I love/hate going to the dog park

So my friend took her dog, and I took the beagles and we went to the DP. Everything was going really well. We stayed for about an hour and a half.

A few things really really urked me though.

The first was a german shepherd puppy. HUGE HUGE feet and a teeny tiny head, mostly black with brown legs. Cute as a button. But the owner was STOOPID. These are direct quotes.

"Yeah I been bringing him to the dog park since he was 8 weeks old."
"Yesterday I took him on a 2 1/2 mile hike up in the mountains."

Does a 4 mionth old GSD really need to be HIKING for 2 1/2 miles. I was so worried about Chances hips for the first year I wouldnt even let him JUMP! This puppy also HATED a boxer puppy that was there. Apparently he always has because they are always there together. It was odd.

Also, there were 2 pitties there. Both owned by nice people, both well rounded, seemingly well socialized dogs. Bailey immediately made friends with both of them. (she loves pits) A fight broke out that did not involve either pit, it involved a french bulldog and some bigger dogs. But one of the pits jumped right in and was grabbing for the throat. I saw my friends dog getting involed so I grabbed him, everyone grabbed their own dogs, but the owner of the dog that was SQUEALING IN PAIN? He grabbed his dog, looked him over, shrugged, and put him over the fence into the small dog park. WTH?!

There was also a dog that got hurt, yelped, and was limping, and then was basically told to walk it off.


But these were just a few things.. overall we had a great time. I just wish more owners were on the same page. But we had a fun time and are going back tonight! I'll actually get some pictures tonight!

This Is why i do not like dog parks... Alot Of the owners are their to socialize, not their dogs, But with each other.. I have seen so many people just Untie there Untrained, unsocialized dogs and just let them do what ever they like, while they sat down to have a chat..

A german shepherd, should definatly NOT be getting that much excersize.. Poor thing, I have a feeling he is doomed for mad joints...

Wow, Pits You are lucky in a way.. You meant the 2 breeds of dog that I am Absolutely passionate about. A GSD And Pits

Yeah i felt bad for the gsd.

I love pitties too, but I really feel they do not belong in a dog park. Just like yesterday, I have seen fights before. The pits dont necessarily start them, but when a dog fight breaks out, they DO get involved. And I dont want pits getting more bad press for acting like they were bred.

lmao @ teeny tiny head....sorry...lol.

haha. It really was so tiny. Like his head was small and his snout short and pointy like a fox.

def a BYB GSD bred to be HUGE. His paws were bigger than chances, and THICK

this just reaffirms why I do not take my dogs to dog parks.http://www.chazhound.com/forums/t96635/

we stopped going to the dog park along time ago.

The first one we went to had two fences a small dog fence and a big dog fence and some jerk who was either drunk or just wanted to stir up trouble let his pit/rottie mix loose in the small dog fence and that dog went nuts. He injured 3 dogs including my 5 month old (at the time) minature poodle who he went after second. We couldn't get to him in time but my husband got between the dog and our dog and grabbed Zack out from his teeth. He basically only got his nose....but Zack has had issues with larger dogs ever since that day. He is fine and you can't see the scar anymore. My husband basically grabbed Zack while another owner beat the dog away with a stick. Then that dogs owner got ticked but the authorities showed up and I think fined him and took his dog away.

One of the last times we went was to one down the road from us that was never busy but it only had one fence for all sized dogs. This day it was pretty busy and full of small dogs. And a husky bit my Chihuahua/terrier mix on the behind. It was just a nip but enough to start a full fledge fight (between us and the owner) You don't set a husky/wolf hybrid loose in a dog park full of dogs under 20 lbs and then say to us other owners that "oh yeah he is a bit agressive. He killed our neighbors Beagle and Poodle 3 weeks ago"

Another owner who was there had a boxer, lab, and a Pomerainian (sp?) All were well behaved dogs but when that husky went after his Pom he hooked that husky up on a leash walked him back to the owner and said "First of all its illegal to own a wolf hybrid in all four of the connecting counties and second of all to take the dog and leave before anyone gets hurt and you can keep the leash"


The last dog park we went two was the last straw. First of all the fence that seperated the two fences was only about 2 feet high in spots and my poodle could have easily jumped into the fence into the big dog area or vice versa.

That day this one woman sent her little dog with our dogs and that dog turned my 22 pound dog on her back and kept growling at her. My dog is very submissive to begin with and doesn't like a fight but that dog wouldn't leave her alone and my dog wasn't even wanting to play with it (she was actually trying to use the bathroom when he pinned her) the owner is like don't worry my dog runs this dog park and you just have to let him do this because he is telling her who is boss but he wouldn't leave her alone and i wasn't going to let my girl be bullied. About the same time in the other fence a fight broke loose between 3 dogs and my poodle litterally watched (from our side as I grabbed him up) this one dog basically rip apart and kill one dog and the other dog who was about 25 pound this one dog ripped him up pretty good to. It took 3 grown men to pull the agressor off the hurt dog.

Worst part is the owner of the one hurt dog who was bleeding from the neck asked if he was okay and then sent him back out to play with the dog that attacked him.

That was the last straw for us and we have never been back to a dog park and never will again. I don't feel its worth the risk. We live in an apartment but we have found other ways for our dogs to play and we have playdates with dogs and owners we know and trust.

Dog parks I don't feel are a good place and I will never take a dog to one again

I can't wait to get Mary into some warm swimming water. Hopefully in the next couple weeks. I don't let people there bother me. IF i don't like what i am hearing..i move.

Yeah exactly. I still go to the DP. I just make sure I am one of the responsible owners while I am there. It helps that the beegs stick to me like GLUE when we're there lol.

I'm what I like to refer to myself as a "Defense dogparker" Much like a defensive driver, I assess the dog park, look for any potential hazards, and since my dogs actually listen to me unlike 65% of the DP population, lol, bring my dogs away from any situation I dont want them involved in.