[BauersMom]

I will readily admit that Bauer is kind of a sissy , but he is fine around most dogs. If a dog shows any aggression he immediately submits, but plays well with dogs that show no aggression. We were at the dog park on Saturday, and everything was fine until Lilly showed up. We were alternately throwing tennis balls into the water and down the path and the dogs were racing to get them. Lilly showed up, and immediately keyed in on Bauer and 2 other dogs. When they would go in the water, she would guard the shore and not let the other dogs out of the water. It immediately made for a stressful environment. She would bark and lunge at the other dogs (even grabbed a 5 month old lab puppy around the neck and took her to the ground). The owner stood there saying, "No, Lilly," over and over. I asked if she was always this aggressive, and the owner said, "She isn't aggressive, she is just playing." Really? It didn't look like playing to me (or the other people at the park). Why do people take dogs like that to the dog park?

 

[Khalus]

Dunno, but it pisses me off too. We only have 1 dog-park within 50 miles of where I live and I only went there once and havn't gone again cause some idiots showed up with their boxers or whatever they were...short and very stocky/muscular with the smashed looking face.

Anyway, they attacked my dog to the point I had to step in and got bit 3 times picking her up. After confronting and turning on the owners...they started laughing and said they're only playing....yeah right!

Never have I gone back....

 

[Lexis Mom]

I've never experienced this, but I understand your anger over it.

There is a distinction between playing & when it is not. Seriously, before you take your dog out you need to learn to differentiate the two & to really know when your dog crosses the line.

Grabbing a puppy by the neck & taking it to the ground is absolutely NOT playing!!!

I took Lexi to my neighbor's house over the weekend. Their mix breed, Shiloh, has been around Lexi a few times, but this was the first where we brought one onto the other ones turf. There was a bit of barking & rised hair at first, but once they got used to each other it was all good. We monitored them closely when they started to play & I was prepared to take Lexi home if it got out of hand.

 

[HersheyK's Dad]

This is what can give a dog park a bad rap. I am sorry that you experieinced an aggressive dog at your park, but not going back is wrong. The responsible owners have tostand up for their park and the other responsible owners. The owner of the aggressive dog needs to leave and not come back until the behaviour is improved. The responsible owners have to make their case to the other owner or to authorities if available.

 

[BigBrownDog]

Grabbing a puppy by the neck & taking it to the ground is absolutely NOT playing!!!

No? My 3 year old Lab plays this way with my 4 1/2 month old puppy just about daily. Has not ever hurt him, the puppy is neither scared or backing off and it is an aspect of their play style. My Shepherd also did this when my friends puppies were around.

On Dog Parks - I don't go to them anymore. I think it is an extremely artificial social environment for dogs and the chances of a negative encounter is very high. I know plenty of people with dogs (who my dogs know) for them to get social time.

 

[Shelbz]

Ugh....don't even get me started on people at dog parks..... I...and Shelby prefer the morning crew over the evening crew...dogs and owners are great, they all get along so well each other. I'm not sure what it is about the evening crew, i think alot has to do with lazy people taking there dogs to play while they sit around on their cell phones and don't pay attention to what is going on or even socialize with the other dog owners.

 

[Callaway]

I think people are just plain ol' dumb! The place we go for classes has a fair amout of them too. Its a "on leash" enviroment, but somehow a big Dob was able to run over and start to hump Bogey....

I couldnt even pull him off he was so big....I was flamed!

 

[Baloo317]

Well, there's a golden that does the "guard the shore" thing at our park, but he does it in that bouncy golden way just trying to steal the toy. So, he *is* playing, but sometimes the way one dog plays can stress out other dogs, and that's where owners need a bit of a lesson on reading body language.

There's also a young rottie/lab cross that frequents the park that plays rough, bouncy and body-slamming and jumping on top of other dogs. I've seen him play with other dogs this way and they have a grand old time, but when he plays with Baloo, Baloo gets stressed out as it's just too rough for him. I've talked to the other owner about it and they understand, we just move on when we see them after a quick hello.

And then, Baloo can sometimes play the same role. With very timid dogs he comes across as way too rough at times. He's most definitely playing, but it's my job to see that his playing is causing stress for the other dog and re-direct him to something else.

So really, she could have just been playing, but it's up to her owner to get a clue and see that her "play" is stressful to the other dogs and creating a bad environment and address it accordingly.

I sometimes think that the level of doggie language fluency you need to be able to really maneuver well in a dog park environment is just over and above what 'average joe' dog owners have, and thats often what creates conflict.

 

[Luvmydog2much]

I sometimes think that the level of doggie language fluency you need to be able to really maneuver well in a dog park environment is just over and above what 'average joe' dog owners have, and thats often what creates conflict.

Well said, and I totally agree.

We go to the dog park about once or twice a week. Ruby is a very soft dog, Rhys very indifferent and Ginny plays like a pack of wild hyenas on the prowl. I'm so proud.

So when her antics involve a not so willing participant, on lead she goes.

What often happens at the park is that there are dogs who are toy aggressive, and Rhys and his frisbee are immediately targetted. When this happens, its easier for us to leave than for me to take Rhys' frisbee away.

Ruby is like Switzerland. But once she's challenged, she spends the rest of her visit on her back

One of the great things about my pack is that Ruby is quite protective of Rhys (not snarling or growling) and will often get between any intruder and Rhys.

 

[Felix]

Such people give other dog owners a bad name

So, if she (or he) dont show a form a responability, then any other person should stepup, and point that dog his place

And a adult dog, who grab a 5 months old pup in his neck isnt playing at all, he or she is just showing off his (or her) dominance ...

But .. You still cant blame the dog in question, just blame the owner by a lack of a proper action (just to say 'no no' isnt enough!) ..

 

[justine]

Were you at the Soldan dog park inside Hawk Island?? I won't go there anymore because I've run into soooo many stupid owners and their dogs.

 

[BauersMom]

Were you at the Soldan dog park inside Hawk Island?? I won't go there anymore because I've run into soooo many stupid owners and their dogs.

We were at Soldan's. I have run into some stupid people there too, but for the most part we have had good experiences. He used to be so afraid of other dogs, but he does so much better now. I was really annoyed because there were 6 dogs running, playing, swimming and retrieving together until the dog showed up. The play and fun ended until her owner finally took her to the other end of the park. Once she was gone, they started playing again.