New Dog Park = Recipe for Disaster?

Dogs on leashes are more likely to start fights than a dog who is off leash so leashes aren't always the best thing to have on.

Observe the dogs first before going in. Look to see if there are any dogs acting extra dominant, (stiff shoulders, very high raised tail wagging very fast, almost vibrating, ears high, trying to stand tall and look down at the other dog"

These are signs to watch out for, and there is no reason you can't correct someone else's dog, or your own dog for these behaviors. You can clap, or make a loud noise to snap the dog out of it.

I only bring my dog to the dog park when there are low numbers of dogs and everyone looks friendly. I let my dog say hi through the fence first and make sure all the dogs get along.

After all, dogs can be like people sometimes. They don't have to like every single dog they come in contact with, just like people don't tend to like every single person they meet. But most dogs are very social like a lot of people.

Edit: Hackles raised on a dog is not always a sign of aggression. My dog who has very short fur, has her hackles raised from shoulders to tail when she goes to the dog park because of excitement, and is always very friendly and playful.

I haven't read all of the post so I apologize if someone has said these things already.

Personally I avoid the dog park at all costs. You have no idea if the dogs there are healthy. You said it-the people there (majority of the time) don't give a crap what there dog is doing or where it is. You have no idea what ill-mannered dogs are teaching your dogs. If there's a bad experience for your dog it could cause them to associate (all) other dogs with bad things.

I agree dogs need to be socialize, and it's kind of fun to be in an area that big and allow your dog to just run. No leash...nothing. But there are other ways to exercise your dog and there are other ways to socialize your dog.

I vote against the dog park.

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Originally Posted by AkHerps

Dogs on leashes are more likely to start fights than a dog who is off leash so leashes aren't always the best thing to have on.

Observe the dogs first before going in. Look to see if there are any dogs acting extra dominant, (stiff shoulders, very high raised tail wagging very fast, almost vibrating, ears high, trying to stand tall and look down at the other dog"

These are signs to watch out for, and there is no reason you can't correct someone else's dog, or your own dog for these behaviors. You can clap, or make a loud noise to snap the dog out of it.

I only bring my dog to the dog park when there are low numbers of dogs and everyone looks friendly. I let my dog say hi through the fence first and make sure all the dogs get along.

After all, dogs can be like people sometimes. They don't have to like every single dog they come in contact with, just like people don't tend to like every single person they meet. But most dogs are very social like a lot of people.

Edit: Hackles raised on a dog is not always a sign of aggression. My dog who has very short fur, has her hackles raised from shoulders to tail when she goes to the dog park because of excitement, and is always very friendly and playful.

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The reason you see on-leash dogs uncomfortable in an environment like that is because of a thing called barrier frustrations. The dogs feel restricted on the leash, so they feel unable to interact properly...and sometimes the owner can cause inappropriate interaction...if the owner sees their dog become uncomfortable and yanks them away...that sends all kinds of body language to other dogs.

Letting your dog meet through a fence can also cause this-so use it with caution. It may be fine with your dog, but the dogs your dog meets might not be able to handle it. It's kind of hard for your dog to put it's butt up to the fence for another dog to sniff it...and what ends up happening is face to face interaction-in the dog world that's rude behavior right of the bat.

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Originally Posted by sarahlovesmiike

Anybody else think that dog park are not such a great idea?

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I live in Arizona, and I have German Shorthaired Pointers. They absolutely MUST RUN several times a week, we have really strict leash laws (with $300 fines if you're caught violating them), and jogging with me for 2 miles doesn't really do the trick for these guys. Dog parks are BRILLIANT.

Yeah, about 1 out of 5 times we go and there's some animal that makes it unpleasant. But the other 4 times my dogs wrestle and run with other dogs. And then they come home and actually sleep rather than pestering us all evening to take them for walks.

There's even a park down in Gilbert that has a small attached lake. AN. ATTACHED. LAKE! So now we take them there on the weekends, even when it's 110F outside, and they can splash around and stay cool. And it turns out Buttercup is a huge swimmer.

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Originally Posted by loonunit

I live in Arizona, and I have German Shorthaired Pointers. They absolutely MUST RUN several times a week, we have really strict leash laws (with $300 fines if you're caught violating them), and jogging with me for 2 miles doesn't really do the trick for these guys. Dog parks are BRILLIANT.

Yeah, about 1 out of 5 times we go and there's some animal that makes it unpleasant. But the other 4 times my dogs wrestle and run with other dogs. And then they come home and actually sleep rather than pestering us all evening to take them for walks.

There's even a park down in Gilbert that has a small attached lake. AN. ATTACHED. LAKE! So now we take them there on the weekends, even when it's 110F outside, and they can splash around and stay cool. And it turns out Buttercup is a huge swimmer.

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You're failing your dogs by allowing them to have constant poor interactions with other dogs. Get a treadmill or ride a bike with them.

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Originally Posted by Jamielvsaustin

You're failing your dogs by allowing them to have constant poor interactions with other dogs. Get a treadmill or ride a bike with them.

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Seriously?

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Originally Posted by sarahlovesmiike

Seriously?

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Yes seriously. You disagree? He's taking his dogs to a place where there's a chance the dogs could have a bad encounter. He has no idea how badly it could affect his dogs in the long run. And it could even turn into a situation that's really bad, and one of the dogs gets really hurt. To me, sounds like he doesn't own the right type of breed for his life style. If his dogs are active-he should be too. Like I said, there are other safer options for him to exercise his dogs-that won't put them in such a potentially bad spot.

Apparently we have a LOT of canine behaviorist's responding to this thread :rolleyes:

YES, there is a parvo vaccine. Puppies should be vaccinated with the distemper/parvo vaccine at 8 weeks, 11 weeks, 14 weeks, and finally 17 weeks for the final set and spay or neuter. If this set is not compleated, the animal is at risk for parvo and or distemper.

Animals that are NOT up to date on rabies vaccine and distemper parvo vaccine have NO business in a dog park...whatsoever.

I take Dino to the dog park because he enjoys it. He is active so I give him exercise. Dino is very social, but occasionally there is a dog that he does not get along with so we leave. I don't see how its necessary for you to call people out on how they choose to exercise their dogs. If you watch for signs that a dog doesn't like your dog then you avoid dog fights, it's as simple as that. We are not repeatedly putting them in a bad situation, its a good way to socalize them whether you agree or not.


And since when are distemper and parvo the same thing? All of my dogs are vaccinated for distemper and rabies but somehow I doubt that the distemper vaccine is going to prevent parvo... You could be right but my vet never mentioned that.

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Originally Posted by sarahlovesmiike

We are not repeatedly putting them in a bad situation, its a good way to socalize them whether you agree or not.

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I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree. I don't think it's a good way to socialize your dog. I think there are safer more controlled environments that would set the dog up to suceed and not fail. I fear that people who think the dog parks are a good idea are going to have to learn the hard way that they are not a good idea.