Everybody’s an expert when armchair-training someone else’s dog, just like everybody’s an expert when armchair-parenting someone else’s child.
When I first got my Shiba Inu (Sephy), I had a difficult time with him. Shibas are stubborn, independent, bold, and energetic – I was unprepared for such a dog. Naturally, friends, neighbors, and even strangers, had lots of unsolicited advice about what I should be doing.
“Just slap him on the muzzle”, “Show him who is boss”, “Say no bite and hold on to his muzzle”, “Wrestle him to the ground and growl at him”, “Use a choke chain”, “Pinch his ear”, and on and on it went.
Much of the information was wrong, some of it was risky and dangerous, and none of it considered matters from the dog’s perspective.
I went online to look for more information, and it was more of the same. “Discussions” had a lot of conflicting information, a lot of personal attacks, and it was difficult to separate what was fact, from what was fiction.
Here are a few things that helped me.
1. Get Information from Multiple Sources
In the beginning, I made many dog training mistakes with Sephy because I was unprepared. However, one of the first things that I did right, was to get information from multiple different, but reputable sources. I called up many different trainers in my area, talked to them about problems with my dogs, asked them a lot of questions about their philosophy on training, asked them for book or article suggestions, and more.
Once I had an overview of the different positions, I could better decide which of those sources are rooted in scientific fact, which are conjecture, and which are complete rubbish.
Some places that I currently visit for dog training information-
a) Scientific studies and articles from schools with a strong animal behavior program.
We can start by looking at the top veterinarian schools in the country. Then, we can further narrow things down by looking at websites and articles to see if they have a strong behavioral program.
In addition, we may refer to this great article by Patricia McConnell on what it means to be an animal behaviorist, and which schools have good animal behavior programs.
UC Davis appears high-up in both of these lists, therefore, if I were interested in dog dominance, I may do a search on “dog dominance ucdavis” or “dog dominance upenn”.
Below are several well-known dog behaviorists, with strong practical experience as well as theoretical backgrounds. Their websites and blogs have many good articles on dog training and dog behavior.
b) Well-respected dog advocate organizations.
Another great resource for dog care and dog training information are reputable dog advocate organizations, such as the –
- ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals),
- RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals),
- Humane Society of the United States,
- AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), and
- AVSAB (The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior).
Some good articles on how to find a trainer.
c) Breed specific online forums.
During my difficult time with Sephy, I also visited several Shiba Inu discussion forums. These forums had many veteran Shiba owners who have gone through similar issues as I was having with Sephy.
It was very helpful to read about similar experiences, as well as suggestions made by people who are very familiar with the breed.
However, as with any other online public space, there were also some misleading and false comments. Therefore, it is best to temper online comments with a good dose of scientific data and objective facts.
Finally, I also enjoy watching dog training shows on t.v., but that is more for entertainment. Here is why.
Do not attempt the techniques you are about to see without consulting a professional.
~~[ Quote from The Dog Whisperer Show on The National Geographic Channel ]
2. Keep an Open Mind and Listen to Our Dog
During online interactions, I always try to remember my main goal – which is to gather information on training and behavior, so that I can make good decisions for my dogs, and enhance their quality of life. When I get a new piece of information, I ask myself the following –
- Does it come from a trustworthy source?
- Does it fit in logically with other facts that I know about dog behavior?
- If it is true, will it change how I currently do things with my dogs? If so, I will need to do more research to test its veracity.
- Finally, and most importantly, I always try to listen to my dog. I do training and learn about dog behavior to improve his quality of life. Therefore, he can best tell me if a technique is ‘working‘ or not. If my dog starts showing signs of stress or fearfulness, then I know that it is not the right technique for us.
I try my hardest not to let ego get in the way, and to stay out of pointless extremist arguments that lead nowhere. The thing about extremists is that they are always right and they always know what is right for everyone else, therefore, there is no room for discussion and learning.
“The world is a circle that has as many centres as it has men.”
~~[Bakker, R. Scott (2011-04-14). The White Luck Warrior (p. 379)]
3. Beware the Miracle Technique
When I first started my journey with Sephy, I came across many promises for easy solutions and answers to our problems. There were claims of ‘special words‘ that would suddenly make my Shiba obedient.
Others make claim of convenient and automatic tools, such as the electronic collar, that can correct my dog effectively even when I am not there. Proponents of the electronic or shock collar frequently claim that they do not cause any pain, are not risky, have no ill effects, are effective, save lives, and more.
A common meme is that –
Shock collars, choke collars, jabbing our dog, and more, are not painful. They are merely used to get our dog’s attention or to communicate with our dog.
Physical laws tell us that passing an electric current through our dog, choking him with a collar, and poking him hard with our fingers will cause pain and discomfort.
Laws of animal behavior tell us that dogs repeat behaviors that get them good results and stop behaviors that get them bad results. Techniques that apply pain may suppress certain dog behaviors, precisely because pain is a bad result.
The pain applied will have to be large enough to deter our dog from performing what *we* consider to be a bad behavior. Too little pain, and our dog will just ignore it. Too much pain, and our dog may become fearful, overly anxious, and aggressive. No pain at all, will logically have no effect.
If all we wanted to do is to get our dog’s attention and communicate with him, then a whistle should be sufficient to do the job. There would be no need for shocks, chokes, and jabs.
It is true that these techniques –
- Get our dog’s attention, and
- Are a way of communicating our wishes to our dog.
However, this is achieved through pain. Shock collars, collar corrections, and jabbing our dog with fingers all cause pain to our dog. The pain gets our dog’s attention, and the pain communicates to our dog the following message – “Do this, or else …”
Most of us do not want to inflict pain upon others, much less on those we love. When we make decisions that involve causing pain to our dogs, we will naturally shy away from the thought, which is why we create the miracle method that does not cause any pain or stress.
If indeed these techniques were painless, safe, and miraculous, dog advocate organizations such as the ASPCA, RSPCA, AVSAB, Blue Cross (UK), and more, would not be so against their use in training our companion dogs. If indeed such methods were so miraculous, this mother from Utah would not be facing charges for allegedly using shock collars on her children.
Other common myths about dog training –
- Dog dominance is the source of aggression and most bad dog behavior. This is false.
- Hitting my dog and other forms of physical force is more effective because dogs do that to other dogs. This is also false. In fact, this University of Pennsylvania study shows that physical force and dominance techniques have a high risk of causing aggression in our dogs.
There are no miracle cures in dog training. I make the best decisions for my dogs when I consider each technique objectively, based on the scientific data and facts around it. Then, I carefully observe my dog and listen to what he says, so that I can tweak things appropriately based on his particular environment and temperament.
Hey! Your website so far is a lifesaver! I just got a 2 week old Shiba I named waffles, and I although I did read that puppies have biting problems, mine doesn’t stop? He likes to bite my books and binders and papers for school and I very firmly and calmly push my hand in between him and his victim and say a stern no. Waffles just jumped back and opens his mouth and keeps playing and biting. I have felt with this today by picking him up and holding him closer while telling him no but now he’s a bit scared to approach me. I feel like I should not do that but I have no idea how else to make him stop. He completely ignores his toys when he finds a new homework packet to gnaw on. Do you have any advice for me??
I LOVE YOUR WEBSITE
Hey, i got a german shepherd, i got 4 cats and he likes to chase them wich is normal i guess but the problem is that he likes to bite us (the people) and i usually put him on time outs, close him in the kitchen alone and after 5 minutes i let him out and he is calmer but after 1 hour he is biting us again and my arms are bleeding.
How old is he? What is his daily routine like?
I deal with my puppy biting by doing three things-
1. Bite inhibition training.
2. No-bite conditioning.
3. Structure and puppy self-control.
I talk more about how I do these three things in the articles below.
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-how-to-stop-puppy-biting
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-tips-solutions
This ASPCA article has more on introducing a new dog to a cat-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-dog
However, dog behavior is very context dependent so the dog’s temperament, routine, environment and more will all play a role. Given what you describe, I would get help from a good professional trainer.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I he you can help! I have a Boston terrior who is eight my daughter has a English bulldog they seem to get along most of the time, but they have been in three fights now and the Boston was injured twice. We can’t have this in the house and I don’t want to make my daughter get rid of her dog. It seems to happen if someone comes to the door and they both run to it and goes from there, ther first one happened when they were both outside over nothing, this is making it very stressful in our house. The Boston is usually very calm where the bulldog seems to be very hyper. Please help!
What is the daily routine of both dogs? How much exercise does the bulldog get? What kind of training are both dogs used to? What are their house rules?
With my dogs, I set up clear dog-to-dog interaction rules (e.g. no stealing, no humping) and I supervise closely to make sure that everyone is following the rules. In this way, my dogs know exactly what to expect from each other, what to expect from me, and what I expect from them in return. This helps to create certainty and certainty helps to reduce stress and conflicts.
By closely supervising my dogs, I can quickly redirect them as soon as I see questionable behaviors and prevent things from escalating. I set my dogs up for success by managing their environment and routine, and making sure *not* to expose them to situations they are not ready for. I do not leave my dogs alone, unsupervised, until I am very very sure that there will be no issues. I use leashes, baby gates, and other management equipment as necessary, and to keep everyone safe. For example, if I know that the trigger is the doorbell, I make sure to keep one dog with me (using a leash if needed), so that issues do not develop at the door before I can get there. Management and supervision are key.
More on how I help my dogs get along.
When someone comes to the door, dogs will often get excited. However, they are blocked from getting to the interesting stuff. This can lead to barrier frustration and then redirected aggression.
http://www.scafshelter.org/education/tips-from-the-trainer/1196/tips-from-the-trainer-barrier-frustation
http://www.bigdogsbighearts.com/Leash_Aggression_Barrier_Frustration.pdf
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-do-i-manage-my-dogs-barrier-frustration
Given what you describe, I would get help from a good professional trainer/behaviorist. Dog fights can be dangerous not just for the dogs, but also for the people around them. While in the throes of a fight, a dog may redirect his aggression onto the people who are trying to stop or restrain him. A good professional trainer can observe the dogs’ behavior, help identify the source of the issue, and help develop a safe plan for management and rehabilitation.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
You need to protect your Boston t. The bulldog will eventually Lock jaws on your Boston t. The bulldog is sweet with people, but may cause possible death in your other dog. Do not allow the bulldog to be with the other dog.
I have a question. When my cairn terrier puppy was about 1 year other dogs she played with started to become aggressive toward her. Sometimes just meeting a new dog on the street, that dog would bare his or her teeth at her.
She is now 6 and I pretty much gave up on the dog park as it was too nerve-wracking for me, though sometimes we had good encounters with other small dogs. My question is, does my dog need to run and play with other dogs? She is six and I am finding that I don’t have the proper time or energy to exercise her enough or provide her adequate stimulation. What do you think? And what would be the best way to find her a good play buddy and resocialize her to playing with other dogs?
That depends a lot on the dog and energy level. My dogs enjoy play with each other, but I also walk them daily. The walk is important because it gives them an opportunity to be outside, to smell new things, and explore. When I don’t walk my dogs enough, they go a bit crazy in the house, even with play. However, the play is a good complement to the walking because it does drain a good chunk of their energy, so I only need to do one walk per day.
The thing is, proper play and socialization will take time, effort, and supervision. With my Shiba Inu, I got him to be more comfortable around other dogs by doing dog-to-dog desensitization exercises.
I observe Sephy closely so that I can tell what type of dogs he plays best with. Sephy has a more extreme play style so he does not do well with dogs that are his size or smaller. They tend to get overwhelmed by him, and nobody has fun. He does best with larger dogs who like to wrestle. Each dog will be different in terms of favorite playmates.
During play, I always supervise closely, especially in the beginning or with any new dog. I only pick dogs who will do well with Sephy. I set up clear play rules so that everyone has fun and nobody gets overwhelmed. I manage the excitement level of all the dogs by throwing in many play breaks. This is important because when Sephy gets too excited, play becomes too rough and then it may turn into something else.
More on how I manage play-time with my dogs.
I keep play groups small and very structured so that I am always in control and can stop play quickly if needed.
Structured and positive play with other dogs is a good form of exercise for my dogs.
I have a question. Me and my husband rescued a husky male from a very bad home. They didnt feed him and the man of the house ((We believe)) Beat him. He runs from my husband and wont go near him. And when He does he starts shaking really bad and whimpering and wont stop till I comfort him. How can we get him more okay with men? And Also He does NOTHING but pace back and forth in our room when its time for bed. His past owners say he is 9 months old but he is a bit taller than our 2 year old female. Can you help me please?
Congratulations on your new Husky! I am so glad that he has found a good home.
For my shy Husky I started off by giving her more space, and letting her approach me on her own. For example, I may sit on the floor and have some of her favorite food (in little pieces) scattered around me. I first start off by having the food a good distance away from me, so that she will be comfortable coming on her own to get it.
I read a book while I am sitting on the floor so that –
1. Sitting makes me seem less threatening vs. standing.
2. Reading a book means I am not giving her any eye-contact. Eye contact can often be threatening to a shy dog.
3. I don’t say anything or try to reach for her or touch her in any way. I just sit, read my book and let her approach to get the food on her own.
4. Once I see she is comfortable with that, I may place the food a little bit closer to where I sit and so on.
5. After my Husky becomes comfortable with that, I additionally toss her some food, but still no eye-contact, talking, or touching.
In general, my strategy is to start small, set her up for success in a positive and rewarding way, and that will help her build confidence. Then I very slowly increase the challenge a little bit more, and so on, until she slowly learns to trust me.
More on how I do desensitization exercises with other people.
ASPCA article on how to deal with a dog who is afraid of people.
Is the door to the room closed? Is your husband also in the room when he does this? Does he do this behavior if your husband is not in the room? If the door is open, what does he do? Does he seem to enjoy a crate or is he afraid of it?
Finally, dog behavior is also very context dependent so each dog and situation are different. When I was having behavioral issues with my Shiba, we did private lessons with several professional trainers, and it was helpful to have them observe him, read his body language, and help me better understand his behaviors.
I wondered if you could shed light on my current situation with my Shiba. He used to be a lot better when he was a puppy with socalising with other dogs, but over the last few months it seems he can’t even approach a dog on or off the lead without being aggressive. It is usually larger dogs admittedly (especially huskys or energetic dogs like spaniels). My boyfriend tells me it may be dominance but I can’t understand why he has got worse rather than better. I used to be able to trust him off the lead but now I keep him on it in fear he will attack a dog before I can respond in time. However I have been told that dogs tend to be more aggressive on the leads so I’m wondering if it’s due to that. I walk him occasionally with a friends dog and they play but I hate not knowing how he will react with a dog. Is it best to keep socalising him or avoid dogs for now? I would like to take him to training classes but am scared he will be the worst behaved.
What I noticed with Sephy is that not only do I need to socialize him with other dogs, but I need to do this in a positive and structured way.
For example, in the beginning, I took him quite frequently to enclosed dog parks. He often had fun in those settings, but his behavior with other dogs and with people actually worsened. He became a lot more mouthy with me, his play was often too intense, and he was picking up a lot of bad habits. The dog park was too unstructured an environment for Sephy, and without proper rules and supervision, he got over-excited, over-intense, sometimes over-stressed, and was repeating a lot of undesirable behaviors.
Sephy does a lot better in structured, highly supervised play-groups, with dogs that are compatible with his play-style and temperament.
Instead of doing dog parks, we did one-on-one play sessions with friendly neighborhood dogs that are suited to Sephy’s temperament. I set up clear dog-to-dog play rules, and I am there to supervise and resolve conflicts before they escalate into aggression. Since it is a small group, I can do this effectively.
I also manage the excitement level of both dogs by throwing in many play breaks. In this way, I set Sephy up for success, he learns positive social behaviors from his play sessions, and everybody has fun.
More on what I do during play sessions.
More on dog socialization.
I also did dog-to-dog desensitization sessions with Sephy.
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-to-dog-aggression#desensitize
However, it is important to note that dog behavior is very context dependent. Aggression can be the result of many different factors, and changing behavior will depend on those factors. *Some* dogs may get more aggressive on-leash because the leash limits their movement and their ability to run away. If they feel under threat, they may think they have no other choice but to use aggression to protect themselves, since there are no other options. Whether this is the cause of the aggression will depend on the situation, the dog, and the surrounding context.
For this reason, it is usually a good idea to get help from a good trainer, especially in cases of aggression. With Sephy, I did individual lessons with trainers who have balanced dogs that can help with our training.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
More on dog dominance and aggression.
More on dog dominance and bad dog behavior.
Hi! Great website. I have an 8-week-old husky puppy. At what age do you recommend starting basic command work with her? (Sit, etc.). Immediately? Or when she is a little older? She has lots of unfocused puppy energy at the moment which makes trying to teach her any of this seem impossible.
Thanks!
Hello Jared, Congratulations on you new Husky puppy.
I started basic training right away with both my Husky puppies (around 8 weeks). They both didn’t have very long attention spans, so I try to make training fun and insert it between play and such. I try to mix things up so they stay engaged. Both Lara and Shania were also very food focused, so that was helpful.
I try not to rush things, and in the beginning, I reward them even for making a little progress.
Big hugs to Puppy!
Aggressive Shiba: I have a 10 month old male Shiba that we got from a pet store when he was about 10 weeks old and was neutered at 5 mos. Here’s our problem: our Shiba gets aggressive around feeding time, when he gets overly excited at playtime and at night when it is time to move him into the crate for the night. All other times, he’s a smart, cute adventurous, curious and naughty puppy. The aggression is mostly aimed at my husband although we have all been bitten (mostly growling, showing teeth and scrapes to skin but we’ve also had punctures as well) at one point or another. Our trainer feels that his aggression is fear based. We’ve tried to use the positive method of re-directing, with treats and not making eye contact for long periods of time, no over greeting or touching., etc. So far, the positive methods work to a certain point but he still gets crazy at those moments I mentioned. Someone at the vet’s office suggested using an e-collar for his unpredictable aggressive behavior because he needs to know that his bad behavior has consequences. All that I’ve read regarding this breed is that they don’t do well with aversive methods. He is very food motivated. He will do almost anything for treats especially cheese! We also feel that he may have internal issues due to poor breeding which we’re in the process of investigating. Do you have any insights as to what we can do to stop his biting?
That has certainly been my experience with my Shiba. As for electronic collars, it is not something that I would use on my dogs. Here’s why.
This study from UPenn further highlights the dangers of pain and dominance based aversive methods.
What is your Shiba’s routine like? Is he fed from a bowl? When did he start showing aggressive behavior?
What exactly happens during feeding time or during play time? He starts to jump and bite? How do you and your husband respond? What does Shiba do then? What type of training did you use in the beginning?
What specifically did your trainer suggest? What was Shiba’s response? Is he still causing puncture wounds with your trainer’s techniques? What did your trainer suggest in terms of keeping things safe?
I also had a lot of problems with Sephy when he was young. My biggest mistake was in using pain based aversive techniques on him.
The key with Sephy is to manage his environment and routine so as to maximize successes and minimize aggressive episodes. First, I identify his crazy behavior triggers, e.g. over-excitement during play. Then, I restructure things so that –
1. I can manage his excitement level. For example, I have a lot of obedience breaks with Sephy during play time, so that I regulate his level of excitement. As soon as I notice him *start* to get a bit too excited, I throw in a play break. I also have a strict and consistent set of play rules. Prevention is best.
2. I can control my own energy. Sephy is very sensitive to the energy of the people around him. If I get anxious, frustrated, or fearful, he will pick up on that energy, get more stressed himself, and act even more crazy. To make sure that Sephy is calm, I also have to be very calm.
3. If I miss the cues and he does get over-excited, I make sure I am able to quickly and *safely* contain his craziness. I usually put him in a *low stimulus* timeout area using a collar and leash. Sephy wore a properly fitted flat collar, even around the house, until he was about 5 years old. During the early training period, I also put a drag-lead on him but *only* under supervision and *never* with an aversive collar. This helps me to easily control him without being close to his mouth.
The more successful play sessions we have, the more he learns that I am the source of all resources. He also learns that he can get more play and more stuff, by doing work for me as well as by following rules. The more aggressive events there are, the more he practices the behavior, and the more he is likely to repeat it.
More on what I do to teach my dogs not to bite on people.
Some things that I did with Sephy to gain pack leadership.
Some of my experiences with food aggression-
http://shibashake.com/dog/why-dogs-get-aggressive-over-food-toys
http://shibashake.com/dog/stop-food-aggression-stop-resource-guarding
However, it is important to note that dog behavior is very context dependent, and each situation is different. Sephy did bite on me and on my clothes, but he never caused any puncture wounds.
To be safe, it is best to get help from a good professional trainer. If your current trainer’s techniques are not working out and/or are not safe, I would consider looking for a trainer who is experienced with Shiba Inus. The dog training area is unregulated, so there are a lot of so-so/not-very-useful-trainers out there. The Association of Professional Dog Trainers has some pretty good resources on what to look out for when searching for a trainer.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I also read up a lot on dog training and dog behavior so that I could better read Sephy and evaluate the trainers we visited with.
Thank you so much for your response. You have a lot of information in your reply. We have been through so many trainers. When we first got our Shiba, he was trained by someone who used the dominance technique and that did not go well with our dog. Then we exposed him to some puppy class at our local pet store in hopes of socializing him and hoping that he would calm down with that. He did learn how to follow simple commands easily and was a star student but at home, he was still being aggressive. We now have a trainer who is also a behaviorist. This trainer was the most successful with our Shiba using positive reinforcement and non aversive methods like treat training whenever he gets into a crazy state. It has worked up to a certain point but now we feel that we are dealing with an anxious and fearful dog and that is why he is biting.
It really is so complicated. We are now in the process of ruling out anything medical. Chances are that he is an anxious dog and we have to set him up for better situations, like making sure he has enough exercise and mental stimulation. He is great in agility so we are taking him to agility classes. I am just frustrated because he continues to bite and is aggressive at certain times and certain situations of the day ex: putting him in the crate when we leave the house, he understands the procedure now when we put peanut butter in his kong, he’ll run into the crate waiting for the kong but as soon as I put it down, he’ll either try to bite me or start showing teeth, growling and barking very loudly. When we are home, we have done the training where we have given him treats in the crate and out so he knows that he can go in and out of the crate without it being a stressful thing.
There’s more but I don’t want to make this entry into a long book!!
Thank you so much for your website. It is the best site to go to learn about everything Shiba!
I have a problem, I hope you can give me some explanation of why it is happening. My dog is a 4 years old Siberian Husky (he is not fixed). I have always taken my dog to the dog’s park, he is friendly with every dog he finds there and he only wants to smell and lick them, when the other dog does not like it and growls back at him he steps back and walks away from trouble. Almost every time, there is a dog that picked on him and I have to ask the owner to control the dog because my dog is not aggressive at all and everything ends there. Yesterday, there was this Golden retriever (it looked like a young dog but not a puppy ) that out of the blue jump on my dog and attacked him fiercely to the point that I have to punish it hardly to get my dog out of its attack, in the middle of the fight a second dog jointed in both attacking my dog, it was a terrible experience but is not the end of the story, while I was inspecting the damages (he got a bite) outside the park, there was another dog (thanks got it was on a leash) that barked and showed aggressiveness to my dog. Latter already at home my dog was in the drive way behind the gate and there was this big white dog wondering in the street and when it approached the gate it became very aggressive toward my dog. I am really confuse I don’t know what to do my dog is very friendly and playful with all the dogs he meets and suddenly every dog react aggressive without an apparent reason. Why could be the reason?
Thanks
As you know, dog behavior is very context dependent, and the context becomes really complicated when there are many different dogs around, together with many different people.
Un-neutered dogs smell different, and other dogs could react to that.
Sometimes, dogs could react to another’s body language or energy.
Dogs can also pick up on a person’s energy, and react to that.
Once trouble starts, others may join in, not unlike what happens with people.
In short, there can be many reasons for conflict between dogs. With my Shiba Inu, it was helpful to get outside observations from trainers and breeders who could meet my dog, understand his temperament, and see his body language while interacting with other dogs.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I also stopped taking my Shiba to dog parks because the environment was too unstructured for him, and he was picking up a lot of bad habits.
More on my dog park experiences.