in tow. I've rarely seen or had any problems. One park is 12 acres with a pond and 3seperate sections and is usually pretty slow. The other is almost 20 acres and has 4 fenced sections including a wooded section, two fields, and a small dog section. The second park can have over 200 dogs at one time. I love the dog parks and so do my dogs. The thing is, I live in an area where people who don't take great care of their animals is the minority. People here do everything with their dogs. In fact, until this bad economy started hitting, we had less adoptable dogs in shelters than there was demand for. You used to have to drive within a few hour radious to find a dog to adopt. All of our area dog shelters and rescues are still no-kill (except for health) because they are not the least bit full.

[Alysser]

I didn't know there were people against it, I think dog parks are great concepts when used properly by sane people.

They're a great tool for socialization, exercise and down-time. Of course the dogs need to be watched, and of course if your dog isn't good with others you have no business being there.

As for the risk of fights at Dog parks, well yeah you run the risk of that. But you run the risk of that in a multiple dog home, a doggy day care, playdates with friends & families dogs, even walking down the street.

I've been working at a Doggy Daycare for about 2 months now and if you want a much more controlled environment I'd suggest that. Not everyday, just a couple of times a week or so. It burns PLENTY of energy, trust me. It also helps a great great deal with socialization, both with strangers and dogs alike. We foster plenty of rescues there who originally were listed as "not good with dogs," when that has changed them dramatically. Two of them are now MUCH better behaved when around other dogs and they play fight rather then actually start a fight. Of course there are little spats here and there but nothing major. The dogs are supervised very well and you can even find one that has cameras so you can watch your dog online. If your dog doesn't like it, the workers will be very honest with you. They want your dog to be extremely happy to be there.

As for "reading" dogs, well that's a difficult one. You can't always tell what the other dogs are doing and if it's good or bad. At work, if we don't like what's going on we spray them with water bottles and if it escalates we use a hose, etc. If you don't like what's going on YOU have to judge it for yourself. They might just be playing but even then they could hurt themselves or another dog. You have the authority to stop something your dog is involved in.
It's only a suggestion though, good luck in whatever you decide.

[Sowa]

I live in a pretty small town. I'm not sure that we have doggy day care or places for dogs to have play times. We have kennels that board but I've never heard of doggy day care around here to set up play times. We're just about to open our first petsmart. Do they usually have stuff like that?

[Asiel]

We don't have any dog parks around here but I don't think I would take my dogs. I guess it would depend on how well it was run or monitored. We have no doggie day cares that are set up for socializing either. The only hting we do have is Petsmart and I do take mine there sometimes but I'm not keen on that because of how dirty the floors are. I do like to meet other people and their dogs and so does my dog so once in a while I give in. What really bothers me is that they have cleaning stations every few feet but some people pretend they don't notice if their dog has an accident on the floor and just walk away and leave it. And these are not pups, really never understood how grwon dogs could just soil on the floor like that. The employees then have to wipe it up and they do spray the floor with disinfectant but I still worry about my dog picking up something. Our dogs are generally exercised in trails, living in the country we are never short of those. They love to run free and sniff everything in the bush.

[Freedom]

This was just shared on another dog forum I participate in. I immediately thought of this thread, as it makes it so clear that you MUST be aware and on your toes at all times. Even after you've been a few times! Sorry, a bit long, but I think she wrote it up well:

Dog Park Scary Moments: [ that was HER title in the other forum, not something I put to 'scare' ya!]
I really want to share this story to show the risk of going to a dog park. It's not always a bad thing but I always warn people to use them at their own risk. Feel free to share any moments you may have had at a park.

Rummy is the first dog I have ever owned who I feel comfortable taking to the dog park. He is respectful of other dogs and plays nicely. He will never start a fight and if something does happens he's the first to retreat from the situation. Doesn't have a mean bone in him. Not much of an issue and we go at least a couple times a week. It's a hidden park and usually there are the same dogs we see each time with the same owners. I know there is always a risk each time I go of something going wrong so I am usually always on my guard and am developing a good recall with Rummy to call him off of anything. Today just was not that kind of day.

We walked around the park, usual dogs in the park with a couple I didn't recognize. I let Rummy in, they sniffed each other then I let him off the leash. He ran over to a new dog who was on a leash with a lady. The leashed dog started lashing out towards Rummy trying to attack him, trying to attack the lady. Rummy didn't fight back but cowered down enough that I pulled him away before anything could happen. The lady yelled out "Hold your dog back!". Then she walked out with the dog. A younger kid followed her out.

It turned out the dog was not hers. It was an unsupervised 10 year old boy who came in the park with his friends and didn't know his dog was dog reactive. The dog was a young female Pit Bull. I don't have a problem with Pits but it was obvious this kid didn't know anything about his own dog. The lady was a very experanced dog walker who steped in earlyer to stop another fight with the same dog that had just happened moments before I arrived. I did not see it when I first got there and was unawair of what I had walked into. She spent a good amount of time talking to the kid outside of the fenced in area, telling him not to bring his dog back. Then came back in. I was still shaken up and apploigized for letting my dog approach the dog. She said I did nothing wrong but warned me to watch for something like the hard staring the dog was doing. I regret not seeing that when I steped in. She then filled me in on what had happend, said it is a learning process. No one was hurt thankfully but yikes it could have been worse. I will still go back there but I hope that kid never brings that dog back.

[IRescue452]

I don't know any doggie daycares who let the owners just take their dogs there to play and the owners stay the whole time. Don't you just drop your dogs off with strangers? I would NEVER let my dogs go to a doggie daycare and play under the supervision of strangers, especially if the ratio is like one or two workers to a roomful of dogs.

[Roxyluvsme13]

This was just shared on another dog forum I participate in. I immediately thought of this thread, as it makes it so clear that you MUST be aware and on your toes at all times. Even after you've been a few times! Sorry, a bit long, but I think she wrote it up well:

Dog Park Scary Moments: [ that was HER title in the other forum, not something I put to 'scare' ya!]
I really want to share this story to show the risk of going to a dog park. It's not always a bad thing but I always warn people to use them at their own risk. Feel free to share any moments you may have had at a park.

Rummy is the first dog I have ever owned who I feel comfortable taking to the dog park. He is respectful of other dogs and plays nicely. He will never start a fight and if something does happens he's the first to retreat from the situation. Doesn't have a mean bone in him. Not much of an issue and we go at least a couple times a week. It's a hidden park and usually there are the same dogs we see each time with the same owners. I know there is always a risk each time I go of something going wrong so I am usually always on my guard and am developing a good recall with Rummy to call him off of anything. Today just was not that kind of day.

We walked around the park, usual dogs in the park with a couple I didn't recognize. I let Rummy in, they sniffed each other then I let him off the leash. He ran over to a new dog who was on a leash with a lady. The leashed dog started lashing out towards Rummy trying to attack him, trying to attack the lady. Rummy didn't fight back but cowered down enough that I pulled him away before anything could happen. The lady yelled out "Hold your dog back!". Then she walked out with the dog. A younger kid followed her out.

It turned out the dog was not hers. It was an unsupervised 10 year old boy who came in the park with his friends and didn't know his dog was dog reactive. The dog was a young female Pit Bull. I don't have a problem with Pits but it was obvious this kid didn't know anything about his own dog. The lady was a very experanced dog walker who steped in earlyer to stop another fight with the same dog that had just happened moments before I arrived. I did not see it when I first got there and was unawair of what I had walked into. She spent a good amount of time talking to the kid outside of the fenced in area, telling him not to bring his dog back. Then came back in. I was still shaken up and apploigized for letting my dog approach the dog. She said I did nothing wrong but warned me to watch for something like the hard staring the dog was doing. I regret not seeing that when I steped in. She then filled me in on what had happend, said it is a learning process. No one was hurt thankfully but yikes it could have been worse. I will still go back there but I hope that kid never brings that dog back.

That's scary, but all too common in the Pit Bull world. Owners are stupid and don't know their dogs. This is why you learn to read body language and why you're never supposed to take a Pit bull to a dog park. They are prone to dog aggression, and it's not their fault, it's the owner's for being an idiot.

I'm glad this person's dog wasn't hurt... I could smack the Pit Bull's owner and the woman handling it!

[Alysser]

I don't know any doggie daycares who let the owners just take their dogs there to play and the owners stay the whole time. Don't you just drop your dogs off with strangers? I would NEVER let my dogs go to a doggie daycare and play under the supervision of strangers, especially if the ratio is like one or two workers to a roomful of dogs.

Yes, you drop your dogs off. It's the exact same concept as child daycare.

While that's your choice and feelings of it, many people (including me, and yeah granted I work at one but I would have taken Mikey to one anyway) will and do take their dogs to doggie daycares. Surprisingly, alot of owners take their dogs to daycares because they want them to be more comfortable with other dogs and people, especially the puppies and younger dogs, and it truthfully works wonders. They're also great for dogs that have separation anxiety and boredom issues if their owners aren't home alot. It's a safe place for the dogs to play completely supervised. I am not saying they're are not fights, because there are. But that's a risk of any situation involving alot of dogs. Not to mention, the dogs have an "interview" to see if this is the right environment for them to be in.

Sowa,
Just try a quick google search. I'm not sure where you are in CA but there are bound to be SOME around.

[Freedom]

I don't know any doggie daycares who let the owners just take their dogs there to play and the owners stay the whole time. Don't you just drop your dogs off with strangers? I would NEVER let my dogs go to a doggie daycare and play under the supervision of strangers, especially if the ratio is like one or two workers to a roomful of dogs.

Yes that is the point of daycare - care for the day while you work or travel. OR have a doctor's appt. Just like daycare for kids.

I could smack the Pit Bull's owner and the woman handling it!

The woman stepped in to get the dog under control, and was still doing that from the prior incident before removing it from the park when Rommy and owner entered.

[Roxyluvsme13]

The woman stepped in to get the dog under control, and was still doing that from the prior incident before removing it from the park when Rommy and owner entered.

Oops, I read that wrong and was completely confused then. Kudos to her for stepping in before a fight broke out, but one, why did she have to control the ten year old's dog? And second, who lets their 10 year old take a Pit Bull to a dog park? Brennan is strong enough to pull ME down, so I can't imagine how a ten year old kid could walk a Pit Bull and control it...