What is your opinion on dog parks?

Many dog parks have a separate section for small dogs, so if you want to try this, I would definitely find one that has a small-dog section. Also, check out the park first before letting your dog in. See how the current dogs are behaving and how the owners are behaving. If there are dogs showing aggressive behavior, I would just leave and take your dog for a walk in the park instead.

I used to take my dogs to the dog park but I stopped after a while. There is just too little control in dog parks. Many owners go there to chat, and leave their dogs to do whatever they want. Some even bring little kids along and let the kids terrorize the dogs. And really, all it takes is one irresponsible owner, for something really bad to occur.

For socialization, I bring my dogs to play sessions in a dog day care center. I also used to bring them to my SPCA to play with the more social SPCA dogs.

I can definitely understand your concern and I would be worried, too.

I used to take my dog to the dog park and I would love to take her again. It was a great place and had had 2 different fenced off areas. One was for dogs under 40 pounds, and the other for dogs over 40 pounds. There was plenty of seating for people, covered areas, trees, and water fountains, both for people and doggies.

The only reason I don't go anymore is because it's no longer free. I wouldn't mind mind paying a small fee, but it is run by the city, and unless you you live in the city limits, the fee is $400 a year. There is no way I'm going to pay that much money for a dog park that may only visit once or twice a month.

I take my dog to the dog park, and I'm aware that no matter where I go, something terrible may happen to my dog. The best I can do is watch him and watch the other dogs.

I call him away from the gates when a new dog comes in, because I've found that I prefer to see how the dog reacts with others first. I've almost left when a dog I was skeptical of came in (he growled right out of the gate), but they immediately took him to a separately fenced area. Since the park we go to has two separately fenced sections (not for size of dog, just one has a man-made pond), I'll frequently take my dog to a different section if I have an issue with a dog that's there. I've taken him home early before as well when he was too hyper and being a puppy brat to other dogs.

However, my dog is a puppy but he is a large breed. He is well socialized, he's got decent voice and sight command (I can call him from across the park and he'll come), and he is large enough and strong enough to likely defend himself from the most likely scuffles you'd see in a park. If he were smaller or weaker it would have been a different decision process to decide where and when to take him.

Since your dog is small, if you still want to take him to parks you should scout around the parks, their design, the type of people who go there and when it is most busiest. I usually take my dog when it is only a little busy - enough dogs to play with, but few enough it's really easy to watch him and see if everyone else is watching their dogs too.

We have several off-leash parks in the city but only 2 or three have designated small dog areas. They are fenced off but you would have to carry your dog or walk through the regular off leash section to get to them.

The situation that you described -- it is still one of Owner Responsibility and not breed safety or park safety. Stupid owners, stupid decisions, horrible consequences.... Very Sad!!!

My dogs go only into the small dog only areas. I also try to NEVER walk my dogs in the off leash parks on weekends. It seems like all the stupidest pet owners (not dog people) show up with their untrained, wild, out-of-control dogs on Saturday afternoons. (lots of intacts as well --- stupid!!)

I NEVER go to a dog park....you can't control the other dogs, yours may be good but others not....there alot of bad dog owners out there....it is safer to just walk in the neighborhood park & then play a nice game of fetch in your own yard...or do dog sports, like agility, & rally, there are clubs that allow mixed breeds now, if that's what you have...

Yes but you have to watch them constantly. Always know where your dog is. It's kind of an unwritten rule at my park that only well behaved doggies come there, but you have your morons who think all you have to do for a dog is make sure it's not dead. ("Dog training? What's that?") It can be a great place to socialize and run around and generally wear them out. I love my dog park. But there are those asshole dogs that come in pickin fights. Like anything in life, it has it's pros and cons.

In season 2 of Cesar Millan's DVD collection of the Dog whisperer TV program the episode 207 has some great advice for going to the part and to be able to spot the trouble makers and not to go IF your dogs is fearful and the dogs with the tails up are most likely to target your unbalanced dog. IF your dog is balanced they tend to stay out of trouble. the excited and or dominant or fearful over submissive ones are the ones that will get into trouble.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/dog-w...

Get the book "Be the pack Leader" as it will also be helpful

The leadership DVD (owners lessons in being good leaders) there are three of them.

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/

http://www.youtube.com/cjanderson

There is only one dog park in my area and its pretty far away, so my dogs don't get to go to dog parks, even though they would love too.

I have no need to go to a dog park I am quite happy to keep my dogs here at home and when I walk them it is just me and the dogs. I try to avoid other people and their dogs. It is just me and my dogs.

I think dog parks are great! It is a great way to socialize your dog! Just make sure your dog has the proper vaccinations before you go to them. Have fun!