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dog park ettiquette

2K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  blueteal 
#1 ·
I've been taking Libby to a nearby dog park lately and she really loves it. Most of the time I love it too, but I'm not so sure about some of the things that I've seen there. Looking for some advice.
It seems like many owners turn their dogs loose at the fence (off leash park) and then socialize with each other or read, etc. basically just doing their own thing. Sometimes all is well, with dogs playing and greeting each other in a friendly way - sometimes not. Libby has been mounted by male dogs (she's fixed thank goodness) on 2 occasions and I'm stuck trying to pull someone else's dog off of her while the owner is off somewhere else. sometimes the park is muddy and dogs will come running up to me and jump up, getting mud all over. other times there are displays of dominant behavior and I'm afraid to let Libby loose while the other dogs duke it out.
Is this normal? I've never gone to a dog park before and as I've said this is my first dog... so maybe I'm just overpretective?
What do you think?
 
G
#2 ·
No that's pretty normal. At our dog park the same thing goes on. I make sure to wear old clothes and expect to get dirty. As far as the jumping up...even if the owner is watching the dog it's an off leash park and so owners will not have total control of the dog. Maya does pretty good with jumping but if she is excited and someone talks in a baby voice to her she will jump.

As far as the other stuff I just break things up if it's happening to my dog. If the same dog is being inappropiate I will say in a loud voice I wonder who's dog this is and why is he not being watched. That usually does the trick.
 
#3 ·
Unfortunately you will run into owners who just do not
get it...............I took Denver to lots of dog parks and do not go back to some because of reasons that you came across.
So unless you are willing to talk to some of these owners and tell
them to look after their dogs properly then I would check out some other
places. Sometimes you will be surprised if you talk to other owners
who feel the way you do (and rightfully so)they may join you in talking to the ones who need to straighten up.............Good luck!!!!!!!!
 
#4 ·
Dogs will be dogs and most of what you describe sounds like normal dog behavior and what I would expect at a dog park. Dogs play rough and they sound and look mean to us humans but 98% of the time it is just play and/or determining rank. The jumping up on humans is something that can be avoided with good training but again this is the dog's nature - if we humans walked on all fours they wouldn't have to jump. :D
 
#5 ·
luckily, the dogs are very well behaved at my fave local dog park, but the owners do tend to socialize and drink coffee while chatting on the sidelines. i am always right there in the middle, socializing w the dogs! :) and keeping an eye out. my biggest pet peeve is the owner chatting on their cell phone while their dog takes a poop and the owner doesn't see. i'll usually point it out and say, "your dog just pooped over there!" and they'll thank me and go pick it up. i have rarely been jumped on and the attacks are rare at this park too. but the first 2 parks i tried (we live walking distance to 4 off leash dog parks) i didn't like - the dogs were more aggressive, and sometimes the owners would respond by disciplining their dogs for attacking; more often, they would just sit there. that annoyed me. i finally just started speaking up: "your dog is attacking my dog!" so i guess part of it was finding "the right park" for us and part of it was just speaking up for what i saw.
 
#6 ·
I agree with much of what has been said. Dogs will be dogs and their play is odd to humans. I personally want Dex and Kirby to defend themselves if they're being humped...now if a dog is actually attacking them (i.e. growling, Dex/Kirby crying) I would completely try to stop it.

I always correct our dogs if they try to hump (which doesn't happen that often at the park...Kirby is always on Dex at home) because I do not want Dex or Kirb to think it's appropriate behavior.

I also find owners who do not watch their dogs to be obnoxious :) Especially when they are pooping and then nobody is picking it up. I always socialize at the park, but with one eye on our dogs. I find weekends to be the worst. Most of the regulars go during the week and are very responsible at our park.
 
#7 ·
im quite vocal at the dog park..i take the dogs out in the morning and again in the evening..remember dog parks are for dogs and not people..peopel are there to look after their own dogs..

too many time s i ve had to say aloud..*whoowee, we have a dog park bully*..or *someone needs a time out*..loud enough to let the dog owner know..

im not seen as a jerk..other owner s have followed my lead in taking charge of the park in keeping dog s from getting out of hand..after all, just about all of us carry a cell phone and the doggie police are just 3 block s a mile away..
 
#8 ·
sessa35 said:
"hey buddy, is that your dog?
yeah, he left a gift especially for you over there by that third bush
--he stashed it real good 'cuz its a prize winner!
Need a gift bag?"
Thank you Vanessa......this gave me a serious chuckle for the morning!! :lol:
 
#9 ·
what bugs me to no end is the person who brings a dog to the dog park who obviously is terrified, and then lashes out at the owners of every dog that tries to socialize with their dog, because the minute another dog walks up their dog starts freaking out. the owner of the scared dog invariably tries to "comfort" the dog, which only serves as positive reinforcement to the panic. the dog park is not for every dog -- it can actually be very stressful for dogs that constantly try to assess their place in the ever-changing "hierarchy" as dogs come and go.

-em
 
#10 ·
Vanessa - you crack me up. I am so disgusted by those who don't pick up after their dogs...if i were to step in it I would not be very diplomatic ;)

We are pretty lucky - the dogs at the park we go to are mostly very well behaved with the worst behavior being a little humping.

Em - I could not agree more. We have had people bring their dog on a leash and refuse to take it off...it definitely stressed out the other dogs. Then other people thing that normal dog play is "agression" and try to stop it. We are constantly telling people that dogs wrestle for fun and it's not aggression...they're dogs - let them play, socialize and learn how to fit into the pack.
 
#11 ·
while we don't have dog parks here in rochester NY
we do have others that bring their doodles and other dogs here for playing in the house and yard.

I have the opposite problem: one doodle of a neighbor gets hyper and almost knocks everything over in the house never being corrected by their owners , so i make sure they NOW always play outside.

another person doodle jumps up on my fish tanks and bangs them with her paw and outside likes to go in the woods where my doodles aren't allowed........no more playdates with that doodle hahhahahaa

I have found except for LESLIE and JERRY they're doodles are so well trained/mannered, for now I don't have anymore playdates here
Besides I have 3 doodles...how many more does on need? hahahhaa

I feel for all of you at a dog park...it's the same as wehn my kids were small and other kids weren't chastised for bullying, pushing etc
 
#13 ·
Denver used to get humped by his best buddy Winston, (bull mastiv)all the time.
His Mom was always trying to get Winston off.
I told her leave it alone and when Denver has had enough he will
get in his face. Finally one day Denver took Winston to the
ground and held him there for a bit and that ended that. Winston has never tried to hump him since.
 
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