# Dog Parks? Yay or Nay?



## Dave Immure

I've read a lot of negative information regarding dog parks and the problems they can create. My problem is I need to socialize my 16 week old pup with other dogs. When I first got him he would bark at other dogs. He had that low sounding deep bark. I thought "great my dog hates other dogs". To test the waters I had a friend bring over his dog that I know and trust. My dog barked at his dog for at least two minutes so I decided that it would be better if we walked the dogs together at first rather then let them play. A few minutes later my dog was play bowing with the adult dog for some action. They played for ten minutes and all was well. Since then I've been working with my dog on the barking issue. I've gradually worked my way up to the dog park fence where I let my dog sit and observe all the other dogs. He does well but occasionally he'll bark at another dog as if to say "hey lets hang out and play". How should I approach this issue? Should I continue to socialize my dog with my friends dog, enter the dog park, or do what I am doing? What type of damage am I doing if I let my dog play with dogs that I know and trust? Thanks guys.


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## Dave Immure

Apologies. This is a companion first, Schutzund or PSA dog second.


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## Geoff Empey

Off leash dog parks suck sorry to say. You are better off to find a organized obedience club with seasoned handlers. 

I created some problems with my dog going to an off leash dog park she was attacked and had all sorts of DA problems that took me months and months of positive interaction with my local GSD obedience club to correct. 

To me now I let my dog play with dogs that I may know as long as I trust the owner, to do the right thing. Though the dogs should be peers to each other. i.e. Just pup to pup interaction or adult to adult without mixing dogs of the same sex especially if they are not altered. You can get away with that but anything else you really are rolling the dice for something bad to happen to your pup. To me a working pup doesn't need to be exposed to other dogs any ways. Because to me that won't be part of it's portfolio once it is an adult.


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## Mike Scheiber

I do take my pups to dog parks not for the pups happiness but for social relations and behaviors. I am VERY careful and only put my pup in situations I have control over.
I do think believe it is very important that a pup have interactions with other dogs and pups. Just be careful also there is always the possibility of sickness being passed something also to consider.


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## Chris Michalek

I'm not a fan of dog parks but I have gone there a few times to work on OB exercises like recall and long down stays. I couldn't think of a place that had more distraction to help proof my dog.

This was when my was still relatively young. I wouldn't bring him there now, as he's too dominant and I don't want to risk a fight.


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## Kyle Sprag

NO FN WAY!

JQP are a bunch of IDIOTS!


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## Chris Michalek

Dave Immure said:


> Apologies. This is a companion first, Schutzund or PSA dog second.


If you have a dog that is truly suitable for working then I would be you'll eventually have problems. High prey drive and dominance don't mix well with dog parks.


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## Geoff Empey

Chris Michalek said:


> If you have a dog that is truly suitable for working then I would be you'll eventually have problems. High prey drive and dominance don't mix well with dog parks.


For sure!! There is a reason why we don't see real GSDs, Mals and other real working dogs at the dog park. Plus Pet people always bring balls, toys and other crap that a prey driven dominant dog will go to war and destroy another unsuspecting dog over. Say you bring something simple like a tennis ball for your own dog and another dog goes for it, you again risk a full out war. 

It is just not worth it. There are so many other ways to socialize you dog and train your dog without ever going near a dog park. 

Find a local obedience, SchH, PSA club. Cripes even herding training would be better for your dog's pysche makeup than the free for all of a dog park.


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## Dave Immure

Is there a problem with socializing my pup with a dog that I know and trust in my back yard?


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## todd pavlus

I would say that would be fine, if both owners pay attention. Just to many dogs in a dog park. I've seen alot of fights in the dog park near me. The owners eventually break it up, and then say "dogs will be dogs" that's horseshit.[-X I've actually seen people (usually young males) bring their APBT, and other bully breeds just to start fights I beleive .:-x


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## Mike Schoonbrood

I dont place any importance on dogs getting along with or "socializing with" other dogs. There is no need. Socializing to me is allowing the dog to get used to being AROUND other dogs, not romping around with them. I am really surprised about the number of people that haven't outright condemned the thought of a dog park. There is too much risk of creating dog aggression problems, and I don't want my young working dog to be dominated by other dogs.

Walk around the outside of the fence, walk through public where there are other dogs, let your dog see and smell other dogs, but interaction is not important nor desirable. JM$.02


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## Lyn Chen

Like Mike said. Especially with a pup, why would I want it thinking that it's loads of fun to interact with *other* dogs rather than me?


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## Anne Vaini

If you trust other dogs, you've got issues. Don't trust your dog (or any other dog). To do so is the beginning of bad training.

I DO use the dog park as a tool for training my dog. With that said, I have NEVER allowed my 17 month old dog to interact with another dog. I use the dog park to train attention heeling, neutrality to people and other dogs, stays, zen, recall and call-offs in distracting environments. 

A friend is planning on video recording us at the dog park this Saturday. If it happens, I'll post back to show you my definition of socialization at a dog park.

Because you're not an experienced trainer/handler, I say DON'T take your pup to the dog park and don't allow your pup to interact with any dog, at any time, for any reason.


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## Chris Michalek

Dave Immure said:


> Is there a problem with socializing my pup with a dog that I know and trust in my back yard?


You have to be very very careful. My dog is a dominant rottweiler and I don't dare let him be with another male especially one that is intact. He's not normally dog aggressive but he'll light up at a dog that give him "the stare" A bite trained and highly confident dog is no match for an untrained dog...you're asking for trouble.

That said there are a couple of dogs that other "club" guys own. My dog is ok with any of the females, so we at times have let them run together in the horse pasture where we train. Even still we're very very careful but these dogs see each other so much it's almost like we are all one big pack.

We never let two females out togther nor do we let two males out together. Better safe than sorry.


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## liz shulman

Chris Michalek said:


> I'm not a fan of dog parks but I have gone there a few times to work on OB exercises like recall and long down stays. I couldn't think of a place that had more distraction to help proof my dog.


I've done that with an advanced dog, but I stayed outside the dog park while the distractions took place from the other side of that fence.

Mike, I agree about the socializing. My dogs don't even like each other very much. I also don't want my dog thinking that he'll play with every dog he sees. I *need* him to be able to walk past or sit next to another dog and ignore it.

I used to condemn dog parks. I absolutely will never take a dog into a dog park. I stopped condemning them because where I live, if we didn't have the fenced in dog parks, all those owners would be allowing their fleabags to run loose everywhere else.


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## susan tuck

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> I dont place any importance on dogs getting along with or "socializing with" other dogs. There is no need. Socializing to me is allowing the dog to get used to being AROUND other dogs, not romping around with them. I am really surprised about the number of people that haven't outright condemned the thought of a dog park. There is too much risk of creating dog aggression problems, and I don't want my young working dog to be dominated by other dogs.
> 
> Walk around the outside of the fence, walk through public where there are other dogs, let your dog see and smell other dogs, but interaction is not important nor desirable. JM$.02


 
Well said Mike. Dog parks are nasty and gross. If you really feel the need to see your dog interact with another dog, use friends dogs that you know and trust.


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## Alyssa Myracle

I don't see the value in "socializing" your dog with other dogs.
All that does is make your dog more "doggy", take the focus of you being the funnest thing in the world, and it opens up all sorts of avenues through which your dog could be attacked, or attack another dog.

To this day I cannot grasp why people feel they need to let their dog's play with other people's dogs.
I don't see the benefit- all I see is a bunch of risk.

Teaching your dog to maintain a neutral posture when around other dogs is the key. You can't _truly_ teach a dog to ignore other dogs. They know the other dog is there.
Teaching them not to get distracted by them, continue to focus on you, obey commands and behave, is the key.
All of this can be done with leashed dogs.

Hard things to teach if you're in the habit of letting your dog socialize with other dogs.
If a dog has never played with another dog outside it's own pack, they don't see them as being "fun".


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## Bob Scott

Dog parks suck!
We ocasionally "socialize" our club dogs all together. All that means is we have all of them in close quarters but allow NO interaction between any of them. 
Socializing means they have to accept the pressence of other dogs. It in no way means they have to get all kissy face or play with one another. 
We also occasionally practice AKC type group sits and downs with the dogs 3-4 ft apart. Again, that means nothing more then being in the pressence of other dogs without interacting, good or bad, with them.


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## Sara Findley

As soon as I saw the thread title my immediate thought its NO! I will take mine occasionly but only during working hours with maybe 1 or 2 other dogs there and usually only my retired dogs who knows leave it. One problem you have is other dogs attacking yours, or vice versa. And say your GSD or Mal or Dobie whatever goes after Mr fluffy who starts it with a growl thier owner is going to come at you two fold because hey you have the "aggressive breed" then you have to pay all the vet bills. No thanks. Way to much risk in my opinion. A friend of mine has a bull terrier and a mr fluffy attacked thier dog but guess who won and now owes 2k in vet bills to fix the dumb dog. [-(


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## Chris Michalek

Sara Findley said:


> As soon as I saw the thread title my immediate thought its NO! I will take mine occasionly but only during working hours with maybe 1 or 2 other dogs there and usually only my retired dogs who knows leave it. One problem you have is other dogs attacking yours, or vice versa. And say your GSD or Mal or Dobie whatever goes after Mr fluffy who starts it with a growl thier owner is going to come at you two fold because hey you have the "aggressive breed" then you have to pay all the vet bills. No thanks. Way to much risk in my opinion. A friend of mine has a bull terrier and a mr fluffy attacked thier dog but guess who won and now owes 2k in vet bills to fix the dumb dog. [-(


aren't dog parks, enter at your own risk? Is there a real obligation to pay vet bills?


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## Geoff Empey

Chris Michalek said:


> aren't dog parks, enter at your own risk? Is there a real obligation to pay vet bills?


That's the other thing. Dog parks are like the wild wild west. At the dog parks here the only warning sign is "a picture of a dog running, saying .. off leash area clean up after your pet, $100 fine Dogs must be under control" !!!! 

Dogs must be under control What the hell does that mean? 

That's it!!!!! No rules, no guidelines, no nothing. Obviously if another dog attacks your dog and then your dog protects itself and badly injures the other in the process. It's not under control is it? Those words are so open to debate from a lawyer in a courtroom. If my dog opened up on another dog in a dog park causing severe damage where I was slow in getting her off the other dog. I could see how the questioning from a lawyer would bury me in court. 

Face it .. Dogs are not humans, they don't think like humans or have the same needs. But yet humans think that Dogs need the same type of same species interaction that some humans think they need. "oh it is so cute that fluffy has his friends at the dog park" Thinking it is like some kind of happy place for the dog. Sure it could be, but in the most part it can be a scary scary place for a young dog. The risks are real, the stories are real, the injuries to your dog mentally and physically if and when they happen are real. 

To the OP if you want to put your pup in your own back yard with a friends dog. I say if the other dog is close in age you are probably going to be allright. We've all done it to some level. Just don't let your pup interact with an adult dog or strange dogs of the same sex especially unaltered when your pup is an adult. 

Here is a pic of my dog with a male german import working line Dobe from my Ringsport club in my backyard all she wanted to do was dominate him and herd him all over the back yard. If the Dobe was a female and my dog tried to hump 'her' like in the pic. There would've been hell to pay. 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb132/geoff-jazz/Dog Training/DSCN4861.jpg


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## Maren Bell Jones

In general, I'd say no, but it somewhat depends on the kind of dog park. If it's an 1-2 acre deal where the owners don't really walk with their dogs and stand around and chat with each other, no thank you! We've got a couple of those in town and I've only ever gone if there was pretty much no one else there. And if someone else happened to show up and the dog was acting all out of control getting too excited coming out of the car, jumping, barking, straining on the leash, you can bet they would have zero control over the dog in the area off leash, so we usually am-scray. 

But we do have one nice trail kind of "dog park" that's a couple hundred acres. That one is especially fun because you can ride your bike on the dirt trails and the dogs will run with you. We may meet 2-3 other packs at most (often no one at all) there and my guys usually have no time to meet and greet, as I keep biking and they must keep up or they get left! I think if you don't have any other venue for exercise, at least in those circumstances, you don't have a big group of dogs all milling around, which is where the trouble is usually brewing.


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## Anne Vaini

Emma and me at the dog park. This is a 9 acre park. There is a general chaos area and paths to walk too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhAHhQ2g6Rs


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## Sara Findley

Chris Michalek said:


> aren't dog parks, enter at your own risk? Is there a real obligation to pay vet bills?


 Not at all. Plus what are you risking to YOUR dog. Sometimes things like getting attacked can cause huge issues that you then have to work to fix.


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## Sarah ten Bensel

No to Dog Parks with my dog. Period. I am glad they exist for other folks, but not for me and my dog.
I did "play dates" with my current dog in the first year. Ground rules were set. He still gets a chance to play with his friend down the street a lovely St. Bernard, butl supervised. Made a few visits to the dog park and decided it was not in his best interest. Very stressful and counterproductive to my training goals.
Socialization at an Obedience training club, puppy kindergarten stuff was excellent for him
Frankly many dogs don't "need" other dogs to be happy


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## Connie Sutherland

Sarah ten Bensel said:


> No to Dog Parks with my dog. Period. I am glad they exist for other folks, but not for me and my dog.


And for me, even if I believed that dogs needed little playmates, it would never be _strange dogs_ with unknown training and aggression --- _*uncontrolled*_ _!_

Holy crap! :-o


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## liz shulman

Connie Sutherland said:


> And for me, even if I believed that dogs needed little playmates, it would never be _strange dogs_ with unknown training and aggression --- _*uncontrolled*_ _!_
> 
> Holy crap! :-o


Not just uncontrolled...Often unsupervised...I've seen those people that just sit on the side and chit chat or read or knit or file their nails or do everything else except watch what their dog is up to.


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## Maren Bell Jones

Got another reason not to go to them. Today for our therapy dog club, they scheduled an outing at one of the more "popular" ones (the 2-3 acre enclosed kind, not the trail kind). I didn't really want to go but I figured eh, it'd be good to meet some of the new folks and we'll leave if it gets to be too much. 

When we got there, there wasn't that many people there and it wasn't too bad. Fawkes had fun retrieving his tuggable disc from the lake and Lily had a good time running around. Well, after about 15 minutes, another 10-12 people showed up (not from the therapy dog club) and everyone was getting too close for my comfort. I moved my two about 50 yards away where it wasn't as crowded. Me and Fawkes were playing fetch with his disc. He returned it and we were playing tug with it. A 30ish pound mixed breed runs up to us, jumps up on me and then jumps up trying to get the disc. Me and Fawkes both snarl at the dog (and he's normally fairly dog friendly) and Fawles has his tail rod straight up and starts to go after the other dog, who decides maybe that was a bad idea. :-o I immediately call Lily and Fawkes back to me and we leave. 

Again, I think if you go on the off hours where there's like nobody there or if it's a real big trail kind of dog park, it can be okay. But I should have gone with my gut and not gone, just like previous experiences. Too many dog teaching each other bad habits. I don't feel like I can go there and enjoy the time with the dogs. I feel like I'm just babysitting. Trails, especially the not as popular ones, are more fun. :smile:


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## Bob Scott

"Enter at your own risk" wont keep you out of a court room if someone decides to sue!
Even if you wn it's gonna cost you time and/or money. It may even cost you your dog before you find out you may not have been at fault.
I correct my statement that dog parks suck.
I should have said that the majority (not all :grin of the people that go to dog parks suck! 
The dogs are just innocent victims of fools.


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## Chris Michalek

Bob Scott said:


> "Enter at your own risk" wont keep you out of a court room if someone decides to sue!
> Even if you wn it's gonna cost you time and/or money. It may even cost you your dog before you find out you may not have been at fault.
> I correct my statement that dog parks suck.
> I should have said that the majority (not all :grin of the people that go to dog parks suck!
> The dogs are just innocent victims of fools.



Totally agree Bob, years ago I was at a dog park and right beside me was a 5-7 yr old boy. He was close to a Golden Retriever, I didn't see what happened but I saw the golden bite the child once on the wrist and again on his upper arms before I could grab the dog. I more or less alpha roll this dog and I'm hold him down with my hand on the dog's neck. The next thing I know, some dude peels me back and half punched me. Either he was a huge pussy or it was half punch. If I were there with my Rottie that dude would have been bit too and it would have been a huge mess.

That was the last time I went to a dog park except to hang flyers for a couple of schH trials.

Dog diners are just as bad.

There is some new vegi/organic/vegan eat well and bring your dog too place just down the street from us. My wife wanted to go have some espresso and a salad and bring the pugs. There were two dog fights while I was there and about a half dozen people I asked not to let their dogs get too close to mine.


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## Becky Shilling

We don't go to our local dog park, even though it was just voted in the "Top Ten Dog Parks of the US" by Dog Fancy magazine.


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## Maren Bell Jones

What was so fab about your dog park, Becky?


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## Chris Michalek

Maren Bell Jones said:


> What was so fab about your dog park, Becky?



The dog park in my area was rated number one or something. I don't close to there unless I'm training somebody's dog for money and they want to meet there. It's a good place to work on recall.

http://www.neighborhoodvet.com/site/content/cosmo-dog-park-page1.html

http://www.yelp.com/biz/cosmo-dog-park-gilbert


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## Becky Shilling

I think the pond is fairly nasty, having seen more than one wierdo dog take a crap IN the water(wth?????), but I guess we got voted # 7.


America’s Best Dog Parks of 2008
The country’s first “green” dog park takes top prize.
Maureen Kochan

Solar-powered dog washing station? Check. Recycled artificial turf? Check. Happy dogs? Double check.

Looks like the greening of America’s dog parks has begun. DOG FANCY’s Best Dog Park for 2008 is Jackass Acres K-9 Korral, in New River, Ariz., the country’s first “green” dog park, complete with solar-powered lights, security system, and water pumps.

“We wanted to be a banner for solar in a state that has so much sun,” says Barbara Windgassen, president of Anthem Pets, the nonprofit community group that lobbied for and built the dog park named for the former ranch on which it stands. 

Other green features at the two-acre dog park, which opened in November, include decorative metal flowers made from old cars, furniture crafted from fallen timber, and recycled artificial turf.

But the dog park’s do-gooding doesn’t end there. It also hosts a hotline to help reunite lost pets and their owners, regularly holds microchip clinics for both dogs and cats, runs an educational program for new dog owners, and once even trucked in snow for kids and dogs to romp in.

Members pay $35 a year for one dog and $50 for two or more to join the park, and must provide proof of vaccinations. So far, more than 800 dogs have been registered.

Windgassen couldn’t be more pleased with the park’s success. She says, “This project is a perfect example of what a bunch of determined people can do when they set their minds to it.”

The runners-up

Bow Wow Beach
Stow, Ohio
When Bow Wow Beach opened last year, even the Stow mayor attended the grand opening. And it’s no wonder — this fenced dog park boasts acres of grassy knolls, a stunning sandy beach, and a three-acre swimming pond. 

Broemmelsiek Park Off-Leash Dog Area
St. Charles, Mo.
This dog park became so popular that the St. Charles County parks and recreation department had to recruit and train volunteer “Watch Dogs” to help enforce park rules and answer visitors’ questions about animal health and safety.

Frankfort Bark Park
Frankfort, Ill.
Frankfort Bark Park knows its park regulars are busy. That’s why the park association set up a vaccination database to help remind members when to update their dogs’ shots. Other popular offerings include the Spring Pooch-a-Palooza and regular workshops.

Hammel Woods Forest Preserve Dog Park
Shorewood, Ill.
Hammel Woods Forest Preserve Dog Park is seven fenced acres of free-range bliss in the middle of Illinois’ Hammel Woods, a 300-acre outdoor haven near the DuPage River that’s popular with hikers, campers, and picnickers.

MonDaug Bark Park 
Fort Washington, Pa.
Nestled in Pennsylvania’s popular Mondauk Manor Park, this one-acre dog park sports separate areas for small and large dogs, several double-entry gates, a stream, and nearby woods with dog-friendly walking trails.

Paw OK Dog Park 
Oklahoma City, Okla.
A duck pond and gravel beach where dogs can swim and play are the centerpieces of Paw OK. More than 40 trees, several park benches, and watering stations make the park a favorite among human visitors, too.

South Brohard Beach Paw Park 
Venice, Fla.
This one-acre fenced dog park features the only beach in the county that allows dogs. Other amenities include picnic tables, benches, and drinking fountains for dogs and humans.

Wantage Dog Park 
Wantage, N.J.
At eight acres, New Jersey’s largest dog park attracts more than 1,000 dogs and owners a week. Regulars enjoy the park’s mix of workshops and events, which include a popular Halloween costume parade and dog-owner dinner-dance.

Woof Pac Park 
Santa Maria, Calif.
Woof Pac Park rests on three acres in Santa Barbara County’s Waller Park and hosts several popular events, including the Dog Days of Summer, with a human barking competition, working-dog demos, and paw “reading.”



And I don't care how "green" it is, I'm not going anywhere named "Jackass Acres". Sounds like a good place to get a beer and a scar!


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## Alex Corral

Dave Immure, if you're still looking for how to socialize... I'll tell you what I did. Between the age of 10 weeks to about 20 weeks, I took my dog to the humane society for socialization classes. All the dogs are about the same age, and all are under control, with the owners and shelter volunteers watching the dogs. We also did a few sessions where they let other owners interact briefly with all the puppies and some attention exercises. I went about 6-7 times and was really pleased with all the classes. 

My dog does excellent with people and other dogs. I even took her to the dog park a few times years ago, before I wised up. Nothing happend to my dog, but I saw way too many dog fights and owners that really didn't give a $hit. I will never take my dogs to a dog park again.


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## Becky Shilling

I said we "never" go, which isn't strictly true; we do occasionally (maybe three or four times a year) take our little dogs to the small dog section of Paw park. It is for 25 pound and under dogs seperate from "big dog" park. We do NOT take our GSDs to Paw park, but the little ones do seem to have a good time with other little dogs.


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## Bob Scott

Becky Shilling said:


> I said we "never" go, which isn't strictly true; we do occasionally (maybe three or four times a year) take our little dogs to the small dog section of Paw park. It is for 25 pound and under dogs seperate from "big dog" park. We do NOT take our GSDs to Paw park, but the little ones do seem to have a good time with other little dogs.


Note to self;
To entertain my JRT, take him to a small dog park and let him have a good time.:-o :wink:

JKN of course!


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## Jaimie Van Orden

Becky Shilling said:


> Wantage Dog Park
> Wantage, N.J.
> At eight acres, New Jersey’s largest dog park attracts more than 1,000 dogs and owners a week. Regulars enjoy the park’s mix of workshops and events, which include a popular Halloween costume parade and dog-owner dinner-dance.


Having just made an adventure to this park myself yesterday with my 9yo terv i can say i will never go again. An 11mo akita mix came in and growled on his way in. I took him off to a different part of the park and by the time the owner of the other dog had let her dog go and i realized it, he was attacking arrow... who was about triple his size. The lady yelled at me when arrow calmly asserted dominance by humping her dog, telling me that nasty dogs are to be leashed and removed from the park.... go back? never.


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## Rose DeLuca

The constant shifting of the pack structure in a dog park causes unrest. Just watch a new dog coming in and how the pack regroups and resettles down each time. My dominant male would defenitly posture for rank each time and if another dog disagreed; there would be a fight. If I'm there close enough as pack leader I can control my dog- but not what another dog will do. In a local dog park in my area a dog was recently killed in a fight. http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1208568

.... Its just not a natural enviroment. Packs will mark areas specifically so they dont cross boundries. I always tel lclients to find dog friends and let them have a pack experience with dogs from that group that can be controled. 

I have gone myself to the outside of dog parks for the distracitons to practice obedience etc so its a great experience for that..... but another thing is germs  etc. :-s :? :-o trying to use the yellow heads to not offend !


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## Dan Long

I would never take my GSD to a dog park. He's not real social with other dogs and if one he doesn't know gets in his personal space he goes after it. I MIGHT take my Dane because she's pretty forgiving of other dogs. For the most part, I wouldn't trust the other dog owners because most of them don't have a clue. 

I don't think the dog park is a place for kids at all. They are supposed to be building a dog park near us soon. The paper article had some woman who had 2 out of control pit bulls. "They just have so much energy, I can't control them" was somewhat of a quote from her- just what you want at a dog park. She says "I can't wait to be able to take my dogs and my kids there". She had kids that were about 5. So what happens if I'm there with my Dane playing, she is going after her ball and accidently runs over one of those kids like a linebacker. A Dane with a head of steam and an objective is a pretty formidible animal, she'd knock over a lot of grown men if she hit them full on, let alone a kid who weighs 1/3 of what she does. Sorry, not for me.


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## susan tuck

Jaimie Van Orden said:


> Having just made an adventure to this park myself yesterday with my 9yo terv i can say i will never go again. An 11mo akita mix came in and growled on his way in. I took him off to a different part of the park and by the time the owner of the other dog had let her dog go and i realized it, he was attacking arrow... who was about triple his size. The lady yelled at me when arrow calmly asserted dominance by humping her dog, telling me that nasty dogs are to be leashed and removed from the park.... go back? never.


 
AHAHAHHAHAHHA !!!!!! nasty dogs....hehehhe.....Thanks for the laugh. I have this picture of some old biddy with her priss nose in the air, shaking her finger in your face, telling you yours is a "nasty dog". It would have been great if you had told her to get her mind out of the gutter.:roll:


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## Kate Kueper

Once I was walking my dogs on a path outside of a dog park. There at the entrance was a large mix breed, in full dominance stance waiting to "greet" a bassett. I heard the owner say "look he wants to say Hello".:roll: Most people at dog parks have know idea how to read dogs body language or know much about dog behavior. You don't need to let your dog play with other dogs for socialization. I would never let my dogs go into a dog park. All you need is for some out of control dog to jump yours and have your dog thinking about next time you are working and a dog walks by


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## Jeff Oehlsen

I like the look on peoples face when I have their dog by the back leg and am repeatedly kicking their dog in the head.

They never say anything, they just go and collect their dog from the other side of the fence where I hurled them when I am finished.

Just kidding. Although I am sure I am not the only one that has had that thought.


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## Howard Gaines III

This is the DUMBEST idea ever created by the Yuppie generation! Joe Tax-Payer has to provide ground and protection fencing for folks who can't afford to have a dog. Give them a little Yuppie place to run and play with their little K-9 "friends." That is until some squirrel a$$ dog rips into one and eats it! Or some dog dominates the life out of it and the candy butt owner is too afraid to step in a solve the issue.

I'm waiting for the horse park...give me 5 miles of open grassland so I can by a horse and ride buck wild!\\/


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## Geoff Empey

Howard Gaines III said:


> I'm waiting for the horse park...give me 5 miles of open grassland so I can by a horse and ride buck wild!\\/


Hopefully just 'buck' wild not 'buck' naked! [-(


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## Howard Gaines III

Geoff Empey said:


> Hopefully just 'buck' wild not 'buck' naked! [-(


No Broke Back cowboy action for me! Now where's my pigging rope and that big chick?


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## Dave Immure

I just saw on Vegas news that there is an outbreak of PARVO in our dog parks. A friend of mine allows his dog to go to the dog park. I go with occasionally to analyze dog behavior. Our dog parks are pretty nasty. I wouldn't feel comfortable exposing my pup to that type of an environment. Based on advice from this thread and more research I've stuck to socializing my pup with walks past other dogs on leads.


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## Jaana Aadamsoo

We don´t have dog parks around here but we have plenty of stupid dog owners. I am already paranoid when I see someone with a labrador approaching. Why? Because they tend to have the same all-world-is-friendly-and-lovable attitude as their dogs and therefore they assume that my always leashed dobermann will love to play and frolic around with their free roaming lab. When I yell at the top of my lungs that I want them to remove their dog, they just say with happy tone "Don´t worry! My dog is friendly!" Well, mine isn´t! And I have had my share of bites trying to hold my dobie behind my back while driving the uninvited friend away. 

I socialized my second bulldog from an early age to be friendly to other dogs. And it worked until an optimistic lab owner let his unleashed male jump on my 2 year old male (I know, I should have been faster to defend him). And while I was struggling between the two to get mine out from under the yellow growling "friend" and screamed for the owner to get her dog, she just stood there with the other labrador owners and advised me to be cool and let the dogs play. Well mine was not playing and attacked every dog he met after that. Now he is ok and obedient but when at shows he sees a yellow lab (or just another big light-colored dog), I see the hackles rising. 

I have never been to a dog park nor seen one but I imagine a place with dozens of unleashed dogs is a time bomb that goes off in every once in a while and some poor dog has to suffer for peoples stupidity...


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## Howard Gaines III

Dave Immure said:


> I just saw on Vegas news that there is an outbreak of PARVO in our dog parks. A friend of mine allows his dog to go to the dog park. I go with occasionally to analyze dog behavior. Our dog parks are pretty nasty. I wouldn't feel comfortable exposing my pup to that type of an environment. Based on advice from this thread and more research I've stuck to socializing my pup with walks past other dogs on leads.


Dave this is part of the reason why I am so against the idea. Responsible owners check for stuff like that, but... What about the owner who wants to just check out the place and whose puppy is not up on all shots. Parvo, dog attacks on puppies, folks who rush the puppy to see it; I see many poor things connected with the idea.


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## Geoff Empey

Dave Immure said:


> I just saw on Vegas news that there is an outbreak of PARVO in our dog parks.


The big Dog park here passed around kennel cough to a high % of the local dog population. The only people happy were the vets due to the increase in business and sale of kennel cough vaccine.


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## Anne Vaini

Geoff Empey said:


> The big Dog park here passed around kennel cough to a high % of the local dog population. The only people happy were the vets due to the increase in business and sale of kennel cough vaccine.


That happened here as well. Except the vets weren't so thrilled because all the vet clinics had it go through their boarding kennels for 3 months or so.

I gotta say, they were vaccinating every dog with intranasal AND subcutaneous bordatella vaccines (that were proven ineffective for the particular strain) IMMEDIATELY before putting the dogs in the kennel!

I would also like to add that my dog was the only dog NOT VACCINATED, and the ONLY dog that did not get it. 

The vets lost tons of money and were not so thrilled about the dog park at the time.


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## Dave Immure

What's funny is at my local pet store I'm constantly told by one of the sales associate girls who wants to hang out with me that my dog needs to socialize with other dogs. She acts as if I am sheltering my dog by not letting him play with other strange dogs. I think dog parks were invented for people who have a hard time socializing with other people. They should call them human parks. IMO.


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## Geoff Empey

Anne Vaini said:


> That happened here as well. Except the vets weren't so thrilled because all the vet clinics had it go through their boarding kennels for 3 months or so.
> 
> I would also like to add that my dog was the only dog NOT VACCINATED, and the ONLY dog that did not get it.
> 
> The vets lost tons of money and were not so thrilled about the dog park at the time.



Well good thing the vets were upset about the dog park as John Q public may listen to them about the pitfalls of dog parks. 

I vaccinated Sasha with that same inter-nasal spray and it could have been Windex or Scope for what I knew at the time. That won't happen again for sure. 

The vets up here are not really in the kenneling business as there is a plethora of Yogurt sucking guru Yuppie style 'Doggy day cares' up here that fill that need. Even the local Pet-Stupid have jumped on the Holistic BS Doggy Day care (called a Pet-Hotel) as well. Makes me giggle. Why buy a dog and then have some one take care of it for most of the time seems pretty silly to me.


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## Alex Corral

I would LOVE to see what dogs are thinking when they are taken to a dog park...I'm sure one of their thoughts, is "my owner is a real idiot" LOL. 

I wish I could post this thread on some of the breed specific forums I read. The people there are always complaining about what happened at the dog parks - BUT THEY DON'T STOP GOING! ](*,)


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## Anna Kasho

Anne Vaini said:


> I would also like to add that my dog was the only dog NOT VACCINATED, and the ONLY dog that did not get it.


From my experience, Cyko had kennel cough once as a puppy. I think. It was going around the local vets, kennels, and of course got to our grooming shop. He only coughed a few times, over 3-4 days. Raw fed and unvaccinated too. Other dogs I knew were coughing for a couple weeks, AND got vaccinated, AND antibiotics prescribed on top of that! I really didn't get that...:-k


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## Anna Kasho

Alex Corral said:


> I would LOVE to see what dogs are thinking when they are taken to a dog park...I'm sure one of their thoughts, is "my owner is a real idiot" LOL.


How about "OMG my owner is trying to kill me!"

I was walking past the local dogpark and watched a pack of tiny mutts in the little dog section, repeatedly chasing and rolling a new puppy. Puppy was yelling and making scrambling little dashes in different directions but could not get away because the area was so small. The owners were standing around chatting, completely oblivious to what was going on. 

I had a brief temptation to go in there and start kicking, but then I'd probably have been arrested for abusing their doggies - after all "they're just playing"...


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