I'll be getting a new dog in a few months (got to get the timing right so I can be there for her) and I want to have her socialized with both people and animals.
The idea of dog parks on the surface is great...a park dedicated to friendly canines and their owners where everyone can enjoy a romp and some daily entertainment and exercise. However, I'm well aware of the potential for any dog of any breed to become annoyed or possessive and snap at another dog, causing minor or severe injuries. There's also those horror stories you hear in the news about owners shooting other people's dogs because they thought the other dog was being "threatening." Little extreme, but I don't want my dog to be injured or killed, especially since she is a "bully breed."
I'm aware of socialization classes, training classes, and daycare programs for puppies and dogs, but those cost money and (from experience) daycare programs have just as much potential for fights as any other dog gathering. Only difference is it has more experienced handlers. I will be taking her many places with me once she's old enough to do so, but since she will be living as a single dog with me and one roommate, I don't want her to become territorial or aggressive to any other humans or animals.
So what do you think about dog parks as a socialization tool? What are your experiences with them? Could I take my dog and leave her on the leash, or would that be destructive in her process of getting along with others? Do you have any socialization tips that do not involve classes?
Btw, money is not an issue, but dog parks are free and day programs are not...for similar activities.
2011-03-11T14:43:02Z
Hey Munchkin...yeah I do know what a bully breed is or else I wouldn't have said it. Bully breeds include Am. Staffordshire terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers (standard and mini), Mastiffs, Boxers, Boston Terriers, and Bulldogs to name a few. Bully breeds do have a "right" to be in dog parks but they have received a bad reputation based on their history. I have done my homework on my breed (bull terrier) and know its history and its tendencies for aggression but most breeds previously used for fighting are attempting to breed out all aggression and dogs with poor temperament or health are NOT accepted for breeding. Furthermore, because of the breeders' dedication to fixing the stigma against these breeds, they often have BETTER personalities than most other dogs. The reason I ask about dog parks is not only for my dog's safety but for the safety of other dogs. I'm trying to do right by my dog and her breed. Luckily for me, my state does not have laws that label breeds
2011-03-11T14:46:20Z
(damn cut off my response)...label breeds as immediately vicious, and the only place I know that has banned them is PetSmart, of all places. You are ignorant of all these breeds as a whole and lump them all together based on a few bad ones. Thank you for your useless answer.
*****2011-03-11T13:44:40Z
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Dog parks are not good socialization tools. The dogs which are there are not screened in any way, and so some people with aggressive dogs feel the need to bring their dogs anyway. They can be reasonably safely used for off-leash exercise when you manage your dog appropriately, your dog has a 100% solid recall, and you are very aware of other dogs nearby and their body language. An on-leash dog should never be taken to an off-leash park. Being leashed increases the odds of an aggressive reaction greatly. They are unable to display appropriate non-confrontational greeting behavior, and they are restricted from avoiding a confrontation.
Any good "doggy daycare" carefully screens the dogs behaviorally before allowing them into a group setting. While fights can still happen, the screening reduces the odds dramatically. An on-leash dog should never be taken to an off-leash park. Being leashed increases the odds of an aggressive reaction greatly. They are unable to display appropriate non-confrontational greeting behavior, and they are restricted from avoiding a confrontation.
However, as you have stated that you will be getting a "bully breed": I love these dogs, BUT, due to generations of selectively breeding specifically for dog aggression as a desirable trait, they are most of the time not suitable candidates for dog parks or "doggy daycare". Even those that are well-socialized, once they reach full maturity, they often begin to show signs of dog aggression. So you can have a dog that's wonderfully social for the first 2-3 years that suddenly decides they no longer like other dogs, or other same-sex dogs, etc. They really are NOT "dog park" dogs, and shouldn't be taken to them. In addition, no matter which dogs starts the fight, a bully breed has very powerful jaws and can inflict serious damage that you would be liable for. It is a far better idea to sign up for a group obedience course, make friends with owners of some other dogs that yours gets along with, and then set up private "play dates" with a smaller, managed group of familiar dogs.
Add: I will say that I do regularly use a dog park. However, it's not a typical dog park. It's 15 fully fenced acres, this is not a highly populated area, and there's rarely more than one or two other dogs there at a time. But even with this, I have had a couple of negative incidents, including a lab mix that attempted to kill one of my dogs- and would have had my dog not been able to be instantly recalled even in a tense situation, and had I not picked him up and held him above my head out of reach. I received a number of bites in the process, as the dog jumped at him repeatedly while snapping, and the owner trailed behind saying softly "No Lily, bad dog" and "She only wants to play with him". The large bruises and teeth marks on my upper arms argued otherwise. There are a lot of irresponsible owners out there. Beware and take appropriate precautions.
Well I live right next to a dog park, and there's no such rule, but there is a fountain where the pups and swim in and there's also a reflecting lake ish thing throughout the entire but not only do dogs splash in there i like to dip my feet in too, also we're technecly not allowed to but it's so fun. And there's just a play ground. Every dog there is really friendly and they just let your puppy join in with the rest and play. So I have never really seen that kind of thing and hopefully not gonna go through that because I'm getting a puppy in just a few weeks time. Well the diseases and ticks and other stuff you can't really avoid it, I mean you don't when it's gonna happen. The onwers there are so nice, when me and a friend where doing a group assignment, we went to the dog park and asked a few onswers to let the puppies be in the video and they were happy to lend us a hand. I don't see anything wrong with dog parks that's my point of view. It's also great that your dog can know and how to interact and play with other dogs, and I think that woman's dog isn't the greatest example. They also need some doggy friends. The people around here all have great dogs so i really doubt there's too many "diseases" at the park. Also, I live near a pretty quiet spot so there's not much pups that go there. I personally LOVE the dog park, I'm just afraid my puppy might forget the stuff and ya, like the previous answerer said "embaress" me like run all over the place when told to come. So for my first few walks there, I think i'll keep him/her on leash. lol
Depends on you, depends on your dog, depends on the particular park.
I spent hours at a dog park with a young and then adult intact male Doberman. My time there was spent WATCHING... watching the other dogs, watching my dog, watching to see which people were and were not watching their own dogs. I became very good at seeing which dogs were going to be a problem as they got out of their cars in the parking lot. If there was going to be a problem, I left. My dog was never once involved in an altercation.
Different parks build different clientele. Some parks end up kind of "rough trade"... not for me! Weekends are not the best time to go... weekend people go there seldom (as a rule)... their dogs aren't there enough to be socially skilled, and frequently weekend folks don't watch their dogs. Try to go the same time each day... you will become one of the regulars... you and your dog will know all the people and all the dogs... no surprises!
Idiots are everywhere... it is what it is, and you can't fix that. Your objective is to have a good and safe time with your dog. Leave if you have to... don't try to educate or regulate... it won't work and it is only frustrating.
You are acquiring a dog which may or may not be suitable for this. Do not allow what you want to be true to blind you to what is true. Many of the bully-type dogs will become dog aggressive... this is not a function of "meanness" but the joy of combat. It has nothing to do with your dog's suitability to be a wonderful pet and get along perfectly with humans. If it becomes apparent that she is not a dog park dog, don't go. Don't try to fix it, just accept it for what it is. She either runs with scissors, or she doesn't...
Do NOT take food. Do NOT take her personal toys (except maybe a ball or a frisbee). Do NOT take a leashed dog into an off-leash park. Any of these can generate a bad situation. Walk... do NOT stand around! Walking distracts dogs from things that they might be better to not focus on... look up "large field socialization."
Dog parks are both wonderful and potentially disasterous. For myself, with that dog, the benefits outweighed the risks... but, I was very good at being at the dog park and so was my dog. If it turns out that the park is a good place for you, you will enjoy it. If not, it is not the end of the world and there are lots of other things to do with your dog.
I love dog parks. My two mutts love dog parks. I'm not a fan of aggressive dog breeds at dog parks in some cases (some guy brought a muscled up pitt bull on a chain to the dog park. The dog started a fight), but if the dog is already well socialized then I don't mind. My two are funny though. If a scuffle breaks out they high tail it in the opposite direction lol.
So I think once your pup has all its shots and is well socialized first, then you could take it to a dog park. At first you should keep it on a leash and walk it around the park and let it investigate all the dogs and see how it reacts. That way you'll have a good idea of how it will be :)
You are about to get a dog, and obviously you have researched it enough to be at least partially well informed. I cannot answer to all bully breeds. (FYI, I like most if not all of those listed in this catigory). You are choosing that type of dog, so you know what you are going to face. For many dogs, training and environment, has a great deal to do with their aggression and tendencies, at least towards people. You cannot always change their behavior towards other animals, especially after 2 or 3 years of age. Some of my favorite friends dogs are boxers, bull dogs, and even pit bulls. I do think they get a bad rap. But it is completely your responsibility what your dog does to someone else's dog. And money will not fix the loss of a best friend. If your dog took the life of my best friend, I think that you should be facing murder charges or at least criminally negligent homicide.