Dog parks//Setting your dog up for success
Joel goes through the do’s and don’t’s of dog parks, so your dog isn’t bullied or attacked.
Dog parks//Setting your dog up for success
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Please message me my 4 month old white German shepherd puppy makes aggressive growls and barks I walked the fence didn’t go in the play area to start and she went nuts is this a fear stage and keep trying or seek a trainer I want a great loving dog
Oof if someone else grabbed my dog when I’m about to intervene that’s a huge violation of my boundaries. Not a fan of these methods.
My dog park is frustrating cause it’s usually a group of old people with their old grumpy dogs that don’t like other dogs and don’t want to be there. They just sit there together and chat. The dogs never play and when a dog comes up to them their dogs get snappy. Like why are you in the dog park? Just invite your posse to your house and chat lol.
I need advice to stop my dog humping at the dog park. I keep mine on a leash in the park so i can correct it but other owners think that causes problems too. (my dog is not protective of me btw, dominant not aggressive)
Dog Parks are risky business. I take my dog often, but always enter ON LEASH until I’m sure there are no bad dogs or mean ignorant people. Walking the perimeter, on leash, is a good way to be in control if trouble starts.
Ever notice that these punishment based trainers are all males?
I think dog parks are fantastic. What a great way to get your dog to socialize and build its immune system.
I have taken my pup since it was just under 4 months (we got our vaccines a little earlier than most people seem to) several times a week and my dog is all the better for it.
I suppose I would classify as a regular that is in on a clique but I usually only say hi then walk away to do my own thing lol.
The truth is every dog that I see frequenting the dog park is fantastic. The only problematic dogs I have seen are the ones who are cooped up in a house with only a relatively small backyard that come only on the most perfect of weather days.
I’d like to know specifically what behaviors to look for in other dogs. I have a wonderful 7mo he loves dogs, high energy but we go for a short hike prior to the dog park and he always goes on pretty calm he is pretty skittish as he was a rescue almost every time we’ve been to the dog park a dog has gotten too rough with him( mounting, growling, nipping) or just straight up tried to attack him. He doesn’t defend himself, so I have ripped dogs off of him. But idk I just want to know if there’s things I can watch for before it happens. He’s a Doberman so he’s already 56 pounds and 24 inches tall
damn, looks like he’s taking that dogs neck hard.
I am not a dog park advocate
AND HERE’S WHY:
I don’t recommend dog parks. Not ever. The list of things that can go wrong is so long that it completely outweighs the possible attributes; note I say “possible,” because the positives are, in my opinion, only theoretical.
First, dog parks are rife with disease, especially giardia. Soft stool, diarrhea that comes and goes, horrible gas?
Have your vet run a test for giardia. And then, of course, there’s kennel cough, as well other fungi, viruses, fleas and worms.
Second, I have seen way, way too many dog bites that have occurred at dog parks for my personal comfort. Mostly to other dogs, but also to people who reach in to break up a dog fight or a to grab their dog out of harm’s way. Even though signage clearly says “Enter at your own risk” and admonishes entrants that the liability they’re undertaking is their own, lawsuits more than often ensue. They’re never simple, they’re always stressful and it may threaten your homeowner’s insurance coverage in the future.
But let’s look at it from a dog’s point of view. Dogs thrive on stable relationships. Notice I did not say “pack!” They set up and like to maintain relationships with things that they know: their people, our human friends, their dog friends, their housemates, etc. Unless there are the exact same dogs every time they go to the dog park (which is nearly impossible), they have to re-establish their relationships with not only the dogs they already know in context of the new dog present, but they also have to establish a relationship with that specific new dog. Some dogs can handle the stress of this–but most cannot. Thus you’ll get what appears to be random fighting, random aggression towards a dog they know, random odd behaviors (“gee, never done that before”), seemingly sudden guarding behaviors (territory, owner, another dog) etc. It’s not random or unpredictable–it’s the stress you, as an owner, causes by going to the dog park! Dog parks require skills that most dogs do not possess, nor would they according to how we have bred them for hundreds of years.
Lastly, I’m very wary of the “unknown” factors. Unknown dogs, unknown owners, unknown relationships and interactions, unknown damages. I don’t like surprises, and dog parks hold way too many unknown factors for dogs’ safety.
One of my main reasons for not being a dog park advocate is what I can’t control my dog’s experience and/or other people’s dogs (and I think it goes without saying, the dog owners). Because dogs are learning all the time, I must control as much of their experiences as possible, so that they build a solid foundation of behaviors that are appropriate and desirable, such as impulse control, bite inhabitation, and exchanging rewarding, affiliative, positive social interactions.
All mammals remember frightening encounters over non-eventful or even fun encounters. It’s a primal survival brain mechanism, designed to keep us alive. Dozens of positive encounters can be overridden by one bad one; thus I must make sure my dog has only positive experiences for several years, until they are mature and have a solid foundation before I expose them to a possibly unsure environment.
If your dog gets bullied, attacked, frightened or even just overwhelmed at the dog park, he will bring that experience and the subsequent conclusions he made with him everywhere. The reactions can vary from “I’m scared and must get away as quickly as possible at all costs” to “If I come on strong and attack first, maybe I’ll be okay,” to just about anything in between.
Also keep in mind that fighting and bullying in dogs is a learned behavior just as much as anything else, and therefore once your dog does it a few times, it’s now learned and bound to be repeated over and over again. And make no mistake–many dogs enjoy being a jerk! Your best bet is to not let it start in the first place, whether it’s your dog being the bully or being the target.
Of course I recommend dog-to-dog play! If your dog has a few friends that he or she really enjoys, please go for it!
Set up play dates, meet somewhere where they can safely run, sprint, wrassle, and jump about. Since dogs generally play in pairs, try for either just the two, or in even numbers, you’ll find it works out better. Some dogs only want or need a few friends (just like people), and some are social butterflies, and can make friends wherever they go. Pay attention to who your dog is, not who you want them to be. Stay within your dog’s comfort zone, and you’ll have a happier, safer dog.
So considering all the above, is this something you actually want for your dog? I doubt it! Take your dog for a walk instead.
I hate dog parks. It’s not productive, it’s just a dumb idea. Do something with your dog instead such as obedience, fetch, flirt pole, running to manage his energy instead of allowing some clueless dogs in your dog’s personal space. It’s not if but when your dog pins another dog or gets pinned, and then you got a problem.
I love how you’re realistic about dog parks and don’t demonize them.
yes my dog will try to claim under the table but I always make him get out of it
Hoi
I did the method of walking my dog back to my car whenever she got excited and back. It ended up being an hour before I could actually let her in
Great vid Joel. This is by far probably one of the most neglected areas. I’ve observed the clicks gathering at the bench or table. Some folks go to dog parks just to catch up on the latest gossip, while their dog are dogpiling up on another dog aggressively . No different from going to your kids baseball game. Yes, we have to pay attention to surrounding & other dogs. Once your dog is attacked at a dog park, your dog is scared to go back. I understand the importance of socializing but there’s other options too.
hi friend!
can you show me how to teach dog to sit down and stake hand?
How do I know if rough play is too rough? I just got a shelter dog he’s an Australian cattle mix. He’s about 30lbs he’s got a lot of energy and he likes to play with the other bigger dogs but sometimes the bigger dog will throw/push him and he’ll land on his side really hard. Or the bigger dog will kinda land on top of him. But it seems like he’s still having fun and he doesn’t really yell or act injured most of the time. Should I be stepping in?
A dog park is a completely uncontrolled circus of disease and potential aggression. When a fight starts there is no controlling it and the criminal and civil liabilities on you as an owner are enormous. Most people have absolutely no control of their dogs and have no training what-so-ever in handling any dog, much less one in flight mode. Once a fight starts the pack WILL engage and blood shed results. Statistically one dog per day dies in a dog park in America. Many people are acquiring Rottweilers, Bull Terriers and GSDs and have no clue they just brought home an apex predator that operates in a pack to kill other animals. It’s simply a matter of time before your ‘pet’ gets into an ugly situation at a dog park. It’s not if, but when. I train working line breeds (Belgian Malinois, GSD, Dutch Shepard’s) in protection and obedience and I tell my clients that under no circumstances should you visit a dog park even with a dog I’ve trained that is essentially a machine that lives to obey it’s pack leaders command by voice or hand signal. There is a line that no degree of training can prevent a dog from crossing when that switch is flipped. I’ve seen Police K9s attack their handlers when they flip to survival mode. Not pretty. Get REAL training, practice it daily and stay OUT of dog parks.
Do you have any tips to keep a young unneutered male safe at the dog park? Some dogs sniff him and immediately want to fight him.
This is so true! The dog pack does have different groups of people. Great video
Dog parks, as you explained, are like playing russian roulette. It’s a risky place posing a high risk of injury. I got bit in one doing exactly what you describe about stepping in. So did my last dog. I’ll never set foot in one ever again. My dogs never got anything good out of them anyway.
I brought my 14 month old Australian shepherd to the dog park for his second time. This time there was a lot more dogs so I brought him in on his leash to let him get used to it . The other dogs started harassing him and everyone got mad because he was on a leash. I was confused but let my dog off the leash. He was OK but the other dogs still wouldn’t leave him alone so we didn’t stay long . He’s not a fighter just wants to play even small dogs pick on him lol he’s 67 lb of chicken 🤣
Yeah I have a Rottweiler puppy 11 months . He gets so excited to play and a golden retriever attacked him . Made the mistake of letting him get excited . He’s so big also to control but not a fighter .
I liked the video, but to be fair, this is way way too perfect of a situation. In the real world, there are way more hurdles and land minds. My dog is okay at the dog park. She is a little overly cautious with new dogs because she’s been attacked a few times in her life, but nothing serious. If a dog is slightly too rough, she sometimes freaks out a bit. She doesn’t break skin but definitely scares me and the other owner. If a dog is overly submissive, my dog gets slightly aggressive. If she is playing with a dog she likes, she will stand out in the field to get ready to stop the other dog. I hate this behavior, but when i correct it, she ends up just not wanting to play at all. I have to correct it because she nips way to hard that she broke the skin and they had to get stiches. I took her away from the dog parks for years after this because my training was not doing it. I tried it again recently, and while she is much better, which I think is just age, she is still too reactive. I just want her to have a good time and run with the dogs and choose to avoid confrontation rather than to drasticly escalate it. Wow, I did not expect to write this much. I have just tried so many training methods and a few trainers with no luck. I have trained her to be my service dog and pass all of the tests, but I can’t train this out. I just want to be able to relax more at the park and her to have more fun.
I think dogs need like a GOOD DOG TEST to see if dog is obedient in RECALL and temperament. Plus owners should take classes on dog body language before entering a dog park. NYC have great dog parks horrible owners
Hi, my dog sticks to me at the dog park, what to do?
Thank you, great video 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I have a German Shepherd x Cane Corso 3 year old and i have unfortunately had to stop taking him to the park to play with other dogs. Not because of his behaviour, but because of the other dogs. It was like a prison scene in the movies, My dog is huge compared to the others and all the rough/ extremely dominant dogs would run up to him and body slam into him; spending the whole time trying to pin him instead of playing.
I would try and get in there and clean it up but they aren’t my dogs and i would literally be correcting three other peoples dogs every few second; they were getting mad at me. Every trip to the park there was at least one dog that would be relentless on mine and i started to see him showing teeth and actually running and hiding behind people because i couldn’t help him. I stopped taking him to the park but it has punished my dog because he does absolutely love to play, with big dogs, he’s gentile with small ones, even over excitable puppies he is good with. I’m just so sad he can’t enjoy the company of other dogs because they are too much.
Great video thank you for all the advice I’m glad to have reassurance on my thoughts by watching your video that I’m doing the right thing for MY Dogs! Thank you 🙏🏽 God bless
Couldn’t agree more I took my male border collie to the dog park and a mastiff put him on his back. What happen between mastiff owner and myself lives on in that dog park as legend. From there I took him to the small side of the dog park and as he grew once in a while someone would make a fuss but the folks who were regulars would see Jack and smile.
Yup dog parks can be good or bad just like with humans/people every social area/environment can be good or bad. You go get a sense of the vibe it’s good you like it? Great go in your have a good time. With dogs you approach the park let’s dogs meet through the fence, lip licks, tail wags, play bows? Great they’ll probably get along. Other hand you come up dogs barking, showing teeth, raised cackles ok no thanks something bad might happen.
Walked my dog around the outside of the dog park away to get her desensitized to other dogs while on leash. There were 3 dog fights inside the dog park within that 5min walk. Piss on that.
useless, yet another video about how to train an already trained dog
that;s barely any pulling in the first place, i wish you showed it with a sled dog with super high energy.
Today I was doing this training, and another owner tried to tell me I am stressing out my dog by implementing these very methods. Meanwhile they are not even watching their own dog.
What if your dog is the dominant one
What are some examples or signs of play that’s top rough?
Love this! 🙏
I think it’s important to note that most, if not all, of the dogs in the park are unknown to you. There are really no rules or boundaries, and they’re strangers. It’s kind of like if we dropped a person into a prison recreational yard. Sure, most of the inmates probably aren’t going to hurt you, but there are some who will, and you don’t know which is which.
For example, some people aren’t as responsible as you. I’ve seen dogs with "policing" tendencies, that see other dogs running and playing and feel the need to stop them. This can easily turn into other dogs (that are not yours) getting involved, and fights start. All the while your dog didn’t do anything, but is now involved in a fight. That’s just one example of the fact that you don’t know the other dogs or what they’ll do. It’s a pretty big risk.
I’m gearing to take my boxer the her first dog park. I’m nervous. If yall know boxers they are high energy. But I want her to run off leash and work some energy off at the end of the day. But she walks good on leash. She is spayed
The problem isn’t no the dogs it’s the people they are sucks
I am so happy that you explained to watch the dog park before you go in and to pay attention to the other dogs, body languages, and to pay attention to how the owners are behaving that I think is the biggest key. Unfortunately I don’t have any dog parks in my city at all that do not have all of those things going on every time I’ve showed up it doesn’t matter what day of the week or what time of the day there’s always the group thing happening dogs that don’t want to be there a lot of dogs guarding the table. Some of them are even standing on the table and won’t let anyone approach, and then the rest of the dogs that are running around or running around like chickens with their heads, cut off, getting into scuffles, and all of the owners are just staring at their phones no one’s paying attention. It makes me really sad because I used to go to the dog park every day with my dogs and now I can’t. I wish there was someway to start a Facebook page with people and have our own park that we meet at at a certain time every day and then have the dogs meet one on one before we enter the park someplace where all the owners agree on all of these things that you’re talking about how dogs should behave how we should pay attention to our dogs how we should enter the park that would be so amazing. Unfortunately there aren’t any of those that exist and my dogs were attacked so many times at the dog park and buy Offleash dog smell on a walk now I bought a hike and strike and have to carry it with me everywhere
"You gotta protect your dog"
I have noticed that many of you’re videos have very low audio. Even with maxing out my audio setting on my tablet.
Our dog park is like a MASSIVE actual park with a sledding hill in winter for everyone and lakes etc I wouldn’t being my Aussie doodle anywhere like this this, we are now watching your videos but we’ve always let them just run and rough play obviously if there was a crazy dog r mine attacked ppl that’s different.. I guess it depends on the city, some places there is almost no greenspace at all!
I own male rottweiler Django, we used to go to a dog park near my house, but there’s some messed up dogs showing up now and then its too inconsistent. There’s way too much unneutered males, and there’s people who don’t give a shit about what their dogs are doing. Django used too be way more tolerant as a little puppy, now he’s tolerant, even tolerates humping, but if the other dogs don’t pick up on the cues he eventually looses his temperament. Here in Portugal rottweilers are considered a potentially dangerous breed, among with another 6. So its mandatory for him to wear a muzzle all the time when he’s on public spaces, i don’t think its fair, so i quit going. There’s some people that shouldn’t own dogs, that’s for sure. There’s a guy making phone calls all the time and he has a bullmastif who’s a total bully, not even like dominant, just bully. He doesn’t even care. Once he got bitten by Cane Corso female who has had enough, but he still thinks he’s dog is fine. There’s another guy with a GS female with way to pray drive, she goes nuts with little dogs, she goes after them and bites really hard, he thinks its playing. There’s people who allow dominant behavior, dogs going in with hair standing, all buffed up, tail up. I don’t like it because it’s complicated to calculate the variables, there’s your dog, there’s other dogs, and there’s other owners who may be responsible or not.
This is super helpful! Preparing for my pups first time next week.. my adult dog loves the dog park but his temperament has always been less “dominant” than other dogs at the park. Not sure if my pup will be the same but thanks for the info!
I wish I had a video like this way sooner. My dog got bit. Most expensive park trip.
I always bring a tiny pocket air horn and give a short blast if there is trouble
Luckily I haven’t had to use it at the local dog park but I did have to use it once while walking in my neighborhood. A dog came running up behind me and my pup so fast, he rolled her over and went after her, but just one short airhorn blast and he took off.