# Dog Park Experience



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Wow! I would have told the guy to get his hands off my dog! No way would I have tolerated that. 

Is a dog park an appropriate place to bring high value toys? Or, any toys at all for that matter? I would think that would increase the likelihood of conflict between dogs.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

Dog parks are about people socializing and animals socializing at the same time. If he's going to the park and acting like that he'd best hope I don't meet him there. That being said, he violated the biggest rule of the dog park: handling someone elses dog. If he touched my dog the way you said he touched yours I might actually punch him in the face. My dog's have never been hit or even handled roughly... not by me... and certainly not by some a-hole at a dogpark. 

This brings me back to what I repeatedly tell people: Don't go to dogparks.


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## JayBen (Aug 30, 2012)

If someone grabbed my dog by the collar and wrestled with him to get a ball out, I would probably have gotten arrested that day.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Ya that is a good point...I wouldn't think it's a great place to bring a high value toy or high value treats because it can create conflict. The dog park does have tennis balls laying around, and when we were there the first time a dog was pretty possessive of the tennis ball, and the tennis ball was laying next to this dog, and Champ tried to take it, and the dog growled and Champ just ran away without the ball. The guy's black lab was super nice and didn't seem to mind Champ playing with his toy...it was the owner that seemed more possessive then the dog


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Braccarius said:


> Dog parks are about people socializing and animals socializing at the same time. If he's going to the park and acting like that he'd best hope I don't meet him there. That being said, he violated the biggest rule of the dog park: handling someone elses dog. If he touched my dog the way you said he touched yours I might actually punch him in the face. My dog's have never been hit or even handled roughly... not by me... and certainly not by some a-hole at a dogpark.
> 
> This brings me back to what I repeatedly tell people: Don't go to dogparks.





JayBen said:


> If someone grabbed my dog by the collar and wrestled with him to get a ball out, I would probably have gotten arrested that day.


Thank you both for saying that because to be honest, like I said before, these were my first experiences at a dog park and so I am not sure what goes and what doesn't go. I was really not okay with the way he was grabbing and pulling Champ's collar and that is why I walked over there to handle it myself, but I also was very intimidated by the guy and I was there by myself...which is why I left within 5 minutes. My husband got home from work an hour later and I told him what happened and he said if he was there, he would have taken the guys ball and chucked it out of the dog park! I appreciate what you guys are saying though because on one hand I want Champ to get used to other people handling him and touching his collar (in case he ever gets out and someone needs to look at his collar) but it's one thing to touch his collar, it's another to pull, grab and handle him by his collar. It's baffling that he went to a dog park to play alone with his dog, but yes, you are right Braccarius...I don't think we will ever be going back there again!


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

That guys sounds like a jerk and I would not have let him handle my dog like that!

On the other hand, I also don't think any dog should go after a strange dog's ball. It is kind of annoying in a game of fetch and you never know how the dog (and in this case, the owner) might react.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Vhuynh2 said:


> That guys sounds like a jerk and I would not have let him handle my dog like that!
> 
> On the other hand, I also don't think any dog should go after a strange dog's ball. It is kind of annoying in a game of fetch and you never know how the dog (and in this case, the owner) might react.
> 
> ...


Ya, maybe I need to teach Champ not to do that, I just thought it wasn't a big deal because it's a dog park, and I thought the assumption was that the dogs play together, not separately. I certainly don't let him go over to other people when we are in open fields or other public places where people are playing with their dogs, unless they approach us first, but I just thought this was different because it's a dog park. But...point taken!

And yes, the guy was a total jerk! But...lesson learned to not go to a dog park again!


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Vhuynh2 said:


> That guys sounds like a jerk and I would not have let him handle my dog like that!
> 
> On the other hand, I also don't think any dog should go after a strange dog's ball. It is kind of annoying in a game of fetch and you never know how the dog (and in this case, the owner) might react.
> 
> ...


Yes, I agree that he shouldn't have grabbed your dog but I think your assumption is possibly incorrect. Though I can see why you might think that. Some people want to just play with their dogs and this is a safe place to be off leash and some people have specific friends who their dogs play with. 

I would be annoyed if a strange dog came up uninvited and started grabbing Maddie's ball when I was playing with her. 

It's happened a number of times at the beach that we're throwing balls for our dog and some other dog comes rushing dancing around us to get the ball. I don't mind when it is a one off thing and the owner then calls off their dog. That's understandable. The owners that are most annoying just walk off and leave us to deal with their dog. 

So even at a dog park, the better solution might be to call your dog off, check with the person to see if it is okay to join in the play.


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## Rubyftw (Jan 27, 2013)

SMBC said:


> Ya, maybe I need to teach Champ not to do that, I just thought it wasn't a big deal because it's a dog park, and I thought the assumption was that the dogs play together, not separately. I certainly don't let him go over to other people when we are in open fields or other public places where people are playing with their dogs, unless they approach us first, but I just thought this was different because it's a dog park. But...point taken!
> 
> And yes, the guy was a total jerk! But...lesson learned to not go to a dog park again!


I wouldn't let anyone else's input decide whether or not you want to take Champ to the dog park or not, but if those two experiences put such a bad taste in your mouth that you swear them off altogether, I don't blame you. There's a reasonable amount of risk involved in going, whether it be with ridiculous owners or aggressive dogs. 

I've taken Ruby about a dozen times, and for the most part, only had good experiences... though I've certainly encountered a few weirdos. On the other hand, I've made some friends, and been invited to peoples' homes for playdates and things like that. It just depends on who the regulars of the park are -- if you decide to try again, maybe look around online for reviews of all the local dog parks. How north are you in California? If you're close to Tahoe, there are a handful of awesome beaches that allow dogs. 

I personally don't care when other dogs want to play with Ruby and me when we're playing fetch. If I didn't want to play with other dogs I wouldn't go to the park, I'd just hang out in the yard. I understand not everyone has a yard, but there are definitely more private places to go and play/train with your pup if you don't want others joining in on the fun. 

Also, I don't really understand why anyone would be mad if you brought Champ in without neutering him, even if he were sexually mature. I've seen lots of males at the park who are 2-5 and haven't been neutered... my question is more why anyone would take a female in heat to the park? Maybe I'm wrong and unfamiliar with proper dog park etiquette, I don't know.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

SMBC said:


> Thank you both for saying that because to be honest, like I said before, these were my first experiences at a dog park and so I am not sure what goes and what doesn't go. I was really not okay with the way he was grabbing and pulling Champ's collar and that is why I walked over there to handle it myself, but I also was very intimidated by the guy and I was there by myself...which is why I left within 5 minutes. My husband got home from work an hour later and I told him what happened and he said if he was there, he would have taken the guys ball and chucked it out of the dog park! I appreciate what you guys are saying though because on one hand I want Champ to get used to other people handling him and touching his collar (in case he ever gets out and someone needs to look at his collar) but it's one thing to touch his collar, it's another to pull, grab and handle him by his collar. It's baffling that he went to a dog park to play alone with his dog, but yes, you are right Braccarius...I don't think we will ever be going back there again!


Its unfortunate that a few bad apples (dogs and people) can actually cause issues in your dog. I took Harley to an unofficial dog park for the better part of 2 years. He flourished and enjoyed himself, til one day he had a boxer go after him. About a month after that incident I noticed him getting very stiff and tense when new dogs met him for the first time... and it just went from there. 

Harley had always been the star of the park. He practically danced around begging for other dogs to play with him. He played perfectly, took submissive roles and had a great time. Now after two years of me continually subjecting him to aggressive dogs and relying on his good nature he figured out that he does not care for other dogs.... at all. Harley is now defensive and aggressive and all of those things that make it impossible to bring him to a park... and its my fault completely. People bring aggressive dogs to a park and turn them loose thinking that its giving them socialization. That boxer should have never been off leash that day and yet that person was a regular and continually let his dog bully other dogs at the park. The best part was after Harley and his dog got in the scuffle (neither dog was seriously injured) he blamed Harley. He said Harley gave off an aggressive vibe that's why his male attacked him over the stick. He said I should employ a more alpha approach and roll Harley on his back when he didn't come when called.... around this time his dog attacked another dog. Do you think that this idiot stopped bringing his dog to the park? 

People go to dogparks because they think they are Cesar Milan and using a pack approach. They have absolutely no idea how to correct aggressive or defensive behaviour and simply let their dogs off leash in a group and hope for the best. I subjected Harley to this for two years.... god I'm an idiot.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Max and I have been going to our local dog park for over 2 years. First, the man with the Lab had no business grabbing Champ. When someone brings a ball into our dog park, it is generally considered a community ball, and usually several dogs will get involved in the play. At our park, there are a bunch of tennis balls available for people to use. It is not a good idea to bring a high value toy to dog park because it can lead to conflicts between the dogs as well. If that guy wants to play exclusively with his dog, he should find a different place to go.

We have learned to go to the dog park at only certain times, when we have a good idea which owners and dogs will be there. There are certain dogs/owners we avoid. If I see a potential problem dog or owner, we leave. Better be safe than sorry. 

Male dogs that have not been neutered can be problems at dog park. If you continue to take Champ to dog park, please be careful. As he reaches maturity, he may become a target for other young un-neutered males. The whole dominant dog dynamic comes into play. When Max was a little older than Champ, he was attacked at different times by at least three or four young males, and was bitten a couple of times, although not seriously. Fortunately, Max did not really get it and was not affected by the attacks. After these incidents, we took a break from dog park.

After Max was neutered, we resumed going to dog park. It is good exercise for Max, although now he spends most of his time with the humans.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Gwen_Dandridge said:


> Yes, I agree that he shouldn't have grabbed your dog but I think your assumption is possibly incorrect. Though I can see why you might think that. Some people want to just play with their dogs and this is a safe place to be off leash and some people have specific friends who their dogs play with.
> 
> I would be annoyed if a strange dog came up uninvited and started grabbing Maddie's ball when I was playing with her.
> 
> ...


I can completely understand that and whenever we have been out in a public place, like a beach or an open field that is not specifically a dog park, I would absolutely not let Champ go and disturb another dogs play unless the other owner asked if they could play. However, I guess I was assuming it was fine because it's a dog park, and I thought the point of dog parks were for the dogs to play together, not for a human to play alone with a dog. This isn't a huge dog park, it's not even an acre of land, it's more the size of a typical back yard so there's not much room for us to go to another place. I guess I will need to work with him more on leaving other dogs and humans alone unless I absolutely say it is okay, and he does need to get better at recall but when we went the first day he was fantastic, but I think he was so enamored with the Chuck it that he was not paying attention to me and just wanted to play....so I went ahead and bought a chuck it on my way home and will take him to a field later to play=). Thanks for the input.



Rubyftw said:


> I wouldn't let anyone else's input decide whether or not you want to take Champ to the dog park or not, but if those two experiences put such a bad taste in your mouth that you swear them off altogether, I don't blame you. There's a reasonable amount of risk involved in going, whether it be with ridiculous owners or aggressive dogs.
> 
> I've taken Ruby about a dozen times, and for the most part, only had good experiences... though I've certainly encountered a few weirdos. On the other hand, I've made some friends, and been invited to peoples' homes for playdates and things like that. It just depends on who the regulars of the park are -- if you decide to try again, maybe look around online for reviews of all the local dog parks. How north are you in California? If you're close to Tahoe, there are a handful of awesome beaches that allow dogs.
> 
> Also, I don't really understand why anyone would be mad if you brought Champ in without neutering him, even if he were sexually mature. I've seen lots of males at the park who are 2-5 and haven't been neutered... my question is more why anyone would take a female in heat to the park? Maybe I'm wrong and unfamiliar with proper dog park etiquette, I don't know.


Thank you for sharing your positive experiences! I think if we were to take Champ back again, I would go at the same time and day that I went the first time. Even though the woman approached me to ask whether he was neutered, she backed off and we didn't leave and Champ ended up having a really great time with all the other dogs and the woman ended up being friendly as well. A few people were actually really friendly too and were so affectionate with Champ and were asking us questions about where we got him and about our breeder, and encouraged Champ and their dog to play, not to ignore each other like this guy did today. I thought the exact same thing in regards to why a person would bring a female in heat to a dog park? Maybe the "rule" is assuming things about unneutered dogs that aren't always true, like that they tend to me more aggressive or dominant, and certainly so far Champ is neither of those things, and I hope he never is. We are just North of San Francisco, but plan on visiting Tahoe soon, and might actually make a day trip up to Mendocino in these next couple of weeks. We brought Champ to a beach here about a week ago and I'm not sure if its because it was a new experience or what but the wind was blowing and all he wanted to do was chase the objects blowing in the wind and eat them, and he wasn't listening to us at all. He is usually pretty good with recall but I think he was on stimulus overload, but hopefully next time we visit the beach that wont happen again. And actually, that is why we chose to go to a dog park because its a fenced in space where he can run freely and we can work on recall with a lot of distractions, but it's a safe, enclosed space as opposed to a wide open beach. Thank you for your comments!


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Braccarius said:


> Its unfortunate that a few bad apples (dogs and people) can actually cause issues in your dog. I took Harley to an unofficial dog park for the better part of 2 years. He flourished and enjoyed himself, til one day he had a boxer go after him. About a month after that incident I noticed him getting very stiff and tense when new dogs met him for the first time... and it just went from there.
> 
> Harley had always been the star of the park. He practically danced around begging for other dogs to play with him. He played perfectly, took submissive roles and had a great time. Now after two years of me continually subjecting him to aggressive dogs and relying on his good nature he figured out that he does not care for other dogs.... at all. Harley is now defensive and aggressive and all of those things that make it impossible to bring him to a park... and its my fault completely. People bring aggressive dogs to a park and turn them loose thinking that its giving them socialization. That boxer should have never been off leash that day and yet that person was a regular and continually let his dog bully other dogs at the park. The best part was after Harley and his dog got in the scuffle (neither dog was seriously injured) he blamed Harley. He said Harley gave off an aggressive vibe that's why his male attacked him over the stick. He said I should employ a more alpha approach and roll Harley on his back when he didn't come when called.... around this time his dog attacked another dog. Do you think that this idiot stopped bringing his dog to the park?
> 
> People go to dogparks because they think they are Cesar Milan and using a pack approach. They have absolutely no idea how to correct aggressive or defensive behaviour and simply let their dogs off leash in a group and hope for the best. I subjected Harley to this for two years.... god I'm an idiot.


I'm sorry to hear about your Harley but I know you couldn't have predicted what happened, and were trying to do what was best for your dog! It is extremely frustrating that people just let dogs try and work it out. I would say, on average, at least 4-5 times a week, just when I am walking Champ, another owner who is walking their dog starts walking toward me like they want our dogs to meet, and I always ask, "is your dog friendly" and I swear, people say oh ya he's friendly...but then they say, well not toward puppies, or he can be grouchy, or, he doesn't like big dogs...and then I say okay well then we will be on our way, and I just walk away. I've also had Champ on leash and other dogs not on leash approach Champ and the same thing happens, people say oh my dog doesn't like puppies...well then grab your dog and get it away from my dog! Champ is not your experiment. 

Our last dog was not great with other dogs, so we were on the other side of the coin. He had several health problems early on in life and was therefore not socialized as much as he should have been, and as a result he didn't really like other dogs. When we took him out for walks we never approached other people, and we so much wished we had a dog that could play with other dogs. Now that we do, it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Sure, he doesn't growl, lung or bark at other dogs and he really does love other dogs, but before we worried about our dog growling at other dogs, now we have to constantly worry about other dogs attacking Champ. Luckily it hasn't been all bad and Champ has had really great experiences with good dogs, especially goldens, but it is really a crap shoot, and it sounds like you just really have to read the situation and trust your instincts and protect your dog the best you can, and sometimes something might happen and there's nothing you can do.



Max's Dad said:


> Max and I have been going to our local dog park for over 2 years. First, the man with the Lab had no business grabbing Champ. When someone brings a ball into our dog park, it is generally considered a community ball, and usually several dogs will get involved in the play. At our park, there are a bunch of tennis balls available for people to use. It is not a good idea to bring a high value toy to dog park because it can lead to conflicts between the dogs as well. If that guy wants to play exclusively with his dog, he should find a different place to go.
> 
> We have learned to go to the dog park at only certain times, when we have a good idea which owners and dogs will be there. There are certain dogs/owners we avoid. If I see a potential problem dog or owner, we leave. Better be safe than sorry.
> 
> ...


Thank you for saying all that and I absolutely agree! When we went there the first day, one woman did have a chuck it but all the dogs were going after it, and she didn't seem to have a problem with it, nor did the dogs. This dog park also has several tennis balls laying around and I also had assumed that it was all "community property" when entering a dog park. Now if it was a beach, or another public place, I can see how that would be different and I would have absolutely left them alone. Hypothetically speaking, if I brought a toy or chuck it into a dog park, I would absolutely assume that other dogs would be playing with it or going after it, and I would invite it.

If we do go back there, I will go again and the same time and day that we went the first time when all the other owners were very nice. I also appreciate what you said about the neutering. This is a phenomenon I wasn't aware of until I got Champ, and I am figuring it is playing out with small dogs who do not seem to like Champ. So far, we haven't had any issues with bigger dogs, but I am cautious as he gets older. My main concern was his behavior since he will not be neutered for awhile, but I also do not want to put champ in situations where he has a target on his back. 

Champ has been attacked by small dogs, 2-3 times now, and I felt so horrible and I was so worried how it would effect him, but it doesn't have seem to. Both times Champ was on leash and we were just walking, minding our own business, and a small dog comes running up to him, they sniff each other, and then bam...the small dog jumped right on him and was attacking him. Luckily, he never got hurt, although he was startled, but I would be terrified if it happened with a big dog because it seems like more damage could be done, and I don't want him to have these negative experiences. He is such a sweet dog and even when we pass by small dogs that are barking and lunging (which also happened this morning), Champ still doesn't get it and wants to play. 

I was hoping the dog park would be a good place for him to not only socialize, but to be off leash in a safe, enclosed space where he can also learn commands with distractions. I am wondering what other people have done and where they have gone to train their dog off leash and to let him run and roam around? There are a few schools nearby with large fields but I cannot guarantee that another dog wont be there.


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## Yaichi's Mom (Jul 21, 2012)

Dog Parks are just like any place in life; you will meet nice people/dogs, not so nice people/dogs and some humans who are just irresponsible and jerks.

I have been taking Brisby to our local dog park here since she was approximately 4 months old. Most of the human dogs and owners have been responsible, nice etc., however there have been a handful of those not so, including one who took a small dog in heat with diapers on to the park, one older man who is both afraid of his aggressive dog and has no control over him etc. just as a few examples.

I made a point of trying to set up a specific time with the owners and dogs that both Brisby and I got along with well and those who got along well with us. 

Although you can't ever guarantee who will be there, most dog pars are large enough ( or atleast the one I go to is) that one can isolate a dog or group of dogs from those who you may not want your dog to be around.

It is not good "dog park manners" for another owner to touch your dog without your permission or unless it is an emergency or dangerous situation. I hope you never encounter this again, however if you should, I would encourage you to speak to the owner and tell him just that and advise him that if he has any issues with your dog, to speak to you first.

It is also not good "dog park manners" to allow a dog to *monopolize* another dog's toy, which I know is not the case in your situation, however I have seen this happen quite a bit at the dog parks and usually the owners of the dog/toy are not happy and it is the responsibility IMHO of the non toy dog owner to not allow this. 

Dog parks can be a wonderful place for both dog and owner.

I hope your future experiences are more positive...good luck!


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Yaichi's Mom said:


> Dog Parks are just like any place in life; you will meet nice people/dogs, not so nice people/dogs and some humans who are just irresponsible and jerks.
> 
> I have been taking Brisby to our local dog park here since she was approximately 4 months old. Most of the human dogs and owners have been responsible, nice etc., however there have been a handful of those not so, including one who took a small dog in heat with diapers on to the park, one older man who is both afraid of his aggressive dog and has no control over him etc. just as a few examples.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the very informative information! I appreciate the education on dog parks and what should and should not be acceptable. I know I really do need to work with Champ on leaving other dogs, humans and toys alone that do not belong to him, but he is in this stage where he thinks that EVERYTHING belongs to him...he's only 5 1/2 months. There is a much larger dog park by our house, and its on multiple acres, and I would consider taking Champ there to play, but I'm not sure he is at the place where he would let any human or dog be isolated...he really tries to go and greet everyone and isn't 100% great at recall, so this is something we need to work on, maybe before we take him again. I'm not really sure how to train him to leave people and dogs alone and to just play by himself, but we plan on getting a private trainer soon and that is something I will definitely ask them. 

I actually find dog parks fascinating because you get to observe how other people treat, handle and care for their own dogs (I'm a psychologist, it's my job to read people's behavior. The first time we went a younger woman brought her dog, which looked like it could have been a golden mix (it was really tall), but anyways, her dog was getting humped left and right by all the dogs, not including Champ, and she did nothing to stop it. She stood back and was leaning against the fence, playing on her cell phone, and none of the other owners did anything about it either except one man who was trying to get his dog to leave with him but instead the dog was more interested in humping the golden. 

I think it would be a really good idea, if we decide to go back, to talk to the other owners whose dogs Champ played really well with to see what times they come to the park and see if we can set something up. I did notice that the first day when I got there, some woman turned around and saw us walking over to the park, and she said, oh a puppy, and grabbed her dog and left...I assumed maybe her dog wasn't good with puppies?

Anyways, thank you for the valuable information! I really appreciate it!


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

SMBC said:


> I'm sorry to hear about your Harley but I know you couldn't have predicted what happened, and were trying to do what was best for your dog! It is extremely frustrating that people just let dogs try and work it out. I would say, on average, at least 4-5 times a week, just when I am walking Champ, another owner who is walking their dog starts walking toward me like they want our dogs to meet, and I always ask, "is your dog friendly" and I swear, people say oh ya he's friendly...but then they say, well not toward puppies, or he can be grouchy, or, he doesn't like big dogs...and then I say okay well then we will be on our way, and I just walk away. I've also had Champ on leash and other dogs not on leash approach Champ and the same thing happens, people say oh my dog doesn't like puppies...well then grab your dog and get it away from my dog! Champ is not your experiment.
> 
> Our last dog was not great with other dogs, so we were on the other side of the coin. He had several health problems early on in life and was therefore not socialized as much as he should have been, and as a result he didn't really like other dogs. When we took him out for walks we never approached other people, and we so much wished we had a dog that could play with other dogs. Now that we do, it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Sure, he doesn't growl, lung or bark at other dogs and he really does love other dogs, but before we worried about our dog growling at other dogs, now we have to constantly worry about other dogs attacking Champ. Luckily it hasn't been all bad and Champ has had really great experiences with good dogs, especially goldens, but it is really a crap shoot, and it sounds like you just really have to read the situation and trust your instincts and protect your dog the best you can, and sometimes something might happen and there's nothing you can do.
> 
> ...


When I'm walking Bella, I don't even look directly at the other dog and owner, other than to say "hi" quickly. I'm paying attention to my dog. I'm pretty sure they can tell that I'm not interested in doggie play time. I've made exceptions a few times with people I see frequently, but for the most part, my mission is to teach Bella to ignore them, even if people think I'm being rude. 


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Nairb said:


> When I'm walking Bella, I don't even look directly at the other dog and owner, other than to say "hi" quickly. I'm paying attention to my dog. I'm pretty sure they can tell that I'm not interested in doggie play time. I've made exceptions a few times with people I see frequently, but for the most part, my mission is to teach Bella to ignore them, even if people think I'm being rude.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Has it ever happened to you where you do that, but then the person still loosens their dogs leash and lets the dog come into your area...like a forced hello? That has happened to us a number of times and it's extremely annoying!!


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Nairb said:


> Wow! I would have told the guy to get his hands off my dog! No way would I have tolerated that.
> 
> Is a dog park an appropriate place to bring high value toys? Or, any toys at all for that matter? I would think that would increase the likelihood of conflict between dogs.


One of the many reasons we don't go to dog park any more is because of some guy grabbing Max by the collar. My husband told me I'd probably end up getting arrested if I kept going. And yes, the local dog park does not allow toys or food. That doesn't stop people from bringing them in, however.


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

My local dog park has some very friendly regulars and don't mind some of the antics of the dogs, especially the puppies. 

There is one dog and owner there that is very ball motivated, the guy is not friendly at all. As soon as one dog tries to chase his while his dog is in ball pursuit then he leaves. I've literally seen him throw once and leave because Maverick chased his dog after the ball was thrown, really? Maverick was about 6mo at the time, of course he's going to chase. He ended up giving me a dirty look and I've only seen him a few times since.

If you think Champ had a good time at the park then by all means take him back. It's a public park and you shouldn't have to be scared away because of this guy who was unhappy with you. Some people can be real jerks and lack proper etiquette in situations where courtesy and communication is most important, at a dog park especially. 

If you go at a consistent time with a consistent group it is a very enjoyable experience, that's why on weekdays I go twice a day. I was lucky enough to get us in two different groups and Maverick has friends in both. 

Unaltered dogs definitely draw more attention in dog parks for whatever reason. It's as if they're still attached it means they're out to dominate, not true. However, I would exercise extra caution due to the fact that Champ is still intact and other dogs may not approve (don't worry too much about the owners). We've all made prejudgments and the only way to oversee them is to stick around and pay attention to another person or dog's behavior. 

Now people who knowingly bring in an aggressive dog, those kinds of people tick me off. Yes I've dealt with a person like this and a dog like this on the bad end of it, but to continue going to the park, that's just downright stupid. People like that are asking for more trouble than it's worth.

I hope you have a better experience should you choose to go again. I highly recommend them as long as one exercise caution with their dog and other dogs, otherwise you can definitely make a few friends, I know Maverick and I did.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> One of the many reasons we don't go to dog park any more is because of some guy grabbing Max by the collar. My husband told me I'd probably end up getting arrested if I kept going. And yes, the local dog park does not allow toys or food. That doesn't stop people from bringing them in, however.


Oh wow, sounds like it was a bad experience for you too. I actually had brought treats with me, thinking it would be a good opportunity for me to train him there, but when I was on my way, I thought to myself, why would I bring treats in the dog park with me, that's asking for trouble...but I guess i have the sense to realize that. 



dezymond said:


> My local dog park has some very friendly regulars and don't mind some of the antics of the dogs, especially the puppies.
> 
> There is one dog and owner there that is very ball motivated, the guy is not friendly at all. As soon as one dog tries to chase his while his dog is in ball pursuit then he leaves. I've literally seen him throw once and leave because Maverick chased his dog after the ball was thrown, really? Maverick was about 6mo at the time, of course he's going to chase. He ended up giving me a dirty look and I've only seen him a few times since.
> 
> ...


Thank you for sharing your experience, and it actually makes me feel better when you shared about how your dog went after a ball when he was 6 months old. Champ is only 5 1/2 months, and I am certainly guilty of expecting way too much out of him sometimes, but I also feel like other people do as well. No, he doesn't come to me when called 100% of the time, but thats why I choose not to let him off leash unless we are in an enclosed area, and he is a baby still, he is learning what is appropriate and what is not, and I am doing the best I can to try and teach him. In some ways it makes me feel guilty that I let him go after the ball, and that he wasn't trained enough to know that they wanted to play by themselves (even though I didn't know that either until a couple minutes in), but Champ being Champ, he is so friendly and loves other people and dogs, and I guess I can't fault him for that. I will definitely be careful since he is intact and I may go back in the future at the same day and time that we went the first time, since all the dog owners and dogs were friendly. 

Thank you again for your thoughtful response...it made me feel better=)


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## MomMom (Mar 29, 2013)

JayBen said:


> If someone grabbed my dog by the collar and wrestled with him to get a ball out, I would probably have gotten arrested that day.


Yep. And that's why I stay out of dog parks. I live in Florida, but the born and raised Jersey Girl can come out in a heartbeat!

Sorry you had to go through that. You and Champ did nothing wrong!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

SMBC said:


> Thank you for sharing your experience, and it actually makes me feel better when you shared about how your dog went after a ball when he was 6 months old. Champ is only 5 1/2 months, and I am certainly guilty of expecting way too much out of him sometimes, but I also feel like other people do as well. No, he doesn't come to me when called 100% of the time, but thats why I choose not to let him off leash unless we are in an enclosed area, and he is a baby still, he is learning what is appropriate and what is not, and I am doing the best I can to try and teach him. In some ways it makes me feel guilty that I let him go after the ball, and that he wasn't trained enough to know that they wanted to play by themselves (even though I didn't know that either until a couple minutes in), but Champ being Champ, he is so friendly and loves other people and dogs, and I guess I can't fault him for that. I will definitely be careful since he is intact and I may go back in the future at the same day and time that we went the first time, since all the dog owners and dogs were friendly.
> 
> Thank you again for your thoughtful response...it made me feel better=)


I wouldn't feel guilty about Champ going after the same ball, it's instinct and a ton of curiosity. It looked fun so he wanted to see what was up, can't blame him for it, the other guy overreacted, imo. 

Just like any other situation you're going to run into some unfriendly people and I'm sorry that was your first experience at the dog park. I have had many different experience, from the best of the best to the worst at my local dog park and I can definitely share them if you want. I just don't want to take over your thread with my personal experience as it's not about me.

Just to let you know, Mav did get bit around 6mo by another dog who apparently had a history, but that didn't scare us away. In fact, he wanted to play 5min after the incident and the aggressor left. Long story short, I see that once every few months, but they never come in unless we move to the small dog side (which we are greeted with paws and arms wide open).

don't let this jerk ruin it for you. It's not his park, he has to deal with the fact there new faces can show up, and that if he wants private time at the park he should go at a different time. But just like Champ, get out there and talk to the other owners and make some friends, it really is an enjoyable experience and I can't tell you how many times we've met up with other owners at other places, we both made friends.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

MomMom said:


> Yep. And that's why I stay out of dog parks. I live in Florida, but the born and raised Jersey Girl can come out in a heartbeat!
> 
> Sorry you had to go through that. You and Champ did nothing wrong!


Thank you for saying that...and I wish you were with me today! Champ may have his balls, but I certainly do not and I am working on being more assertive! Instead of speaking up, I just tend to leave the situation, like I did today, but I need to get better at speaking up too!


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

SMBC said:


> Has it ever happened to you where you do that, but then the person still loosens their dogs leash and lets the dog come into your area...like a forced hello? That has happened to us a number of times and it's extremely annoying!!


It has happened a couple times, but I just keep walking. Generally, I think they can tell I'm not interested in doggie playtime. 


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I have been making an exception for kids who want to pet Bella. It's been happening a lot lately. I generally respond, "only if she sits first," and let them pet her. 


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

dezymond said:


> I wouldn't feel guilty about Champ going after the same ball, it's instinct and a ton of curiosity. It looked fun so he wanted to see what was up, can't blame him for it, the other guy overreacted, imo.
> 
> Just like any other situation you're going to run into some unfriendly people and I'm sorry that was your first experience at the dog park. I have had many different experience, from the best of the best to the worst at my local dog park and I can definitely share them if you want. I just don't want to take over your thread with my personal experience as it's not about me.
> 
> ...


Thank you for saying all that! This particular park is only open sunrise-8:30am, and then 4pm-sunset because the humane society uses it during the day, so I highly doubt he will find much alone time with his dog at this park, but my guess is he is a regular in the morning on the weekends and most people don't show up early on a weekend...but I happen to have a puppy that likes to wake me up at 6am;(. 

And thanks for saying that about Champ! He was totally into the chuck it the first time we went, and now this guy had one, so if anything the silver linings is that Champ likes chuck its, so I went out and bought one and I'll probably take him to a school field at some point in the next couple days and try it out. 

Oh don't worry about taking over the thread, I would love to hear your experiences. I'm glad I started this thread because I wanted to hear about other peoples experiences and also, get some education about proper dog park etiquette. I'm really sorry to hear that Maverick got bit when he was 6 months old, but I am glad it didn't seem to effect him. I think it's the worst feeling when that happens...for me, panic and worry takes over and I cannot stop thinking about it the rest of the day!

I found the first time we went to be really enjoyable, even with the woman hinting that we should leave since she didn't actually really enforce it and she ended up being really nice, but all the other owners that day were extremely nice, friendly, affectionate toward Champ, and inquisitive, and all the dogs there that day were great with him. Sure, some had no interest in playing with a puppy and they stayed away, and then some would let Champ chase them around, and then a couple started wrestling with Champ...so all in all it was positive, which is why I went back today, but that guy definitely ruined my morning. 

I've already made a call to the humane society and they are going to send me a list of private trainers, and I also did call one trainer and left a message. We do need to work on recall, and staying by my side, but I still don't see anything wrong with Champ getting overly excited to see a dog and a ball being thrown, but he does need to be able to come to me when called.

I really appreciate your replies!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Hmm that is quite the odd schedule for a park, but it is what it is. 

Don't worry, Maverick turned out fine and showed no signs from it other than a nice little bump on his ear of where the puncture wound was. In fact, it was a blessing in disguise because he's a bit more cautious around new dogs and lets other dogs get in their sniffs before he goes in. I can't talk about that lady without having my blood pressure rise a bit though, especially after our last encounter. She had the nerve to ask me my schedule AND work out what days/times we can each go to the park separately, I mean really lady?

But yeah there some people you won't get along with, I know there's a regular there I don't particularly get along with, but I'm adult enough to handle it. Let's just say she thinks she's the "know it all" when it comes to dog training and isn't afraid to step in or criticize...

Other than that, I've met some really great people. I actually learn alot of life lessons because many of the regulars are retired owners and they've actually given me quite a bit of "life advice". We all enjoy each other's company and can look forward to it just about every day. Just the other day I went with a pair of owners and one of Mav's friends to the local lake and they took a half hour swim together. 

A few of the other owners have heard my aspirations for Maverick and appreciate the fact that I want to achieve that goal with him and encouraging me along the way (becoming a Therapy dog). And once you're in that little group you got a few others to help watch after your dog and to show you the ropes. 

There's been a handful of bad moments, but the benefits far outweigh any negatives imo, which is why I keep going back. Maverick gets to see/make friends, get exercise, play with other dogs, sucker the other owners into treats , and we both have fun while we're up there. Been going to the same spot for about a year now and it feels like I've been going there for years.

I just noticed your location, you anywhere near the Bay Area, specifically San Jose? Maybe Champ and Maverick can meet up!


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> My husband told me I'd probably end up getting arrested if I kept going.


I am so glad I am not the only one. I no longer go to dog parks because a very ugly side of me comes out when I encounter idiot owners. It's not worth it!!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

You've got it, spot on. Its the owner that you have to be on the look out for. That guy was just a jerk.

Dog park rules are set by the cities, so whether a dog need to be neutered or not differs, it's usually posted at the front gate. I haven't seen any that *require *it. You will find neutering to be a very hot topic at dog parks though. Tucker got jumped at a park once and then was accused of "starting it" because he was neutered. Some people use other people's dog not being neutered to explain away their dogs' poor behavior.

Most people bring their dogs to play with other dogs, but not all. I've seen a few who only used the space to throw a ball for their dog, and wanted no interaction with the other humans.

Dog parks can be great, but can also be a problem and cause behavior problems in dogs. Most of the people I know, on here and elsewhere, who use them successfully, have certain they visit at certain times of day. They know the other dogs and owners and keep a close eye on the interactions. 

Btw, I don't think you should allow anyone to take something away from your dog when you're standing there. Your little guy expects you to protect him, and although he wasn't hurt it sounds like at guy could have gotten rough with him. Not trying to criticize, JMO and an observation.


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## Rubyftw (Jan 27, 2013)

OutWest said:


> Btw, I don't think you should allow anyone to take something away from your dog when you're standing there. Your little guy expects you to protect him, and although he wasn't hurt it sounds like at guy could have gotten rough with him. Not trying to criticize, JMO and an observation.


I foolishly brought my own frisbee one of the first times I took Ruby to the dog park, and another dog took it... and never wanted to give it back. I couldn't find the owner, so I tried to get him to drop it just by giving the frisbee a light pull, but he thought I was trying to play tug. That didn't really work out. 

The other dog ended up destroying the frisbee (one of those ChuckIt squishy kinds). Boo. Not sure if I should've done anything more, but I didn't want to forcefully try and take it back from another person's dog for an array of reasons. I suppose the owner probably should've been at least keeping enough of an eye on their dog that he couldn't have chewed up a frisbee, but so it goes!


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

MomMom said:


> Yep. And that's why I stay out of dog parks. I live in Florida, but the born and raised Jersey Girl can come out in a heartbeat!
> 
> Sorry you had to go through that. You and Champ did nothing wrong!


You should have seen me the day the GSD's went after Max and the owner's girlfriend started muttering something that I could just barely hear about me. My best friend said she never saw the New York come out of like that before!


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

dezymond said:


> Hmm that is quite the odd schedule for a park, but it is what it is.
> 
> Don't worry, Maverick turned out fine and showed no signs from it other than a nice little bump on his ear of where the puncture wound was. In fact, it was a blessing in disguise because he's a bit more cautious around new dogs and lets other dogs get in their sniffs before he goes in. I can't talk about that lady without having my blood pressure rise a bit though, especially after our last encounter. She had the nerve to ask me my schedule AND work out what days/times we can each go to the park separately, I mean really lady?
> 
> ...


I think the reason for the strange hours at the park is because it's at the humane society, and they use it during the day to aid in dog adoptions, so they leave it open in the morning and at night when the adoptions are closed. 

Thank you for sharing your experiences and it sounds like you've got a great group of people that you get along with, and that Maverick gets along with. It's always nice when people can watch out for your dogs. There were 3 women in particular that were extraordinarily nice and friendly, and great with Champ, and I do hope I run into them again somewhere because their dogs were also really wonderful. When I take Champ on walks around the neighborhood I do tend to see the same people, and he has been able to meet 2 older goldens when on walks, and we see them out and about occasionally, but it's a rather small community so I'm hoping to run into them again at some point. We also frequently go to this other town for a nice walk along the water, and there are so many people that go there, some regulars and some new people we meet every time, but people do let their dogs off leash there and Champ has been a couple times, and each time it was a positive experience!

We actually are in the Bay Area, but in Marin, just North of San Francisco!! If we ever get down to San Jose I will definitely let you know! It would be great to get Champ and Maverick together!

Thank you again for all your insight!



OutWest said:


> You've got it, spot on. Its the owner that you have to be on the look out for. That guy was just a jerk.
> 
> Dog park rules are set by the cities, so whether a dog need to be neutered or not differs, it's usually posted at the front gate. I haven't seen any that *require *it. You will find neutering to be a very hot topic at dog parks though. Tucker got jumped at a park once and then was accused of "starting it" because he was neutered. Some people use other people's dog not being neutered to explain away their dogs' poor behavior.
> 
> ...


I looked up the rules after we left and it actually does state that dogs that are not neutered are NOT allowed, so that woman was right, but, Champ is too young to be neutered anyways. And even after she made that comment she said it's a catch 22 because he's too young to be neutered, but those are the rules. No one else seemed to mind and she dropped it, and I am not one to not follow the rules, so we probably wont be going back, for that reason and for several others. 

I don't think you were being critical at all, and I appreciate what you said. I remember when we had Monte and went to training, the trainer said you want other people to handle your dogs, touch them in different places, especially their collar area, so that they get used to being handled by different people, especially if they get lost somewhere you want someone to be able to approach them, and touch them if need be. So, I've carried that with me and when he was first trying to get the ball away from Champ, he only had his hand on the ball and was trying to tug it out, but of course, Champ thought he was probably playing keep away or tug of war and wouldn't let go, and that's when the guy stepped it up and that's when I intervened. I've never had that experience before so I think I was a little shocked, and when I get shocked I freeze, but I tried to mobilize as quickly as I could and that's what I did, and I also realize that the way he was eventually grabbing and touching Champ was not what the trainer was talking about. I agree that people should not be taking things away from my dog or touching them without my permission, and I'm also sure that he thought that my dog was unruly and was taking things away from his dog. Regardless of what he thought, I probably should have stepped in earlier and I probably should have asked if it was okay that Champ play with him, rather than make the comment, "It looks like my dog wants to play with you," since he didn't respond, but like I said, it was my assumption that it was okay since it was at a dog park, and I could chalk that up to my naiveté about dog parks. I just thought it was a reasonable expectation, and to me it's like taking your kid to a play date and then expecting that the kid will play only with you, and not the friend. It's a good lesson for me to learn though!



laprincessa said:


> You should have seen me the day the GSD's went after Max and the owner's girlfriend started muttering something that I could just barely hear about me. My best friend said she never saw the New York come out of like that before!


Haha that's really funny! I wish there was a video of that! My husband actually still makes fun of me because once when we were walking my old dog Monte, a dog came running out of it's house and tried to attack Monte. My husband had to repeatedly kick the dog because it was getting aggressive with both me and Monte, and I think I kept screaming "no" and the owners finally came out and got the dog. My husband had some choice words and I was furious, but what came out of me was soooo ridiculous...I was so angry and I said, "I'm gonna write you a letter!" OH MY...they must be still shaking in their boots waiting for my letter My husband still teases me about it till this day!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

SMBC said:


> I think the reason for the strange hours at the park is because it's at the humane society, and they use it during the day to aid in dog adoptions, so they leave it open in the morning and at night when the adoptions are closed.
> 
> Thank you for sharing your experiences and it sounds like you've got a great group of people that you get along with, and that Maverick gets along with. It's always nice when people can watch out for your dogs. There were 3 women in particular that were extraordinarily nice and friendly, and great with Champ, and I do hope I run into them again somewhere because their dogs were also really wonderful. When I take Champ on walks around the neighborhood I do tend to see the same people, and he has been able to meet 2 older goldens when on walks, and we see them out and about occasionally, but it's a rather small community so I'm hoping to run into them again at some point. We also frequently go to this other town for a nice walk along the water, and there are so many people that go there, some regulars and some new people we meet every time, but people do let their dogs off leash there and Champ has been a couple times, and each time it was a positive experience!
> 
> ...


Hopefully you can continue meeting a regular group and get in their circle. I'm sure Champ would love to continue going.

Hmm that is quite the way up, not too far though. Maybe we can meet a halfway point sometime, I like heading up to Half Moon Bay every once in awhile.

Hopefully one of these days. I'm sure Mav and Champ will get along great.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

dezymond said:


> Hopefully you can continue meeting a regular group and get in their circle. I'm sure Champ would love to continue going.
> 
> Hmm that is quite the way up, not too far though. Maybe we can meet a halfway point sometime, I like heading up to Half Moon Bay every once in awhile.
> 
> Hopefully one of these days. I'm sure Mav and Champ will get along great.


Ya that would be great! I am sure they would really love each other!


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

So remember how I said I went and bought a chuck it like the guy had today? I also bought the kind of ball he had since Champ seemed to like it...it's a glow in the dark squishy ball.

Anyways, it's really hot here but we needed to take Champ out for his afternoon/night time walk, so instead, we decided to go to a middle school that has a large field and bring the chuck it and see how Champ did. Up until this point he was not a retriever...at all! Well, apparently, the chuck it changed that! He was in love! We threw the ball for him, not far, but far enough for him to run a little to get to it, and at first he just plopped down and didn't know he was supposed to bring it back, but then my husband and I made a big deal and encouraged him to come back with it. It took a couple tries, but finally he got the hang of it and he was fetching all on his own, and LOVING it!! We were standing in the shade so he would bring it back and then lay down with it, and of course, then destroy the grass by pulling out large clumps of it with his mouth. 

After about 10-15 minutes of fetch, we just walked around the field with him. He was off leash the entire time and walked right next to us and would sit and lay down next to us when we were in the shade. Every time I called him, he would come, but it wasn't often since he didn't leave our side.

Then a woman and her very tiny dog appeared out of no where, and I told my husband to hold on to Champ. Of course, the tiny dog came running over, and you could tell that the dog wanted to play and wasn't going to be aggressive. I asked the woman if her dog was friendly, she said yes, and then she asked us the usual questions about what kind of dog he was...etc. Well, you know how some dogs are the ones that like to be chased and some do the chasing...well Champ does the chasing, so the small dog was running in circles while Champ chased her, and he would paw at her. He was sooooo good with her, and then after about 3 minutes of running around, we didn't even have to call him, I was sitting in the shade still and he came right back to me and plopped down and was done playing, and the woman and her dog went on their way.

I was so incredibly proud of him and had such a blast teaching him how to fetch. I think he really loved it too, and now he is pooped out on the tile floor, sound asleep. 

I think we will be frequenting these types of places from now on as opposed to the dog park. I can't say we will never go back, but I don't plan on going back anytime soon after what happened today, and I want to protect Champ from other dogs, especially since he is not neutered, and it's a good training opportunity for us to get out there in an open field and spend time together.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

That sounds like a great time! I would suggest having a pocket full of treats, to practice recalls when you have him in the park. When he comes up to you on his own, make it seem like the best thing he's ever done. 

You can even buy a 50' lead that he can drag around. Bella just dragged one for a 4 mile hike in the woods this evening. You can always step on it if you have to. 


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

SMBC said:


> Haha that's really funny! I wish there was a video of that! My husband actually still makes fun of me because once when we were walking my old dog Monte, a dog came running out of it's house and tried to attack Monte. My husband had to repeatedly kick the dog because it was getting aggressive with both me and Monte, and I think I kept screaming "no" and the owners finally came out and got the dog. My husband had some choice words and I was furious, but what came out of me was soooo ridiculous...I was so angry and I said, "I'm gonna write you a letter!" OH MY...they must be still shaking in their boots waiting for my letter My husband still teases me about it till this day!



Umm, my words were a lot more colorful than that! It started with me, and mind you I'm not from the City but I sure sounded like it, saying "Are YOU tawkin to ME?" Picture the hand gestures. She didn't respond, and I was walking towards her, and again, I said, "I SAID! Are YOU talkin to ME?" That pretty much set the tone for the rest! 

Well, I was mad.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Nairb said:


> That sounds like a great time! I would suggest having a pocket full of treats, to practice recalls when you have him in the park. When he comes up to you on his own, make it seem like the best thing he's ever done.
> 
> You can even buy a 50' lead that he can drag around. Bella just dragged one for a 4 mile hike in the woods this evening. You can always step on it if you have to.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for the advice. I actually did bring a bag of treats so that I could reward him when he would come to us, but I realized when I got there the treats were rock hard so I couldn't give them to him. Instead, I did exactly what you mentioned, we made a HUGE deal when he came back to us and when he was following us I kept saying, good boy Champ! Even though he's really food motivated, he responds really well to praise too and I think he got the idea that we loved what he was doing. 

I've thought about getting the 50 foot line and we did it with our last dog, but it would always get tangled in his feet and it ended up being more of a struggle than anything. And actually, one thing that Champ has been doing is he occasionally will plant his feet, or his butt down, and refuse to walk. He ALWAYS does it when we are walking out of the front steps, and he will also occasionally do it when we are just on our walk. He stopped for awhile but now it's started again and something I plan on asking the trainer about, but I think if we had a long line it might just be a pulling struggle. Right now he's so good off leash that I just want to keep rewarding him with treats and praise!



laprincessa said:


> Umm, my words were a lot more colorful than that! It started with me, and mind you I'm not from the City but I sure sounded like it, saying "Are YOU tawkin to ME?" Picture the hand gestures. She didn't respond, and I was walking towards her, and again, I said, "I SAID! Are YOU talkin to ME?" That pretty much set the tone for the rest!
> 
> Well, I was mad.


Hahaha Awww well I can imagine why you'd be mad, and that is pretty funny!! I wish I had your courage!!


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

At first, I used a thin yellow one that got tangled up easily.

A few weeks ago, I bought one like this.










She weaves in and out of trees and brush in the woods, and it never gets tangled up or caught up on anything.

It's also much easier on the hands if you ever need to grab it.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Nairb said:


> At first, I used a thin yellow one that got tangled up easily.
> 
> A few weeks ago, I bought one like this.
> 
> ...


Oh nice! Thank you so much for sharing! I love Drs Fosters and Smith!


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

SMBC said:


> Oh nice! Thank you so much for sharing! I love Drs Fosters and Smith!


FYI, It looks like Fosters and Smith only carries the 30'. Mine is 50'. I bought it at Mills Fleet Farm for about $17, but they don't have it on their website. I'm not even sure if the brand is the same, but it looks similar. The key is the tight weave and thicker diameter, so it doesn't pick up burrs and sticks, get caught on stuff, or tangle. I only use it for hiking in the woods, because I can't always see if there's someone coming around the corner in time to call her back. She drags it. I used to use the thin yellow line in open fields, and have suffered major rope rope burns on several occasions.


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## Mirinde (Jun 8, 2011)

I just wanted to pop in and say that after your super frustrating experience at the dog park, it might be a good preemptive action to recruit some "strangers" (people you know and trust, but champ doesn't, friendly neighbors, etc.) to grab gentle hold of his collar and feed him a couple treats. Some dogs can have their collar yanked on for their wholes lives and never get weird about it, and others can have one tense experience and then be kind of neck shy for a period of time. I'm big on preventing neck/collar shyness. Collars can literally be a life saver, so I feel like it's important to keep them a positive and gentle experience. Just something to note!

I legitimately left a daycare facility over aggressive/incorrect collar and leash corrections so I was pretty ragey at what that guy did to Champ


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I guess it is on the website. The brand is Mendota. $16.99, and seems to be very high in quality.

Mendota Trainer Check Cord - Mills Fleet Farm


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Oh, I love the Mendota check cords. The 3/8 inch thickness is great - I have a 1/2 inch one also, and it is too thick. Sometimes you can find used ones on Amazon for a good price. The rope I got as used was still in the original package and had obviously never been through the mud. 

As for dog parks - I never liked the idea personally. We don't have any near me anyway, but for socialization we've had good luck walking around schools and parks. I also want Cookie's default behavior to ignore people and dogs unless I tell her otherwise and dog parks make that very challenging.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Nairb said:


> FYI, It looks like Fosters and Smith only carries the 30'. Mine is 50'. I bought it at Mills Fleet Farm for about $17, but they don't have it on their website. I'm not even sure if the brand is the same, but it looks similar. The key is the tight weave and thicker diameter, so it doesn't pick up burrs and sticks, get caught on stuff, or tangle. I only use it for hiking in the woods, because I can't always see if there's someone coming around the corner in time to call her back. She drags it. I used to use the thin yellow line in open fields, and have suffered major rope rope burns on several occasions.


Thank you very much for the information! I really appreciate you sharing the info on the long line and I will definitely buy it!



Mirinde said:


> I just wanted to pop in and say that after your super frustrating experience at the dog park, it might be a good preemptive action to recruit some "strangers" (people you know and trust, but champ doesn't, friendly neighbors, etc.) to grab gentle hold of his collar and feed him a couple treats. Some dogs can have their collar yanked on for their wholes lives and never get weird about it, and others can have one tense experience and then be kind of neck shy for a period of time. I'm big on preventing neck/collar shyness. Collars can literally be a life saver, so I feel like it's important to keep them a positive and gentle experience. Just something to note!
> 
> I legitimately left a daycare facility over aggressive/incorrect collar and leash corrections so I was pretty ragey at what that guy did to Champ


Thank you for the suggestion and I am sorry to hear about your experience! Up until that point, I know a few people have touched his collar. I personally do when he is sitting with kids so that I can prevent him from jumping if he is getting too excited, and there are actually been a few older kids that have touched his collar to see what his name is..it's always super cute. I think other adults too have touched his collar when they put him and it looks like he might get too excited and jump, if memory serves I've had a few adults just lightly hold onto his collar....absolutely nothing like what happened the other day. I will definitely ask people to touch his collar so that he continues to have positive experiences. Thankfully, it doesn't seem like Champ gets fazed by much. Like I said he's been attacked by a couple small dogs, and most bark and lung at him, and just yesterday he played with a very tiny teacup dog and he had no hesitation. I'm not sure if it's a golden thing but Champ seems to oblivious to things sometimes and maintains his happy go lucky attitude...I should probably learn from him



BriGuy said:


> Oh, I love the Mendota check cords. The 3/8 inch thickness is great - I have a 1/2 inch one also, and it is too thick. Sometimes you can find used ones on Amazon for a good price. The rope I got as used was still in the original package and had obviously never been through the mud.
> 
> As for dog parks - I never liked the idea personally. We don't have any near me anyway, but for socialization we've had good luck walking around schools and parks. I also want Cookie's default behavior to ignore people and dogs unless I tell her otherwise and dog parks make that very challenging.


Thank you for the information, and you make a very valid point about dog parks! For me, I know it's a balance between wanting Champ to be socialized and also wanting him to ignore people and other dogs unless I tell him it's okay to greet them. What I find difficult about trying to train him to only meet people I want him to is that people come up to us ALL THE TIME without asking, with and without their dogs, and now I've been quickly trying to implement a command, such as "go say hi" as they are approaching and I am hoping that, 1. I can keep remembering to say that, and 2. Champ gets the idea that that command is giving him permission to go and say hello, and without the command he is not allowed to. I think Champ has come to expect that most people and dogs we pass by he can say hi to, because like I said people are constantly stopping to greet him. However, there are times when I absolutely do not let him greet another dog we are passing by, and sometimes he just keeps on walking and gets the hint, but other times he will plant his butt down and to other people it looks like he's timid or scared, but what he is actually doing is protesting because I wont let him meet the other dog and he doesn't want to keep walking and instead, wants to say hello...I literally end up dragging him because I refuse to let him meet the other dog, and essentially, win. 

The other thing I am unsure about, and maybe you know, is what is the appropriate amount and type of socialization? Like I said Champ meets dogs all the time when they are both on leash, but he doesn't get to often run around and play with other dogs, which was why we went to the dog park. Is it enough to just meet other dogs when they are both on leash and not wrestle around and play, or do they need that play time too? 

I have called a trainer and am waiting to hear back from her and hopefully she can give us some tools to help us train Champ to only greet when allowed, and to stick by us and ignore others, especially when off leash.

Thank you for your insights!


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I used to walk with a bag of treats and when a dog or person approached, I would have Max sit and start popping treats in his mouth till the passed. It wasn't long til I could eliminate the treats and just lead him to the side if I didn't want him to greet the approaching dog.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> I used to walk with a bag of treats and when a dog or person approached, I would have Max sit and start popping treats in his mouth till the passed. It wasn't long til I could eliminate the treats and just lead him to the side if I didn't want him to greet the approaching dog.


That's what I do when we're hiking (absent the treats). Yesterday, a large family of foreign origin stopped dead in their tracks out of fear of Bella, and just stood there for the longest time....even though I had her sitting next to me at the side of the trail with my hand on her collar. I finally told them it was OK to go! The man sheepishly asked, "Is she not friendly?" I replied that she was plenty friendly which is why I was holding on to her. I don't think he quite got it, because they proceeded as if they were navigating a snake pit.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

SMBC said:


> Let me preface this by saying that I don't have a lot of experience with dog parks, but the idea of them makes me semi uneasy. I know that there is a lot that could go wrong at a dog park so I have always been cautious to bring my dogs to one. However, Champ doesn't get to socialize with other dogs that often, and my husband and I found a big dog only dog park right by our house so we thought we would just try it out. I liked the idea of a big dog only dog park because when we are on walks, it's the small dogs that are always barking, growling and lunging at Champ, and although he does well with any dog, it's the big dogs that are the nicest to him.
> 
> So anyways, we ventured to the dog park the other day, and scoped it out from the parking lot. I saw about 7 goldens, and a few other dogs so I thought what the heck, let's try it out. We brought Champ in and he was such a good boy! He is very very well behaved with other dogs and does a great job reading the other dogs body language and knows who he should and should not play with. Well, within 3 minutes of us being there, a woman approached me and asked if Champ was neutered. I said no, and she told me he couldn't be at the dog park unless he was neutered...essentially, she was telling me I had to leave. I then said, well first he's not even old enough to be neutered, and second, trust me, he is no threat to any female, he has no sexual desire yet and he will not get anyone pregnant. I sort of said it in a joking manner to lighten the conversation, and she said well that is true, he is too young to be neutered and hopefully all the females that are here are neutered. I kid you not, right then we both turned around and her dog was humping another dog and Champ was sitting next to my legs just watching...So, has anyone else had that issue with their dog not being neutered and dog parks? Or just other owners or dogs in general? We don't plan to neuter until a year and a half (unless there are behavioral issues that can be corrected with neutering), so I am just curious how other people handle the situation when people comment on their dog not being neutered.
> 
> ...


Yea occasionally you get people with sticks too far up their behinds at the parks who think they can go play fetch at a dog park without any other dogs or people acknowledging their existence.

As for the neutering thing there was this one lady who kept freaking out at me because tuco was unneutered and she had an in heat female and a neutered jack russel that went psycho at any neutered male, she said that the law didn't permit unneutered dogs at the park, when the law is actually no in heat females and no dogs that cannot properly be controlled by their owners. But regardless of what I say, every Sunday when I'm at the dog park I have to deal with her


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> I used to walk with a bag of treats and when a dog or person approached, I would have Max sit and start popping treats in his mouth till the passed. It wasn't long til I could eliminate the treats and just lead him to the side if I didn't want him to greet the approaching dog.


Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing. We used to do that with our old dog but when people passed, he could care less about the treats. Champ is too smart for his own good sometimes, like if we start giving him treats in a certain situation, and then we cut back on it, he wont do what we want him to do until he gets a treat. I will definitely try this today though...I am taking Champ and my mom for a walk by the water in a little bit, and that is where there are people and dogs all over!



Nairb said:


> That's what I do when we're hiking (absent the treats). Yesterday, a large family of foreign origin stopped dead in their tracks out of fear of Bella, and just stood there for the longest time....even though I had her sitting next to me at the side of the trail with my hand on her collar. I finally told them it was OK to go! The man sheepishly asked, "Is she not friendly?" I replied that she was plenty friendly which is why I was holding on to her. I don't think he quite got it, because they proceeded as if they were navigating a snake pit.


That's so strange...why would they be fearful of her? I've never heard of someone being fearful of a golden! People think Champ is acting fearful when he does that think where he just plops down and sits, but in actuality, it's the opposite, he just really wants to meet them and that is what i've taught him to do when he meets people...and he doesn't want me to continue walking



Tuco said:


> Yea occasionally you get people with sticks too far up their behinds at the parks who think they can go play fetch at a dog park without any other dogs or people acknowledging their existence.
> 
> As for the neutering thing there was this one lady who kept freaking out at me because tuco was unneutered and she had an in heat female and a neutered jack russel that went psycho at any neutered male, she said that the law didn't permit unneutered dogs at the park, when the law is actually no in heat females and no dogs that cannot properly be controlled by their owners. But regardless of what I say, every Sunday when I'm at the dog park I have to deal with her
> 
> ...


Wow sounds like she's a difficult person to deal with! It always frustrates me when you get blamed for someone else's dog not liking your dog. At least this one woman I run into frequently that has a small dog who barks at Champ just says, "My dog is mean" every time we walk by and you can tell by the look on her face that she is apologetic. I had Champ on leash once and a woman made a beeline right for me, and she had a dog with her, she didn't even ask or anything if it was okay for them to meet, and Champ was only like 3 months old at this point. They started smelling each other, the dog started growling, I pulled Champ away and she said oh my dog is just vocal, she's really friendly though and as I was pulling Champ away she was loosening the leash so her dog could follow Champ. Then her dog snapped near Champ's direction, but in the air and not on him, and I said okay, we are leaving now, and she said well my dog is just trying to school your dog....ummmm, what?!?! School him for doing what, standing there? Ugh...people are annoying!!!


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

> That's so strange...why would they be fearful of her? I've never heard of someone being fearful of a golden!


Good question, but I don't think it's uncommon. It could be that pet dogs aren't as common in whatever African country they originated from. Bella is a big dog, and she stares intently at everyone and everything walking by. It's not a stance of aggression, but some people don't know how to read a dog. I regularly see people take a wide path by us when we're out walking. Some have even crossed the street. On the other hand, small children as young as 3 years old regularly run up and ask if they can pet her.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I take Max to school with me often - not for class, just when I have to drop something off or pick something up - and everyone loves him. A few weeks ago, there was a new security guard who saw us, went completely stiff, and looked like he was about to do something in his pants. I said, "don't like dogs?" and he goes, "no, Ma'am" very stiffly. I saw him a few days later and apologized, because I had let Max approach the guy before I realized how scared he was. He thanked me and said, "You've got a REALLY big dog there!" 
I guess we all think of Goldens as big fluffy love muffins, but if you're scared of a dog, they can look pretty terrifying!


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Nairb said:


> Good question, but I don't think it's uncommon. It could be that pet dogs aren't as common in whatever African country they originated from. Bella is a big dog, and she stares intently at everyone and everything walking by. It's not a stance of aggression, but some people don't know how to read a dog. I regularly see people take a wide path by us when we're out walking. Some have even crossed the street. On the other hand, small children as young as 3 years old regularly run up and ask if they can pet her.


From my dads stories they couldn't walk Our dogs around when they were in Italy or India because they only have stray dogs there and they are often aggressive and attack so people are afraid of all dogs


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Nairb said:


> Good question, but I don't think it's uncommon. It could be that pet dogs aren't as common in whatever African country they originated from. Bella is a big dog, and she stares intently at everyone and everything walking by. It's not a stance of aggression, but some people don't know how to read a dog. I regularly see people take a wide path by us when we're out walking. Some have even crossed the street. On the other hand, small children as young as 3 years old regularly run up and ask if they can pet her.





laprincessa said:


> I take Max to school with me often - not for class, just when I have to drop something off or pick something up - and everyone loves him. A few weeks ago, there was a new security guard who saw us, went completely stiff, and looked like he was about to do something in his pants. I said, "don't like dogs?" and he goes, "no, Ma'am" very stiffly. I saw him a few days later and apologized, because I had let Max approach the guy before I realized how scared he was. He thanked me and said, "You've got a REALLY big dog there!"
> I guess we all think of Goldens as big fluffy love muffins, but if you're scared of a dog, they can look pretty terrifying!


Wow crazy, thanks for sharing your experiences! I guess you are right...if you're afraid of dogs you're afraid of dogs! In the county that I live in, dogs are actually allowed in some malls and stores, and I often wonder what it would be like for someone who has a fear of dogs to go to that mall or into that store...also wonder how people with dog allergies deal with it. I swear, I think Champ has gotten used to people paying attention to him so he has this complex where he knows he is cute, so when someone doesn't pay attention to him he thinks it's odd, and has barked at people when they are just standing there not paying attention to him...which then I'm sure makes it worse for people if they are scared of dogs and some dog is barking at them! My old dog was a Rottweiler mix and NO ONE ever approached us to pet him, although he LOVED people and was the sweetest dog that I've ever known, but because of the way he looked people never approached us...which was odd too because he looked more like a black lab than a rottweiler. But since we've had Champ...sometimes I wish I could get away from people and sometimes get annoyed that it takes is double the time to reach our destination because people keep stopping us to pet him and talk about him, or tell us about their own golden, but I guess it's not a bad problem to have. 

What bothers me though is, I would say most people, are not afraid of Champ and because he's cute and goofy and young, they feel like they and their dogs can just approach us whenever they feel like it, without asking. I am hoping that changes as he gets older and a lot bigger!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> I take Max to school with me often - not for class, just when I have to drop something off or pick something up - and everyone loves him. A few weeks ago, there was a new security guard who saw us, went completely stiff, and looked like he was about to do something in his pants. I said, "don't like dogs?" and he goes, "no, Ma'am" very stiffly. I saw him a few days later and apologized, because I had let Max approach the guy before I realized how scared he was. He thanked me and said, "You've got a REALLY big dog there!"
> I guess we all think of Goldens as big fluffy love muffins, but if you're scared of a dog, they can look pretty terrifying!


Haha man poor security guy. Handled it pretty well for someone afraid of dogs though.

Hehe yup, if you're afraid of dogs you'll be scared of them in all sizes. I have an aunt I don't see very often, but she is absolutely scared of dogs. She saw Maverick when he was about 12wks and wouldn't get near him. She saw him maybe 2 weeks ago and was stacking chairs around the dining table to avoid him while he was in the other room.

Maverick did however break my cousin's and one of my aunt's fear of dogs though. Everytime I go to their house she's always "Where's Maverick boy?!"


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Tuco said:


> Yea occasionally you get people with sticks too far up their behinds at the parks who think they can go play fetch at a dog park without any other dogs or people acknowledging their existence.
> 
> As for the neutering thing there was this one lady who kept freaking out at me because tuco was unneutered and she had an in heat female and a neutered jack russel that went psycho at any neutered male, she said that the law didn't permit unneutered dogs at the park, when the law is actually no in heat females and no dogs that cannot properly be controlled by their owners. But regardless of what I say, every Sunday when I'm at the dog park I have to deal with her
> 
> ...


She brings her in heat female to the dog park? Well, I'm being blunt but that is just stupid - and against the rules at EVERY dog park I have ever known of. So when you point out to her the law is no in heat females she just ignores you, but your intact male is against the rules? Unbelievable.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

SMBC said:


> Wow crazy, thanks for sharing your experiences! I guess you are right...if you're afraid of dogs you're afraid of dogs! In the county that I live in, dogs are actually allowed in some malls and stores, and I often wonder what it would be like for someone who has a fear of dogs to go to that mall or into that store...also wonder how people with dog allergies deal with it. I swear, I think Champ has gotten used to people paying attention to him so he has this complex where he knows he is cute, so when someone doesn't pay attention to him he thinks it's odd, and has barked at people when they are just standing there not paying attention to him...which then I'm sure makes it worse for people if they are scared of dogs and some dog is barking at them! My old dog was a Rottweiler mix and NO ONE ever approached us to pet him, although he LOVED people and was the sweetest dog that I've ever known, but because of the way he looked people never approached us...which was odd too because he looked more like a black lab than a rottweiler. But since we've had Champ...sometimes I wish I could get away from people and sometimes get annoyed that it takes is double the time to reach our destination because people keep stopping us to pet him and talk about him, or tell us about their own golden, but I guess it's not a bad problem to have.
> 
> What bothers me though is, I would say most people, are not afraid of Champ and because he's cute and goofy and young, they feel like they and their dogs can just approach us whenever they feel like it, without asking. I am hoping that changes as he gets older and a lot bigger!


Don't get me wrong, we still get some of that, but nothing like when she was a puppy. We took her on a camping trip when she was 3.5 months old, and it was literally out of control, but she met 100s of people over a weekend.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

mylissyk said:


> She brings her in heat female to the dog park? Well, I'm being blunt but that is just stupid - and against the rules at EVERY dog park I have ever known of. So when you point out to her the law is no in heat females she just ignores you, but your intact male is against the rules? Unbelievable.


Yea I know it's freaking infuriating


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I totally turned into a breed snob the day the guy with the rescue that was just coming out of heat - and he brought her to dog park - told me quite rudely that he didn't want any puppies coming out of THAT - as he pointed to Max. I told him my purebred was fixed and at any rate, I wouldn't want puppies out of that MUTT. 

And I'm normally such a nice person.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Haha thanks for sharing guys! Geez...what we have to go through as dog owners!

I literally just got back from a walk with Champ and my mom, and for the most part it was fine, but right in the beginning, Champ was on leash, and a girl was walking toward us with her two dogs off leash. I could tell that one dog was eyeing Champ and was going to come straight for him. I was hoping I was wrong...but I wasn't. He came over to Champ and I asked the woman if her dog was friendly, and she said yes, but then she kept walking while one of her dogs stayed back to smell Champ. Then, he started jumping on Champ, and again, mind you Champ is still on leash! The dog wasn't being aggressive, but was trying to aggressively play by jumping on top of Champ and Champ was getting knocked over (this was like a matter of 10 seconds) and the leash was getting all tangled in them. I tend to get a little fluster so I try to pull Champ out of the situation hoping we can keep walking and the other dog will leave us alone, but that never happens, and I'm not sure how great of an idea it is to tighten the leash and start pulling Champ when another dog is trying to jump on him. So instead I yelled, "can you please come and get your dog," and she called it and of course it went running right to her.

It's really frustrating when your dog is on leash, and there is a dog that is not that is running toward your dog and the owner doesn't say anything and expects that it's going to be okay. 

So...what do you guys do in this situation? I wish I thought of something to say to her before the dog came up to Champ, because I just knew that was going to happen. Maybe I should have said, "Can you put your dog on leash?" or something along those lines...but people are so irresponsible and just think because their dog is nice it means that it can just approach anyone. 

Just curious what you guys do...or would have done! Thanks


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

We were walking at the park one day and this guy got out of his car, let his dog out - off leash - and proceeded to start playing ball in the middle of the park. We were walking the path - and I was nervous that this dog was gonna come running over, so I called to the guy to please leash up. He ignored me. I waited, called again. He gave me this exasperated look, and moved to the other end of the park. (This is a very small park - the trail is 1/2 mile around.) I was so annoyed, I just finished our walk and left.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> We were walking at the park one day and this guy got out of his car, let his dog out - off leash - and proceeded to start playing ball in the middle of the park. We were walking the path - and I was nervous that this dog was gonna come running over, so I called to the guy to please leash up. He ignored me. I waited, called again. He gave me this exasperated look, and moved to the other end of the park. (This is a very small park - the trail is 1/2 mile around.) I was so annoyed, I just finished our walk and left.


That's actually what I was wondering...is it appropriate to tell someone to put their dog on leash? I would like to, but I can imagine you would get some pretty nasty reactions for saying that to people, but what is the trade off...having their dog come up to your dog and the potential for something to happen? I feel like if I said that to someone they would say...oh don't worry, he/she is friendly/nice. I wonder if there is something quick to say to someone whose dog is clearly going to approach your dog. I mean, I guess you could say keep your dog away, but that seems weird too...I don't know.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

SMBC said:


> That's actually what I was wondering...is it appropriate to tell someone to put their dog on leash? I would like to, but I can imagine you would get some pretty nasty reactions for saying that to people, but what is the trade off...having their dog come up to your dog and the potential for something to happen? I feel like if I said that to someone they would say...oh don't worry, he/she is friendly/nice. I wonder if there is something quick to say to someone whose dog is clearly going to approach your dog. I mean, I guess you could say keep your dog away, but that seems weird too...I don't know.


Do you have a leash law where you live? We have strict leash laws in this area because it's a Tourist area. If you get caught with your dog off leash, it's a hefty fine.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

SMBC said:


> That's actually what I was wondering...is it appropriate to tell someone to put their dog on leash? I would like to, but I can imagine you would get some pretty nasty reactions for saying that to people, but what is the trade off...having their dog come up to your dog and the potential for something to happen? I feel like if I said that to someone they would say...oh don't worry, he/she is friendly/nice. I wonder if there is something quick to say to someone whose dog is clearly going to approach your dog. I mean, I guess you could say keep your dog away, but that seems weird too...I don't know.


When people assure me their unleashed dog is nice and friendly I usually inform them that mine is not and if it's a small dog I add that he's hungry and looking for lunch. Usually gets their rear ends moving a little faster to restrain their dog. It's not true but they don't need to know it.


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

SMBC said:


> That's actually what I was wondering...is it appropriate to tell someone to put their dog on leash? I would like to, but I can imagine you would get some pretty nasty reactions for saying that to people, but what is the trade off...having their dog come up to your dog and the potential for something to happen? I feel like if I said that to someone they would say...oh don't worry, he/she is friendly/nice. I wonder if there is something quick to say to someone whose dog is clearly going to approach your dog. I mean, I guess you could say keep your dog away, but that seems weird too...I don't know.


Gosh, I never thought about off-leash being a problem. I have Maddie off leash all the time. If there is another dog around that is on leash, I immediately either put her on leash or put her on 'side', meaning stay heeling on my right side. I do make sure that she doesn't approach a dog that we don't know unless the owner is there and it is okay with them.

Was the dog approaching yours? Or did it look aggressive? I've certainly asked people to put their dog on leash but only after their dog behaved aggressively. Not necessarily attacking my dog, but not being under control and acting aggressive: growling, lunging kind of stuff.

I don't go to dog parks except when we are traveling and need a quick, safe place to run Maddie.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Do you have a leash law where you live? We have strict leash laws in this area because it's a Tourist area. If you get caught with your dog off leash, it's a hefty fine.





Dallas Gold said:


> When people assure me their unleashed dog is nice and friendly I usually inform them that mine is not and if it's a small dog I add that he's hungry and looking for lunch. Usually gets their rear ends moving a little faster to restrain their dog. It's not true but they don't need to know it.





Gwen_Dandridge said:


> Gosh, I never thought about off-leash being a problem. I have Maddie off leash all the time. If there is another dog around that is on leash, I immediately either put her on leash or put her on 'side', meaning stay heeling on my right side. I do make sure that she doesn't approach a dog that we don't know unless the owner is there and it is okay with them.
> 
> Was the dog approaching yours? Or did it look aggressive? I've certainly asked people to put their dog on leash but only after their dog behaved aggressively. Not necessarily attacking my dog, but not being under control and acting aggressive: growling, lunging kind of stuff.
> 
> I don't go to dog parks except when we are traveling and need a quick, safe place to run Maddie.


Carolina Mom....there is no city wide or county wide leash law, but each park or area has their own leash requirements. Where we were today, dogs are supposed to be on leash.

Dallas Gold...ha, I might steal your lines!

Gwen_Dandridge...I hope I didn't make it sound like off leash dogs are a problem, because certainly most of them are not. I frequently go to the place we were at today, and more than half of all the dogs are on leash, and then there is a good portion of dogs that are off leash, but they stick right by their owners and just walk along side them, and just pass on by us. Along the trail there is a dog park, and two unofficial dog parks where people frequently let their dogs off leash to play with other dogs, but it's kind of an unspoken rule that on the path, all dogs stick by their owners and there is no dog play. 

This particular dog was initially walking with it's owner, on the trail where most dogs are then put on leash or stick by their owner, but then I saw it staring at Champ as we were walking toward it, and I knew it was going to come running up to him. The dog didn't approach in an aggressive manner, but more in a hyper, uncontrollable manner and didn't lunge or growl or look aggressive, although when they were smelling it's ears were pinned back which I didn't like, but then after they smelled, the dog jumped on top of Champ several times, not aggressively, but it was more aggressive, obnoxious play, especially since Champ was on leash and this dog was not and they ended up getting tangled in the leash. It was aggressive enough that Champ was more timid and didn't "play" back and was trying to duck and weave out of the situation. 

Like I said I have no problems with dog's being off leash, as long as they aren't darting to your on leash dog. I have had off leash dogs kind of meander toward Champ with enough time for the owner to ask if it's okay, or most of the time the dog just keeps on walking right past us, but I think it puts Champ in an unfair situation where he is on leash and he has a dog sprinting toward him, and then jumping on him because he cannot get away since he is on leash, and at a disadvantage to defend himself should something happen. 

When the situation happens again, maybe I can just say a quick..."can you put your dog on leash," or if there is a nice way of saying, can you keep your dog away from mine?


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

If you are not in an off leash dog park, but, for example, walking on a sidewalk in a neighborhood, and an off leash strange dog approaches, how do you know it won't be a problem? Short answer, you don't know because you aren't able to predict animal reactions. It's not safe to assume an approaching dog will be friendly, even if the owner tells you the dog is friendly. I had an ER doc in our neighborhood tell me his two labs were friendly when they approached and proceeded to attack my dog. I learned the hard way years ago. Those same two labs attacked and almost killed the next door neighbor's small dog. Yep, they were friendly all right. Since my dog was bleeding, I called Animal Control and the dogs ended up being quarantined because this ER doc failed to keep their rabies vaccinations current.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

SMBC said:


> Haha thanks for sharing guys! Geez...what we have to go through as dog owners!
> 
> I literally just got back from a walk with Champ and my mom, and for the most part it was fine, but right in the beginning, Champ was on leash, and a girl was walking toward us with her two dogs off leash. I could tell that one dog was eyeing Champ and was going to come straight for him. I was hoping I was wrong...but I wasn't. He came over to Champ and I asked the woman if her dog was friendly, and she said yes, but then she kept walking while one of her dogs stayed back to smell Champ. Then, he started jumping on Champ, and again, mind you Champ is still on leash! The dog wasn't being aggressive, but was trying to aggressively play by jumping on top of Champ and Champ was getting knocked over (this was like a matter of 10 seconds) and the leash was getting all tangled in them. I tend to get a little fluster so I try to pull Champ out of the situation hoping we can keep walking and the other dog will leave us alone, but that never happens, and I'm not sure how great of an idea it is to tighten the leash and start pulling Champ when another dog is trying to jump on him. So instead I yelled, "can you please come and get your dog," and she called it and of course it went running right to her.
> 
> ...


Most of the time I put Molly in a sit stay facing away from the dog. I haven't had the other dog try to jump on her while she is in a sit stay. The owner gets that we don't want to play and will call the dog. Other times I will just tell the owner to get their dog before the dog gets to us.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I walk Bella off leash in the park (in a big wide open field, and far away from roads), but she's never approached another dog or person. I won't allow it. It certainly has happened to us though. Many times. 

We have a leash law in our city, but its not enforced regularly. I've seen cops sitting in the parking lot with Bella off leash 50 yards away. 


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Dallas Gold said:


> If you are not in an off leash dog park, but, for example, walking on a sidewalk in a neighborhood, and an off leash strange dog approaches, how do you know it won't be a problem? Short answer, you don't know because you aren't able to predict animal reactions. It's not safe to assume an approaching dog will be friendly, even if the owner tells you the dog is friendly. I had an ER doc in our neighborhood tell me his two labs were friendly when they approached and proceeded to attack my dog. I learned the hard way years ago. Those same two labs attacked and almost killed the next door neighbor's small dog. Yep, they were friendly all right. Since my dog was bleeding, I called Animal Control and the dogs ended up being quarantined because this ER doc failed to keep their rabies vaccinations current.


I completely agree with you! And I get worried since Champ is not neutered yet that even a friendly dog can turn on Champ so I always get concerned when a dog we don't know approached him. 

Do you have any suggestions about what I can say to someone whose dog is off leash and clearly going to approach Champ, who is presumably on leash?



Vhuynh2 said:


> Most of the time I put Molly in a sit stay facing away from the dog. I haven't had the other dog try to jump on her while she is in a sit stay. The owner gets that we don't want to play and will call the dog. Other times I will just tell the owner to get their dog before the dog gets to us.


How do you usually say it? Such as, "can you get your dog?" I can try putting him in a sit if I see another dog approaching but I guess I do worry that a dog could still jump on him, or that it will surprise him since he wont see it coming if he is in a sit and paying attention to me. In some ways I want him to aware that a dog is approaching so he can decide how he wants to deal with it, but I can also see how maybe a dog would be less likely to approach if the dog is in a sit and not paying attention to it. 



Nairb said:


> I walk Bella off leash in the park (in a big wide open field, and far away from roads), but she's never approached another dog or person. I won't allow it. It certainly has happened to us though. Many times.
> 
> We have a leash law in our city, but its not enforced regularly. I've seen cops sitting in the parking lot with Bella off leash 50 yards away.
> 
> ...


That's great that you make Bella do that. Most people are really respectful but occasionally you get that owner that doesn't care who their dog approaches, or if the dog is bothering you, as in the case today. She wasn't even paying attention and was far away from the dog at the point in which he was jumping on Champ. Annoying!


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I usually just yell at them to leash their dog if I can, then mention my older dog isn't friendly to dogs that rush him. He's visually impaired and perceives these encounters as a threat- he barks a lot, but won't hurt another animal unless he's attacked first. The barking usually gets the other owners' attention. 

I also carry a zaplight flashlight in the early mornings and if I see an unleashed dog approach I use the zapper discharging it in the air to create a noise distraction. It usually sends dogs flying the opposite direction. I really don't care what the other owners think- I'm responsible for my dogs' safety and will try to prevent an unwanted encounter any way I can.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

SMBC said:


> How do you usually say it? Such as, "can you get your dog?" I can try putting him in a sit if I see another dog approaching but I guess I do worry that a dog could still jump on him, or that it will surprise him since he wont see it coming if he is in a sit and paying attention to me. In some ways I want him to aware that a dog is approaching so he can decide how he wants to deal with it, but I can also see how maybe a dog would be less likely to approach if the dog is in a sit and not paying attention to it.


Yup, that is exactly what I say. I don't feel the need to be polite in those situations.

I don't allow Molly to decide what she wants to do. If I tell her to sit, she sits and she is not to meet that other dog.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I've had a handful of encounters with an owner of a Yellow Lab who often appears out of nowhere in the dark, with the owner nowhere to be seen. The first time, he challenged me to a fight! I'm 6" taller, and probably outweigh him by 60-70 lbs, but I'm not interested in a fight. I just want him to either leash or train his dog!

Last time it happened, I yelled, "I see you haven't trained your dog yet!" He came running over, and we went back and forth for a good 5 minutes. That was about 3 months ago, and I haven't seen him since. I hope he moved.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

SMBC said:


> Do you have any suggestions about what I can say to someone whose dog is off leash and clearly going to approach Champ, who is presumably on leash?


I stand between Cookie and the oncoming dog and ask for the owner to call their dog. Almost nothing grinds my gears like an off leash dog trying to jump all over me and Cookie. 

If we are in an off-leash area (we do go to hiking in one reservation often), then I do expect to see dogs running up before their owners and I will just call Cookie to me and we wait for the owners to show up and move on. 99% of the dogs I meet out on a long hike are very well behaved, I've noticed, but I still verify.


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Ah, I see my misunderstanding. We're always at the reservoir that is very lowly used or we're on hiking trails. On sidewalks or in town she is on leash. We don't have sidewalks where I live and I won't walk my dog there, leash or no leash.

At the reservoir we know everyone (or most). Often we're the only ones there. If I see a dog or a person that we don't know, I do get control of her, either by leashing her or by putting her on a strict heel to the right.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

It cranks my gears because I know that Max is not trustworthy off leash. Not that he'd attack a person or dog (he might love them to death) but he has zero recall, so he'd be all Mr. Happy Pants and the other person would be like, "get your dratted dog." I KNOW this, so I keep him on leash.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Dallas Gold said:


> I usually just yell at them to leash their dog if I can, then mention my older dog isn't friendly to dogs that rush him. He's visually impaired and perceives these encounters as a threat- he barks a lot, but won't hurt another animal unless he's attacked first. The barking usually gets the other owners' attention.
> 
> I also carry a zaplight flashlight in the early mornings and if I see an unleashed dog approach I use the zapper discharging it in the air to create a noise distraction. It usually sends dogs flying the opposite direction. I really don't care what the other owners think- I'm responsible for my dogs' safety and will try to prevent an unwanted encounter any way I can.


That's a really good idea, thank you for the advice! And you are so right, we are responsible for our dogs safety, and I try to do what I can in the situations, it's sometimes so hard and I feel like I'm flinging Champ around on the leash as I'm trying to dance around the other dog and get it away. It's so frustrating!



Vhuynh2 said:


> Yup, that is exactly what I say. I don't feel the need to be polite in those situations.
> 
> I don't allow Molly to decide what she wants to do. If I tell her to sit, she sits and she is not to meet that other dog.


Good point! Today I did say, "can you get your dog?" But I know it came off as frustrated and rude, but I really shouldn't care. I am going to begin practicing to be vocal for Champ's sake!



Nairb said:


> I've had a handful of encounters with an owner of a Yellow Lab who often appears out of nowhere in the dark, with the owner nowhere to be seen. The first time, he challenged me to a fight! I'm 6" taller, and probably outweigh him by 60-70 lbs, but I'm not interested in a fight. I just want him to either leash or train his dog!
> 
> Last time it happened, I yelled, "I see you haven't trained your dog yet!" He came running over, and we went back and forth for a good 5 minutes. That was about 3 months ago, and I haven't seen him since. I hope he moved.


Oh wow! Why did he do that? That's really insane...people are so strange!!



BriGuy said:


> I stand between Cookie and the oncoming dog and ask for the owner to call their dog. Almost nothing grinds my gears like an off leash dog trying to jump all over me and Cookie.
> 
> If we are in an off-leash area (we do go to hiking in one reservation often), then I do expect to see dogs running up before their owners and I will just call Cookie to me and we wait for the owners to show up and move on. 99% of the dogs I meet out on a long hike are very well behaved, I've noticed, but I still verify.


I really try to stand between my dog and the other dog but my dog is usually trying to go to the other dog to sniff it or play, and the other dog is trying to do the same so it's this weird shifting and dancing that you have to do, and I find it really difficult. And I agree, most off leash dogs are very respectful and nice, but it also gets me so angry when you run into these dogs and owners, like what happened today, when they allow their dog to behave that way.



Gwen_Dandridge said:


> Ah, I see my misunderstanding. We're always at the reservoir that is very lowly used or we're on hiking trails. On sidewalks or in town she is on leash. We don't have sidewalks where I live and I won't walk my dog there, leash or no leash.
> 
> At the reservoir we know everyone (or most). Often we're the only ones there. If I see a dog or a person that we don't know, I do get control of her, either by leashing her or by putting her on a strict heel to the right.


Okay good, I didn't want you to think that all off leash dogs are bad, because that is certainly not the case and Champ was just off leash yesterday at the open field. I am hoping one day Champ will be trained enough to just walk with me off leash and ignore everything else, and he is pretty good sometimes off leash, but I hope one day he can be as good as your Maddie! 



laprincessa said:


> It cranks my gears because I know that Max is not trustworthy off leash. Not that he'd attack a person or dog (he might love them to death) but he has zero recall, so he'd be all Mr. Happy Pants and the other person would be like, "get your dratted dog." I KNOW this, so I keep him on leash.


Exactly...that's how Champ is too! Champ is pretty good in some areas off leash, but when there is new stimuli, he does not want to hear us at all! Even if Champ was super good at recall, I still wouldn't let him off leash if he jumped on every dog he saw. The only way I would let him walk off leash with me is if he knew to ignore everyone else unless I told him to go say hello to someone and if he stuck completely by my side without venturing off. I have friends whose dogs are pretty good at recall, but they let them wander off in the woods or at the beach, and I just don't think it safe. What if there is a wild animal, what if they get bit by a snake, what if another dog comes out of no where....you NEVER know what can happen! I have a friends whose dogs are okay at recall, and she lets them run around without regard for other people. Well, her dog bit a person at the beach, and luckily for her no one contacted the authorities, and although she is my friend...I detest owners like her!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

I'm sure Champ will get to the level of recall you want as long as you work at it. The only limitation to Champ's training is you. I'm just glad to hear you have boundaries whereas many other owners don't seem too and then are surprised by their dogs actions.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I'm sure there are many effective ways to train recall, but the most important thing is repetition. We probably do 100 recalls per week, including the formal recalls we do for obedience training, and random recalls while she's milling around in the park. They all end in lots of praise, a treat, and sometimes play. I started doing these at about 4 months with the 50' lead. 

I later started using an ecollar, because I wanted to eliminate the long line, and didn't have 100% confidence that she wouldn't all of a sudden pretend she didn't hear me if I unhooked the long line. Most of the time, she wears the collar, but the transmitter is off and in my pocket. Occasionally, I take her out there without the collar, but at this point, only if we aren't going very far, and if there isn't another sole in sight. 

I practice having her walk "by me" when I want her right next to me, and release her when it's OK to run around. I can call her to my side or front anytime I want, release, and repeat. I even do it when there are soccer games going on around us and other dogs (as long as their leashed or well trained) and people wandering around. This didn't all happen over night. Judging by what I see out there, very few people work on recall as much as we do.


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Completely agree with Nairb. We do recalls all the time at the dog park too, sometimes even during the middle of him playing. I bring one piece of jerky with me always to the park and before we leave that piece is gone because I work on recall, usually breaks down into about 8-10 bite size pieces. I practice recall with him at least 6 times at the dog park, I got two dogs that love me cause they always know I have the jerky so I give it to them (with owner's permission of course).


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

dezymond said:


> Completely agree with Nairb. We do recalls all the time at the dog park too, sometimes even during the middle of him playing. I bring one piece of jerky with me always to the park and before we leave that piece is gone because I work on recall, usually breaks down into about 8-10 bite size pieces. I practice recall with him at least 6 times at the dog park, I got two dogs that love me cause they always know I have the jerky so I give it to them (with owner's permission of course).


Dog park recalls are probably hard to teach. 

The other thing I forgot to mention, is that I will also reward every time she comes up to me without being called. I use kibble, because most treats are too high in calories, and Bella is on a diet!


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

dezymond said:


> I'm sure Champ will get to the level of recall you want as long as you work at it. The only limitation to Champ's training is you. I'm just glad to hear you have boundaries whereas many other owners don't seem too and then are surprised by their dogs actions.


Thanks for saying that and it's so true! We practice all the time when we are out with him, and also in the house. 



Nairb said:


> I'm sure there are many effective ways to train recall, but the most important thing is repetition. We probably do 100 recalls per week, including the formal recalls we do for obedience training, and random recalls while she's milling around in the park. They all end in lots of praise, a treat, and sometimes play. I started doing these at about 4 months with the 50' lead.
> 
> I later started using an ecollar, because I wanted to eliminate the long line, and didn't have 100% confidence that she wouldn't all of a sudden pretend she didn't hear me if I unhooked the long line. Most of the time, she wears the collar, but the transmitter is off and in my pocket. Occasionally, I take her out there without the collar, but at this point, only if we aren't going very far, and if there isn't another sole in sight.
> 
> I practice having her walk "by me" when I want her right next to me, and release her when it's OK to run around. I can call her to my side or front anytime I want, release, and repeat. I even do it when there are soccer games going on around us and other dogs (as long as their leashed or well trained) and people wandering around. This didn't all happen over night. Judging by what I see out there, very few people work on recall as much as we do.


What is an ecollar? Not too long ago, we went to an open field and I had this fantasy that Champ was frolic about and keep coming back to us to check in. Well instead, Champ didn't go anywhere. He stood by us and wouldn't venture off at all. We would start walking, and it was like he was following our foot steps. However, he did not do this when we brought him to the beach, but my hope is that he will continue to stick by us and follow us around, but I guess there is no telling how he will be as he continues to grow up.



dezymond said:


> Completely agree with Nairb. We do recalls all the time at the dog park too, sometimes even during the middle of him playing. I bring one piece of jerky with me always to the park and before we leave that piece is gone because I work on recall, usually breaks down into about 8-10 bite size pieces. I practice recall with him at least 6 times at the dog park, I got two dogs that love me cause they always know I have the jerky so I give it to them (with owner's permission of course).


It's a great idea to bring the jerky! I always bring treats, although I didn't when we went into the dog park because I didn't want any issues with the dogs trying to get to the treats, but when we were at the dog park, when he was in the middle of play, I would call him and he would come running. He was such a good boy at recall, even at the dog park, and people even commented about how great he was at recall for his age. And I want to continue to practice this, maybe not at the dog park, but in other places where there are a lot of distractions. 



Nairb said:


> Dog park recalls are probably hard to teach.
> 
> The other thing I forgot to mention, is that I will also reward every time she comes up to me without being called. I use kibble, because most treats are too high in calories, and Bella is on a diet!


Thanks for the advice, and I definitely try to do that as much as possible. We usually just walk Champ on leash so up until this point it's been hard to teach recall when we are out, but now that we have been venturing out to dog parks and open fields, I plan on really working with him at recall. The first couple months we had him we would take him to one specific open field, and my husband and I would both have treats, and then I would call him, give him treats and praise, and then my husband would call him, treats and praise, and then repeat. We made it a fun game and also a learning experience.


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Nairb said:


> This didn't all happen over night. Judging by what I see out there, very few people work on recall as much as we do.


We work on it bunches too. We have since she was teeny. While she isn't great at the obedience class (too repetitious or something--she soured on me there), out she is great. Her stays are solid and her recall is quite good. If I whistle she might or might not come, but with the 'come' command, it is rare that she doesn't come bounding back. We don't always have a treat now, but we always praise and fuss over her. We work in the house, out back in the yard and everywhere we go.

I had her on a stay this morning (at the reservoir) and left her and walked on. About one hundred feet later I ran into an older man who said 'looks like your dog is resting.' I told him she wasn't resting but on a down stay. Then I yelled 'heel' and she came flying.

Occasionally, she doesn't come when I call (busy digging out gophers). I then go get her and put her on leash for a while.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

> What is an ecollar? Not too long ago, we went to an open field and I had this fantasy that Champ was frolic about and keep coming back to us to check in. Well instead, Champ didn't go anywhere. He stood by us and wouldn't venture off at all. We would start walking, and it was like he was following our foot steps. However, he did not do this when we brought him to the beach, but my hope is that he will continue to stick by us and follow us around, but I guess there is no telling how he will be as he continues to grow up.


ecollar = electronic collar. I know. Controversial around here, but Bella wouldn't be able to run around like she does at this point if I had not used one. She didn't just follow me around like you're describing at that young age. She'd go off sniffing stuff, and develop a sudden hearing impairment when I called her. That's why I started this stuff at such a young age.


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Nairb said:


> Dog park recalls are probably hard to teach.
> 
> The other thing I forgot to mention, is that I will also reward every time she comes up to me without being called. I use kibble, because most treats are too high in calories, and Bella is on a diet!


If he's just roaming around and is on the other side of the park, I would say he's pretty good about it. During play he's done it maybe I would say 2 out of 5 times. Recall is definitely more challenging at the dog park as expected, but we're improving on it.

We definitely have a long way to go especially with my lack of consistent training the past few months due to life getting busy. However, we've been pretty good on training the past 3 days and there is quite the difference in just that short amount of time. It's as if what we learned in our classes has fell back into place.


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Nairb said:


> ecollar = electronic collar. I know. Controversial around here, but Bella wouldn't be able to run around like she does at this point if I had not used one. She didn't just follow me around like you're describing at that young age. She'd go off sniffing stuff, and develop a sudden hearing impairment when I called her. That's why I started this stuff at such a young age.


It is controversial but definitely effective in the right hands. It's just that whenever I personally seen it brought up, they talk about the negatives of ecollars. They are wonderful tools to help in training if used correctly.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

dezymond said:


> It is controversial but definitely effective in the right hands. It's just that whenever I personally seen it brought up, they talk about the negatives of ecollars. They are wonderful tools to help in training if used correctly.


I agree. It's probably more controversial on this forum than it is with the general public. That said, it's probably not for everyone or for every dog. I would be hesitant to recommend one to someone without a lot of information about training habits, etc. I know I've made a few mistakes, but nothing major. When the transmitter is on, I generally only need the beep now. I'll use that in conjunction with a command occasionally just so she doesn't forget about it. Otherwise, the transmitter is usually off and in my pocket. 


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

dezymond said:


> The only limitation to Champ's training is you.


Thank you for this. I kinda needed to hear that tonight.


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> Thank you for this. I kinda needed to hear that tonight.


Sometimes we just need to remember that training is a lifelong lesson, both for humans and canines. As with anything, the less we practice, the more it shows.

Earlier tonight I hit a bump with some commands with Maverick. There is no way I could get frustrated with him due to my inconsistent training the past couple months. It just means we're a bit rusty and we gotta find our stride again


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## Hina (May 31, 2013)

Hi SMBC, thanks for your post! I have an 11 week old puppy and was not aware of some of the things that can arise at a dog park. A dog park is supposed to be fun. People can be so odd sometimes.


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

I've been reading this thread and must say it is very informing. We have just recently started to go to the dog parks and so far instead of weekends being crazy it's the weekdays when the not so friendly dogs are there. All 3 times we've went we've had a great experience and Chester loves it. I am cautious to bring him there while there are a lot of dogs just because he's not neutered and he won't be maybe not for another few months. 


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Hina said:


> Hi SMBC, thanks for your post! I have an 11 week old puppy and was not aware of some of the things that can arise at a dog park. A dog park is supposed to be fun. People can be so odd sometimes.


About any dog park is basically a "Free for all". All different types of dogs and people show up, whether you like their personality or not. I'm sure you'll run into at least one person you're not too fond of, but if you meet a nice group then it's definitely enjoyable. 

My local humane society has a dog park and dogs go through a screening process before they are allowed access. They do behavioral tests and all that from what I've heard. So there's basically no aggressive dogs there at all. Not sure if all humane societies have their own parks or not, but it could be something to look into in the future.


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## Dancer (Apr 5, 2010)

Nairb said:


> Is a dog park an appropriate place to bring high value toys? Or, any toys at all for that matter? I would think that would increase the likelihood of conflict between dogs.


Exactly! The 'rules' of our city's dog parks state that toys are not allowed- for exactly that reason! Yet there's always someone in there with a chuck-it.....would be nice to see people read and follow the rules sometimes! As for the neutering thing, I'd keep a printout of your park's rules handy and refer to them in the event of a conflict. I have brought my boys everywhere (including the odd dog park),and sometimes there are problems because they aren't neutered. Those problems have NEVER been caused boys though- they've usually been between myself and other dog owners who have a problem with me keeping them intact. 

Since it really isn't anyone else's business as long as your boy is behaving, I would just say that he's neutered rather than spend all day lecturing closed-minded people about the health benefits of neutering late (or not at all). 



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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Our dog park has the rules printed on a huge sign by the gate, there is also a wooden figure that says "you must be this tall to enter." I can't tell you how many times I saw small children in the park - the rules say 9 years old, and the wooden figure is at least as tall as the average 9 year old kid. 

My best friend's Lab has issues with un-neutered males and he got into a couple scuffles at the dog park. She totally took responsibility and no longer goes to the park with him. I would not advise lying about whether or not your dog is neutered, as long as your dog isn't the one causing the problem, and it's not against the rules, then anyone who has a problem with it can go, as my mother would say, pound salt.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Lol I like your mothers saying 


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> *Our dog park has the rules printed on a huge sign by the gate*


The amount of people who disregard any rules is ridiculous. Just had a run in with some tough guy at the dog park.

First he parks his car in a no parking zone. Second, he brings his pitbull (cropped ears and intact) across the street/lot without a leash. Third, his dog takes a dump and the guy doesn't pick it up and instead mumbles something as others are telling him his dog went.
He then leaves the park and goes to his car and is on the phone while he left his dog in the park. A friend of mine says "you gotta watch your dog" and the guy responds "mind your own (expletive) business". 

The guy comes in after 2min in his car and walks around the park, looks where his dog took his crap, and walks by it. He leaves and screams out the window "HAVE A NICE DAY!".

Seriously, some people....

Alot of the other owners have seen him before and we all have a unanimous vote that he's a jerk. We reported the vehicle to the ranger, but next time we're just calling the ranger. 

The dog is pretty calm and has some socialization, the owner on the other hand needs the shock collar that the dog was wearing. People like this guy really have no manners or courtesy whatsoever. Karma usually gets'em back and I hope it gets this guy back pretty good.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

dezymond said:


> The amount of people who disregard any rules is ridiculous. Just had a run in with some tough guy at the dog park.
> 
> First he parks his car in a no parking zone. Second, he brings his pitbull (cropped ears and intact) across the street/lot without a leash. Third, his dog takes a dump and the guy doesn't pick it up and instead mumbles something as others are telling him his dog went.
> He then leaves the park and goes to his car and is on the phone while he left his dog in the park. A friend of mine says "you gotta watch your dog" and the guy responds "mind your own (expletive) business".
> ...


That guy is the reason a dog park wouldn't work for me. You must have more patience than I do.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

My dog park doesn't have a sign with rules that I know of. It's a small one in a very uppity neiborhood and most of the dogs are trained to the point of being robotic, although we don't really get any scrappy dogs unless the Sunday rush comes


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Nairb said:


> That guy is the reason a dog park wouldn't work for me. You must have more patience than I do.


I am a very patient person. Unless it's necessary I avoid any confrontation. His dog was well behaved but this guy needs someone to teach him some manners and etiquette.

We have a very nice park and many of the regulars try to help keep it clean. Knuckleheads like this guy is the reason why not every city can have a nice place


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

dezymond said:


> The amount of people who disregard any rules is ridiculous. Just had a run in with some tough guy at the dog park.
> 
> First he parks his car in a no parking zone. Second, he brings his pitbull (cropped ears and intact) across the street/lot without a leash. Third, his dog takes a dump and the guy doesn't pick it up and instead mumbles something as others are telling him his dog went.
> He then leaves the park and goes to his car and is on the phone while he left his dog in the park. A friend of mine says "you gotta watch your dog" and the guy responds "mind your own (expletive) business".
> ...


I remember the time the dog took a dump right in front of us, and I said to the owner, "are you going to pick that up?" She said, "Oh, did MY dog do that?" No, it was his invisible twin. :doh: And then there was the girl who came in with her Newfie and her Bernese Mt. Dog. She would tell us sadly that they didn't want to be there, as they were cornering and taking down a dog. 

My Max is a humper. It annoys people - I don't think it's a big deal but I got tired of having people tell me he was aggressive. We just don't do dog park any more.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Hina said:


> Hi SMBC, thanks for your post! I have an 11 week old puppy and was not aware of some of the things that can arise at a dog park. A dog park is supposed to be fun. People can be so odd sometimes.





xoerika620xo said:


> I've been reading this thread and must say it is very informing. We have just recently started to go to the dog parks and so far instead of weekends being crazy it's the weekdays when the not so friendly dogs are there. All 3 times we've went we've had a great experience and Chester loves it. I am cautious to bring him there while there are a lot of dogs just because he's not neutered and he won't be maybe not for another few months.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Oh good I am glad it is helping people as much as it has been helping me! We haven't brought him back to the dog park again and I don't think I will for a long time. We took him to a field the other day and he was so busy eating grass that he didn't listen to us at all, and we made an appointment with a private trainer starting on Thursday. I told her he is pretty good, but I really want to learn how to train him to stick by us when off leash and to ignore other dogs and humans, and to continue to work on recall. These things are so important to me and can be so useful at a dog park, or any other place where there are humans and dogs and you need to keep your dog safe.

I think someone really needs to come up with a list of sayings that we can use in different situations, like when we need to tell someone to leash up their dog, when we dont want them or their dog to greet our dog. 

Today we took Champ for a swim lesson...yes, I know crazy but fun. There is a woman who owns a property where she not only does hydrotherapy but does puppy first swim lessons and also lets people use her pool with their own dogs if they are able to do it on their own. Well, we got there and a woman was finishing up and brought her dog to her car, and we were standing close by. She said some nice words about Champ, and then asked if he was friendly, I said yes, and she brought her dog over (I thought it was just a general question) and they smelled for only a second, and the dog lunged, growled and I am pretty sure bit Champ because he yelped, I checked him over thought I couldn't find any damage. She was shocked and apologetic and reprimanded her dog and asked if Champ was okay. My husband and I were talking about it on the way home though and I said next time someone tries to approach or asks if he is friendly so they can approach I am going to say, "yes, but I don't want him meeting other dogs right now" and maybe I can add the "because he's in training" piece. My husband made a sarcastic suggestion and told me we should say, "yes he's friendly, but I bet your dog won't be as friendly as you think it will be." 

I hate to say it, but from now on I am going to be super selective who I allow Champ to meet....I know that sounds horrible, but no small dogs anymore, and I know this would be harder to do at a dog park, and I mean this is happening weekly, almost daily, where he is getting barked or growled at, and that's why we wont go to the dog park anymore, it's not a controlled environment. If I am having a hard time preventing the aggression toward Champ when both dogs are on leash, I can't fathom what could possibly go wrong at a dog park. 

But I also don't want to make it sound like dog parks are bad...I just think at the stage where Champ is right now...because he's a puppy, and smaller, and is not neutered, it makes for a bad combination and he is more likely to get picked on. Maybe when he is older, bigger and neutered it'll be a different story.


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## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

Sorry you had bad experiences. We go when we know there won't be to many people there and always look for an empty area. There are five separate section all fenced in individually so we can usually get a place to ourselves. The other dogs we have met..so far have been good and their owners pretty cool...but I'm about letting her run to her hearts content when we go not playing with other unknown dogs....

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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Don't feel bad about thinking dog parks are bad, it's your opinion and you're entitled to it. And if it's for the safety of Champ, you shouldn't feel an ounce of guilt for thinking so, you're just doing what you can to protect him. 

Yes I had those same worries and still do "how will this dog react with Maverick?" However, I feel it's safe enough and that our local dog park parking fee (it's located in a county park) keeps out all the problem dogs. If I wanted to further eliminate that chance I may just sign him up at the Humane Society dog park where a background and screening process is mandatory before granting membership. For now though I use my gut, and if I don't feel comfortable with a situation at the dog park, I'll simply remove both of us from it. The dog park isn't going anywhere, the other dog/s will leave eventually.

As long as Champ gets the socialization and exercise he needs then there's nothing against you thinking dog parks are bad, for now or further down the road.


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