Question on dogpark Etiquette...

[Twisterdog]

Its a lot like kindergarden... you have parents that realize all kids are different and allow them to figure out play on their own. You have parents who think their kids are angels when they're devils who provoke... then when they're in fights, they claim "its your kid that's the bad one."

True ... except in kindegarten, one child does not weigh 150 pounds, and another child weigh 10 pounds. And in kindegarten, one child does not kill his or her classmate, by ripping out their juglar vein, either. Dogs aren't kids. Dogs are dogs.

Dogs were allowed, but had to be on a leash.

I used to take my dogs to the city park all the time, but all dogs were leashed. I agree that it was much better.

[Shelteez2]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
They also require your dog to be current on all shots,

Do you know how they define "current on all shots"? What about people who don't believe in yearly vaccinations?

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
but they don't require them to be spayed/neutered. (which I hate. )

Why do you hate it? Should people with intact dogs not be allowed to use dog parks? What about those with show dogs? Or what about those whose dogs have health problems and cannot be spayed/neutered? Or what about those who don't believe in early spaying and neutering? Should they not be allowed to bring their dogs until they're full grown?

[trayi52]

Funny I had never even heard of a dogpark at all until I came to Pet Talk! That was completely new to me.

To me the man with the Doberman was being very nice and honest, the woman was being a jerk. She must wear blinders if she couldn't see her dog was causing all the problems!

As far as whether I approve of dogparks, I can't say. I have never had any dealings with a dogpark!

I think you kept your cool with the woman. She should have been diciplined herself right along with her dog!

Willie

[wolf_Q]

I'm sorry but I have to say some of these posts kind of offended me and made me feel like I'm a "bad dog owner" for using dog parks.

I don't feel that I'm trusting my dogs life in the hands of strangers when I visit the park. If there's aggressive dogs or idiot owners there, I'll leave. I don't just stand there and let him do what he wants, I follow him around and watch everything he does.

I could just as easily have my dog bitten or exposed to unvaccinated dogs, infected feces, etc. while walking him around the block with a leash on. I rarely even take him for walks because I run into so many dogs just running lose. I've had more dogs charge up to us while on a leashed walk than at the dog park.

Yes, things happen that can't always be prevented, and no dog is 100% predictable. And there's a whole world full of stupid dog owners. But the stupid dog owners are not just at the dog park.

[Brie]

Personally, I wouldn't take the passive-agressive approach with a woman like that.

I would tell her straight to her face her dog does not belong at a dog park if it's agressive to other dogs. I would also do my best to get contact info for her. If her dog was to hurt any other dog, she is liable and that should be made very clear to her. Thabeing said, I would never enter the park if it's just you, her and two dogs. ALWAYS make sure others are there to witness any acts of agression from her dog in case their are any injuries and someone has a phone to call police in case of injuries and confrontation.

Also, I would try to figure out if she has a pattern of when she goes to the park (eg: everyday at 5pm or saturday mornings at 11am) Also find out if the city has someone regulating the parks (eg: park rangers, police, etc...) and let them know you and others are having problems with this one dog.

I do have to say that I'm proud of that dobie owner. He's willing to work on the problem and is doing it appropriately! I hope he's also working with a trainer to assist with the aggression issues.

I do give my dogs time outs in the dog park. If they start playing a little too rough, I do take them out of the situation move them to an area of the park where there are no other dogs and have them focus on me with some basic sit, down, stay, come, lay down commands and favorite treats! After a few minutes of the time out I re-introduce them to play. I will leave the park if it becomes to rough and a couple timeouts haven't corrected the behavior.

[Cincy'sMom]

Originally posted by wolf_Q
I'm sorry but I have to say some of these posts kind of offended me and made me feel like I'm a "bad dog owner" for using dog parks.

I don't feel that I'm trusting my dogs life in the hands of strangers when I visit the park. If there's aggressive dogs or idiot owners there, I'll leave. I don't just stand there and let him do what he wants, I follow him around and watch everything he does.

I could just as easily have my dog bitten or exposed to unvaccinated dogs, infected feces, etc. while walking him around the block with a leash on. I rarely even take him for walks because I run into so many dogs just running lose. I've had more dogs charge up to us while on a leashed walk than at the dog park.

Yes, things happen that can't always be prevented, and no dog is 100% predictable. And there's a whole world full of stupid dog owners. But the stupid dog owners are not just at the dog park.

Well said Amy! I toally agree.

[anna_66]

Well, needless to say we've had our share of going to dog parks and the girls love it!
Now I think if I had small dogs like Chester or Millie I probably wouldn't take them. There is a good chance of smaller dogs getting hurt easily.
I know when we went to the Michigan dog park there was a small dog (can't remember what kind) and a lady is yelling "Who does this chow belong to?" Well of course, it was me She said Huney "attacked" her dog. Now I know this is not true, it's just Huney's way of playing. She has a low growl and grabs their legs. To her it's all in good fun. But then again I understand the lady's feelings. Her dog was much smaller than mine (that's why I wouldn't take small dogs to a park with much larger dogs).

But in answer to your question, I think you are being a very responsible dog owner. Your dog listens and does what you tell him to.
I agree, this lady is a moron & someone should tell her how stupid she's being.

[Kfamr]

I totally agree with both Amy's 100%.

Nala is VERY vocal when she plays. Normally the owners here have no problem with it either.


Our dog park here has a side for small dogs and a side for big dogs. So there's no 150 lb dog attacking a 10 lb dog, unless the owner is stupid enough to bring a 10 lb dog into the big dogs section, vice versa.

They also require current tags, which you can't get tags unless you dog has vaccinations. The park ranger comes by often to check for them.


Yeah, it's a bit risky even with dogs of the same size. But it's also risky not to socialize them as much as you can. It may be better for someone like Twisterdog, since she has 10 or so dogs (right?) because i'm sure they are more than occupied with each other.

It's a bit different for someone like me, who has two complete different opposite personality-wise dogs.

[Lixx]

I personally like dog parks. Granted you do have to be careful. I have met a few irresponsible owners that just piss me off. But most are there, the same as you, and just want their dogs to have a good time. Dante loves it and I would hate for him not to have the oppertunity to go.

[catnapper]

Um, can I add one more thing? Nicki is a 100 pound mutt. Very sweet, very passive. The only time she was attacked - seriously attacked was by a small 15 pound Terrier that truly tried to tear out her jugular... even managed to cut her on the throat and deep slashes across her eye that needed stiches! Nicki was shocked and backed up and tried to get away. She never even tried to retaliate. This Terrier was a typical Terrier. She was sweet and loving and she belonged to ----- my Grandmom!

No attacks in the park, no attacks on our walks. I never saw any attacks as the pet owners were very responsible and "policed" the park to ensure the saftey for their dog and all others. I am not a bad mom for bringing her to the park or taking her on walks. The fear and guilt others instill make a pet owner feel that the only safety for their pet is in their own locked backyard with other pets that have been screened.

Please - nothing in this world is perfectly safe or going to make everyone happy. Otherwise, I would never have put her in the car and made the 35 minute drive.

I still believe its like kindergarten, which is a metaphore!!! I know there is a wide breadth of size and temperments. Its been my experience that the smaller dogs often were the more aggressive of the park. When we had a small Maltese, she would provoke Rotties and Dobies on our walks. Size doesn't always equal timidity or agrression. Sure, the larger dogs could potentially cause more harm faster, but the small ones do too. I'm sorry this is causing such a debate... its supposed to be something we do for ourselves and our pets. Its a personal decision and you take from it what you want. Like it = go. Disagree with the concepts = stay home.

[cali]

I know we dont really have a problem with "bad apples" because we dont have a dog park, a bunch of dog lovers get together at certain times at chosen parks to play, basicly that lady with a chow mix would not know the "play groups" existed. there is a huge park that lots of people go to at an arranged time, I love it, there is plenty of room etc.. there is another that meets between 4-6 PM in a school yard, and there is a several hundred acre farmer feild at the end of 1st avenue its so big, that many people run there dogs there, its the main place we take the dogs to run. they can disapear after a rabbit warren for several minuts we dont think anything of it, because they may disapear from sight but they have no where to go, its enclosed in 3 sides by a large creek and a high fence. so once they loose the rabbits they come runnin back, I say let your dogs play how they like, its this chow mix lady thats the stupid one.

[Twisterdog]

Hey, I never said any of you had to agree with me. I never said any of you were "bad dog owners." I never said anything about any of you; I specifically said, several times in fact, that I was talking about my dogs, my personal experience and preferences.

I also said, specifically, that I own small dogs, and therefore I have to take these issues more seriously than someone who owns a large dog. Simple physics - if a dog weighs ten pounds it is going to be in much more danger, even from simple "rough play" than a dog that weighs 100 pounds.

I gave my reasons for not taking my dogs to a dog park, and I listed two dogs that I personally knew that were killed at dog parks, one of them who weighed 80 pounds, and one who weighed 15 pounds.

What you choose to do with you own dogs is certainly your own business. And what I choose to do with my own dogs is certainly my business.

Just because someone states an opinion that doesn't necesarily match your opinion, doesn't mean that they are attacking you. It simply means you have differing opinons. Pretty simple.

I know we dont really have a problem with "bad apples" because we dont have a dog park, a bunch of dog lovers get together at certain times at chosen parks to play, basicly that lady with a chow mix would not know the "play groups" existed.

That's exactly what we do. A group of us that are friends, know each other, and know each others' dogs get together and let them all play. We all trust each other and each other's dogs.

I never said or implied that I never let my dogs around other people's dogs. I simply pick and choose who I let me dogs around. There is no way I am taking one of my fifteen pound dogs to a public dog park and letting her off leash with twenty or so dogs that are five times her size, without knowing anything about the people or the dogs. It's the equivelant of putting a three year old in a professional football game. To me, this is basic common sense. No one need be offended by it, or read more into it than was said.

[wolf_Q]

Originally posted by Twisterdog


Every time you go in a dog park, you are trusting the health, safety and very life of your beloved pets to a bunch of strangers.

This, I took as applying to me and anyone else who visits a dog park.

[clara4457]

I have mixed reactions to dog parks, mainly because of the owners not really understanding dog behavior very well. Before I owned my own home, it was great for Leo because it allowed him to run and play and socialize when I didn't really have space for him to do that. I did, however, always take him during non peak times so that I could control his environment better.

I do think that you need to be just as aware of how people are feeling as well as reading the dogs body language. If a dog owner is uncomfortable with how the two dogs are playing together, it is your job to remove your dog to another part of the park. If a dog owner understands the two dogs are playing, then leave them be. That being said though - there are a great many times that rough play escalates into fighting. Dogs are very subtle creatures - and some breeds are more subtle than others.

Penny Lane will do a low throaty growl when she is trying to communicate that she is anxious and then she will try to attack. Leo will just try to turn and walk away from the other dog several times and then will turn suddenly and attack if they continue to annoy him. To someone who is not aware of dog behavior might say that Leo attacked for no reason - but he actually gave signal after signal after signal.

Now that I have my own home, I much prefer play dates to keep him socialized. My sister brings her GSD Hutch over all the time and him and Leo play pretty rough and growly. We are both very aware of when we need to call the dogs away from each other and stop rough housing.

I have to agree with Twisterdog, that unless you have a dog park that maintains policies of vaccinations, seperate areas for small and large dogs, and will regulate the area when there are dogs that are aggressive (i.e. dobie under control - Okay; chow mix running loose and attacking - banned), you are better off with playdates and doggie day care with experienced dog people.

JMHO

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by wolf_Q
This, I took as applying to me and anyone else who visits a dog park.

Well, sure. It DOES apply to you and me and everyone else who visits a dog park. Do you disagree? You are trusting the other people in the dog park, are you not? You walk in, you take off your dogs leash, and you trust that everyone else in the dog park has a fairly well-trained, friendly dog, right? You are trusting that if someone has an extremely dog-aggressive, violent, uncontrollable beast, that they left him at home. Right? Of course you are trusting those strangers, there is no other way to do it, unless you know everyone there - which is highly unlikely.

Everyone is different, and everyone is comfortable with different levels of risk. I'm not comfortable taking my small dogs to a dog park. If you are comfortable taking your larger dog to a dog park, more power to you. To each his own. I'm not criticising people who use dog parks at all. I'm just stating why I won't. People should hear both sides of the story, right?

If you take your dogs to a dog park, you (hopefully!) realize that there are certain inherent dangers and risks. If you don't realize this and are thinking there is no possible risk or danger at all, you are probably not going to be watching as closely as you should, and setting yourself and your dog up for a potential issue. Seeing dog parks, or anything else for that matter, only through rose-colored glasses is setting yourself up for a fall, to be sure.

And of course, dog parks are not the only place where risks exist. I never said that, either. Taking your dog on a walk around the block, they may meet an aggressive dog running loose. (Of course ... that's why I carry Mace on walks, too.) I simply choose not to take part in what I perceive as a risky activity for MY dogs.

And, when I use "you" in a post, I don't mean YOU personally, or anyone else personally. The proper pronoun to use would be "one" instead of "you", but I find that the majority of people are not used to seeing the pronoun "one" used a lot, and it tends to sound pretentious.

Our dog park here has a side for small dogs and a side for big dogs. So there's no 150 lb dog attacking a 10 lb dog, unless the owner is stupid enough to bring a 10 lb dog into the big dogs section, vice versa.

Well, that would make a tremendous amount of difference! It's a great idea. Unfortunately, none of the dog parks I've seen around here are divided like that.