Comments on: Enclosed Dog Parks – Good or Bad?

By: Tali

Tali — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 14:19:13 +0000

The best use of a dog park is when you train your dog how to ignore other dogs and focus on you from OUTSIDE the fence. If you go in, you are only going to teach your dog how to fight with other dogs. Not worth it. There are so many ways to get exercise for your dog, and socialization, well a properly socialized dog doesn’t need to play with other dogs, but ignore them politely and focus on their handlers direction.

By: Laurie Kiewit

Laurie Kiewit — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 12:29:54 +0000

My Shiba, Suki and I go to the dog park every day at around the same time. There is a group of dogs she plays with that all have different play styles and temperaments. Suki is 10 months old. However, there is one dog that is a hound who started out as friendly and outgoing. Lately, however, he has been starting “scuffles” that come close to being fights. Suki never backs down when he starts the bad behavior but I intervene as quick as I can. I will leave the park after this incident to get her calmed down. Even though she hasn’t started the confrontation, she will get involved and over excited. Otherwise, Suki is well liked by most of the dog owners as she will greet every new person and dog. Should I be concerned about her future temperament at the park?

By: shibashake

shibashake — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 06:54:35 +0000

In reply to Justin F.

Very well said!

Thank you Justin and big hugs to your lucky, furry boy. 😀

By: Justin F

Justin F — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 15:38:13 +0000

Great article, thanks!
We have recently had to cut back the amount of park time our lab-boxer mix gets, as he started picking up rude habits. He used to never hump, now he tries to greet other dogs with this. He used to sniff as an intro, now it’s straight for the neck rough housing.
Instead we started taking him to a doggy daycare a few times a week. All the staff are certified trainers who teach the older dogs what is acceptable play, and they in turn teach the younger ones.
The dog park, to me, is where people take their dogs go to play like cave men. We want our little guy to be more sociable than that. You wouldn’t let 4 kids team up on your kid at the park and pin him down. You wouldn’t let your kid participate in teaming up on a new kid. So why do people let their dogs do this???
Not to say we quit going, we just go at times when it’s less crowded. We stay close and we have to parent other people’s dogs who try to hump, bite at neck/lips, growl, bark etc. Your dog picks up on these behaviors and WILL mimic them.

By: Talia

Talia — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 13:57:06 +0000

Our Lab, like most Labs, loves to fetch. He is great with other dogs and even gently corrects unruly ones when needed, so dog parks are a great place for him. However, he never fails to find an abandoned tennis ball at the parks we take him to. We refuse to throw for him because he runs all out, skids in the dirt/gravel etc. and rips up his pads. We only play fetch on thick grass with him. So he approaches other dog owners and spits his ball out in front of THEM. As we run screaming NO NO NO!! DON”T THROW IT!! the dog owners throw it. We go home with a bloody dog. We have also noticed that if he approaches strangers in our neighborhood with a ball, it never fails- the person throws the ball/stick/toy directly into the street! So not only is he in traffic, but skidding on pavement. Blood blood everywhere. Please Dog Owners!! I know it is fun to throw a ball for a dog, but please ask the owner if it is OK first and let them pick the direction of the throw! The dog may have health/joint issues or something else more serious than over exuberance like our Lab. Thanks!

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 21:46:53 +0000

We adopted our boxer mix about a year and a half ago (now 2 or 3 years old, not sure). When we first got him, we would take him to the dog park on a weekly basis, however the longer we have had him, behaviors has start to develop more (first we knew it was only unneutered adult males, but now it seems to have turned to most alpha males, those who hump, paw up, pin, and mark) that he will try to fight with. He does great with females, puppies, and some males, and we even taught him “be little” where he will lay down and play with smaller dogs or puppies. So due to a few instances of breaking up fights, we stopped taking him. It makes me sad that he doesn’t get to play with dogs as often, but we do try to set up some play dates with dogs that we know he gets along with, or might mingle with single dogs that we meet on walks that he seems to like (those he will bow to or roll on his back for). This does happen often, but at the dog park, there is such a mix of dogs, that if there is just one he doesn’t like, I know he can’t handle it. So we try to make up for it by taking him for about 2-4 mile walks a day, playing ball for about a half an hour or more daily, weekend trips to the forest preserves and pets stores, and daily training and tricks. I don’t know if I can ever get him over his “alpha” hate. Plus some people just don’t watch their dogs or allow “bad behavior.”

By: shibashake

shibashake — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:21:52 +0000

In reply to donna woolard. Yeah, I have had similar experiences at the dog park. It is just too chaotic and some people do not think the rules apply to them. In the end, I decided to do smaller supervised play-groups at my house. In this way, I can structure things better and make sure that my dogs do not pick up bad habits or practice anti-social behavior. Instead, I can use play as a way of rewarding them for following rules, playing nice, and other positive actions.

By: donna woolard

donna woolard — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:52:45 +0000

I have problems with my Belgian Malinois and small dogs. I think if he got ahold of one he would kill it. Other people bring their small dogs in with the attitude of “he thinks he is a big dog”. I am watching the gate constantly looking for someone to bring their small dogs in so I can get my dog and leave. It states on the gate that it is for 30 pounds or over.

By: shibashake

shibashake — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:38:53 +0000

Hi George,

You have a very lucky Shiba because you are doing all the right things from the start. Poor Shiba Sephy had to go through all sorts of things while we were learning the ropes in the beginning.

With other dogs, I have recently noticed that Sephy doesn’t like them smelling his butt which is a dominance move. Now I make sure they don’t mess with his back region and greetings go a lot better. Also I only let him meet friendly, non-dominant dogs. Don’t think Shibas like dominant dogs 🙂

Nice neighborhood to have so many friendly dogs. Wish there were more around here.

By: George

George — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:47:28 +0000

Thanks for the dog park information. I have thought about bringing my Shiba to a park but have had reservations that mirror your experiences. Generally, he (Rusty) gets along with other dogs that want to play but will attack any dog that he thinks is physically threatening him. Since he does not give a warning, it is hard to anticipate an attack even when he is on a leash. He shares a house with a mali-poo and counts as neighborhood buddies a shepard mix, 2 yorkies, a shauzer, a Godlen Retriever, and a Kindo (sp?). So it is not that he is anti-social per se. but unpredictable.

He also gets along pretty well with strangers and even behaves well with vets.

So, no dog parks for him. I have a neighbor who brings a Plott hound to a local playground. I am attempting an approach in which they get used to relaxing within about a 15 ft diameter space over a period of time before being brought to within nose-touching distance of each other. Perhaps his aggressiveness will ameliorate a bit.