Thoughts on dog parks?

[biaham876]

We took Neo to a local dog park a few times. He does good for the most part and plays really well with other dogs. He’s very good at matching their energy and how they are playing with him. However, the second time we were there he did get spooked by an older dog, but was not afraid to go back. The last time we were there he tried to hump a female the entire time, she was not having it at all (and he’s only 5 months?!) I like the socialization aspect, but I am thinking we might not be going much longer.

Do you take your dogs to dog parks and how do you socialize them?

 

[jazzies mum]

Tried dog parks and found that it was too uncontrolled and potentially dangerous. While there wasn't anything more than bullying I found my young dog losing confidence so stopped going. I did take her to puppy daycare a few times so she learnt how to interact with dogs in a properly supervised and monitored environment. Looking back I would have been better off to just take my young dog to more public places where she could see people and dogs without needing to interact but I live in a fairly isolated rural area and those sorts of public gatherings aren't my cup of tea!

 

[biaham876]

I agree...we try to do as many lot public places as possible. I am also concerned about hurting his confidence. He has been doing good so far, but you never know what you’re going to get there.

 

[Antman408]

I think theirs a misconception with socialization. Your dog doesn’t need dog or people friends. Just you and the people who live with you. Socializing is bringing the dog out in public and learning to accept and ignore other people and other dogs. Desensitize.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

I used our nearest dog park to socialize Oji. This consisted mostly of letting him interact with other dogs, and just a little bit of practicing obedience in that environment. Far from perfect and somewhat risky, but the only money it cost me was the gas to drive there and back on the occasions we did not run there.

Oji may not be the most Alpha dog out there, but he is fairly dominant and plays rough. Many people misunderstood his aggressive looking and sounding conduct.

The person and dog I most feel sorry for are a smallish dog and his owner – the owner having said she was okay with the rough play. When Oji finally rammed the little dog into the dirt with his snout (it was kind of brutal) the owner picked her dog up and comforted him. She did not complain to me though. She seemed to recall that she said she was okay with it.

I learned that Oji will sometimes pee on other dogs – one time right in the face of a dominant bitch. I also learned that he will pee on people. One young woman was rather mortified. I don't know if she was going out after the dog park and didn't know how she'd proceed with dog pee on the leg of her jeans or what.

So yeah, it was eventful but it got the job fairly well done for us.

Just be careful. Know when a scrap is turning serious, and try to determine which dogs are just too big a risk to allow yours to play with. It's not possible to know which one may actually be dangerous and do damage.

 

[Gman88]

I think the dog park is specific to each individual doberman. Here in my town there is an off leash dog park called Serrania Park. There are about 6 different dobermans that frequent the park daily. They play well with others and are super people friendly.

After speaking with their owners, they said that they did the normal amount of socialization with their dobes and didnt force the situation. A few owners also said that they owned two dobermans but only 1 of them were behaved enough to go to the park.

I couldnt fathom taking my Bruno to a dog park but he does well at open boarding with 20 dogs his size roaming free. I feel like when I enter the mix he tries to gaurd me and it causes problems.

 

[MyBuddy]

I don't have a good opinion on dog parks. I think some people gravitate to them because it's an area to allow their dog off-leash. I understand that. Dobermans are a active dog and letting them them off-leash to burn off energy is fun and always a joy to watch. When you're there alone! But with other dogs and owners in the mix, too much can happen. Some people go there and just release their dogs and go about talking to other people or sitting on their phone. Not watching what's going on in the park with other dogs. Sometimes it can get rather rambunctious. Sometimes even dangerous.

Even a playground with a lot of children can get rambunctious and if you're not watching, suddenly two children are fighting or one is bullying. Same thing with dogs. But you can't talk to a dog to make them understand what they're doing is wrong. Or right! I've seen too many episodes of Judge Judy where things have gone horribly wrong at a dog park. Then everybody wants to sue!

Socializing your dog, on leash, in public places is a good way to teach obedience and manners. And making your dog think tires them out too!

 

[GennyB]

Sometimes even dangerous.

I read an article about dog emergencies. I think the specific topic was how to know when it is an emergency or if it can wait. I don't remember exactly. The thing that did stick out in the article, and I think this is a quote, ask any Vet what their #1 emergency is and the answers is fights at a dog park. They also mentioned the percentage of dogs that die from the injuries. I have forgotten what that number was but it was surprisingly high.
We have dog parks all over the place around here and the ONLY reason we go is to stay on the outside to work with my dogs with distractions. No WAY I would ever step foot inside! Just too many things that can go wrong.

 

[Rodyboy]

I went to the vet one day for a fecal test and they were in a tizzy with emergencies. They volunteered to tell me they were from dog parks. We have a fenced yard so he can run there. It's not that big but he gets the job done. He guards me to closely and I don't need to expose him or I to a dangerous situation. It can turn ugly in a heartbeat.

 

[biaham876]

I used our nearest dog park to socialize Oji. This consisted mostly of letting him interact with other dogs, and just a little bit of practicing obedience in that environment. Far from perfect and somewhat risky, but the only money it cost me was the gas to drive there and back on the occasions we did not run there.

Oji may not be the most Alpha dog out there, but he is fairly dominant and plays rough. Many people misunderstood his aggressive looking and sounding conduct.

The person and dog I most feel sorry for are a smallish dog and his owner – the owner having said she was okay with the rough play. When Oji finally rammed the little dog into the dirt with his snout (it was kind of brutal) the owner picked her dog up and comforted him. She did not complain to me though. She seemed to recall that she said she was okay with it.

I learned that Oji will sometimes pee on other dogs – one time right in the face of a dominant bitch. I also learned that he will pee on people. One young woman was rather mortified. I don't know if she was going out after the dog park and didn't know how she'd proceed with dog pee on the leg of her jeans or what.

So yeah, it was eventful but it got the job fairly well done for us.

Just be careful. Know when a scrap is turning serious, and try to determine which dogs are just too big a risk to allow yours to play with. It's not possible to know which one may actually be dangerous and do damage.[/QUOTE

I read an article about dog emergencies. I think the specific topic was how to know when it is an emergency or if it can wait. I don't remember exactly. The thing that did stick out in the article, and I think this is a quote, ask any Vet what their #1 emergency is and the answers is fights at a dog park. They also mentioned the percentage of dogs that die from the injuries. I have forgotten what that number was but it was surprisingly high.
We have dog parks all over the place around here and the ONLY reason we go is to stay on the outside to work with my dogs with distractions. No WAY I would ever step foot inside! Just too many things that can go wrong.

I really like the idea of not actually go inside, but staying outside and working with distractions.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

Dog parks to me are a recipe for long and lasting disasters. One wrong moment and your puppy can become fearful, lose confidence and possibly be severely injured physically and emotionally.

Dobermans are more people (owner) oriented and do not have a need to play with other dogs and or people. Walk them in areas where there are lots of distractions like people walking, horns blowing, car noises, music playing and just general activity. Have plenty of treats and a high value toy with you and teach them to focus on you. Be the most interesting and fun thing in the world to them. You want them to totally focus on you even with all the strange noises, people and other distractions. This helps build their confidence. You want your Dobie to always look to you for direction.

Down here I call the dog parks the ‘Breakfast Club’ because the owners come in with their dogs, let them loose then sit with their friends drinking coffee, chatting, reading the paper etc. and totally ignore their dogs until something happens like a fight. Then we see them at the clinic and have to treat the injuries. we discourage clients from going to dog parks because of this.
Try organizing pack walks where all dogs are on a lead and it’s controlled. Start out with one or two people with their dogs then build from there.

 

[LifeofRubie]

There are many issues with dog parks, primarily people taking their overly excited, not exercised dogs there to 'let off some steam' and then those owners looking at their phones the whole time instead of monitoring their dog.

If you took your kid to a playground and there was an out of control kid there screaming, chasing, hitting, and being generally obnoxious and the parents wasn't interfering, your kid would probably say they didn't want to go back to the park.

There is also the problem of the toys/balls that people bring. Resource guarding can be an issue. I know Rubie guards balls so I didn't bring them. Other people would though and if she got a hold of it... sorry. It was most likely coming home with us.

Moo is much better about the dog park but he's not fixed. He is super submissive but there is a jerk who brings his bully rottweiler who is also unfixed to the park. I don't care the he's an intact rotty but this guy has NO control over his dog. It could be an intact golden and I'd dislike the situation just as much.

One of the best things we did with Rubie, our Dobe, was stop going to the dog park and start agility classes. She learned proper socialization in agility class: you ignore all the other dogs and people around us and focus on ME. She's much happier and more relaxed. She can walk loose leashed through a crowd of agility dogs because 1. they've been taught to ignore other dogs and 2. she's been taught to ignore other dogs. It's MAGICAL!

If you MUST have play dates or if it seems he genuinely enjoys the company of other dogs, set up play dates with one other dog in a control environment, like a fenced in yard, where you can be super diligent about watching their interaction.

 

[Vinnie's Mom]

The best thing I did for Vinnie was bring him to day care. He learned how to play with all kinds of dogs in a supervised location where all dogs are vet checked prior to admittance. He loves it, learns tons from it, is able to have friends and I dont have to worry. Also I get a break for 8 hours which is a total bonus lol! He is also usually so tired from playing all day that he goes right to sleep so while it is kind of expensive...30 bucks for the full 8 hr day...I get 24 hours of peace I will take him to a dog park now and then but I do my homework first and will only go in if we are alone and it has good reviews and is clean and well kept.

 

[Skatchkeb]

I bring tank to the dog park to train. I use the people and dogs as distractions to get his focus down pat. I find it great as long as I dont have to talk to some nancys who let their wild mutts do whatever they please.

 

[Doberman Gang]

One of the best things we did with Rubie, our Dobe, was stop going to the dog park and start agility classes. She learned proper socialization in agility class: you ignore all the other dogs and people around us and focus on ME. She's much happier and more relaxed. She can walk loose leashed through a crowd of agility dogs because 1. they've been taught to ignore other dogs and 2. she's been taught to ignore other dogs. It's MAGICAL!

If you MUST have play dates or if it seems he genuinely enjoys the company of other dogs, set up play dates with one other dog in a control environment, like a fenced in yard, where you can be super diligent about watching their interaction.

This is it exactly. Dogs aren’t humans as much as many people believe they are. They don’t think like us, they do not need to have social interaction with other dogs, that is people humanizing them. Dogs learning to behave when strangers and dogs are around, teaching them that they can ignore stuff not play with it. If you think your dog needs to play with another dog my suggestion would be go out and play or do some training, your dog would much rather spend time with you then some strange dog. You do this and your dog won’t be seeking out strangers and there dogs, they will be more content and happy being by your side.

 

[Doberman Gang]

One of the best things we did with Rubie, our Dobe, was stop going to the dog park and start agility classes. She learned proper socialization in agility class: you ignore all the other dogs and people around us and focus on ME. She's much happier and more relaxed. She can walk loose leashed through a crowd of agility dogs because 1. they've been taught to ignore other dogs and 2. she's been taught to ignore other dogs. It's MAGICAL!

If you MUST have play dates or if it seems he genuinely enjoys the company of other dogs, set up play dates with one other dog in a control environment, like a fenced in yard, where you can be super diligent about watching their interaction.[/QUOTE]
This is it exactly. Dogs aren’t humans as much as many people believe they are. They don’t think like us, they do not need to have social interaction with other dogs, that is people humanizing them. Dogs learning to behave when strangers and dogs are around is key.

 

[jazzies mum]

You want them to totally focus on you even with all the strange noises, people and other distractions. This helps build their confidence. You want your Dobie to always look to you for direction.

Slightly off topic but worth a mention. Having Jazz used to daycare and short stays in kennels, (GOOD kennels), set her up to tolerate a situation that could have been traumatic for her. She had to be flown across Australia, being in all sorts of different situations, with different people. It took three days and when I picked her up she was a little thin, very glad to see me and but not overly stressed! Then there was a ferry crossing on the way home where the kennels were on the car deck and very noisy. It was an extremely rough crossing but she came out of the crate with helicopter tail and glued herself to my leg while we negotiated through people, baggage and cars all starting their engines. Chaotic! I think the work you put into giving your pup confidence, and confidence in you is as important as all the obedience training and it all goes together. Dog parks are almost the opposite of what you want your dog to experience a lot of the time.

 

[biaham876]

Slightly off topic but worth a mention. Having Jazz used to daycare and short stays in kennels, (GOOD kennels), set her up to tolerate a situation that could have been traumatic for her. She had to be flown across Australia, being in all sorts of different situations, with different people. It took three days and when I picked her up she was a little thin, very glad to see me and but not overly stressed! Then there was a ferry crossing on the way home where the kennels were on the car deck and very noisy. It was an extremely rough crossing but she came out of the crate with helicopter tail and glued herself to my leg while we negotiated through people, baggage and cars all starting their engines. Chaotic! I think the work you put into giving your pup confidence, and confidence in you is as important as all the obedience training and it all goes together. Dog parks are almost the opposite of what you want your dog to experience a lot of the time.

I agree...I am beginning to think the dog park is the exact opposite of what I want him to experience.

 

[biaham876]

I bring tank to the dog park to train. I use the people and dogs as distractions to get his focus down pat. I find it great as long as I dont have to talk to some nancys who let their wild mutts do whatever they please.

This is something I definitely want to try. We do a lot of training at home with distractions, but the dog park environment would be a great environment to take it to the next level.

 

[Ivory Skye]

I made the mistake of taking my 3-4-5 month girl down the beach to play with other dogs that were off leash, I had her on a long line. But I have taken her off the beach because I have learnt it only has taught her to be crazy like the other off lead dogs when she sees other dogs! Worst mistake I've made! I really regret it now while trying to untrain this behaviour and it is very hard because she is getting so strong at 7 months. Now being on the short lead around other dogs she is frustrated and agressive launching, growling and barking, I know she only wants to play but it's the way she goes about it. My advise don't do it until he is fully trained to ignore all other distractions and just focuses on you. This is my nightmare atm.