GOING TO A DOG PARK

I've never been to a dog park (we don't have any here) but I have taken Natalie to "canine social group" which was run by a trainer. The dogs were in a large fenced area and the trainer and her assistants were in various parts of the area ready to break up dogs if any of them got too rough with each other...owners were to stand against the fence and watch. There was a small dog group and a large dog group each at different times of the day. Natalie was in the large group with a variety of breeds and seemed to really enjoy herself. I'm not sure I'd be as comfortable at a dog park though.

 

Piper is a Pit Bull. She is 10 months old and has been spayed. I take her to Doggy Day Care on Tuesday's and we try to visit the Dog Park at least once a week. She has been very socialized ever since she finished her immunizations @ 12 weeks. So far, so good. I know there will always be a chance that things will change, but I am VERY AWARE of what is going on with her at the Dog Park at all times. Until she proves otherwise, I will continue to go because it seems to give her great pleasure and it a wonderful place for her to exercise. There is an old boat ramp that is fenced in for the dogs to play in the lake - I have to DRAG her out at the end of the day. The funny thing to me is, she always seems to run with the other Pit's - they seem to be "clicky". I assume because they are generally all the same size? Anyway, it works well for us...

 

I LOVE taking the dogs to the dog park. I have not had a problem so far, but that may be because my dogs will back down if they are challenged. They prefer to not have confrontations. And usually the parks don't have a ton of dogs. I have heard people post here about seeing 80 dogs at the park but if we have more than 5 at one of the parks I go to I consider it a lot of dogs. The other place has more dogs but it is also bigger so you can usually just go somewhere else if there are people who can't control their dogs. It is a better known park so more idiots go there so I am careful about the dogs we meet.

 

The park i usually go to is in the West LA area up in the hills, it is a big park, sometimes you see dog walkers, people whos job it is to exercise dogs for clients, Ive seen individual people with maybe a dozen leashes in hand and a bag full of tennis balls and everyone is having a great time.

 

If he's intact, why not get him neutered?

The dog parks around here do not allow unaltered dogs in the park so that is not really even a problem.

 

OSO IS 11 MOS AND ACTUALLY HAS AN APP. TO GET FIXED ON MAR 4. AT THIS TIME AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A BIG BABY, IN CLASS AT PET SMART HE GOT ALONG FINE WITH OTHER DOGS, AND HE WAS ACTUALLY VALENVICTORIN(sp?) he did really well. I HAVE SOCIALIZED HIM VERY WELL, I TAKE EVERY I GO,MY MOMS ,SISTERS, WHEREVER I CAN.
HE'S QUITE THE GOOFBALL. HE'S SO FAR NEVER SHOWED ANY SINS OF AGGRESSION TO PEOPLE AND THE ONE DOG (pit) HE PLAYS W/ FROM TIME TO TIME HE'S ALWAYS BEEN FINE. NOW IS THIS UNUSUAL WHEN ANY OF US ARE OUTSIDE W/ HIM HE STAY OUT ALL DAY, BUT IF I LET HIM OUT TO POTTY HE DOES HIS BUSINESS SNIFFS FOR A MIN OR TWO AND COMES RIGHT BACK IN, I FIGURE HE DOSENT WANT TO BE ALONE, HE'S SUCH A MAMA'S BOY! :mrgreen:

 

OSO IS 11 MOS AND ACTUALLY HAS AN APP. TO GET FIXED ON MAR 4. AT THIS TIME AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A BIG BABY, IN CLASS AT PET SMART HE GOT ALONG FINE WITH OTHER DOGS, AND HE WAS ACTUALLY VALENVICTORIN(sp?) he did really well. I HAVE SOCIALIZED HIM VERY WELL, I TAKE EVERY I GO,MY MOMS ,SISTERS, WHEREVER I CAN.
HE'S QUITE THE GOOFBALL. HE'S SO FAR NEVER SHOWED ANY SINS OF AGGRESSION TO PEOPLE AND THE ONE DOG (pit) HE PLAYS W/ FROM TIME TO TIME HE'S ALWAYS BEEN FINE. NOW IS THIS UNUSUAL WHEN ANY OF US ARE OUTSIDE W/ HIM HE STAY OUT ALL DAY, BUT IF I LET HIM OUT TO POTTY HE DOES HIS BUSINESS SNIFFS FOR A MIN OR TWO AND COMES RIGHT BACK IN, I FIGURE HE DOSENT WANT TO BE ALONE, HE'S SUCH A MAMA'S BOY! :mrgreen:

 

Theres nothing unusual in him wanting to be where you are, its a good thing and as he already does that the chances are when you do take him to the dog park he will probably continue to follow you, I would give him a couple of weeks though after hes neutered before taking him there, you dont want him overdoing things like running around too much or risking other dogs messing around with him after surgery, if hes still painful or uncomfortable he may be either a little scared or grouchy. (as anyone would be I think :wink: )