New Dog Park = Recipe for Disaster?

My dogs are friendly with other dogs, but they've never really been able to meet dogs outside of my family. We took the pack to the new dog park that opened up in my town just recently today. We kept Benny and Katie on leashes until we were confident that they were getting along with the other dogs that were there. I knew Dino would be fine because he's super submissive, so we just let him romp. We allowed Benny and Katie to be off leash one at a time, because they are dominant and don't really play well together.
From what I observed, people really don't care about making sure their dogs are behaving or seeing if they are getting along with all the other dogs before allowing them to be off leash. They just walk in and release them immediately. I am going to continue bringing Benny and Dino there, but only so that they can learn some good greeting skills.


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

I take Ollie (dachshund) to the dog park where I live every week. It has been great for him to get used to their dogs who don't want to eat him. There is a big dog side, and a little dog side where I live. The people are very vigilant, and the dogs wear tags, so if there is an actual problem the somebody will write down the tag number and call the park board. I do agree that if people do not make sure there will be no aggression problem that they are opening themselves up to all kinds of trouble. Do you have to register your dog where you live, and have a fob to get into the park, or is it a public park?

Yes we have to register but lost Benny's tags while romping in some long grass. I don't think a single dog in there had tags on except Katie and Dino.

Dogs are much like their owners.

Some mix well with others, some don't.

Some just suck, people and dogs, and others work to get along.

I've seen many of both at the park I used to take my beast too. He's too old now, but he was a helluvadog in his day.

The worst is total idiots bringing in females in heat then getting all bent when the boys try to play.

It's individual to the dog park whether you'll have a good place or a bad place.

The free one I used to take my guys to was pretty good. Sometimes there was a person with a really bad dog that would come in. So that one dog would disrupt the whole park, pick fights, etc. The owner would get angry if you called him on the dog's behavior or tried to intervene. But luckily, that owner only came a certain morning of a certain day. Avoiding that time slot made the dog park a pretty good experiance.

Some places have idiot owners who have problem dogs that simply don't care if their dog attacks another animal(or person), or think anytime another dog sniffs theirs it's a huge drama fest and their dog is about to be torn limb from limb.

The worst I've actually experianced was I had a collison between my old english sheepdog and a lab. They were both running and playing seperately, and just crossed pathes. One T-boned the other one. Both dogs were fine, and mine ran up to get 'pat pat pat' "You're okay, go play". The other dog endured a huge scene of "Oh my POOR BABY!! Oh my GOD!!" until it was freaked out.

The only other thing was me being accused of being cruel to my dogs because I was not throwing a ball for them to chase and fetch. I explained that my dogs don't fetch balls and are uninterested in playing ball. I was told that "ALL dogs chase balls! You're just LAZY!" So I picked up a tennis ball, showed it to the sheepdog doing the "You want the ball? You want the ball! Go get it!" and tossed it. The sheepdog watched it sail through the air. Then looked at me going 'Good throw mom.' I then explained that MY dogs think that if I threw the ball over there.. it means I want the ball 'over there' and they wouldn't DREAM of moving it from where mom wants it.

Otherwise, pretty good. If you feel uneasy, it's best to remove your dogs. You can always come back later or a different day. Make sure that people do have to vaccinate their dogs and that YOUR dogs are up to date. You wouldn't want to bring home parvo.

There is a parvo vaccine?! Looks like I'm making an appointment at the vet :D

Nobody ever comes to the park I go to without their tags. Maybe that is because we have to register every year to get access. If the pups are not utd on all their shots including rabies they do not get access the next year. Not completely effective, but it does give some piece of mind to know the dogs are all current on shots, and healthy. They also have a no heat policy, and I never have seen one in the park, but it may happen for all I know.

As a dog owner, and from my own experiences, I do not agree with dog parks.
As a veterinary assistant, I don't much care for them either.

Minus having to worry about other dogs and whether or not they've been vaccinated or how well they response to interacts with other canines. There's also the danger of the park itself.

Just last week we had a dog come into the emergency clinic I work in who saw a dog on the other side of the fence, got excited and went to run to greet it, and just so happened to run into the wrong park of the fence. He was presented to us with a three inch deep gash from where a bolt (most likely) on the fence entered his chest. (His skin was also pulled away from about five inches of his chest from when he pulled away from it.)

I just don't find them to be safe in any way, shape or form.

Dogs on leashes in a dog park is a bad idea. It inhibits their ability to read each other, and the dogs on leashes tend to lash out at other dogs when they are uneasy because they feel trapped and can't get away.

Dogs work out the pack order on their own, a few minor scuffles are to be expected. The owners remember the scuffles while the dogs have already forgotten about it and gotten over it.

I always take my dogs off leashes as soon as we enter. If there's a dog that seems to be a trouble maker and the owner doesn't do anything about it - we simply leave and come back another time.

The "worst" owner I ever saw had a puppy on a leash. Dogs being dogs, rushed up to greet the new puppy, and the owner yanked the puppy up by the leash leaving.....hanging bait - of course the dogs are now going to jump up to get at the swinging puppy on the leash. Traumatized the puppy and the owner, where if she'd just taken the puppy off the leash and allowed the dogs to meet and greet, everything would have been fine.

You can always tell the owners less experienced with pack behavior at the dog park. They give off all the nervous signals that their dogs then pick up on. The more confident owners that let their dogs be dogs have less problems. That's been my experience.

My senior dog doesn't like being rushed by the other dogs, I simply walk away from the other dogs and invite her to come with me, to an area less concentrated and let her have some space. When she's had a chance to evaluate the situation, she's soon joined the pack on her own terms.

We stopped taking our dogs to the dog parks in our area because people kept bringing dogs that were older and not socialized. Too many times we witnessed dog fights where the owners would seperate them and then just realize them back to go 'play' again. Unfortunately it became too much of a risk for our dogs.

Also when I started working in the Vet field I realized all of the dangers that could happen. Remember although all dogs are supposed to be vaccinated before being allowed in the dog park, not everyone is a responsible owner. Also if you choose to allow your dogs to play there, I highly recommend not letting them drink out of the community water bowl. It often times breeds giardia etc... Make sure your dog is up to date on their Bordetella vaccine and are properly treated for fleas and ticks using a vet prescribed product such as Frontline:)

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.

I guess that you apparently know upwards of twenty people who all have dogs who are willing to come to your house and get a big pack of dogs together... just for the sake of socializing your dog. Must be nice.

There's no reason to be snotty Sarah. I don't have that many people at my house with that many dogs. But you can do agility, luring, dock diving, basic (and advanced) obedience classes. You can become a part of a dog club. You can take a walk with your neighbor. You can have your neighbor and their dog over for some socializations. There are all kinds of options.

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Originally Posted by Jamielvsaustin

There's no reason to be snotty Sarah. I don't have that many people at my house with that many dogs. But you can do agility, luring, dock diving, basic (and advanced) obedience classes. You can become a part of a dog club. You can take a walk with your neighbor. You can have your neighbor and their dog over for some socializations. There are all kinds of options.

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When I started this thread I wasn't looking for people to come in and be mean and call people out on how they choose to care for their dogs. Randomly jumping in after the thread is a week dead and saying that we are failing our dogs by bringing them somewhere to play with other other dogs is a little out of line in my opinion. There was no need for it. Bringing my dog to a club full of dogs that I don't know if the same thing as bringing them to a park full of dogs that I don't know. There could be a dog there that doesn't like him, and I would do the same thing there that I would do at the park. Remove him from the situation and tell the owner to watch their dog. Dino has bad knees so I cant really put that much strain on him. He gets long walks and play time at the park, per my vet's recommendation. He gets fed, walked, vet care, socialization, and lots of love... So really, how am I failing my dog?

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Originally Posted by sarahlovesmiike

Randomly jumping in after the thread is a week dead and saying that we are failing our dogs by bringing them somewhere to play with other other dogs is a little out of line in my opinion. So really, how am I failing my dog?

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Just so you know-I never once said YOU were failing your dog. I said the guy who keeps bringing his dog back even after he's had issues is.

I'm sorry, I had no idea the threads here had a timeline. I'll keep that in mind next time.

You asked if going to your new dog park was a recipe for disaster, and I gave reasons as to why I thought it was. Then someone else came on and basically said-hey there's been some problems at mine but I love it so I keep doing it.

I think it's irresponsible. It's your dog and your choice. I'm sorry if you're easily offended, but if that's the case maybe you'll reconsider the advice you ask for on a public forum where there are tons of people with different opinions.

You said that the guy who had 1 problem out of 5 times going to the park was failing his dogs. 90% of the time there are no issues but sometimes people bring unruly dogs in and they disrupt everyone else... sometimes they snap at Dino, so we leave and come back later. Therefore, according to you, I am failing my dog.

And I wasn't asking for any advice. I specifically asked if anyone else thinks that they are a bad idea. I didn't say "Should I bring my dog to the park? Why or why not?" I DON'T think they are a good idea for SOME dogs. I will never bring Benny there again, simply because everyone on here stated that keeping him on a leash is a bad idea because he might feel unsafe and lash out. I don't feel comfortable leaving him off leash because he makes people uncomfortable because of his size. But I will continue to bring Dino because he doesn't pose any kind of threat to any other dog.

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Originally Posted by sarahlovesmiike

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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Generally...(I can't speak for sure without seeing your dogs medical records) the distemper vaccine is a 4 in one vaccine...meaning it protects against distemper, adenovirus, parainflluenza and parvovirus...thus calling it DA2PP in veterinary-speak. Puppies should be vaccinated every three weeks, for a series of 3-4 vaccines...just like babies and children.

If you are going to use a dog park, you MUST provide your dog a monthly heartworm preventions (for heartworms and intestinal parasites), a decent flea product (that is NOT sold at wal mart...either advantix or comfortis), and a rabies TAG. Not just the vaccine, but the actual tag that goes on their collar. Those are the basic requirements.

Be aware that there are people that bring dogs to the dog park that are carrying all kinds of diseases which your dog (or you, for that matter) could get. That is why it's so important for your dog to be on as much prevention as possible.

In essence, it might be a fantastic experience for your dog emotionally, but when Dino comes home with fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites, it's not so cute.

As far as behavior goes, Dino might be wonderful with other dogs, and that's great! But there's always that "one dog" that's questionable, and i'll tell you...at my veterinary practice, we have to put stitches in at least 3-4 dogs a week that were running around dog parks and suddenly got attacked. All i'm saying is, be very, very careful when you bring him there. With the right amount of prevention and knowledge, it can prove to be a very positive experience for both of you.

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Originally Posted by JordanAng420

Generally...(I can't speak for sure without seeing your dogs medical records) the distemper vaccine is a 4 in one vaccine...meaning it protects against distemper, adenovirus, parainflluenza and parvovirus...thus calling it DA2PP in veterinary-speak. Puppies should be vaccinated every three weeks, for a series of 3-4 vaccines...just like babies and children.

If you are going to use a dog park, you MUST provide your dog a monthly heartworm preventions (for heartworms and intestinal parasites), a decent flea product (that is NOT sold at wal mart...either advantix or comfortis), and a rabies TAG. Not just the vaccine, but the actual tag that goes on their collar. Those are the basic requirements.

Be aware that there are people that bring dogs to the dog park that are carrying all kinds of diseases which your dog (or you, for that matter) could get. That is why it's so important for your dog to be on as much prevention as possible.

In essence, it might be a fantastic experience for your dog emotionally, but when Dino comes home with fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites, it's not so cute.

As far as behavior goes, Dino might be wonderful with other dogs, and that's great! But there's always that "one dog" that's questionable, and i'll tell you...at my veterinary practice, we have to put stitches in at least 3-4 dogs a week that were running around dog parks and suddenly got attacked. All i'm saying is, be very, very careful when you bring him there. With the right amount of prevention and knowledge, it can prove to be a very positive experience for both of you.

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So my dogs are vaccinated for parvo and I didn't even know it! Awesome! And yes, they are wormed and treated for fleas monthly, as well as given a heartworm preventative. Thank you for telling me that because that is what he was given, I just checked :D

I have never nor will i ever allow my dogs to play in a dog park. in a perfect world all dogs would be well trained and get along with strange dogs. They would also all be up to date on shots and deworming and on flea preventative. this isnt a perfect world, so I take my dogs were dogs are welcome, regular parks, lakes, rivers, hiking, walks thru the town, and if there are other dogs at the time, it's still less traffic and fewer dogs poops in one area than a "dog park". too many chances and diseases for me to risk my beloved dogs.

if you want to socialize them, take them to a puppy or dog obedience class or two, as those settings if indoors can be disinfected and more under control than a dog park.

just my 2 cents

We took our last dog Buster to the dog park a number of times and usually had good luck with people and other dogs. Some days were better than others regarding people actually watching or caring what their dogs were doing. But since our dog was a pit bull, (well behaved & social) I didn't want to risk him getting blamed if something happened. Then some dink kicked Buster one day because he thought Buster was doing something to his dog, a fight almost happened and not between the dogs either, so no more dog park for us.

i speak from my personal experience and oppinions when i say that it all depends not only on the area/people/dogs at the dog park but more yourself, your dog and the training it has recieved. i have two dog parks within 10 miles one of which i attend regularly and the other i have atteneded twice and will no longer attend. the latter of the two people do not pay attention or care and are quick to blame wether their dog was at fault or not, the first i have been attending since my lab was 6 months old. i bring up both because my dog has been in a fight at both, and the actions which followed varied greatly.

at the first i know a majority of the people and we know each others dogs by name and its a good enviorment to have your dog, when a bad owner/dog come in we quickly correct the problem and all know to correct each others dogs. my dog has dominence issues and does not like to be mounted which he warns then barks all the owners know this and are ok with it.

as for the leashes i never have my dog on a leash when we enter i watch each dog and am quick to react if i feel one is in the wrong with a simple clap or yell which normally corrects the issue.

i seriously feel breed asside (sadly with people today if a lab and pitbull get into it its the pittbulls fault which is wrong) that the owner has a personal responability to socialize his/her dog and feel a dog park can either be a great idea or a horrible idea. a treadmil doesnt always work espeically not for me which is why i take him to dog park and just correct the unwanted behavior.


i am by no means an expert but niether am i a noob when it comes to dogs lol and no matter who argues what point it boils down to each his own if your in the right area with the right people dog parks can be extreamly rewarding. i and parker have made quite a few new friends from it and also found people/dogs we where better off not knowing and want nothing to do with it

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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 haven't brought Rudy (5 year-old 40lb mutt) to a "dog park" in years, and will be the first to admit it's mostly because MY dog is a brat. :oops: He's fine at the beach, open-land parks, etc, but a fenced-in dog park makes him feel trapped... and if one dog rubs him the wrong way, he'll focus on them the entire time. He's not an aggressive dog, and usually backs down if the other shows dominance, but obviously I don't want to take any chances. So we just stick to the open off-leash areas, and he does great with those.

My dog's issues aside, I just think fenced dog parks are a bad idea... you've got dogs of all ages, breeds, temperaments, and health, with no escape if one doesn't like the other. It's also where most people bring puppies (my dog's main issue, since he hates puppies), and they can carry all sorts of diseases. Not to mention, they generally haven't learned proper behavior yet - which is probably why Rudy & so many other adult dogs are intolerant of them. You can do whatever you want, but mine is definitely not dog park material! Luckily we have a lot of other options here, since all of our beaches and most of the open parks are off-leash friendly.

P.S. Before anyone suggests it, we've done plenty of training on Rudy's issues with other dogs... he's a million times better than he used to be, but even my trainer said dog parks are a recipe for disaster (no matter how well-trained your dog is).

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Originally Posted by sarahlovesmiike

I guess that you apparently know upwards of twenty people who all have dogs who are willing to come to your house and get a big pack of dogs together... just for the sake of socializing your dog. Must be nice.

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As the other poster mentioned, there are MANY ways to socialize a dog... and most don't require trapping him/her in a pen full of unknown dogs. Do you have off-leash open parks in your area? Or how about a doggy social group? Both would offer a safer environment, as long as you know your dog's behavior & training level.