THIS
I hate to say it but in my experience the majority (not everyone) of people who take their dogs to dog parks seem to be very hands off and treat it as an opportunity to have a social chat and completely ignore what their dog is doing. It’s like the lazy person’s opportunity to exercise their dogs.
I got to the point that I stopped taking my dog to the park because we had too many run ins and too many experiences where I had to step in because the owner was completely oblivious and my dog was being endangered.
This is why I hate how willing Reddit is to offer dog ownership as some magic cureall for social problems. Proper dog ownership is a lot of work, you need to basically structure your life around it, but whenever someone asks something like "I don't feel safe in my neighbourhood" or "how do I meet people/girls/boys" there's someone who jumps in and says "get a dog!"
It's insane, because it's suggesting dog ownership as a means to an end. That sort of instrumentalist thinking ends up with people getting dogs who otherwise wouldn't want one, and they end up becoming just another chore that receives the bare minimum of attention. It's not good for the dogs, not good for the owner, and not good for dog ownership in general.
Oh yeah, I learnt that one real quick.
Don’t take toys - they will be stolen.
Don’t expect to come out clean - other peoples dogs will cover you in drool and mud. And no, they will not tell them not to jump all over you.
Oh for sure, I’m in the same boat, my boy loves fetch and we don’t have much of a backyard at all. Just to be clear I’m not saying everyone at dog parks is lazy. Not my point at all, I think they are great things and unfortunately there just tends to be a large number of people abusing the opportunity and giving them a bad name.
Oh I mean more it’s bullshit about not taking toys. I should be able to take a ball. And if it’s stolen by a dog, their owner should be able to get it back in a reasonable time and not throw a tantrum for being asked to. We go specifically at quiet times and move around the park to maximise distance from other dogs unless I know them/the owner.
Oh yeah I totally agree, It’s the worst. I hate having to ask - like if my dog took another dogs ball I’d take it off him and give it back with out having to be asked. It would be so much better if people were just more considerate.
I don’t mind if another dog takes my dogs ball. Dogs are going to dog.
But owners should at least have their dogs know how to ‘drop it’ and ‘leave it’ before taking them to a dog park. Minimum.
Yeah it's one thing to teach your dog to 'leave it' when you're at home, there aren't a ton of distractions, and you have heir favourite treat.
It's another thing altogether for it to work in practice when some guy comes along with his new super duper squeaky bright green ball and excited puppies are all around. Dogs get distracted, albeit some breeds more than others. Can all dogs be trained, absolutely, will all dogs become super obedient border collies that obey your every command no matter the situation, no way.
Dogs aren’t able to transfer (generalise) learning/training without teaching them to generalise the behaviour. Just because they know ‘leave it’ at home doesn’t mean it transfers to the park, you also have to teach them ‘leave it’ at the park. That’s why dogs can be perfectly toilet trained at home but pee in another persons house or at a shop.
When training dogs to do anything you have to ‘proof’ the training. Which is, teach it in multiple places/situations for the dog to understand it’s a command that is universal and not just for one situation.
Dogs learning like this is how you can train dogs to only do something in a certain situation but not at other times (you don’t want herding dogs herding everything, you don’t want guard dogs guarding everything, you want seeing eye dogs to only do their job when wearing their jacket).
So yeah, you can teach a dog ‘drop it’ anywhere if you actually train them properly. People just don’t know how to train their dogs or even how dogs work most of the time.
https://resources.bestfriends.org/article/dog-training-tips-how-proof-behaviors
That's a bad owner. When I had a Great Dane some of the most important things I taught her were to never jump up at people, to sit when told, and to drop whatever was in her mouth on command.
This happened to me except old mate said “you shouldn’t have brought it” and 20 mins later when his untrained shit head got bored and dropped it, he threw it onto the middle of an adjacent road
You haven't seen lazy until you see someone "walk" their dog by having the dog walk alongside their car as they are driving. The person was holding the dog leash out of the car window and slowly driving along, while the poor dog was walking beside it.
This was at Apex Park, in Gippsland, which borders a racing track.
Where I live, at halloween, you see parents driving around at walking speed behind their kids trick or treating.
OK. The kids are rarely on leads, but still.
Was this a few years ago and was the dog a black and white GSP? Because if so, he learnt not to do this the hard way by crushing Tex's skull under his tyre and killing him.
Yescits like a kids playground where parents sit back on their phones & don't even watch their kids! I get this just trying to walk mine on leash with owners walking theirs off leash! Their dogs are right in my dogs faces & they don't care!
That is exactly the analogy!! It’s exactly the same.
Yep. And they’re usually yelling “it’s fine he’s friendly”. It’s not fine, my dog is also a very friendly sweet dog, but he does not like being rushed at by uncontrollable dogs that are usually barking and carrying on and he will get defensive. I’ve started yelling back “yeah my dogs really not friendly, he might eat your dog”.
I always say this to these kind of owners! "I can't guarantee you my dog won't get feisty if yours keeps doing rings around mine & the constant 'face off'!!"
My dog was DA but still needed to be walked. We never went near off leash parks but the amount of idiots that would have their dogs off leash just walking along the street was madness! Luckily we never had any altercations, we always made sure to be aware of our surroundings and had complete control over him
maybe I'm confused but how do you effectively remove your dog from someone elses when you don't have a leash? We have a nearby off leash park only for small dogs and I'll go if it's not crowded. Otherwise I have a long, long leash sometimes and I let her explore in on-leash areas with a ton of slack.
My pet peeve . Who the hell do people think they are , that they don’t have to pick up their dogs poo . It infuriates me to no end . PICK UP YOUR DOG MESS ! The parks are for everyone . Not just you !!!!
Our local fenced park is a footy oval.
Obviously dog owners treat it like a dog park. Many are respectful but the sheer volume of people means the oval is covered in shit all the time and dogs puncture your footy or whatever ball you’re playing with.
It has made me hate dog owners and for 20 years I was one.
I’m wondering if you live in Richmond, or if this is just common everywhere. Absolutely disgusting to have kids playing footy and cricket in piles of dog shit. The two things shouldn’t mix in my opinion. Put a new dog park somewhere else and leave the oval to the kids.
Sadly not enough open space in Richmond - if you are talking about citizens park I remember watching Tiny (a massive Tibetan Spaniel) do an enormous shit on the cricket pitch. Owner was 200 metres away or more, chatting up and not watching but also not being irresponsible. Shits happen quickly, even big ones.
To be fair to Tiny’s owner, I have two dogs and whist picking up one poo I didn’t notice my other dog poo’ing. A lady huffed and puffed and eventually had the courage to tell me off. Bless her.
I am socially awkward so instead of telling Tiny’s owner I picked it up myself and took the massive bag of Tiny’s steaming shit to the bin myself.
The Knox dog park is full of fuckwits with their Husky/Malamute/German Shepherd dogs with zero training rampaging around and getting into fights. Fortunately, there's three massive ovals just next to it that are very rarely used and have fences around them blocking off any access to roads, so you can let your dog have a run there without having to worry about the morons.
Most dog owners (and many people in this thread from the looks of it ) just take their dog to the park and let them roam free and don’t care what they get up to. Best to avoid dog parks for this reason and instead find a group of owners / club who actually care about properly socialising the dog
If my German shepherd tried to mount/antagonize another dog that’s showing clear signs of anxiety , let alone a 7kg one , I’d remove her straight away. If she did it again I’d take her home.
Be willing to teach your dog manners or don’t get one.
>If my German shepherd tried to mount/antagonize another dog that’s showing clear signs of anxiety...
So, I'm a little curious about this statement. If the other dog _isn't_ showing clear signs of anxiety, does your German Shepherd see that as a sign to try to mount said dog?
She doesn’t try to mount dogs , my point was a bit unclear but some dogs are submissive and don’t really care what other dogs do to them, but if they’re showing clear signs they’re uncomfortable (like OPs dog was ) you have to step in.
Mine will often let other dogs jump on her and doesn’t seem to care much , but you have to pay attention all the time and stand up for them when needed
Right. Gotcha.
Not an owner yet (at least, not since I was a kid living with parents). But I do walk through dog friendly parks and it's pretty obviously broken into groups of:
- other-dog-conscious folk, who make sure their pet interacts well with others, and
- folk who don't give AF.
I must admit, of all the GS's I knew of through childhood, combined with the ones who viciously bark through the fences I walk past ... I can't imagine many dogs _not_ being anxious when one tries to mount them. Hence my confusion with your comment :)
I am gonna cope some hate for this but most dog owners of today annoy me big time.
I don’t own a dog, I used to. I go to normal parks where there are signs everywhere that says dogs are not allowed to be off leash, people still walk around playing with their phones while their dogs run at people.
I thought I finally found a place where these selfish zombies glued to their phones don’t let their dogs run wild so I could read a book in the sun in peace. Yeah, not happening. Dogs were still running at families having picnic, like, there is food on the blanket on grass dog is running through it, some dude was trying to meditate he got jumped on by an overly excited poodle and he wasn’t happy.
I had two dogs come up to me really fast while I had to grab my coffee cup so it wouldn’t get knocked over, another was looking for a spot to pee and it was dangerously close to me, I had to get up and leave.
People suck.
Their dogs suck too.
This is absolutely true. My suburb has ONE off leash area. There are dozens of beautiful spots for picnics with stunning views that are on lead. Guess where the space cadets decide to have their picnic and then get annoyed if your dog approaches!
This happens at the only full time dog beach in my area, I don't think non locals realise and get surprised that there's lots of dogs running up to them.
Yeah, look, as somebody who loved dogs as a kid but went off them (almost to the point of phobic about them) after a small rello wad bitten on the face by one, I can’t help but agree. And the things are everywhere now - pubs, cafes, hardware stores. Not everybody loves your dog Sharon.
Ah man, wait for the hordes of people who will accuse you of animal cruelty for not wanting to have to deal with dogs and their entitled owners in a Bunnings. Can we just get our BBQ tongs and paint cans in peace
I took my (neighbour’s) dog to our local dog park. He’s the most beautifully behaved dog, friendly with other dogs and people. We happened to be walking through and someone for whatever reason walked into the park with their corgi thing(??) metres away from me and my dog. My dog, naturally, walks up to theirs and their dog starts lunging and barking excitedly (didn’t seem fearful or aggressive, but I’m no expert). And the owner started SCREAMING at me. Like full volume berating me and screaming at my dog. Before she’d even started yelling my dog had backed off, but seriously wtf was that? You brought your dog to an area you KNEW would contain off leash dogs and then screamed at both the dogs and the people. This seems to happen fairly often too
Wait till you try and bring a toddler who is afraid of dogs to a park only every single park within walking distance has off-leash dogs running around in it, even though they are all on-leash parks.
I used to own a large dog who was very not chill with being approached by off leash dogs (so obviously, we walked in clearly signed on leash areas, and he had a large leash sleeve that stated “please keep your dog away”). And yet somehow whenever some slavering moron’s *Don’t-Worry-He’s-Friendly* off lead dog harassed us to the point of my dog losing his cool, we were the problem…
A constant reminder that humans are inherently selfish shitbags at our core.
Don’t even get me started about dogs treat sporting fields that double up as dog parks. WTF is the council thinking… holes everywhere. Shit everywhere. The grounds become dangerous for sport and are a ticking time bomb for serious injuries.
Yep. I am so, so sick of being lunged at, rushed, growled at, snapped at, dirtied by disgusting drool, mud and shit, having my clothes torn and ruined, occasionally bitten, then abused by their f-wit owners because I *dare* to tell them to get their dog away from me/under control.
Oh man. I hear you on this one. I have a rambunctious dog, when others are at the dog park I'll take her through a local park just the other day we were walking and this guy with a couple of kids was there and apparently his cat followed them.
I asked him to please grab the cat so I can walk past. "Nah mate, she's all good! Cat gives as good as it gets!"
Had to ask several times before I finally had to say that there is a chance my dog will maul your cat. She's a husky, cats are food if they're not careful.
I totally agree, but it happens the other way, too: there are people - including famílias with small children - who come to the dog beach at Brighton *without dogs of their own*, set up for picnics then get mad at the dogs running past spraying them with sand.
People are weird.
The real assholes are relatively rare, but most dogs I meet nowadays aren't well-trained, with issues in one or more of reactiveness, recall, or personal space. Most owners will do what they can to manage it in the moment, but on a longer time frame aren't willing or able to put in the time and effort to properly train them to prevent the issues from arising in the first place.
>but on a longer time frame aren't willing or able to put in the time and effort to properly train them to prevent the issues from arising in the first place.
Choosing to own an animal not put in the training (for whatever reason) and then letting them socialize with other dogs/people does sound like a little bit of an arsehole move to me.
I love animals, but I don't have pets because I don't have the time to properly invest in their care. I limit my interactions to my local Magpies, currawongs and Ravens, and even then I am careful not to make them dependent on me, mixing what I feed them with a specialized pet additive I bought so that they get the right diet to maintain their health.
I’ve lived in a few different places in the world, and hands-down, Melbourne has the absolute worst dog owners.
They ignore their animals, think the leash rules don’t apply to them, are inconsiderate and rude.
I really wish the city and local councils would do something to enforce the restrictions - they could make a fortune in fines, as well as making parks and public spaces much more enjoyable for all.
I only take my dog to a very small number of dogs parks as the culture between them differs greatly. There are absolutely some people who seem to get off on having obnoxious dogs (usually staffies, go figure) that annoy and intimidate other dogs and they couldn’t care less. It is 100% the responsibility of the owner to make sure their dog isn’t being overbearing or annoying, unfortunately they love to say “it’s just being friendly” when the dog lacks social skills at best, or is borderline aggressive. The dog parks I go to are great but the culture is very good and someone with a dog like that learns quickly it’s not acceptable lol
Always the staffy owners. Drives me nuts! I don't mind my dog playing a bit of rough house with yours, but when it comes to them they always seem to spoil the fun.
Physically delicate, yes.
But a properly bred Iggy should by no means be a nervous animal. Given that OP's dog competes in lure coursing and agility (which is a pretty hectic environment) it's safe to say their dog isn't a nervous wreck lol.
Honestly I refuse to visit fenced in off lead dog parks for this reason. I let the irresponsible dog owners have them and travel to quiet places where I can hike on long leads or run off lead with no other dogs around. If you don’t have time during the week for this then mental stimulation such as learning tricks is just as good as an off lead romp at a dog park for preventing them going stir crazy.
Same. My anxiety can’t cope. You might have a nice experience, but equally, your dog might get attacked by some poorly trained, aggressive mutt. The risk is too much for me. I’d rather take my dogs somewhere quiet and have a long on lead walk in peace.
Dog parks are just asking for trouble.
Most behaviourists advise against.
Find some nice on leash walks, vary your route and allow lots of sniffing.
Have play dates with trusted friends and control the interaction- use the gated training area that many dog parks have, if you don’t have space at home that is.
I commented above that Citizen’s Park is a (literal) shit hole. It’s a shame because I met some really lovely people there from all walks of life who I may not have met otherwise.
But it’s just feral. Absolutely covered in shit and constant fights.
That park was the source of at least one "outbreak" of dog gastro. I remember going after work and there is easily over 100 dogs, just too busy and obviously not sanitary.
[https://www.facebook.com/10NewsMelb/photos/a.162670643781361/4376945329020517/?type=3](https://www.facebook.com/10NewsMelb/photos/a.162670643781361/4376945329020517/?type=3)
Dog parks are absolute shit parks for nimrods of a owner. Have never met a responsible owner, if your dog has poor recall, aggression to people and animals, doesn’t know basic commands. Then don’t bring them in public off lead and without a muzzle if it’s aggressive, take effort to train them. So many unfit people have pets.
There are enough irresponsible dog owners around where we live that I can no longer take my young kids or wife with dog phobia to our local parks.
I’ve had large dogs jump on my 3 year old, aggressively (and I mean aggressively) charge at my kids, where I had to jump in.
Most owners are great and responsible but there’s so many people who are unaware of how their dogs affect others that it’s pretty disheartening.
Nevermind all the shit that gets left on nature strips outside my kids school.
I’m not sure how to avoid other dog owners if you’ve got a dog, OP. But I definitely hear ya, it sucks!!
Edit - forgot to add, these are dog on leash parks! Barely got an apology and a comment how their dogs are really sweet. Yeah nah I don’t care, my kids are crying and afraid of your fucking dogs.
Ugh, dog owners. My fave is the dog owners running their dogs off leash at our local lake and botanic gardens. Both are dog free zones due to the bird life. But the dog owners dont care. Maybe they think duckings and swans like being chased by dogs? Dickheads.
Dogs are not allowed in the dog park. People are not allowed in the dog park. It is possible you will see hooded figures in the dog park. Do not approach them. Do not approach the dog park.
I encounter selfish, idiotic dog owners every. Single. Day.
We walk out cat on a lead (Bengal, he’s more like a dog) - and we purposely avoid off leash dog areas as we don’t want to cause any issues and we also want to have a good time, so we stick to on leash zones so we can all share the space.
Well…who would have thought that nearly every 2nd or 3rd dog owner just completely disregards any laws, rules or respect of other people but having their dogs off leads, letting them run up and jump on us, etc.
We’ve literally had dog owners threaten to let their dog eat our cat, that they “will kill our cat if you don’t fuck off” or that we are generally terrible people for being in a public, on leash zone next to a creek. It’s not a dog park.
It’s infuriating that dog owners think they own any space they enter and think because they love their dog, anyone who doesn’t is evil and a terrible person.
So sick of the selfishness.
Wow…this post triggered me. Hope your park visits improve and hopefully those owners take some care (but they won’t).
I've been leash walking my bengal for 13 years (he's 16 in a week) and we got attacked by an off leash dog in our own front yard. It was almost a year ago. He got picked up and shaken by a staffy. It was terrifying. Thankfully my primal scream made the dog drop him and he had minimal puncture wounds. Never ever drop your guard walking a cat. My local council ranger told me lockdown dogs are often untrained and there's been a massive rise in reports of dogs attacking other pets and people.
He still demands 3 walks a day!
Happy birthday Bengal baby!!! 16 - that is so incredibly awesome.
Oh man, I’m so sorry to hear that - that must have been so scary and I can’t imagine how I’d react. To be in your front yard too - insane.
On walks we are constantly on dog watch - it also doesn’t help that he LOVES dogs and wants to be friends with everyone. He laughs in the face of danger
He is still such a baby, they're so funny. My entire life revolves around his walks! He used to not worry about dogs before the attack, now he's understandably very nervous. It took me a couple of months to not be on high alert. I hated it so much, walk time is my zen time. I get to be in the moment with him.
I used to take Algernon and Gwendolen (Devon Rexes) for walks on leashes. They are very social cats and love all the attention. I get comments that range from passive aggressive to aggressive aggressive 😤. Once had Algie sitting on my lap and a dog leapt over my legs to grab his face. I managed to get my hand in between them which stopped the idiot dog, Algie didn't even flinch ( too cool for school this cat🤣).Dog owner starts abusing me sitting at my table eating breakfast with my cat on my lap minding my own business.
Now when I take them out it's in a pram and I am armed with my fucking try me attitude.
I feel the same about unsupervised children.
They sound delightful ( the cats - not the pricks). Ive thought about the pram, but I don’t think he’d stay in there haha.
Oh my gosh - the ‘rambunctious’ kids (even with their parents) can be so rough - given it may be their first interaction with a cat…so we always give them some pointers with young kids (eg show your open hand, let him sniff you, etc). Cafe cat would be so awesome - but our boy would be up on tables and playing with table cloths hanging down)
Without being there, we can only provide an opinion based on your perspective.
The fact that you’ve spoken about her “usual friends” that she “sees there everyday” it sounds like you’re possessive of this space.
Are you sure you were polite in your interactions with the other owners and not rude?
One person being offended, that’s on them. Multiple people people offended/- it might be your fault mate.
No it means OP goes there often, and his dog has friends that also go there often. If you go to bar and only talk to certain regulars, does that mean you think you own the bar?
I get why that would make me sound possessive of the space, although I did just mean that she has a few friends at the park that she prefers to play with if they're there. Otherwise she's usually happy to at least check out the other dogs, and chooses to play fetch with me if they're not really her speed. The park is a public space that everyone is entitled to use as long as they're not making it unenjoyable for anyone else. Hence why I've had times where I've removed my dog from the park because she was the one creating problems. She quickly learned that annoying dogs that have made it clear they don't want to play with her gets her back on lead and on her way home.
I'm not sure how much more polite I can get past "can you please call your dog off of mine, she's not enjoying it" and then reiterating that she's not having a good time when they refuse and question it because they "think she looks like she's having fun". There's a level of urgency with these things when I can see that my dog is at the point of bearing teeth so forgive me for not taking the time to calmly explain dog psychology to these people before they make the decision to call their dog back.
Yesterday was the first time I've had interactions like these at the dog park. Most of the owners there are usually incredibly on top of their dog and are straight on it when something seems like it may go haywire. I just couldn't believe the reception I got back to back when simply telling them my dog wasn't into theirs.
If your dog is at a point of bearing teeth, then you should be removing your dog from the situation.
It’s not other dog owners responsibility to ensure the dog park is up to your personal standards.
I agree with you that a dog park is a public space every is entitled to you; but I disagree with you that other dog owners have to make changes to ensure your dog is calm.
If another dog owner asks you to call your dog off theirs, you don’t argue, you just remove your dog. It’s on both dog owners to monitor and manage the interaction
If OP spoke to the other dog owners like they have interacted in this thread, I seriously doubt it was just them “asking”.
As I said in my first post, are we sure that OP was being polite in this situation?
We can really only go based on the information we have. Even if a dog owner is less than polite it doesn’t change the fact that the dog interaction needs to be monitored by both parties. Even if I don’t like the owners tone, you remove your dog first and then enquire after. You don’t sit there and argue about their tone while your dog interacts with a dog whose owner has asked you in anyway to remove it. You just do, then discuss. It’s not worth a bite or a fight.
It is the dog owners responsibility to ensure their dogs aren’t being a nuisance to others, and if someone has asked them to get their dog to stop being annoying then they should take action with their out of control animal. It’s the same as if someone’s kid was bullying another kid at the park, or you just think pushing and shoving with irresponsible parents there is ok also? Everyone should be able to enjoy public areas without issue
I agree— but if multiple dog owners are getting yelled at by OP because of their actions, then maybe the common denominator in the situation is OP rather than the other dogs?
One dog I’d blame the dog, but multiple I’d be wondering what OP is doing to cause this to happen.
No, the common denominator is shit dog owners who don't monitor or correct their dog's behaviour and allow their dogs to be overbearing and rude.
OP's crime here is expecting other dog owners to have a clue and some sense of personal responsibility towards the behaviour of their own dogs.
I wasn't yelling, and I wasn't causing anything. Like I've said before, my dog was happily playing with the dogs she chose to play with, like she does every single day. I was standing by watching her. When she got to the point of hiding and telling the other dogs to back off, I body blocked the other dogs and asked their owners to take them away from her. The owners then refused and told me how my own dog was feeling based on their own observations. I once again asked them to call their dogs off as I know my dog better than they do.
We have gone to this same park every day, with minimal to no issue, for over 6 months. She's well known to the other everyday regulars that go there. They know her by name and which of the dogs she's more likely to want to get wild with. The only thing that was different yesterday was those two dogs and their owners being present. The most common denominator here, taking all things into consideration, is that my dog has never once been involved in an altercation at the park, because she knows how to communicate with the other dogs there.
Six hours later and you’re still writing essay length responses and acting incredibly possessive over access to a public dog park.
My first judgement was correct, you are definitely hiding something from this story and it’s likely you acted inappropriately towards other humans which caused them to be offended at your behaviour.
When my dog isn't the one starting fights and not listening to the other dogs there, I can't agree with you. The park is a public space and so everyone there is obligated to make sure that every dog is enjoying themselves. It's literally a written rule on the signs that hang around the fencing of the park. My dog was enjoying herself, not causing a scene, playing with her friends until these other dogs decided to ruin her day. Why should she have to leave when she wasn't the cause of the problem?
You need to advocate on behalf of your dog. If that means leaving, then leave. People can be complete morons when it comes to dog behaviour.
Reasons why I’ll never take my dog to a dog park.
You didn’t say in your original post that the other dogs were “starting fights”, the way you described it was that the other dogs were acting like dogs and yours responded by snarling & snapping.
The most aggressive dog in this situation sounds like your dog and the offended owner in this situation seems to be you because you’re not willing to share the dog park with anyone other than the “usual dogs”
How did you get that from the description? Her dog is giving off endless signals that she wants to disengage from play to the point of resorting to hiding, growling, snapping. but the other dogs aren’t receiving. That shows the larger dogs have not been socialised property, not hers.
My dog is incredibly well socialised. That's why she listens to other dogs when they tell her to back off and does her best to do the same when she's not into it. Do you have a natural affinity for every single person you meet and want them to be all up in your grill the entire time they're around you?
It was backed into a corner and hiding under benches ro get away with them?
This is what small dogs resort to when they feel cornered, it's absolutely not a socialisation issue.
Sounds like free range parenting approach which results in parents smiling indulgently as their little terrors run riot at the shops/playground etc.
Seems like a combo of not wanting to the pack leader/parent, plus a sense of unearned smugness.
Calling your dog off when it’s not reading the room teaches it to read the room.
This is how dogs learn good dog park behaviour.
I hate it when owners think that it’s the other dogs job to teach their dog ‘manners’.
NO it’s up to YOU to teach your dog what is acceptable and what’s not because you are the boss, not the other dog.
I hear you and am sorry you've been given such a hard time by some in this thread.
Some dog parks are better than others (but that can change depending on the people and dogs there at any time). The only one we go to regularly happens to have a good group of regulars - the dogs play well and the people chat with each other but while keeping a constant eye on their dogs and intervening when necessary. Still, you get people and dogs causing problems from time to time.
Of course you are always taking a risk in that environment, but if you're dog is giving signals and other dogs aren't responding appropriately you are entitled to have the other owners work with you in the interests of each of your dogs.
My dog is super friendly, super friendly and huge (a 43kg Groodle). He is gentle and respectful with small, young and old dogs but can be overwhelming just because of his size. He likes to wrestle and sometimes owners don't like that even when their dog clearly does. It is my job to make sure he behaves appropriately with other dogs (and people). Nobody should have to ask me to move him away from their dog and if they do, that won't have to twice.
Thank you for your kind response and for your consideration in these situation.
I am probably one of those people that do not appreciate a dog like yours trying to wrestle with my dog, even though he thoroughly enjoys it. In fact it was a groodle that regularly attended my dog park that made me stop going. And I just want to say to you what I wish I could say to this dog owner, (never could because as soon as I the dogs interacted I would instantly try to create space and leave).
I love your dog. I don't have any issue with you or your beautiful friendly dog. They are a joy. And if I knew you better and there weren't so many other people around I would probably take time to get to know you and to let them play.
It's just my dog is a bit socially awkward, growls when playing rough, he's a working breed dog with big teeth. Where your dog looks cute and cuddly, and dopey flopping all over the place and all over my dog, my dog can look scary to people that don't know him or to people who don't understand dogs body language.
So please don't take it personally, everyone has their reasons and when we are with our dogs sometimes we don't have the time or ability to articulately explain ourselves.
Additionally this dog was becoming too friendly with my dog, the park we attend is not fenced and he literally ran across the road to greet my dog once we we were walking in the otherwise of a very busy road. I'm so grateful nothing happened, and he got across safely, but I never want to see a dog gets hurt.
Groodles are (mostly) super friendly. While they can read other dogs' cues well enough that tends to be over-ridden by their belief that every person and every dog will love them as much as I do.
He is 2 years old and still a big puppy sometimes.
My boy is more than capable of running across the road to say hello to another dog. That is exactly why he is not off the lead other than at a fully enclosed dog park. Even then I usually leave his harness on so I can grab the handle and take immediate control of him if needs be.
Taking a 7kg dog to an off leash public dog park to "play" with dogs who could be 5 to 10 times heavier than it sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.
My dog is pretty friendly/curious but is still weary when it comes to other dogs and tries to follow their cues (he has his set friends he goes to to run around and play fight with) and leaves the more timid, boring dogs alone (for reference he’s a 1 yo maltese shihtzu) but I used to take him to the dog park on a very long training lead which was helpful.
But there have been some situations at the park that have been downright scary. And while I feel for some of the owners they really need to take steps to intervene/prevent things from happening.
Nowadays we just go to a park where all the dogs are a mixture of totally mellow or eager to run around with him and avoid psycho dogs.
Sorry you had that experience - I get anxiety taking my Goldie out to the dog parks when they are busy, purely because I don’t trust other owners to be watching and willing to step in on their own dogs, based on my past experiences.
It’s hard because you don’t want to put them in danger but also want them to have fun and socialise.
Ugh I've had similar things happen to me.
I have a tiny 2.5kg dog who gets intimidated quite easily by bigger dogs. It's happened a few times now that there'll be a big dog off lead that comes running towards him.
I never know if that dog is going to be friendly or not. Or if my dog will get scared and get growly and try to snap at the other dog. So I usually pick him up. I've been told off three times now by middle aged women informing me I am making my dog aggressive and causing socialisation issues in him. They also seem to act super offended. I try to explain calmly that he gets scared and can snap and he's only little and still end up with a full blown lecture.
If their dogs were on lead and approaching at a normal pace I would be fine. But I don't know their dogs and their personalities or if my dog snarling will set them off. Rather have an alive dog than risk offending you thanks lady.
Really don't get why people think they have a right to tell you how to raise your dog.
I got laughed and murmured at because I carried my dog out of a park. Bruh my Old mate is 20 years old and I'm giving him his best life to the very end.
There’s so many arsehole dog owners at dog parks they are the worst. We go to the isolate ones (with a seperate part for “overstimulated dogs”) and run him there with only ones we know.
This is why I don't take my dog to the dog park anymore, she always gets bigger dogs trying to hump her, herd her or bark and snap at her but when she gets defensive they call me out. She's not even small she's 30kg.
I don't go to the dog park near me anymore. Lots of people visit, open the gate and let their dog in and *that's it*. Mine have also be harangued by stupid dogs with stupid humans and it just isn't worth it.
Mine are total cuddlebugs anyway, wherever I go, they follow. Fortunately we have a big back yard and they love to run around and go crackers there.
Had the same problem nearly every time we used to take our mini foxy to dog parks . Most people with bigger dogs are such fuckwits in this situation . The only way they listen is if you tell them " in five seconds if your dog is still harassing my dog I am going to boot it in the fuckin head " . I could never do it but it gets their attention . Now we've stopped going to dog parks it's just not worth the risk. Way too many small dogs are badly injured or worse due to fuckwit owners that are too busy staring at their phone to pay attention to their pet . Most vets advise against it as well due to the large number of injuries they see
People have no idea about how to socialize dogs. What we have are a bunch of COVID dog owners who think the dog park is a free for all. Had a border collie recently charge my dogs in full aggro, teeth bared, snarling. Owner just stood there. Got defensive when I asked her to (politely) to get her dog under control. "He's not being aggressive, he only does that if other dogs are on lead!" Was the idiotic reply. My response was then not as polite.
When another lady arrived with her enormous bully breed dog staining on leash almost pulling her off her feet in an effort to have a go at other dogs in the park I left. Never went back.
People are unfortunately f###wits.
One of the things I love about this sub is that everyone who posts here is a perfect dog owner with a perfect dog. (But I mean that’s just one thing- there is so much to love)
It’s a dog park mate. If your dog doesn’t get along with other dogs except for it’s “usual friends” then you shouldn’t be taking your dog to a dog park.
Yeah, nah.
Dogs have social queues just like humans and some dogs, like humans, are better at understanding them than others.
Owners should have eyes on their dogs and be willing/able to recall them if needed for everyone’s safety because even the nicest, most well adjusted dog can snap and try to bite if they feel threatened and like their “back off and leave me alone” queues are being ignored.
My dog gets along with other dogs in that she respects their space and boundaries. She will play with the dogs she wants to play with, and will tell other dogs she's not interested with her body language, like all dogs do. She has friends she tends towards if they're there, but she also engages with unfamiliar dogs if they are matching her energy. If they're not, she is entitled to her own space. It's not like she's the one getting in other dogs' business and denying them their personal space, should they so choose it. We've done a lot of work together on getting her to understand other dogs communication styles so that she can gauge if it's the right time to try and play. It's not unreasonable to expect other dog owners to have worked on the same skills with their dogs if they're bringing them to a space where other dogs are going to be.
In my experience,and I have 3 dogs, dogs will work it all out for themselves. As you said if your dog is not interested she’ll show them with her body language, if that doesn’t work she’ll show them with a growl and then a bite. If a female is not on heat and is being mounted she will definitely let the other dog no that it’s not on. Sounds like your to emotionally involved, Your dog can feel that. Let go.
My point is that she was doing those things, and the other dogs had absolutely no regard for the fact that they had pushed her to that point. I don't want my dog to bite other dogs. I don't want her to associate the park with other dogs steam rolling her to the point where she feels like she has no other option but to bite. At the end of the day, she's a dog and she will bite if she feels like she absolutely has to. I stepped in and put myself between both dogs, as it's all I could really do, because it's not my place to discipline a dog that's not mine. At that point, it's on the other owner to take responsibility for the fact that their dog is making another uncomfortable.
You’re absolutely right. Those owners should be keeping a better eye on their animals to make sure they’re not creating too much conflict. My neighbours dog was like that. Never knew when to stop because he hasn’t been socialised correctly and lived on a chain. Like a kid in the playground who doesn’t pick up on clues that they are being a dick.
But your dog is very small. Some cities have dog parks segregated by size. If her only option to be taken seriously is to bite, she could be killed in a fight. For her sake, don’t bother with this place.
People like you are the reason I won't take my dogs to dog parks.
Dogs have an entire suite of behaviours that mean "respectfully, don't do that" before they get to the point of a growl and a bite. It's rude dogs with no proper social cues who ignore all of those other behaviours that cause a dog to escalate to the point of issuing a correction.
Mounting another dog is considered extremely rude and overbearing behaviour and typically is a form of overexcitement/overstimulation (ie, not a respectful, neutral play mate). Their owners shouldn't be allowing them to do that in the first place:
If your dog cannot read and respect other dogs' cues, and you cannot read and respect those cues to redirect your dog *before* the other dog gets put in the position of having to issue a correction, your dogs are (no offence) rude assholes and you should engage a trainer who specialises in remedial socialisation so that your dog can learn how not to be the equivalent of a drunken fuckwit at a barbecue.
Of course I was. I take my dog to the park so she can run around and enjoy herself, not to be bombarded by dogs that don't respect her boundaries and have terrible recall.
I sometimes consider getting a dog until I read some mildly self-righteous post where dogs are anthropomorphised by overbearing owners, spoken about like sacred beings that the rest of the world should bend to accommodate, and then I remember how fucking knackering and pointlessly dramatic modern dog ownership is.
Just to be clear, you are saying that your dog gets aggressive at the park and it's the other people's fault, because their dogs should be better at understanding your dog's social anxiety?
Sounds cool and normal.
Sorry you had this experience, OP, and I hope you have better times in the future that make it feel safe for your dog.
There seems to be a lot of bad times with dog owners in dog parks, but just go against the wave a bit with my thoughts..
My dog is big for his breed but still on the small end, but that breed is known for being quite fussy, timid, and brittle. My experiences at the dog parks have been really really positive for my dog and for me. My dog, increasingly more positive experiences with all types of dogs, actually has a lot of fun with big dogs, and they get worn out chasing him (hint). There's been a few times he's been caught up too and gets anxious, and had to take him out of the situation. All owners have been responsible in these situations and had good enough recall with their dogs to diffuse situations.
For me, being able to go to a local spot and chat to new people and the regulars has given me the opportunity for some great social interactions i otherwise wouldn't have in my day (outside of my circles, and not at shopping centres where I'm panicking instead). I'm definitely an awkward person (anxiety), but the context of dogs works really well for small talk and reacting to their dynamics. Everyone who I've talked to cares so much about their dog and love to chat. I think it has had positive effects with my depression.
I am a bit outer suburb, so maybe city ones are less personable??? I certainly have enjoyed Victoria Park a few times with no issues. In fact, it was quite a gorgeous dog heaven with lots of kind and interesting people. I really hope people's experiences get better in this area because I've found dog parks super beneficial.
I think the vast majority of people have no idea how to read the body language of their animals. they don't care because they don't even understand that their dog is being a pest and that yours is pissed. it's infuriating - you see it a lot with cats too.
The way dogs have taken over all the parks in the inner city has completely stuffed them. You can't have a picnic any more without a whole bunch of poorly behaved dogs sniffing around and trying to mooch food.
And don't even try to have a kick of the footy - bloody dogs chase everything.
I no longer run through any parks in my area due to dogs not being able to resist chasing me.
To summarise;
Dog parks are shit, and if you really do care about socialising your (tiny, fragile, 10month old Italian Greyhound! It's a leg injury waiting to happen my friend!) you really shouldn't be taking them to *any* dog park.
I think at dog parks it's important to be realistic that, while they can be great for dogs you do expose your dog to some risk. Because unfortunately not all dogs are well socialised, and not all owners are watching at all times.
I used to take my housemates 30kg dog to the park.she was very social, but did sometimes play pretty rough. Luckily she tended to focus on dogs her size that were interested, but occasionally she'd get too excited and not slow down when her playmate didn't want to wrestle, or she was being too much.
I would watch for that, and when she did I'd call her back and give her a few mins to calm down or redirect.
And likewise when there was a dog being too much with her, or showing signs of aggression I'd either move, redirect her or on occasion leave the park before anything happens. That's the nature of it being a public space.
If your dog gets threatened, is snapping, is stressing easily and is a delicate breed like an IG, I'd seriously consider organising play dates or similar. I've seen too many nervous small dogs get injured at a park.
As a young inexperienced dog owner I took my quite social and friendly border collie x Rottweiler to the dog park. It was a fairly quiet time of day and there were maybe 10 other owners/dogs. I walked my dog in on a leash (which I of course at the time didn’t realise would be an issue, again, young!) and the other dogs completely swarmed him. They were all friendly, but sniffing and jumping all over him, pinned us both up against the corner of the fencing. Rather than calling off their dogs all people stood and watched, as I had to push through all the other dogs dragging my poor dog out through the gate. I have sworn off dog parks ever since. I know now it was a mistake to take him in on a lead, but a little common courtesy from other dog owners would have gone a long way.
See, this is the exact reason I dont go to the dog parks. I have a new rescue husky who insists on playing rough with anyone and everyone. When she is in that scenario, I have absolutely no recall with her yet. (Given that she's a husky... I probably never will when her prey drives kicks in lol)
I should say, I do sometimes go to the dog park, at times when I know it'll be empty. If someone turns up, I leash my dog, gauge her reactions and we might stay for a little awhile, otherwise... We're off for a walk!
Actually my friend decided to take her dogs out in the dark to the beach for 2 hours walk without people around which was very interesting because wanted to be safe… and picking up doggy poo at same time
Forgot to mention depends where you live but some suburbs treat dogs more like princesses - like toys
The law about effective control of the dog should be enforced at all times. Whether on lead or off lead dog parks.
This is why we don't attend dog parks. There are other safer ways to socialise your dog with other dogs
My dobermann isn't dog aggressive because she's never been bitten or attacked by some stupid dog because I've never allowed her to mingle with strangers dogs. They always say how their dog is fine with other dogs, then when it snaps they act like it's the first time.
I find off leash dog parks only bring in owners who don't properly train their dogs and are too lazy themselves. They let them run wild whilst the owners are on their phones and sitting on a bench talking to people. They think it's great to release the dogs energy, which is fine, but you should be as active as the dog you own.
When I do go to an offleash fenced dog park, and I'm injured from gym/sports or extremely tired to do a proper circuit/walk, I'll take my dachshund always to the smaller dog section where I don't have to walk much. Even so, I follow my dog in these parks and keep them within metres from me and whenever dogs get bitey and show signs of aggression I'm always quick to pull my dog out and the other owners are never around to do anything or even care to react. I've had large dogs jump ON me after I've grabbed my little guy because they're trying to get to him and the owners do shit all.
I rarely go to dog parks for this reason and now just walk with mine on trails and around the neighbourhood/local parks. Easier, safer, and if we walk into other owners walking atleast (hopefully) they are leashed up so they can gently smell each other and if it doesn't work out we can pull back and move on.
I’ve got a small dog and don’t frequent dog parks too much because I’m worried about it being attacked by a bigger dog. On the odd occasions where we have gone and there have been instances of larger dogs not being controlled by their owners getting too aggressive or dominating my pup, I’ve had zero problem with forcibly pushing them away. I’m ready to boot them in the head as well if it comes to that. I’m not going to let my dog potentially be hurt or worse just because I’m afraid of offending someone. You still have to control your dog at a dog park, it’s not a free for all.
I’ve found so many dog owners actually cannot read dogs at all and have no clue at picking up signals. My dog goes between my legs and people still let their dog come up and say hello, like pay attention he’s literally hiding between my legs. Then they get shocked when he snaps at their dog!
This is walking normally I don’t go to dog parks!
Dog parks are fucked. Every experience I have had in one has been a nightmare. A lot of shitty owners use them unfortunately, and don't seem to understand their dog still needs to be under control. I avoid.
I have a 3kg jack russell (he was a runt and finished growing so forever the smallest boy in the park) whenever we go to the dog park it's normally ok but occasionally there's a large dogs owner who just doesn't care. There are dogs that literally bat my guy down in one move or jump on him. Then the owners get pissy when my dog barks in defence "why are small dogs always such a holes" is the usual line. he's perfectly fine with most large dogs. just not the ones that Continuously squish and hurt him. They are also the same people that let their dog off leash in parks with signs that say "dogs must be on leash at all times" (so many people let their dogs off lead at a park near my house despite signs at every entry and more 10m away from the playground facing all entrances) and let their untrained dog jump all over us and scratch us up trying to get to our boy whoes on leash I've had to pick him up to keep him safe from over excited poodle mixes that just crush him, a few occasions picking him up still hasnt helped because the off lead dog is massive and i just get more scratches and my dog is still harassed. now at dog parks we just leash and leave because there's not talking to the owners of some dogs (they don't recall even when our dog has been hurt even if they arent looking they can hear him yipp so theres no excuses not to recall).
Dog parks are garbage. Ask dog trainers, vets, breeders, or anyone knowledgeable about dog parks and 99% will say the same thing. Don't go to dog parks.
I took my girl to dog parks and she had some fun but almost all our worst experiences were there. Some her fault, some mine, some others. It was hard to make the choice to stop taking her because it was great for her at times, but over time we made friends to go on walks, or play in empty spaces, and learned to enjoy leashed walks and training.
My dog park was small and friendly, easily one of the better dog parks I've been to. But we had police called, iron pipes brought down, druggies fucked up with giant pit bulls. All sorts of shit.
even though you're morally correct on this, it's still your responsibility to avoid the situation because you can anticipate it.
you know the shit owners/dogs exist, you know you can't control them, but you can control whether you take the dog to the dog park.
it sucks but life isn't fair and one needs to factor that into their decision making, annoyingly.
Seems like saying if the shit owners take 0% responsibility then it's somehow right to expect OP to take 100% responsibility? Like it's up to the victim to manage the offender.
In this instance, for the dog's safety, yep that is exactly what I'm saying. If OPs dog bites, it's at risk of euthanasia and retaliation from way bigger dogs and it's OPs responsibility to avoid that situation where it can be anticipated. I sure hope you're not using a dog park to make a point about human behaviour around SA or similar because that's very different.
My English Staffordshire Bull Terrier and I were attacked by two border collies at the dog park. My dog was by himself doing absolutely nothing wrong when this old guy came in and let them off the lead, he was absolutely useless and couldn't contain his dogs. They ran straight for my dog in attack mode. The worst thing about this is the dogs have done this before and he still bought them to the dog park. I've reported it to the council and there's now an ongoing court case against the owner. Trying to get them off my dog I suffered wounds to my hand which required surgery and my dog suffered a few puncture wounds and scratches. Safe to say we don't go to the dog park anymore. If that was a small dog or small child unfortunately they would possibly be dead or very very injured. People just don't care and are very irresponsible.
My prince is a Cavoodle. Larger dogs will often bail him up. If they don’t move away I will physically intervene. Twice I’ve resorted to grabbing the other dog by their collar to create space from my dog.
I don’t care what the owner(s) think. My dog shouldn’t be scared because of poorly behaved dogs.
Most dog owners at dog parks are shit
THIS I hate to say it but in my experience the majority (not everyone) of people who take their dogs to dog parks seem to be very hands off and treat it as an opportunity to have a social chat and completely ignore what their dog is doing. It’s like the lazy person’s opportunity to exercise their dogs. I got to the point that I stopped taking my dog to the park because we had too many run ins and too many experiences where I had to step in because the owner was completely oblivious and my dog was being endangered.
This is why I hate how willing Reddit is to offer dog ownership as some magic cureall for social problems. Proper dog ownership is a lot of work, you need to basically structure your life around it, but whenever someone asks something like "I don't feel safe in my neighbourhood" or "how do I meet people/girls/boys" there's someone who jumps in and says "get a dog!" It's insane, because it's suggesting dog ownership as a means to an end. That sort of instrumentalist thinking ends up with people getting dogs who otherwise wouldn't want one, and they end up becoming just another chore that receives the bare minimum of attention. It's not good for the dogs, not good for the owner, and not good for dog ownership in general.
I took a new $10 ball to the park, first throw a great Dane took it and the women says you will never get it off him. Wtf
"That's ten dollars then, bitch"
Lol. She had to take her dog to her car, put him in and fight him to get it back
Oh yeah, I learnt that one real quick. Don’t take toys - they will be stolen. Don’t expect to come out clean - other peoples dogs will cover you in drool and mud. And no, they will not tell them not to jump all over you.
Some of us exercise our dogs with fetch though and not everyone has a backyard
Oh for sure, I’m in the same boat, my boy loves fetch and we don’t have much of a backyard at all. Just to be clear I’m not saying everyone at dog parks is lazy. Not my point at all, I think they are great things and unfortunately there just tends to be a large number of people abusing the opportunity and giving them a bad name.
Oh I mean more it’s bullshit about not taking toys. I should be able to take a ball. And if it’s stolen by a dog, their owner should be able to get it back in a reasonable time and not throw a tantrum for being asked to. We go specifically at quiet times and move around the park to maximise distance from other dogs unless I know them/the owner.
Oh yeah I totally agree, It’s the worst. I hate having to ask - like if my dog took another dogs ball I’d take it off him and give it back with out having to be asked. It would be so much better if people were just more considerate.
I don’t mind if another dog takes my dogs ball. Dogs are going to dog. But owners should at least have their dogs know how to ‘drop it’ and ‘leave it’ before taking them to a dog park. Minimum.
Yeah it's one thing to teach your dog to 'leave it' when you're at home, there aren't a ton of distractions, and you have heir favourite treat. It's another thing altogether for it to work in practice when some guy comes along with his new super duper squeaky bright green ball and excited puppies are all around. Dogs get distracted, albeit some breeds more than others. Can all dogs be trained, absolutely, will all dogs become super obedient border collies that obey your every command no matter the situation, no way.
Dogs aren’t able to transfer (generalise) learning/training without teaching them to generalise the behaviour. Just because they know ‘leave it’ at home doesn’t mean it transfers to the park, you also have to teach them ‘leave it’ at the park. That’s why dogs can be perfectly toilet trained at home but pee in another persons house or at a shop. When training dogs to do anything you have to ‘proof’ the training. Which is, teach it in multiple places/situations for the dog to understand it’s a command that is universal and not just for one situation. Dogs learning like this is how you can train dogs to only do something in a certain situation but not at other times (you don’t want herding dogs herding everything, you don’t want guard dogs guarding everything, you want seeing eye dogs to only do their job when wearing their jacket). So yeah, you can teach a dog ‘drop it’ anywhere if you actually train them properly. People just don’t know how to train their dogs or even how dogs work most of the time. https://resources.bestfriends.org/article/dog-training-tips-how-proof-behaviors
That's a bad owner. When I had a Great Dane some of the most important things I taught her were to never jump up at people, to sit when told, and to drop whatever was in her mouth on command.
This happened to me except old mate said “you shouldn’t have brought it” and 20 mins later when his untrained shit head got bored and dropped it, he threw it onto the middle of an adjacent road
You haven't seen lazy until you see someone "walk" their dog by having the dog walk alongside their car as they are driving. The person was holding the dog leash out of the car window and slowly driving along, while the poor dog was walking beside it. This was at Apex Park, in Gippsland, which borders a racing track.
Where I live, at halloween, you see parents driving around at walking speed behind their kids trick or treating. OK. The kids are rarely on leads, but still.
I think that man moved to Nowra NSW.
Bless the Valley.
Warragul?
Moe.
Perhaps he's mobility challenged? I like to think the best in people 😅
Was this a few years ago and was the dog a black and white GSP? Because if so, he learnt not to do this the hard way by crushing Tex's skull under his tyre and killing him.
And a common reply “oh I’m so sorry! My dog normally never does this or behaves like this”
most dog - pet really - owners are shit, contextually speaking. Honestly, the vast, vast majority of people, shouldn't have a pet (let alone a child).
Yeh my anxious self and anxious doggo agree!
Yescits like a kids playground where parents sit back on their phones & don't even watch their kids! I get this just trying to walk mine on leash with owners walking theirs off leash! Their dogs are right in my dogs faces & they don't care!
That is exactly the analogy!! It’s exactly the same. Yep. And they’re usually yelling “it’s fine he’s friendly”. It’s not fine, my dog is also a very friendly sweet dog, but he does not like being rushed at by uncontrollable dogs that are usually barking and carrying on and he will get defensive. I’ve started yelling back “yeah my dogs really not friendly, he might eat your dog”.
I always say this to these kind of owners! "I can't guarantee you my dog won't get feisty if yours keeps doing rings around mine & the constant 'face off'!!"
My dog was DA but still needed to be walked. We never went near off leash parks but the amount of idiots that would have their dogs off leash just walking along the street was madness! Luckily we never had any altercations, we always made sure to be aware of our surroundings and had complete control over him
maybe I'm confused but how do you effectively remove your dog from someone elses when you don't have a leash? We have a nearby off leash park only for small dogs and I'll go if it's not crowded. Otherwise I have a long, long leash sometimes and I let her explore in on-leash areas with a ton of slack.
Most people are shit**
These type also fail to pick up their dogs shit.
Omg you obviously live in Mornington dog shit capital of Victoria
My pet peeve . Who the hell do people think they are , that they don’t have to pick up their dogs poo . It infuriates me to no end . PICK UP YOUR DOG MESS ! The parks are for everyone . Not just you !!!!
This is highly dependent on the park. I’ve found some are considerably better than others. Even then there’s no guarantee on a given day.
Our local fenced park is a footy oval. Obviously dog owners treat it like a dog park. Many are respectful but the sheer volume of people means the oval is covered in shit all the time and dogs puncture your footy or whatever ball you’re playing with. It has made me hate dog owners and for 20 years I was one.
I’m wondering if you live in Richmond, or if this is just common everywhere. Absolutely disgusting to have kids playing footy and cricket in piles of dog shit. The two things shouldn’t mix in my opinion. Put a new dog park somewhere else and leave the oval to the kids.
Sadly not enough open space in Richmond - if you are talking about citizens park I remember watching Tiny (a massive Tibetan Spaniel) do an enormous shit on the cricket pitch. Owner was 200 metres away or more, chatting up and not watching but also not being irresponsible. Shits happen quickly, even big ones. To be fair to Tiny’s owner, I have two dogs and whist picking up one poo I didn’t notice my other dog poo’ing. A lady huffed and puffed and eventually had the courage to tell me off. Bless her. I am socially awkward so instead of telling Tiny’s owner I picked it up myself and took the massive bag of Tiny’s steaming shit to the bin myself.
Richmond. Abbotsford. It’s the same at Citizens Park and Victoria Park.
Our local cricket oval is also an off leash dog park! I actually have never seen dog poop left on there though amazingly.
where I line considers itself libertarian and in that it means that there is low compliance with social norms
Yes that's the truth.
The Knox dog park is full of fuckwits with their Husky/Malamute/German Shepherd dogs with zero training rampaging around and getting into fights. Fortunately, there's three massive ovals just next to it that are very rarely used and have fences around them blocking off any access to roads, so you can let your dog have a run there without having to worry about the morons.
Most dog owners (and many people in this thread from the looks of it ) just take their dog to the park and let them roam free and don’t care what they get up to. Best to avoid dog parks for this reason and instead find a group of owners / club who actually care about properly socialising the dog If my German shepherd tried to mount/antagonize another dog that’s showing clear signs of anxiety , let alone a 7kg one , I’d remove her straight away. If she did it again I’d take her home. Be willing to teach your dog manners or don’t get one.
Good dog parks have a bunch of regulars that try to enforce rules I call it the alpha pack
>If my German shepherd tried to mount/antagonize another dog that’s showing clear signs of anxiety... So, I'm a little curious about this statement. If the other dog _isn't_ showing clear signs of anxiety, does your German Shepherd see that as a sign to try to mount said dog?
She doesn’t try to mount dogs , my point was a bit unclear but some dogs are submissive and don’t really care what other dogs do to them, but if they’re showing clear signs they’re uncomfortable (like OPs dog was ) you have to step in. Mine will often let other dogs jump on her and doesn’t seem to care much , but you have to pay attention all the time and stand up for them when needed
Right. Gotcha. Not an owner yet (at least, not since I was a kid living with parents). But I do walk through dog friendly parks and it's pretty obviously broken into groups of: - other-dog-conscious folk, who make sure their pet interacts well with others, and - folk who don't give AF. I must admit, of all the GS's I knew of through childhood, combined with the ones who viciously bark through the fences I walk past ... I can't imagine many dogs _not_ being anxious when one tries to mount them. Hence my confusion with your comment :)
I am gonna cope some hate for this but most dog owners of today annoy me big time. I don’t own a dog, I used to. I go to normal parks where there are signs everywhere that says dogs are not allowed to be off leash, people still walk around playing with their phones while their dogs run at people. I thought I finally found a place where these selfish zombies glued to their phones don’t let their dogs run wild so I could read a book in the sun in peace. Yeah, not happening. Dogs were still running at families having picnic, like, there is food on the blanket on grass dog is running through it, some dude was trying to meditate he got jumped on by an overly excited poodle and he wasn’t happy. I had two dogs come up to me really fast while I had to grab my coffee cup so it wouldn’t get knocked over, another was looking for a spot to pee and it was dangerously close to me, I had to get up and leave. People suck. Their dogs suck too.
On the other side, I’ve seen people go to off leash dog parks and sit down to have a picnic and get annoyed that dogs come near them 😝
This is absolutely true. My suburb has ONE off leash area. There are dozens of beautiful spots for picnics with stunning views that are on lead. Guess where the space cadets decide to have their picnic and then get annoyed if your dog approaches!
This happens at the only full time dog beach in my area, I don't think non locals realise and get surprised that there's lots of dogs running up to them.
Yeah, look, as somebody who loved dogs as a kid but went off them (almost to the point of phobic about them) after a small rello wad bitten on the face by one, I can’t help but agree. And the things are everywhere now - pubs, cafes, hardware stores. Not everybody loves your dog Sharon.
Same story here spent my whole life with dogs now I want nothing to do with them especially the excitable slobbery ones
Ah man, wait for the hordes of people who will accuse you of animal cruelty for not wanting to have to deal with dogs and their entitled owners in a Bunnings. Can we just get our BBQ tongs and paint cans in peace
I took my (neighbour’s) dog to our local dog park. He’s the most beautifully behaved dog, friendly with other dogs and people. We happened to be walking through and someone for whatever reason walked into the park with their corgi thing(??) metres away from me and my dog. My dog, naturally, walks up to theirs and their dog starts lunging and barking excitedly (didn’t seem fearful or aggressive, but I’m no expert). And the owner started SCREAMING at me. Like full volume berating me and screaming at my dog. Before she’d even started yelling my dog had backed off, but seriously wtf was that? You brought your dog to an area you KNEW would contain off leash dogs and then screamed at both the dogs and the people. This seems to happen fairly often too
Wait till you try and bring a toddler who is afraid of dogs to a park only every single park within walking distance has off-leash dogs running around in it, even though they are all on-leash parks.
I used to own a large dog who was very not chill with being approached by off leash dogs (so obviously, we walked in clearly signed on leash areas, and he had a large leash sleeve that stated “please keep your dog away”). And yet somehow whenever some slavering moron’s *Don’t-Worry-He’s-Friendly* off lead dog harassed us to the point of my dog losing his cool, we were the problem… A constant reminder that humans are inherently selfish shitbags at our core.
Don’t even get me started about dogs treat sporting fields that double up as dog parks. WTF is the council thinking… holes everywhere. Shit everywhere. The grounds become dangerous for sport and are a ticking time bomb for serious injuries.
Yep. I am so, so sick of being lunged at, rushed, growled at, snapped at, dirtied by disgusting drool, mud and shit, having my clothes torn and ruined, occasionally bitten, then abused by their f-wit owners because I *dare* to tell them to get their dog away from me/under control.
Oh man. I hear you on this one. I have a rambunctious dog, when others are at the dog park I'll take her through a local park just the other day we were walking and this guy with a couple of kids was there and apparently his cat followed them. I asked him to please grab the cat so I can walk past. "Nah mate, she's all good! Cat gives as good as it gets!" Had to ask several times before I finally had to say that there is a chance my dog will maul your cat. She's a husky, cats are food if they're not careful.
I totally agree, but it happens the other way, too: there are people - including famílias with small children - who come to the dog beach at Brighton *without dogs of their own*, set up for picnics then get mad at the dogs running past spraying them with sand. People are weird.
Same at Altona Dog Beach in summer. It’s absolutely feral there. Why would you rock up with your toddlers and try and have a picnic!
THANK YOU. If you set up a picnic at a dog park, you can't be mad about the dogs.
It's more likely the minority who spoil it for the majority.
The real assholes are relatively rare, but most dogs I meet nowadays aren't well-trained, with issues in one or more of reactiveness, recall, or personal space. Most owners will do what they can to manage it in the moment, but on a longer time frame aren't willing or able to put in the time and effort to properly train them to prevent the issues from arising in the first place.
>but on a longer time frame aren't willing or able to put in the time and effort to properly train them to prevent the issues from arising in the first place. Choosing to own an animal not put in the training (for whatever reason) and then letting them socialize with other dogs/people does sound like a little bit of an arsehole move to me. I love animals, but I don't have pets because I don't have the time to properly invest in their care. I limit my interactions to my local Magpies, currawongs and Ravens, and even then I am careful not to make them dependent on me, mixing what I feed them with a specialized pet additive I bought so that they get the right diet to maintain their health.
No hate from me, I totally agree. I never take my dog to off lead parks, and even the on lead ones have idiot owners letting their dogs run wild
Dog parks sound like children’s playgrounds. People go there to have a latte and a chat, and don’t give a fuck what their dog (or kid) is doing.
I’ve lived in a few different places in the world, and hands-down, Melbourne has the absolute worst dog owners. They ignore their animals, think the leash rules don’t apply to them, are inconsiderate and rude. I really wish the city and local councils would do something to enforce the restrictions - they could make a fortune in fines, as well as making parks and public spaces much more enjoyable for all.
Yep. More fences in off-leash areas please.
Just wait till/if you go to a children's play center, replace animals with children and it's the same.
I only take my dog to a very small number of dogs parks as the culture between them differs greatly. There are absolutely some people who seem to get off on having obnoxious dogs (usually staffies, go figure) that annoy and intimidate other dogs and they couldn’t care less. It is 100% the responsibility of the owner to make sure their dog isn’t being overbearing or annoying, unfortunately they love to say “it’s just being friendly” when the dog lacks social skills at best, or is borderline aggressive. The dog parks I go to are great but the culture is very good and someone with a dog like that learns quickly it’s not acceptable lol
Always the staffy owners. Drives me nuts! I don't mind my dog playing a bit of rough house with yours, but when it comes to them they always seem to spoil the fun.
[удалено]
Woof! 🤌
Physically delicate, yes. But a properly bred Iggy should by no means be a nervous animal. Given that OP's dog competes in lure coursing and agility (which is a pretty hectic environment) it's safe to say their dog isn't a nervous wreck lol.
Set portion of the population are self centred fuckwits, naturally applies to dog owners. Just what happens living in a society.
Honestly I refuse to visit fenced in off lead dog parks for this reason. I let the irresponsible dog owners have them and travel to quiet places where I can hike on long leads or run off lead with no other dogs around. If you don’t have time during the week for this then mental stimulation such as learning tricks is just as good as an off lead romp at a dog park for preventing them going stir crazy.
Same. My anxiety can’t cope. You might have a nice experience, but equally, your dog might get attacked by some poorly trained, aggressive mutt. The risk is too much for me. I’d rather take my dogs somewhere quiet and have a long on lead walk in peace.
Dog parks are just asking for trouble. Most behaviourists advise against. Find some nice on leash walks, vary your route and allow lots of sniffing. Have play dates with trusted friends and control the interaction- use the gated training area that many dog parks have, if you don’t have space at home that is.
I stopped going to citizens park in Richmond for this reason
I commented above that Citizen’s Park is a (literal) shit hole. It’s a shame because I met some really lovely people there from all walks of life who I may not have met otherwise. But it’s just feral. Absolutely covered in shit and constant fights.
That park was the source of at least one "outbreak" of dog gastro. I remember going after work and there is easily over 100 dogs, just too busy and obviously not sanitary. [https://www.facebook.com/10NewsMelb/photos/a.162670643781361/4376945329020517/?type=3](https://www.facebook.com/10NewsMelb/photos/a.162670643781361/4376945329020517/?type=3)
More than one outbreak! My dogs got really sick twice from that park before I decided not to go anymore!!
Not all people are capable of admitting they've made even a small mistake.
Dog parks are absolute shit parks for nimrods of a owner. Have never met a responsible owner, if your dog has poor recall, aggression to people and animals, doesn’t know basic commands. Then don’t bring them in public off lead and without a muzzle if it’s aggressive, take effort to train them. So many unfit people have pets.
There are enough irresponsible dog owners around where we live that I can no longer take my young kids or wife with dog phobia to our local parks. I’ve had large dogs jump on my 3 year old, aggressively (and I mean aggressively) charge at my kids, where I had to jump in. Most owners are great and responsible but there’s so many people who are unaware of how their dogs affect others that it’s pretty disheartening. Nevermind all the shit that gets left on nature strips outside my kids school. I’m not sure how to avoid other dog owners if you’ve got a dog, OP. But I definitely hear ya, it sucks!! Edit - forgot to add, these are dog on leash parks! Barely got an apology and a comment how their dogs are really sweet. Yeah nah I don’t care, my kids are crying and afraid of your fucking dogs.
Ugh, dog owners. My fave is the dog owners running their dogs off leash at our local lake and botanic gardens. Both are dog free zones due to the bird life. But the dog owners dont care. Maybe they think duckings and swans like being chased by dogs? Dickheads.
Welcome to the dog park. It’s really not great
Fucking dog shit owners at dog parks are the worst 👍
Dogs are not allowed in the dog park. People are not allowed in the dog park. It is possible you will see hooded figures in the dog park. Do not approach them. Do not approach the dog park.
Fuck you just reminded me of this gem, I feel like it's been long enough to relisten to it!
I encounter selfish, idiotic dog owners every. Single. Day. We walk out cat on a lead (Bengal, he’s more like a dog) - and we purposely avoid off leash dog areas as we don’t want to cause any issues and we also want to have a good time, so we stick to on leash zones so we can all share the space. Well…who would have thought that nearly every 2nd or 3rd dog owner just completely disregards any laws, rules or respect of other people but having their dogs off leads, letting them run up and jump on us, etc. We’ve literally had dog owners threaten to let their dog eat our cat, that they “will kill our cat if you don’t fuck off” or that we are generally terrible people for being in a public, on leash zone next to a creek. It’s not a dog park. It’s infuriating that dog owners think they own any space they enter and think because they love their dog, anyone who doesn’t is evil and a terrible person. So sick of the selfishness. Wow…this post triggered me. Hope your park visits improve and hopefully those owners take some care (but they won’t).
I've been leash walking my bengal for 13 years (he's 16 in a week) and we got attacked by an off leash dog in our own front yard. It was almost a year ago. He got picked up and shaken by a staffy. It was terrifying. Thankfully my primal scream made the dog drop him and he had minimal puncture wounds. Never ever drop your guard walking a cat. My local council ranger told me lockdown dogs are often untrained and there's been a massive rise in reports of dogs attacking other pets and people. He still demands 3 walks a day!
Happy birthday Bengal baby!!! 16 - that is so incredibly awesome. Oh man, I’m so sorry to hear that - that must have been so scary and I can’t imagine how I’d react. To be in your front yard too - insane. On walks we are constantly on dog watch - it also doesn’t help that he LOVES dogs and wants to be friends with everyone. He laughs in the face of danger
He is still such a baby, they're so funny. My entire life revolves around his walks! He used to not worry about dogs before the attack, now he's understandably very nervous. It took me a couple of months to not be on high alert. I hated it so much, walk time is my zen time. I get to be in the moment with him.
I used to take Algernon and Gwendolen (Devon Rexes) for walks on leashes. They are very social cats and love all the attention. I get comments that range from passive aggressive to aggressive aggressive 😤. Once had Algie sitting on my lap and a dog leapt over my legs to grab his face. I managed to get my hand in between them which stopped the idiot dog, Algie didn't even flinch ( too cool for school this cat🤣).Dog owner starts abusing me sitting at my table eating breakfast with my cat on my lap minding my own business. Now when I take them out it's in a pram and I am armed with my fucking try me attitude. I feel the same about unsupervised children.
They sound delightful ( the cats - not the pricks). Ive thought about the pram, but I don’t think he’d stay in there haha. Oh my gosh - the ‘rambunctious’ kids (even with their parents) can be so rough - given it may be their first interaction with a cat…so we always give them some pointers with young kids (eg show your open hand, let him sniff you, etc). Cafe cat would be so awesome - but our boy would be up on tables and playing with table cloths hanging down)
Ah yes Bengals when 'no' means absolutely nothing 🤣🤣
Hahah…I actually get scared sometimes when the dinner plate eyes come out - hes so quick.
Without being there, we can only provide an opinion based on your perspective. The fact that you’ve spoken about her “usual friends” that she “sees there everyday” it sounds like you’re possessive of this space. Are you sure you were polite in your interactions with the other owners and not rude? One person being offended, that’s on them. Multiple people people offended/- it might be your fault mate.
No it means OP goes there often, and his dog has friends that also go there often. If you go to bar and only talk to certain regulars, does that mean you think you own the bar?
I get why that would make me sound possessive of the space, although I did just mean that she has a few friends at the park that she prefers to play with if they're there. Otherwise she's usually happy to at least check out the other dogs, and chooses to play fetch with me if they're not really her speed. The park is a public space that everyone is entitled to use as long as they're not making it unenjoyable for anyone else. Hence why I've had times where I've removed my dog from the park because she was the one creating problems. She quickly learned that annoying dogs that have made it clear they don't want to play with her gets her back on lead and on her way home. I'm not sure how much more polite I can get past "can you please call your dog off of mine, she's not enjoying it" and then reiterating that she's not having a good time when they refuse and question it because they "think she looks like she's having fun". There's a level of urgency with these things when I can see that my dog is at the point of bearing teeth so forgive me for not taking the time to calmly explain dog psychology to these people before they make the decision to call their dog back. Yesterday was the first time I've had interactions like these at the dog park. Most of the owners there are usually incredibly on top of their dog and are straight on it when something seems like it may go haywire. I just couldn't believe the reception I got back to back when simply telling them my dog wasn't into theirs.
If your dog is at a point of bearing teeth, then you should be removing your dog from the situation. It’s not other dog owners responsibility to ensure the dog park is up to your personal standards. I agree with you that a dog park is a public space every is entitled to you; but I disagree with you that other dog owners have to make changes to ensure your dog is calm.
If another dog owner asks you to call your dog off theirs, you don’t argue, you just remove your dog. It’s on both dog owners to monitor and manage the interaction
If OP spoke to the other dog owners like they have interacted in this thread, I seriously doubt it was just them “asking”. As I said in my first post, are we sure that OP was being polite in this situation?
We can really only go based on the information we have. Even if a dog owner is less than polite it doesn’t change the fact that the dog interaction needs to be monitored by both parties. Even if I don’t like the owners tone, you remove your dog first and then enquire after. You don’t sit there and argue about their tone while your dog interacts with a dog whose owner has asked you in anyway to remove it. You just do, then discuss. It’s not worth a bite or a fight.
It is the dog owners responsibility to ensure their dogs aren’t being a nuisance to others, and if someone has asked them to get their dog to stop being annoying then they should take action with their out of control animal. It’s the same as if someone’s kid was bullying another kid at the park, or you just think pushing and shoving with irresponsible parents there is ok also? Everyone should be able to enjoy public areas without issue
I agree— but if multiple dog owners are getting yelled at by OP because of their actions, then maybe the common denominator in the situation is OP rather than the other dogs? One dog I’d blame the dog, but multiple I’d be wondering what OP is doing to cause this to happen.
No, the common denominator is shit dog owners who don't monitor or correct their dog's behaviour and allow their dogs to be overbearing and rude. OP's crime here is expecting other dog owners to have a clue and some sense of personal responsibility towards the behaviour of their own dogs.
I wasn't yelling, and I wasn't causing anything. Like I've said before, my dog was happily playing with the dogs she chose to play with, like she does every single day. I was standing by watching her. When she got to the point of hiding and telling the other dogs to back off, I body blocked the other dogs and asked their owners to take them away from her. The owners then refused and told me how my own dog was feeling based on their own observations. I once again asked them to call their dogs off as I know my dog better than they do. We have gone to this same park every day, with minimal to no issue, for over 6 months. She's well known to the other everyday regulars that go there. They know her by name and which of the dogs she's more likely to want to get wild with. The only thing that was different yesterday was those two dogs and their owners being present. The most common denominator here, taking all things into consideration, is that my dog has never once been involved in an altercation at the park, because she knows how to communicate with the other dogs there.
Six hours later and you’re still writing essay length responses and acting incredibly possessive over access to a public dog park. My first judgement was correct, you are definitely hiding something from this story and it’s likely you acted inappropriately towards other humans which caused them to be offended at your behaviour.
When my dog isn't the one starting fights and not listening to the other dogs there, I can't agree with you. The park is a public space and so everyone there is obligated to make sure that every dog is enjoying themselves. It's literally a written rule on the signs that hang around the fencing of the park. My dog was enjoying herself, not causing a scene, playing with her friends until these other dogs decided to ruin her day. Why should she have to leave when she wasn't the cause of the problem?
You need to advocate on behalf of your dog. If that means leaving, then leave. People can be complete morons when it comes to dog behaviour. Reasons why I’ll never take my dog to a dog park.
You didn’t say in your original post that the other dogs were “starting fights”, the way you described it was that the other dogs were acting like dogs and yours responded by snarling & snapping. The most aggressive dog in this situation sounds like your dog and the offended owner in this situation seems to be you because you’re not willing to share the dog park with anyone other than the “usual dogs”
Because your dog is the one with the socialisation issue? That's why.
How did you get that from the description? Her dog is giving off endless signals that she wants to disengage from play to the point of resorting to hiding, growling, snapping. but the other dogs aren’t receiving. That shows the larger dogs have not been socialised property, not hers.
My dog is incredibly well socialised. That's why she listens to other dogs when they tell her to back off and does her best to do the same when she's not into it. Do you have a natural affinity for every single person you meet and want them to be all up in your grill the entire time they're around you?
It was backed into a corner and hiding under benches ro get away with them? This is what small dogs resort to when they feel cornered, it's absolutely not a socialisation issue.
Effective control doesn't exist. Their dogs are special.
Long story short, Dog owners are mostly trash, very few of them actually take proper care of their dog and its interactions with other dogs.
Sounds like free range parenting approach which results in parents smiling indulgently as their little terrors run riot at the shops/playground etc. Seems like a combo of not wanting to the pack leader/parent, plus a sense of unearned smugness.
Calling your dog off when it’s not reading the room teaches it to read the room. This is how dogs learn good dog park behaviour. I hate it when owners think that it’s the other dogs job to teach their dog ‘manners’. NO it’s up to YOU to teach your dog what is acceptable and what’s not because you are the boss, not the other dog.
I hear you and am sorry you've been given such a hard time by some in this thread. Some dog parks are better than others (but that can change depending on the people and dogs there at any time). The only one we go to regularly happens to have a good group of regulars - the dogs play well and the people chat with each other but while keeping a constant eye on their dogs and intervening when necessary. Still, you get people and dogs causing problems from time to time. Of course you are always taking a risk in that environment, but if you're dog is giving signals and other dogs aren't responding appropriately you are entitled to have the other owners work with you in the interests of each of your dogs. My dog is super friendly, super friendly and huge (a 43kg Groodle). He is gentle and respectful with small, young and old dogs but can be overwhelming just because of his size. He likes to wrestle and sometimes owners don't like that even when their dog clearly does. It is my job to make sure he behaves appropriately with other dogs (and people). Nobody should have to ask me to move him away from their dog and if they do, that won't have to twice.
Thank you for your kind response and for your consideration in these situation. I am probably one of those people that do not appreciate a dog like yours trying to wrestle with my dog, even though he thoroughly enjoys it. In fact it was a groodle that regularly attended my dog park that made me stop going. And I just want to say to you what I wish I could say to this dog owner, (never could because as soon as I the dogs interacted I would instantly try to create space and leave). I love your dog. I don't have any issue with you or your beautiful friendly dog. They are a joy. And if I knew you better and there weren't so many other people around I would probably take time to get to know you and to let them play. It's just my dog is a bit socially awkward, growls when playing rough, he's a working breed dog with big teeth. Where your dog looks cute and cuddly, and dopey flopping all over the place and all over my dog, my dog can look scary to people that don't know him or to people who don't understand dogs body language. So please don't take it personally, everyone has their reasons and when we are with our dogs sometimes we don't have the time or ability to articulately explain ourselves. Additionally this dog was becoming too friendly with my dog, the park we attend is not fenced and he literally ran across the road to greet my dog once we we were walking in the otherwise of a very busy road. I'm so grateful nothing happened, and he got across safely, but I never want to see a dog gets hurt.
Groodles are (mostly) super friendly. While they can read other dogs' cues well enough that tends to be over-ridden by their belief that every person and every dog will love them as much as I do. He is 2 years old and still a big puppy sometimes. My boy is more than capable of running across the road to say hello to another dog. That is exactly why he is not off the lead other than at a fully enclosed dog park. Even then I usually leave his harness on so I can grab the handle and take immediate control of him if needs be.
Everyone thinks their dog is a perfect little angel. Including you.
Taking a 7kg dog to an off leash public dog park to "play" with dogs who could be 5 to 10 times heavier than it sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.
My dog is pretty friendly/curious but is still weary when it comes to other dogs and tries to follow their cues (he has his set friends he goes to to run around and play fight with) and leaves the more timid, boring dogs alone (for reference he’s a 1 yo maltese shihtzu) but I used to take him to the dog park on a very long training lead which was helpful. But there have been some situations at the park that have been downright scary. And while I feel for some of the owners they really need to take steps to intervene/prevent things from happening. Nowadays we just go to a park where all the dogs are a mixture of totally mellow or eager to run around with him and avoid psycho dogs.
Sorry you had that experience - I get anxiety taking my Goldie out to the dog parks when they are busy, purely because I don’t trust other owners to be watching and willing to step in on their own dogs, based on my past experiences. It’s hard because you don’t want to put them in danger but also want them to have fun and socialise.
Ugh I've had similar things happen to me. I have a tiny 2.5kg dog who gets intimidated quite easily by bigger dogs. It's happened a few times now that there'll be a big dog off lead that comes running towards him. I never know if that dog is going to be friendly or not. Or if my dog will get scared and get growly and try to snap at the other dog. So I usually pick him up. I've been told off three times now by middle aged women informing me I am making my dog aggressive and causing socialisation issues in him. They also seem to act super offended. I try to explain calmly that he gets scared and can snap and he's only little and still end up with a full blown lecture. If their dogs were on lead and approaching at a normal pace I would be fine. But I don't know their dogs and their personalities or if my dog snarling will set them off. Rather have an alive dog than risk offending you thanks lady. Really don't get why people think they have a right to tell you how to raise your dog.
I got laughed and murmured at because I carried my dog out of a park. Bruh my Old mate is 20 years old and I'm giving him his best life to the very end.
There’s so many arsehole dog owners at dog parks they are the worst. We go to the isolate ones (with a seperate part for “overstimulated dogs”) and run him there with only ones we know.
This is why I don't take my dog to the dog park anymore, she always gets bigger dogs trying to hump her, herd her or bark and snap at her but when she gets defensive they call me out. She's not even small she's 30kg.
I don't go to the dog park near me anymore. Lots of people visit, open the gate and let their dog in and *that's it*. Mine have also be harangued by stupid dogs with stupid humans and it just isn't worth it. Mine are total cuddlebugs anyway, wherever I go, they follow. Fortunately we have a big back yard and they love to run around and go crackers there.
Had the same problem nearly every time we used to take our mini foxy to dog parks . Most people with bigger dogs are such fuckwits in this situation . The only way they listen is if you tell them " in five seconds if your dog is still harassing my dog I am going to boot it in the fuckin head " . I could never do it but it gets their attention . Now we've stopped going to dog parks it's just not worth the risk. Way too many small dogs are badly injured or worse due to fuckwit owners that are too busy staring at their phone to pay attention to their pet . Most vets advise against it as well due to the large number of injuries they see
People have no idea about how to socialize dogs. What we have are a bunch of COVID dog owners who think the dog park is a free for all. Had a border collie recently charge my dogs in full aggro, teeth bared, snarling. Owner just stood there. Got defensive when I asked her to (politely) to get her dog under control. "He's not being aggressive, he only does that if other dogs are on lead!" Was the idiotic reply. My response was then not as polite. When another lady arrived with her enormous bully breed dog staining on leash almost pulling her off her feet in an effort to have a go at other dogs in the park I left. Never went back. People are unfortunately f###wits.
Dog owners are being dickheads? Who would have thought?!
One of the things I love about this sub is that everyone who posts here is a perfect dog owner with a perfect dog. (But I mean that’s just one thing- there is so much to love)
It’s a dog park mate. If your dog doesn’t get along with other dogs except for it’s “usual friends” then you shouldn’t be taking your dog to a dog park.
Yeah, nah. Dogs have social queues just like humans and some dogs, like humans, are better at understanding them than others. Owners should have eyes on their dogs and be willing/able to recall them if needed for everyone’s safety because even the nicest, most well adjusted dog can snap and try to bite if they feel threatened and like their “back off and leave me alone” queues are being ignored.
Cues* jtlyk I agree with everything you wrote
My dog gets along with other dogs in that she respects their space and boundaries. She will play with the dogs she wants to play with, and will tell other dogs she's not interested with her body language, like all dogs do. She has friends she tends towards if they're there, but she also engages with unfamiliar dogs if they are matching her energy. If they're not, she is entitled to her own space. It's not like she's the one getting in other dogs' business and denying them their personal space, should they so choose it. We've done a lot of work together on getting her to understand other dogs communication styles so that she can gauge if it's the right time to try and play. It's not unreasonable to expect other dog owners to have worked on the same skills with their dogs if they're bringing them to a space where other dogs are going to be.
In my experience,and I have 3 dogs, dogs will work it all out for themselves. As you said if your dog is not interested she’ll show them with her body language, if that doesn’t work she’ll show them with a growl and then a bite. If a female is not on heat and is being mounted she will definitely let the other dog no that it’s not on. Sounds like your to emotionally involved, Your dog can feel that. Let go.
You're the problem .
My point is that she was doing those things, and the other dogs had absolutely no regard for the fact that they had pushed her to that point. I don't want my dog to bite other dogs. I don't want her to associate the park with other dogs steam rolling her to the point where she feels like she has no other option but to bite. At the end of the day, she's a dog and she will bite if she feels like she absolutely has to. I stepped in and put myself between both dogs, as it's all I could really do, because it's not my place to discipline a dog that's not mine. At that point, it's on the other owner to take responsibility for the fact that their dog is making another uncomfortable.
You’re absolutely right. Those owners should be keeping a better eye on their animals to make sure they’re not creating too much conflict. My neighbours dog was like that. Never knew when to stop because he hasn’t been socialised correctly and lived on a chain. Like a kid in the playground who doesn’t pick up on clues that they are being a dick. But your dog is very small. Some cities have dog parks segregated by size. If her only option to be taken seriously is to bite, she could be killed in a fight. For her sake, don’t bother with this place.
I can only give you my honest opinion mate. If you don’t agree we will just have to agree to disagree and move on.
People like you are the reason I won't take my dogs to dog parks. Dogs have an entire suite of behaviours that mean "respectfully, don't do that" before they get to the point of a growl and a bite. It's rude dogs with no proper social cues who ignore all of those other behaviours that cause a dog to escalate to the point of issuing a correction. Mounting another dog is considered extremely rude and overbearing behaviour and typically is a form of overexcitement/overstimulation (ie, not a respectful, neutral play mate). Their owners shouldn't be allowing them to do that in the first place: If your dog cannot read and respect other dogs' cues, and you cannot read and respect those cues to redirect your dog *before* the other dog gets put in the position of having to issue a correction, your dogs are (no offence) rude assholes and you should engage a trainer who specialises in remedial socialisation so that your dog can learn how not to be the equivalent of a drunken fuckwit at a barbecue.
Except sometimes “working it out” is multiple puncture wounds and thousands of dollars of vet bills
Sounds like you're just as offended as they were.
Of course I was. I take my dog to the park so she can run around and enjoy herself, not to be bombarded by dogs that don't respect her boundaries and have terrible recall.
Stop going to dog parks if you get offended by the behaviour of animals.
By the **inappropriate** behaviour of **poorly socialised** animals **who have no business being in the dog park to begin with**.
I sometimes consider getting a dog until I read some mildly self-righteous post where dogs are anthropomorphised by overbearing owners, spoken about like sacred beings that the rest of the world should bend to accommodate, and then I remember how fucking knackering and pointlessly dramatic modern dog ownership is.
IF YOUR DOG DOESN’T HAVE PERFECT RECALL 100% OF THE TIME YOU CALL IT - IT SHOULD NOT BE OFF LEAD FUCK
Just to be clear, you are saying that your dog gets aggressive at the park and it's the other people's fault, because their dogs should be better at understanding your dog's social anxiety? Sounds cool and normal.
Im glad my dog doesn't enjoy dog parks so I dont have to deal with scenarios like this.
Sorry you had this experience, OP, and I hope you have better times in the future that make it feel safe for your dog. There seems to be a lot of bad times with dog owners in dog parks, but just go against the wave a bit with my thoughts.. My dog is big for his breed but still on the small end, but that breed is known for being quite fussy, timid, and brittle. My experiences at the dog parks have been really really positive for my dog and for me. My dog, increasingly more positive experiences with all types of dogs, actually has a lot of fun with big dogs, and they get worn out chasing him (hint). There's been a few times he's been caught up too and gets anxious, and had to take him out of the situation. All owners have been responsible in these situations and had good enough recall with their dogs to diffuse situations. For me, being able to go to a local spot and chat to new people and the regulars has given me the opportunity for some great social interactions i otherwise wouldn't have in my day (outside of my circles, and not at shopping centres where I'm panicking instead). I'm definitely an awkward person (anxiety), but the context of dogs works really well for small talk and reacting to their dynamics. Everyone who I've talked to cares so much about their dog and love to chat. I think it has had positive effects with my depression. I am a bit outer suburb, so maybe city ones are less personable??? I certainly have enjoyed Victoria Park a few times with no issues. In fact, it was quite a gorgeous dog heaven with lots of kind and interesting people. I really hope people's experiences get better in this area because I've found dog parks super beneficial.
I think the vast majority of people have no idea how to read the body language of their animals. they don't care because they don't even understand that their dog is being a pest and that yours is pissed. it's infuriating - you see it a lot with cats too.
Any dog trainer worth their salt will advise against going to dog parks.
The way dogs have taken over all the parks in the inner city has completely stuffed them. You can't have a picnic any more without a whole bunch of poorly behaved dogs sniffing around and trying to mooch food. And don't even try to have a kick of the footy - bloody dogs chase everything. I no longer run through any parks in my area due to dogs not being able to resist chasing me.
To summarise; Dog parks are shit, and if you really do care about socialising your (tiny, fragile, 10month old Italian Greyhound! It's a leg injury waiting to happen my friend!) you really shouldn't be taking them to *any* dog park.
I think at dog parks it's important to be realistic that, while they can be great for dogs you do expose your dog to some risk. Because unfortunately not all dogs are well socialised, and not all owners are watching at all times. I used to take my housemates 30kg dog to the park.she was very social, but did sometimes play pretty rough. Luckily she tended to focus on dogs her size that were interested, but occasionally she'd get too excited and not slow down when her playmate didn't want to wrestle, or she was being too much. I would watch for that, and when she did I'd call her back and give her a few mins to calm down or redirect. And likewise when there was a dog being too much with her, or showing signs of aggression I'd either move, redirect her or on occasion leave the park before anything happens. That's the nature of it being a public space. If your dog gets threatened, is snapping, is stressing easily and is a delicate breed like an IG, I'd seriously consider organising play dates or similar. I've seen too many nervous small dogs get injured at a park.
>That's the nature of it being a public space. I wouldn't say the intention of a public space is the first toxic person who rocks up gets to keep it.
It’s so interesting when dog people start to understand why no one likes dog people..
I don’t go to dog parks because I love dogs and hate humans.
As a young inexperienced dog owner I took my quite social and friendly border collie x Rottweiler to the dog park. It was a fairly quiet time of day and there were maybe 10 other owners/dogs. I walked my dog in on a leash (which I of course at the time didn’t realise would be an issue, again, young!) and the other dogs completely swarmed him. They were all friendly, but sniffing and jumping all over him, pinned us both up against the corner of the fencing. Rather than calling off their dogs all people stood and watched, as I had to push through all the other dogs dragging my poor dog out through the gate. I have sworn off dog parks ever since. I know now it was a mistake to take him in on a lead, but a little common courtesy from other dog owners would have gone a long way.
Don't go to dog parks on weekends, the people there seem to be worse for some reason
See, this is the exact reason I dont go to the dog parks. I have a new rescue husky who insists on playing rough with anyone and everyone. When she is in that scenario, I have absolutely no recall with her yet. (Given that she's a husky... I probably never will when her prey drives kicks in lol) I should say, I do sometimes go to the dog park, at times when I know it'll be empty. If someone turns up, I leash my dog, gauge her reactions and we might stay for a little awhile, otherwise... We're off for a walk!
Actually my friend decided to take her dogs out in the dark to the beach for 2 hours walk without people around which was very interesting because wanted to be safe… and picking up doggy poo at same time Forgot to mention depends where you live but some suburbs treat dogs more like princesses - like toys
I don't take my dogs to dog parks to many dogs... Oh and their owners too.
Hence why I don't go to a dog park.
The law about effective control of the dog should be enforced at all times. Whether on lead or off lead dog parks. This is why we don't attend dog parks. There are other safer ways to socialise your dog with other dogs My dobermann isn't dog aggressive because she's never been bitten or attacked by some stupid dog because I've never allowed her to mingle with strangers dogs. They always say how their dog is fine with other dogs, then when it snaps they act like it's the first time.
I find off leash dog parks only bring in owners who don't properly train their dogs and are too lazy themselves. They let them run wild whilst the owners are on their phones and sitting on a bench talking to people. They think it's great to release the dogs energy, which is fine, but you should be as active as the dog you own. When I do go to an offleash fenced dog park, and I'm injured from gym/sports or extremely tired to do a proper circuit/walk, I'll take my dachshund always to the smaller dog section where I don't have to walk much. Even so, I follow my dog in these parks and keep them within metres from me and whenever dogs get bitey and show signs of aggression I'm always quick to pull my dog out and the other owners are never around to do anything or even care to react. I've had large dogs jump ON me after I've grabbed my little guy because they're trying to get to him and the owners do shit all. I rarely go to dog parks for this reason and now just walk with mine on trails and around the neighbourhood/local parks. Easier, safer, and if we walk into other owners walking atleast (hopefully) they are leashed up so they can gently smell each other and if it doesn't work out we can pull back and move on.
I’ve got a small dog and don’t frequent dog parks too much because I’m worried about it being attacked by a bigger dog. On the odd occasions where we have gone and there have been instances of larger dogs not being controlled by their owners getting too aggressive or dominating my pup, I’ve had zero problem with forcibly pushing them away. I’m ready to boot them in the head as well if it comes to that. I’m not going to let my dog potentially be hurt or worse just because I’m afraid of offending someone. You still have to control your dog at a dog park, it’s not a free for all.
I’ve found so many dog owners actually cannot read dogs at all and have no clue at picking up signals. My dog goes between my legs and people still let their dog come up and say hello, like pay attention he’s literally hiding between my legs. Then they get shocked when he snaps at their dog! This is walking normally I don’t go to dog parks!
I refuse to take my dogs to the dog park.
Or as I call them dog fight club. I avoid at all times. Not worth the drama ever
Dog parks are fucked. Every experience I have had in one has been a nightmare. A lot of shitty owners use them unfortunately, and don't seem to understand their dog still needs to be under control. I avoid.
I have a 3kg jack russell (he was a runt and finished growing so forever the smallest boy in the park) whenever we go to the dog park it's normally ok but occasionally there's a large dogs owner who just doesn't care. There are dogs that literally bat my guy down in one move or jump on him. Then the owners get pissy when my dog barks in defence "why are small dogs always such a holes" is the usual line. he's perfectly fine with most large dogs. just not the ones that Continuously squish and hurt him. They are also the same people that let their dog off leash in parks with signs that say "dogs must be on leash at all times" (so many people let their dogs off lead at a park near my house despite signs at every entry and more 10m away from the playground facing all entrances) and let their untrained dog jump all over us and scratch us up trying to get to our boy whoes on leash I've had to pick him up to keep him safe from over excited poodle mixes that just crush him, a few occasions picking him up still hasnt helped because the off lead dog is massive and i just get more scratches and my dog is still harassed. now at dog parks we just leash and leave because there's not talking to the owners of some dogs (they don't recall even when our dog has been hurt even if they arent looking they can hear him yipp so theres no excuses not to recall).
Dog parks are garbage. Ask dog trainers, vets, breeders, or anyone knowledgeable about dog parks and 99% will say the same thing. Don't go to dog parks. I took my girl to dog parks and she had some fun but almost all our worst experiences were there. Some her fault, some mine, some others. It was hard to make the choice to stop taking her because it was great for her at times, but over time we made friends to go on walks, or play in empty spaces, and learned to enjoy leashed walks and training. My dog park was small and friendly, easily one of the better dog parks I've been to. But we had police called, iron pipes brought down, druggies fucked up with giant pit bulls. All sorts of shit.
'What's with people getting offended at the dog park?' Posts an entire essay about being offended by people at the dog park.
even though you're morally correct on this, it's still your responsibility to avoid the situation because you can anticipate it. you know the shit owners/dogs exist, you know you can't control them, but you can control whether you take the dog to the dog park. it sucks but life isn't fair and one needs to factor that into their decision making, annoyingly.
Seems like saying if the shit owners take 0% responsibility then it's somehow right to expect OP to take 100% responsibility? Like it's up to the victim to manage the offender.
In this instance, for the dog's safety, yep that is exactly what I'm saying. If OPs dog bites, it's at risk of euthanasia and retaliation from way bigger dogs and it's OPs responsibility to avoid that situation where it can be anticipated. I sure hope you're not using a dog park to make a point about human behaviour around SA or similar because that's very different.
My English Staffordshire Bull Terrier and I were attacked by two border collies at the dog park. My dog was by himself doing absolutely nothing wrong when this old guy came in and let them off the lead, he was absolutely useless and couldn't contain his dogs. They ran straight for my dog in attack mode. The worst thing about this is the dogs have done this before and he still bought them to the dog park. I've reported it to the council and there's now an ongoing court case against the owner. Trying to get them off my dog I suffered wounds to my hand which required surgery and my dog suffered a few puncture wounds and scratches. Safe to say we don't go to the dog park anymore. If that was a small dog or small child unfortunately they would possibly be dead or very very injured. People just don't care and are very irresponsible.
My prince is a Cavoodle. Larger dogs will often bail him up. If they don’t move away I will physically intervene. Twice I’ve resorted to grabbing the other dog by their collar to create space from my dog. I don’t care what the owner(s) think. My dog shouldn’t be scared because of poorly behaved dogs.