Does this annoy anyone else or am i over reacting..?

Our dog park has strict rules that NO KIDS are allowed. I've seen a few kids in there, but they have not been silly or afraid of dogs.

What kind of a parent takes their "dog phobic" kid to a dog park? A bad parent.

If someone had issues with my dog sniffing their kid I'd ask them to STEP outside the gate and read the BIG SIGN to the right of the gate with the park rules clearly listed out. I think "NO CHILDREN IN THE OFF LEASH AREAS" is about #3 on the list. If they blew off my suggestion there's a phone number to call on the sign... a park attendant will be there in minutes and the person would be talking to them next....and I'm sure leaving.

I just about quit going to our dog park due to people IGNORING the park rules (standing around smoking, ill mannered dogs with ill mannered owners). We have a very nice, clean, well kept dog park locally. For the most part my dog had a blast there so I adjusted my time slots about 3 times and finally found a great group (about 10 a.m.) that are people close to my age...with ALL well mannered dogs...and now we all have a great time!

Also, I never go on the weekends. Just week days if I can help it. If you can find the right folks with sweet dogs it makes alll the difference in your dog park experience.

I stay alert for a few dogs/owners that I know to be problematic. We can easily see them walking across from the parking lot to the dog park. IF they were to show up it gives me just enough time to call my dog... leash up...and leave. That has not happened in months since I changed the times of my regular visits.

ADDED: Legit

Debby..

That's a very sad deal about your friend's pup, but... pups under 4 months old should not be in dog parks...and... coccidosis is treatable and most often curable if you get on it when you first see a bloody diarrhea.

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Scares me to see young children in the dog park and I will tell people children under 5 feet do not belong in dog parks. Dogs jump, run, and run into people to stop. As for food I never understood why anyone would bring anything to eat inside the park. Most dogs go crazy for treats and there is too much chance of being accidentally injured by another dog trying to get your dog's treat.

I just go when no one is there or go to a friend's who has a fenced yard and let her run.

Yes it's annoying. It is a dog park. People should realize there will be dogs there and if they are scared, they should not go. And the parents who lift their kids over the dogs' heads only make it worse. If your child gets overwhelmed by the dogs, calmly lead them out of the park.

You're right, people or kids that are afraid of dogs shouldn't be at a dog park. I hate the dog park - my dogs came home loaded with ticks the last time I went.

One of the many reasons I quit going to dog parks...Other reasons are people would feed my dogs and not give a crap that one of my dogs has food allergies, not clean up after their dogs, let their kids torment my dogs, etc. People would feed them nuts, popcorn, chips, etc. People would bring their lunch or supper there and get upset because all of the dogs would bother them as they were eating. While I normally don't let my dogs bother people while eating, I did there just to teach them a lesson.

But you can tell them that they shouldn't be there if they are afraid of dogs.

Some dog parks are well supervised and such, and some aren't worth crap. The ones in my area are in the middle.

Edit: Yeah, the dog parks here have rules, but so often times no one follows them. They also leave their worm infested, disease infested, dog poop laying around because apparently they want all other dogs to get sick and need vet care, so I quit going. Doesn't matter what day of the week or what time I go. There's ALWAYS worm infested, disease infested, dog poop laying around.

Edit: Yes, Debby, so did my Toy Poodle, though she didn't die, but the vet bills got expensive.

My dog plays with every dog at the park that is willing to give him the time of day. He is completely non-aggressive, he's a 6 month old mildly submissive puppy.

Twice in one day I got two comments that rubbed me the wrong way. One was from an owner of a chihuahua he accidentally knocked over while the chihuahua was willingly and happily playing with him. Yes, it was an accident, as he tries to be careful with small dogs. A few minutes later we were walking by the owner with our pup and I heard her comment "I think that one belongs to them. He seems aggressive." What?

Another person's larger dog was playing with our puppy and PINNING HIM. He was wagging his tail and enjoying the rough housing, though. That dog's owner was watching my dog and saying "I don't know about him, he seems aggressive."

There was a large pit mix there the other day that came running up to my dog. Kona wagged his tail clearly wanting to play, the pit let out a deep playful growl. Its owner dragged it away saying "that dog doesn't want to play with you, come on." as if Kona, my small 30 lb dog, had uttered that deep growl.

I don't usually mind it. Most people only get that brief glimpse of your dog and make their assumptions based on that.

Nikko, maybe launi said that because the pup belongs to her hubbby?

I own 5 dominant, dog aggressive bully breeds. We have no reason to go to a dog park.

Dos parks are full of diseases, poop, and idiots with their poorly trained, rude, and sometimes aggressive dogs.

NO THANKS.

A better way to socialize your dog(s) is at your home, or the home of a family member or friend who has a dog(s) that compliment the personality of your own. That way, you know the people and dogs, and also that the area is clean and the dogs are healthy.

You are at an off leash dog park - you do not need to defend letting your friendly dog off leash.

You do not need to be the one to sacrifice on account of the clueless obliviousness of others.

Let them fume and shout ... what are they going to do - complain to the manager that there are perfectly friendly off leash dogs in the dog park?

Don't get caught up in their drama of dumbness

Yes, it annoys me too. Parks are public places, full of ignorant parents, rude children who aren't educated around dogs and treat them like crap, and untrained dogs. I usually stay out of them. If it bothers you too, best thing to do is stay out of them as well.

Oh God no,that annoys me too I agree!

Like,my chipug-TINY little thing,when she stands on her back legs she's as tall as a small toddler-she'll be off her leash and I'll be two steps behind her at all times, but parents will still corral their kids up far away from us acting as if my dog is foaming at the mouth;it's complete ludacris to me.

And when they actually ask if she's okay and I say yes and she immediately stands up on her legs- it's how she greets people-and smothers' the childerns' faces in kisses,I see some parents looking pretty guilty in the background.I just laugh.

If they're scared of dogs they need to stay indoors I think,cause the world's full of dogs,lol.