Good Morning!

Today's Topic:
What are your thoughts on Dog Parks? Do you ever take your dog/s to them? Do you think they are a good idea? Are there good and/or bad dog parks and why? How do your dog/s react at dog parks? Do dogs need a place to go where they can be off leash besides at home?

Have a golden day!
Debbie

I enjoy taking my dogs to our local dog park. It is very large area with a creek that borders one side. It is the perfect place to take an older dog who loves the water but can't climb out of the creek like they once could. This has a place where they can gradually walk into the water. I took Crystal last week for the first time, she stayed on leash of course, but she did well with the other dogs. She is still somewhat shy of strangers though...so unlike any of my other Goldens. My Zoe loved people, she'd run up to strangers for pets & attention. Barney had to be leashed at first, with his lack of hearing he would follow his nose and wander. In his later years when he slowed down, I let him off leash because I could keep up him. Montana had free run and loved the water too. Fortunately we have never had any bad experiences with other dogs, but I have been witness to some. I think you always take a risk with that many dogs running loose and getting excited. It's great to have an area to let your dog run free, meet & greet and just be a dog :)

No, never.

I have been to lots of dog parks, some good and some not so good. I didn't take Toby and Sage because Toby was overwhelmed and didn't like it, and Sage could be aggressive with dogs he didn't know. But Trapper and Keevin love going to dog parks. Trapper really enjoys all the attention from the people there, and running with the other dogs. Keevin loves 'snoodling' around smelling all the new smells.

Before going in, I always observe to see what the dogs that are there are doing and if I see any dogs acting like bullies or being pushy we don't go in. It is really important that the area is really big so nobody feels crowded. The best dog park I have ever seen was in Fountain Hills near Scottsdale, AZ. It was clean, grassy, and had lots of shade structures and a water area for the dogs. There is one dog park in Boulder that I like and a couple that I don't like.

I know there are risks going to a dog park - aggressive dogs, disease, injury, but I guess there are risks in most anything. I do like letting my guys off leash and letting them have some social time with other dogs.

Generally, never go to dog parks.

Before Pete came to us, his former mistress told us she took him to dog parks and he was bullied and beat up there. Consequently, he still struggles with meeting bigger dogs on the trails we walk. Basically, he wants them to stay away from him.

So, the opposite consequence of the socialization a dog park should provide.

He seems to do better with volume - on a walk where we repeatedly encounter dogs over many hours things tend to "peter" out with him.

I get the sense he just wants to feel safe.

When Abby was still in her puppy days, I took her to a Calgary dog park. She met, if I remember right, about 43 other dogs within an hour, peed her pants but generally learned how to fit in and be polite with other dogs. Her occasional encounters on trails up to that point hadn't been going well but after that single dog park visit, I never had another problem with her around other dogs for the rest of her life.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

Previous dogs used to love to go to the dog park in Sunnyvale, until a group of dogs chased Jackson. From then on, he would sit on the bench with me while Toby and Mila explored. The biggest problem wasn't the dogs, it was the owners who paid no attention to what their dogs were up to, didn't clean up after them, and let their dogs behave inappropriately. Julia has taken Layla and Bailey to a local dog park, but I just walk them. They aren't well socialized and didn't really enjoy the experience. I should take them to see how they behave.

As you know, both of mine are rescues. Gage loves everybody and everything but barks alot because he gets so excited. We also have to watch him with bigger dogs because of his hip replacement. Claire on the other hand does not enjoy the experience. The car ride is tramatic enough. Once we are there, she tolerates it but remains by my side and really doesn't interact with the other dogs at all. She is such a loving dog, it kills me to see the scars her early years have left on her. As a result, we just walk them daily in our neighborhood.