Kids at the dog park

[slleipnir]

Omg, yes, it's annoying. I'm not saying ALL kids, but I was there once where a bunch of kids were. I also would use the agility stuff they have with Jo for fun. Anyway, the kids thought it was pretty fun too. You know, running up and down the dog walk, pushing jumps over (or jumping over them) and even playing on the teeter totter thingie. Urg, it was annoying especially seeing the parents never said anything.....No offence, but our dog park is just an attachment to the HS, and they really don't have a lot of money for replacing broken equipment had the kids broken something....

[Tonya]

I bring Jaden, but he is a big kid and he's well behaved. I wouldn't even dream of bringing a young small child there. He only gets free roam when the dogs are regulars... I think it is a good experience for him because he learns how to act around other people and animals. He knows the rules and he just plays fetch with the dogs that he knows. I have had Jaden knocked over once, but I wasn't upset at all. It was my decision to bring him to the park, I brought him at my own risk.

On the other hand, this one lady has this crappy 3-4 year old. He throws temper tantrums and rubs his face on the ground in the process. It totally grosses me out because the park is small, so poop has touched everywhere. And she just lets him roam free, even when strange dogs show up. He moves abrubtly towards the dogs, he is clumsy, and he hangs on them sometimes. He's going to get bit someday.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Originally posted by Shelteez2
They probably expect to not get chased. That's unacceptable behavior IMO.

I never said my dogs chase kids, if you thought I did. They don't. But, you'd be surprised how many dogs do if a young child starts running, especially a young dog/puppy.
The one we go to is all fenced in, and is specifically a Dog park. There's a grassy area on the other side with a few picnic tables, where dogs aren't allowed, but people and children are.

[Shelteez2]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
I never said my dogs chase kids, if you thought I did. They don't. But, you'd be surprised how many dogs do if a young child starts running, especially a young dog/puppy.
The one we go to is all fenced in, and is specifically a Dog park. There's a grassy area on the other side with a few picnic tables, where dogs aren't allowed, but people and children are.

No I didn't mean yours, just dogs in general.

[K9soul]

No dog parks in my area, but if there were I would probably feel similar. Of course well-behaved children who are taught manners, i.e. asking permission to pet the dog first, not screaming and yelling and running wildly around the dogs, etc, I would have no problem with. However, there's no way to keep those types in and the other types out really. So I would think there should be a section at least where kids under a certain age were not allowed at all, for dogs who aren't used to small children to go.

As far as expecting no dogs to not chase a running child, I think that's unreasonable at a dog park. There are probably young pups there to get socialized as well as older dogs to run and play. If someone runs it's a natural instinct to chase after it. Of course if I was in an off-leash area that is not designated specifically for dogs, then in that case they should be trained and expected not to chase people biking, running, etc.

I gather the park is totally a place to let the dogs do what dogs do, to play and just be dogs. It sounds like a very nice socialization tool. If I had a young pup I would take him or her purely for that aspect, and gradually work up to better manners and obedience while there.

Just my thoughts.

[Tonya]

Originally posted by K9soul
I gather the park is totally a place to let the dogs do what dogs do, to play and just be dogs. It sounds like a very nice socialization tool. If I had a young pup I would take him or her purely for that aspect, and gradually work up to better manners and obedience while there.

Just my thoughts.

Exactly right. Which is why I think that dogs should be allowed to be dogs at dog parks. It's a place where a pet owner shouldn't have to worry about children and other distractions. I have no problem with children coming there, but if a parent wants to bring their child, they need to keep in mind that it's a dog park, not a playground for kids. My son has fun there, but he also knows the rules and I know that I'm totally at fault if something happens to him.