Question on dogpark Etiquette...

[Tonya]

Well, I've been at the dog park everyday the past few days, and I already got to meet THE drama queen.

Yesterday, when I was there. This guy had two dobies. The male was aggressive, so his daddy was trying to socialize him. He had him muzzled, leashed, and away from others. I have no problem with that. I understand, because I went through that with my RB Rosco. Well, he told me a story...the day before...he'd been off in a corner with his dog muzzled and leashed minding his own business, and this lady's dog came out of the blue and attacked his dog. In the process, her dog ripped his dobie's muzzle off, and the dobie naturally started fighting back before he was able to get him out of there. I know he wasn't sugar coating the story because he showed me the muzzle with teeth marks. I have common sense, if a dog is muzzled and/or leashed...I know that he is for a reason. I give them their space.

Then, I hear from two other people that the lady's dog has started two other fights with dogs that so far have given me the impression as not dog aggressive.

So, today, I show up with Dusty and Roxy...no one is there but this one particular woman with her chow mix. The first thing she says to me is "This park isn't going to last long...it's a liability." Then she goes on to tell me that this man's dobie viciously attacked her dog...the dog was so vicious that he got his muzzle off", etc..."....the guy didn't even apologize!" I didn't say much, I pretended that I hadn't already heard the true story. I empathized with her fairytale and then pretty much said "Well, you know your dog andher personality...Mine have never been in a fight, but let me know if she seems like she's getting irritated."

Knowing that was the unpredictable dog that I'd heard about, I pretty much said "Well, it was good meeting you...I'm going to go off over here and let your dog get comfortable."

I went on the opposite end of the park. I was playing fetch with the dogs...(Roxy fetches, Dusty chases...) Out of the blue, her dog came running up and the lady was yelling "She's ok!" Then, totally unprovoked, she attacked Dusty. Of course (and I don't blame him) Dusty started fighting back. I've (just over the past few months) really gotten Dusty under control. All I had to do was yell his name and he stopped and ran to me.

Well, the lady was visibly mad...but I refused to apologize nor discipline Dusty. He simply defended himself and stopped as soon as I called him and came to me. I can't ask for a better dog. Most dogs wouldn't even hear anything once the dog had started. He'll come to me under any circumstance.

Soon after that, a Boxer came. Her dog scaled the fence and attacked him before he even got in the park. Then, a tiny pug came, her dog snapped at him.

So, then...She goes "Well, since none of you know how to control your dogs, I guess I'll leave."

WTF?!

Well, as you all know, I'm on thin ice lately...I don't put up with much. So I said..."Excuse me, I don't know you or your dog. But from what I witnessed today, I think that it is your dog that needs work. My dog has met over 20 dogs in the past few days and your dog was the first confrontation he's been in."

Well, then she goes "Well, it isn't like your dogs are perfect...they play way to aggressively (which BTW, they never even played with her dog...her dog attacked Dusty before hand.) and they bark and growl...."

So, it got me thinking...I'm sure some of you have dogs that are loud and sound mean when they play...Mine growl, bark, snarl, but all in good fun...Like one dog owner told me at the park "I don't think my dog is used to it, but if he didn't like it, he wouldn't be following them around..." I admit my dogs play more aggressively then most of the dogs there. For instance, Dusty loves to throw his paws on the dog's chests and knock them down. But I haven't seen a dog get mad over it. My dogs totally wrestle and tackle. I admit. -But it that necessarily bad?

So, the question of the day...

I don't know the etiquette...should I call Dusty off and retrain him not to play rough? Or let him be him? Am I being rude? I am courteous enough where if I know it's a touchy/aggressive/old dog, I keep my dogs away...but if the other dog seems like he's having fun, I let them play as rough as they want.

*edit* BTW, this guy who brings his agressive, muzzled, leashed Dobie...he warns and asks permission to everyone before he enters the park. He explains that he's trying to work through his dog's issues, so it isn't like it's a surprise.

[Tonya]

Bump! I'm going to harrass you all until I get MANY answers...I'm stressing about being a "rude dog owner".

[wolf_Q]

The last time I went to the dog park these two men came with two german shepherds. The female was nice, but the male was not..AT ALL. He muzzled him. My first reaction was "If you have a dog mean enough he needs to be muzzled, don't bring them to a dog park!!"

Of course, these guys just let the dog run loose too. He kept trying to get the muzzle off (which I know is not that hard, dogs get them off at my work all the time) and wouldn't stop chasing and lunging at Nebo. I knew if he got that muzzle off he'd rip my dog to shreds...so I just ended up leaving.

But it sounds like this guy with the dobie is being a lot more responsible than the guys here with the GSD. If they would have kept him on a leash at a distance from the other dogs, I wouldn't have had a problem.

The lady with the chow mix sounds like a bit of a moron to me. Nebo plays rough too...he sounds a lot worse than he is...I think sometimes it's a husky thing. He likes to run and he makes growling sounds. He does the same thing chasing his ball at home, it's not vicious.

However, if he's chasing a person's dog or wrestling with them and the owner or dog acts uncomfortable about it, I'll take him away and try to get him to play with other dogs. Usually I'll say something about him just being rather mouthy, and that he's not being mean...but not everyone understands that dogs can be like that. Most times I've gone he's found a buddy that likes to wrestle too and has had a great time.

Normally I follow him around the park and keep a pretty close watch. If he acts aggitated from being chased or something, I'll grab him and just walk him around or sit down...give him a time out.

[Tonya]

-That's what I do..."Don't mind Dusty and Roxy...they're very verbal and rough, but they don't ever get into fights...They're much more vicious then they sound." But still, am I being rude since I don't stop them from playing rough?

[wolf_Q]

I think if they are playing rough and the dog doesn't act comfortable or the owner seems upset about it the best thing to do is call them away to play in another area.

So, I guess to directly answer your question...if the above is the situation, then yes (IMO) it's rude to not call them off.

However, if the dogs they are playing rough with are playing rough back and appear to be having a good time, I don't see any reason to call them off.

[DogLover9501]

I know what you mean by the growling, snarling...etc, it's all playfull sounds, thats not being agressive(sp?) at all!

It sounds like that lady's dog was not socialized well, and I dont see why she brings her dog there if it wont get along with other dogs, isnt that the point...? Maybe she does it for kicks, I mean the way she's lied about how her dog seems to pick fights, and attack for no reason, maybe thats why she brings it there, some people are like that, like the guy around here that makes his rotties vicious and then lets them loose...

She is probably going to get in trouble, her dog will probably end up biting someone or seriously hurting another dog....

[DogLover9501]

But still, am I being rude since I don't stop them from playing rough?

I don't think its rude at all unless the dog/owner doesnt seem to like it, or seems nervous about the roughness. Dogs like to rough house and wrestle, it's all for fun. Kind of like the way two boxers will stand on their hine legs and box each other, they arent being rough, theyre playing...

[Twisterdog]

Well, honestly ... since you asked ... I think dog parks are a bad, bad idea.

Sure, sure, some dogs have fun, some play well, etc. etc. I'm sure dozens of people are going to respond with stories to refute what I said.

However ... the people and dogs you met and the stories you told are so very common. The sad fact of the matter is that there is always at least one rotten apple in the barrel at any time.

Do you really think that every person in a dog park knows how to train a dog? Knows how to control a dog? Do you really think that every person in the dog park has kept their dogs vaccinations up to date? Has had a fecal sample checked for worms?

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. What if her chow mix had killed the pug, while she was still running to catch up?

I have small dogs, so I take these points very seriously. I will NOT trust my dogs' lives to people I don't know. A large portion of the general public are morons, I'm sorry to say.

My son's friend's chocolate lab was killed by two pit bulls at a park, right in front of him. Nothing anyone could do. One of my customers shih tzus was killed by a malamute ... a malamute with extensive obedience training, BTW. It happens.

Not worth it to me. I'll take my dogs somewhere else any day. I will never use a dog park. I can exercise, entertain and socialize my dogs without them being in danger.

am I being rude since I don't stop them from playing rough?

Well, I suppose that depends on the situation. If the owner or the dog isn't liking the fact that your dogs are playing rough, then yes ... I would say it would be rude not to stop them. Rough play is likely to make someone angry and start a fight, even if it isn't your dog that starts it. I suppose if there is another dog there that also wants to play rough, and the owner is ok with it, then you could let it go. But, still ... especially with dogs that don't know each other well, rough play is a fight waiting to happen.

[micki76]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
Well, honestly ... since you asked ... I think dog parks are a bad, bad idea.

Sure, sure, some dogs have fun, some play well, etc. etc. I'm sure dozens of people are going to respond with stories to refute what I said.

However ... the people and dogs you met and the stories you told are so very common. The sad fact of the matter is that there is always at least one rotten apple in the barrel at any time.

Do you really think that every person in a dog park knows how to train a dog? Knows how to control a dog? Do you really think that every person in the dog park has kept their dogs vaccinations up to date? Has had a fecal sample checked for worms?

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. What if her chow mix had killed the pug, while she was still running to catch up?

I have small dogs, so I take these points very seriously. I will NOT trust my dogs' lives to people I don't know. A large portion of the general public are morons, I'm sorry to say.

My son's friend's chocolate lab was killed by two pit bulls at a park, right in front of him. Nothing anyone could do. One of my customers shih tzus was killed by a malamute ... a malamute with extensive obedience training, BTW. It happens.

Not worth it to me. I'll take my dogs somewhere else any day. I will never use a dog park. I can exercise, entertain and socialize my dogs without them being in danger.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I have to say though, that I really enjoyed the park we went to for the TX PT meeting. Dogs were allowed, but had to be on a leash. I was much more comfortable with that, and I'm grateful to Aly for finding a lovely park to accommodate my needs.

[shais_mom]

Our Dog park requires a yearly fee and records of the vaccinations of the dogs on file.
Keegan loves to go to the dog park. Yes there have been issues of bigger dogs picking on the little ones but usually the owners act quickly.
I know when Keegan gets to playing rough with other dogs big or small I try to keep her under control and reprimand her. Several times I have been told by the owners "Its ok they (their dog/s) needs to learn." But I don't want to be accused of bringing an uncontrollable dog into the park. Nor do I want Keegan to get hurt or hurt another dog.
I think the lady you have encountered is an idiot and I think by all means she needs to be told it is her fault. Kudos to you.
Once when I was going into our dog park there was a lady coming out with 3 dogs she asked me to stand back b/c 2 of her dogs were dog aggressive. I obliged, and she was very very nice about it. At least she knew not to put my dog in danger. And when I got there she was the only one in the park with her significant other and dogs and then I was the only one left after she left.
I wish you the best of luck dealing with this moronic lady, you are going to need it!! She would try my patience to the point of madness!!!

[catnapper]

I feel dog parks are great places. 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."

Keep going, as this other dog owner is probably new like you are and hasn't quite figured out that if her dog gets into a fight every day, then the park is not meant for her dog. These doggy owners typically go away after a few tries... usually saying how terrible the dogs and their owenr were!

As for the risks of worms, you run that risk walking the dog in your neighborhood. Yes, not everyone's going to have their pet up to date on immunization... but neither are the squirrels and rabbits, etc. that live in the park (and your neighborhood.) We run risks everywhere we go and its up to you to measure whether or not its worth it to you. I personally love the dog park. Yes, people are idiots at times. Yes, there's flees and ticks and just about anything one animal can pass onto another. But as I said, you can get that in your own neighborhood. Nicki used to meet at least two dozen dogs along our walks on a daily basis - can I account for their health? Their whereabouts? No.

[KYS]

For me this is a hard one.
I agree with everyone.
I have mixed feelings about dog parks.

I think if everybody's dog is friendly,
poop is picked up right away, shots up to date,
it's a great way to socialize your dog and meet people too.
I think it is important not to have any aggressive
dogs at the park "period".

When dogs play, and the play gets rough, make
sure that all the dogs are having fun.
Dogs tend to pack up, and pick on a weaker dog.
Sometimes fun play turns into a argument seconds later.

I think the lady has some screws loose.
Her dog is going to seriously hurt another dog, or
somebody elses dog will seriously hurt hers.
Her dog should "NOT" be at the park.

Don't you enter dog parks at your own risk?
I think a registration is a great idea.

[shais_mom]

Oh yea and our park provides bags for the picking up of the poop also and a waste container to throw it in.

[Cincy'sMom]

In all the times we have gone to variuos dog parks we have never had a problem involving our dogs...course when there has been 30+ dog they were mostly PT dogs!

I know they way mine play scares some people becuase they are rough with each other. They growl and snarl, but would not hurt each other for anything. I just watch them close and if they try ato play too rough with a dog who desn not seem to apprecaite it, I call them off and they listen.

Our also go tot dayschool a few tiomes a month and are used to dealing with up to 50 of all sizes and personalities often.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

The dog park I go to does NOT allow aggressive dogs. Period. One of the "regulars" that I talk to often, has a little Westie who was brutally attacked by 5 dogs. The poor thing survived, but the owner of the 5 dogs was an @$$hole about it.

I would never stop going there, just because of a few irresponsible people. My dogs love it way too much, and I enjoy going. Mine haven't really been "bothered" by any other dogs, but if they were Molly would quickly end it. She stays very close to Daisy, and since Daisy is submissive when another dog comes up to her, she rolls on her back and Molly comes over and makes sure she's okay.

Our dog park also provides pooper scoopers for picking up after your dog, and a bunch of water bowls. They also require your dog to be current on all shots, be at least 4 months of age, but they don't require them to be spayed/neutered. (which I hate. )

Anyway, as to your question, if you thought it was aggressive, call it off. If it seems more like playing, let them be.