I am interested to see how many people think as I do and how many the opposite. I realise that I am UK and maybe dog parks in the US are slightly different, but in general my opinion is as I answered.
The crux of my answer was :-
Just because it is an "offleash" park that doesn't mean it has to be.
It also doesn't mean as some people seem to think, that it is ok to just allow your dogs to go steaming up to others without either invitation from those people or without your permission to your dog.
Go there to teach your dog manners. Teach your dog to ignore other dogs and be able to pass them without having to pile into them and play. A well trained dog does not leave their owner and go running off to others unless invited.
Drives me totally nuts that people assume it is "ok"... and it drives me even more nuts when people assume that is what an offleash park is for... It isn't.
Not saying a dog shouldn't play at times with others, but it is on your say so and with a couple of dogs that will be ok and vice versa. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am sort of expecting opinions to be split into two groups and kind of know who would be in which, but do want sincere opinions.
2011-11-03T05:26:44Z
Don't worry - I wasn't actually worried about the TD..lol... I get used to them.
But I was interested in who feels the same as I do. I think from the answers so far, that I am going to hear only from those who do feel the same and quite honestly I knew who you would all be as well. (enough said).... lol.
2011-11-03T12:17:58Z
lol - there are no TD's from me. I guess the TD's are from those who think it acceptable that their dogs just run amok in a park.
4Her4Life2011-11-03T05:25:50Z
Favorite Answer
Reasons I avoid dog parks as much as humanly possible... here in the U.S. the point of a dog park seems to be for the dogs to run wild off-leash legally (and theoretically safely). There is little or no room for training or for other activities, it is just a big, often fenced area where anyone who can show proof of vaccinations (and not even that at many) can unclip the leash and let their dog do whatever.
Now, I avoid them because I have broken up too many fights and dealt with too many bad habits in dogs, but the concept of "free play" can be OK if someone in charge knows what they are doing. My first job was at a gundog training kennel (they also did boarding) where the dogs got supervised "playtime" with up to 30 of them at a time while someone cleaned the kennels. The difference was that the supervisor knew ALL of the dogs and that most dogs stayed with us at least a week at a time and/or were regular visitors, this meant that ONE person knew all of the temperaments of the dogs in question and that the "pack dynamics" didn't change every day (or every hour). If the running loose and playing thing was done with dogs I knew, then I wouldn't have as much of a problem with it.
My personal opinion is that dog parks should be left for the clueless and that leash laws should be amended to allow dogs who have met certain benchmarks (i.e. obedience title, temperament test, etc) to be off-leash in designated non-dog-park areas - like the rest of the park.
You Gave a good answer so don't know why you got a TDs but onto your question ,we have parks here ,we also have the forest and that seems to be an excuse to let your dog run wild ,i do not allow my dogs to go running up to other dogs they are in control at all times as in the case of the Forest were no one keeps there dogs under Control it annoys me . Its off leash i suppose yet to see any one with there dogs on leads but whilst dogs need socialisation i just wish the other owners would use some common sense and not allow there dogs to run up to other dogs with the owner having no control over them. It is an accident waiting to happen ,classic case was this weekend with the Local hunt and hounds out of control dogs harassing the hounds and the master getting extremely agitated with the general public that had no control over the dogs .
There is only one dog park that I actually go to in my area. This park in particular is not your average "fenced in lot"
The park I go to is somewhat of a forest, it has a few wooded trails, a creek, and 2 "meeting places" It's one of the only types of parks I would take my dog to. The way things work there is that dogs may or may not sniff each other upon passing, and that's about it.
The dog's minds are occupied and moving forward. There isn't the pent up energy that there tends to be in most smaller dog parks.
IMO that's how an off-leash park should be. Although I realize it's not always possible.
But it does tend to be under the assumption that if your dog is at the park, then it is okay for dogs to run and play uninvited.
I take my dog to the dog park to keep her socialized with other dogs. My dog stays by my side or my son's and doesn't wander far off. She also does not tumble or roughhouse with the other dogs. She just isn't that type. I have seen a couple bring young energetic pups in that will not leave the other dogs alone and when that happens I take my dog and leave. But for the most part the dogs and owners on our side are very respectful of others.
Now on the large dog side it is a different story. All hell breaks loose over there almost every time I am there. If I had a large dog I would not be taking it to the dog park.
The rules at our park actually state to take your leash off your dog in the waiting area before entering the park.
I wonder why you got a TD, but I quite like your answer, its not safety to let dog offleash if they are not recalling trained. You are correct there about teaching the dog to ignore the other dogs and stay with their owner for their own safety, if dog are not trained, they would have run over the road and get injuried. Probably someone who is jealous of your professional advice. I gave you a thumb up :)
My dog is trained offleash, she has excellent recall and very well socalized. All well trained dogs are happy