What's your opinion on dog parks?

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.

I think dog parks are a great way to socialize your dog. When we got our dog two years ago the first thing we did after getting all his shots is to bring him to the dog park.

Our dog was able to run around and expend some of his puppy energy while learning social cues from other dogs. Of course, it helps if other owners are on the same page as you are in terms of knowing when the dog is stressed out and when the dog is having a grand old time (sometimes rough play can look like fighting and the other way around).

There might also be dog trainers in the area who are willing to accompany you to your local dog park to help you socialize your dog. I know there is a dog walking company that routinely takes packs of dogs to the dog park. The pro is your dog is being socialized in the care of a trained professional, the con is if you're at work you don't get to see all the fun they're having!

Some dog parks have different 'vibes' than others. We have one in our local park that we love to go to. The owners are nice, the dogs are well behaved and most importantly the owners know how to handle their pets (no hitting, stopping humping, and removing dogs that are getting too excited). We also have a park in the area that we avoid, mainly because the people there don't pick up after their pets and spend most of the time on their cellphones when they should be watching their dogs.

Some important socialization tips that I can offer from experience would be:

1. Take your dog to the dog park when he/she is young. This will get them used to playing with other dogs.

2. Walk your dog often and in different environments. Quiet park/busy street/crowded place. This will make sure he/she is comfortable with many different places. And remember, to take them with confidence. If you're nervous they'll feel it.

3. Treats and training. Make sure to keep treats handy at all times, and begin to train your dog with commands like "sit' 'stay' 'leave it'. The better trained your dog is, the better they will behave. The better behaved the dog is the more confident you will be bringing them into different environments. The more environments they see, the better socialized they will become.

The best thing we did for our dog is to buy a clicker and start straining. He's a really good, well socialized boy now and I definitely attribute that to getting him out to the dog park when he was a puppy and starting his training regimen early on.

Good luck!

I own a GSD, and I would never go near a dog park. People bring their out-of-control little dogs, let them loose, then ignore them while visiting with the other dog owners. When the larger dogs get tired of being harassed and retaliate, the instigator's owner jumps all over the owner of the "aggressive" larger dog! Keep the socialization to training classes where you know the other dogs are well behaved (or at least, being controlled). As your dog is a bully-breed, she will get the blame for any confrontations whether she starts it or not. In my opinion, it's just not worth it.

I don't like them. It is an uncontrolled environment where some really ugly things can happen. I particularly feel that they are a bad place for puppies because of the disease potential as well. Many dog parks do not allow bully breeds or dogs that are not sterilized. Most will not allow training of any type.

I've never used the dog parks in my area. I'm single and live by myself. My dogs are well socialized with dogs, other animals, children and adults. I did this by taking them for walks; taking them to friends' homes; taking them to sporting events; taking them to dog matches; and many other places. Again these were places where I had some control of the situation.

If you have a bully breed, be prepared for people who will be wary around your dog. I find that german shepards, great danes, and labs pick on and are more aggressive towards my [extremely large] dog and have never had a problem with bull breeds.

But, yeah, definitely take your dog there and get it socialized! Make sure you're choosing a park that you feel is safer (people who care about their dogs AND yours). Also, make sure you always have a plan in case you're feeling uncomfortable. My dogpark has a long trail, so when problematic dogs come, I walk my dog around the trail once. If your dog does happen to snap, make sure you put him on a leash and apologize to the owner.

well, you should already know that puppies can't go to dog parks until they've had all of their shots, and i don't recommend them to very young puppies anyway as they can be bullied (whether you have a bully breed or not).

socialization is very important - so consider some other alternatives than you've mentioned - while not free, your county should have some classes that are taught by professionals at local parks for much, much less than what you'd pay at a professional center.

also, go to meetup.com - they have tons of free socialization groups that are breed specific, ensuring your new family member will be with similar playmates.

and when all else fails, take them to petsmart and just walk around - this is a great and totally free way to be around other people, dogs of all sizes, all on leashes - i love to take my dogs to petsmart or petco when the weather's nasty and i still want to get them out and get some socialization. good luck!