Can You Help Me With Upcoming Trip to Dog Park?
 

I just found out that a new dog park had it's grand opening last month. It's about 25 minutes away. There are no other dog parks remotely close. Coopy and I really want to go.

With that being said, we are going to need lots of advice. Cooper is not a very well socialized dog. He loves people but doesn't have much experience around other dogs. I took him to a dog park several times when we visited my mom in Florida. There was a small dog area and some dogs were probably around 25 pounds and some around 5. I was a bit scared as I'm sure Cooper fed off that. My mother said to take his leash off immediately. I hesitated but did. She just said not to worry about him, he'll figure it out. Cooper stood by me most of the time. He didn't really want to play. He didn't want other dogs to sniff him although he was interested in sniffing them. He ran up to every person in the park and wanted to sit in their laps but the dogs were a different story. He ran with 2 dogs for about 5 minutes but then I suppose he got frightened and took off at lightening speed towards the exit gate. I was afraid for him when the dogs got excited and chased him to the gate! I then ran full speed to rescue him.

We went there 4 days in a row. Each day was pretty much the same. When a dog came to sniff him he walked in circles or briskly walked away. We spent most of our time walking around the perimeter of the fence (leash off) while he scurried between my legs whenever a dog approached.

What am I to do? We want to try out this new park. Am I supposed to force him to allow other dogs to sniff him? How can I help him to become more social and less fearful?

Hope you get some suggestions as Brandi is the same way. I took Brandi to a beautiful dog park and she pretty much does the same thing. However she did have her moment (once she realized she wasn't on a leash)where should would just start running. Then again Brandi is 9 yrs old so I sort of expect her to be not as playful.

She does fine with people once she gets to know them but other dogs she has no interest in. Let me rephrased that. Big dogs she will try and attack, little dogs she shows no interest. She does however calm down around big dogs once she get used to them but I don't want her trying to attack anything. She has come a long way in terms of socializing. She is now able to just lay peacefully in the presence of animals or people. Not too long ago she wasn't even able to do that because she was so skittish so we are making progress in me socializing her. I have been so proud of her because I've been taking her places where there are lots of people and animals and she just seem so relaxed and not skittish at all anymore. In the past she was scared of her own shadow, always shaking and wanting me to pick her up.

I was pretty excited when we went to our local dog park. They have a small dog section but I've never seen any small dog in there. They all are in the big area. And that's the problem, the dogs are all big; GSD, Husky, Viszla, Retriever, Lab etc. Merlin was eager to meet them but they were so clumsy....after being stepped on a couple of times he is not too interested anymore. Also had to keep children from picking Merlin up all the time. I found it more stressful than anything.

Our area has a dog park with a small dog area and a big dog area. I really like this because I don't like my dog around the big dogs in an area where, I feel, a pack mentality can develop. I am always afraid that they will chase my dog down and I will have no way of protecting him. Unfortunately, there are irresponsible owners out there who don't know that their dogs can't handle being in a social situation or who just don't pay any attention when they are there. They figure they are in a fenced in area so they don't have to know what their dog is up to... NOT TRUE! You always need to pay attention when your dogs are in a social situation, with dogs or people... IMO. In the small dog area I don't worry about him at all. I have heard that it is important to take the leash off right away because if they have their leash on they are seen as weak and a target for other dogs.

I think the best thing to do is just keep going and he will eventually come out of his shell. I'm sure it's overwhelming for a dog who isn't very socialized. I'm sure even if he stays at your side the whole time other dogs will approach him to check him out. Eventually, he will see how fun it is and join in!

Some times when we go, Pippin is really social and plays and other times all he wants to do is pee all over everything! We don't care what he does, it's his time!

Lyric is still too little to go, but once she is old enough and has all of her shots we will definitely go. Pippin loves going and gets excited as soon as we pull off the interstate to get to the park. It's also a great way to meet other dog owners and share stories about your pups.

Good luck! Hope you give it another try!

I had a big dog that was the same way as cooper, other than he never really ran away from the other dogs, and even if he did I doubt any would get excited about it, he was a big one (95 lbs when I picked him up from my aunts place after my deployment, I got him to loose 15lbs before I had to find him a new home). He showed no interest in any of the dogs there, he'd run up to every person in the park, but ignore the dogs. It took a few times when he finally got to running around an almost playing with the other dogs.

Careful about taking him in with the big dogs though, I've seen some horrible things happen. I told one guy walking into the big dog area to keep his little dog in the small dog area for his safety, he didn't listen and the little dog got scared and ran from someones greyhound and that started a chase. Once one dog starts chasing something all of them start chasing it. They caught up with it and his dog wound up with some bite wounds, probably needed stitches, so keep Cooper in the small dog area and give him time and room to roam, he'll warm up to the idea and start having fun.

Your biggest concern should be how well socialized with small dogs are those other dogs.
Keep your baby on the leash and walk him in the park, let the other dogs approach and sniff him and let him feel comfortable. Familiarize yourself with the other dogs.
When your dogs tail is up and he seems content and you are sure he's not in an kind of danger, let him off. But keep a very watchful eye on him.
I had an incident where a Rottweiler took a real shine to Teegy and decided he'd try and chew on him, Teegy of course came straight to me and I had to handle the situation when he became extremely aggressive, as some owners at parks do not pay attention to their own dogs.

Thanks for everyone's advice and stories so far. I certainly will not let Cooper go in an area with any big dogs.

I also heard that you must take your dog off the leash immediately so that he feels equal to the other dogs. I don't want Cooper to think he's different because he's not free.

Hot Rod is pretty much the same way. He is such a mamas boy. We do go to the park any way and he does from time to time go up to other dogs. He does not like any other dog approaching mommy however. He's growled and woofed when that has happened. :( One of the parks that we go to has agility equipment and Hot Rod knows how to do that so that is a plus. It is something that he can do and I think he likes that he and mommy have something to do.

I would suggest just keep taking him into the small dog area. I've always been told that you should take the leash off as soon as you go in as it is a sign of heirachy if they are leashed.

Maybe you can find someone there with a smaller dog and plan to meet up regularly. This way they can at least make a friend and maybe it will be just what he needs to open up. :) Best of luck to you, we're struggling too.

I wish there was a dog park nearby. I think it would be fun for Bentley to meet other dogs in a place other than Petsmart.

just keep on going ...dont force him to let other dogs sniff his behind however it is a natural thing for dogs instead of "forcing" him try to gently guide him through the act let him sniff the other dog then when the dog goes to sniff him and he tries to turn comfort him rub his head or just lay your hand on his back so he cant really turn away but only briefly he needs to learn that this is ok. Im so glad I trained Penny to come to a certian whistle or ide never get her to come back to me when it was time to go she has sooo much fun

I take Levi to various dog parks pretty frequently, but only if they have separate small dog areas. He absolutely LOVES to go to the dog park, and he is very used to being around other dogs. But even Levi, who is wonderful with other dogs, occasionally runs around by himself at the dog park. He will play with the other dogs, but he also ends up spending time alone...I think he mostly just likes to sniff and see the other dogs while he is running and playing...unless one dog is particularly playful and fun for him.

As others have said, I would take Cooper off his leash as soon as you get through the gate, keep calm while he is sniffing around, and keep taking him frequently even if he seems disinterested at first. Hopefully, it will be one of his favorite places soon!! It is very cute to see all of the little dogs running around and playing together!

We are definitely going to try. I think we'll be going Friday morning or evening. I'll take the leash off him immediately and be patient with him. I'm certain though that I will be overprotective. I hope he gets used to it and begins to enjoy after a few visits because it's a great opportunity for both of us to meet some local people with shared interests.

We have a dog park very close to here. I wouldn't take Mango only because the area to run is SO large that I would not like if Mango went too far because of the other dogs. The dogs' owners just stand in clusters talking and no one pays attention to their own dogs, assuming bigger dogs aren't in any kind of danger...but they have to remember that there are smaller dogs too!

A school near by has a tennis court with "gate doors." That's where I would take my pug a while back to run and get her energy out off leash. Technically school areas are "no dogs allowed" but when there aren't kids playing, I don't think it mattered much. And if any kid(s) came in, we would just leave.

That's funny that you say that because I actually thought about taking him to run around a tennis court yesterday. I'll have to take a trip to the park and then make judgment from there weather or not it's going to even be worth a try.

The tennis courts are great : )

I would love for Mango to run in a dog park, I'd just be way too afraid! I'm a worry wart mommy :) Even Mango thinks so!!!! :D

Awww. I get so bummed that I can never take Ringo to a dog park. He just does not do well with a bunch of strange dogs. For his sake and the sake of all other dogs there; we just do not go. I've tried to take Lucy twice - but every time the small dog park is closed and everyone is just at the big dog park. We pass on that one.

Hope you guys have a good time! And don't stress too much or neither one of you will enjoy it.

Absolutely. I see so often people bring their dogs in and leave them on the leash and all the dogs are just going towards the dog and the dog on leash feels threatened. Leashes cause tension as well, especially if the handler is in ANY way nervous. Immediately off with the leash.

That said, I hear some people say their dog parks suck. I feel so lucky to have a wonderful dog park (2 actually, but ones better than other) :thumbup: I first took Jackson at 6 months old (actually learned about the park from YT). Ever since we've been hooked. Ours is in a state park so it costs $6 to enter, or $40 for yearly pass (which we did). We try to go every Saturday (that's when it's busiest and Jackson likes it better). Jackson has his days where he will runrunrunrun for like 2 hours, especially if he clicks with a certain dog. Other days he prefers to wander, sniff and pee on things.

But I love our dog park and don't know what I would do without it!

We are going to the dog park either this evening or sometime tomorrow. Any last minute tips? I'll post our experience when we get back:cool:

Sophie Kate is a regular at our dog park, they have two sections small dog and large dog. If a owner brings a large dog into the small dog park usually they are asked to leave (even when the large dog owner says their dog prefers small dogs).

I always take her off leash immediately and she sticks close by and observes until she finds the dog she wants to hang out with. Another thing I do is put a bright colored harness on her so I can keep an eye on her if she gets running with a pack of dogs (I want to make sure she doesn't get run over).

I take my own water and water bowl and have learned not to take treats since the treats can cause some aggression issues. The only toy I take is a tennis ball so we can play fetch.

Hope you guys have fun and don't get discourage if your baby sticks close to you at first.

Thank you. (I love Alpharetta). We are leaving here at 11:30 to get there when they open at noon. Good tip about the treats, although I will bring some and hide them in my pocket. I just read it's a good idea to let him sniff around the outside circumference of the fence before going in. Also that he can meet some dogs while he's on the outside first. There's a small dog area and I just hope my interpretation of small dog is similar to everyone else's!

I do see a lot people letting their dogs sniff the perimeter of the park, I never knew why but I it makes perfect sense to me. Sophie Kate is such a baby in order for her to do that I would have to first sniff the area and show her it was okay.

I wouldn't try to "protect" him or anything like that (unless there is a serious chance of him getting hurt) - that probably intensifies his fear and he is hiding behind you. Petting or cooing or soothing him when he's scared basically reinforces that state of mind.

What does he do when other dogs sniff him? What does he do around other dogs?

My dog also has some socialization issues. I have issues with my dog just going CRAZY when she sees another dog. I taught her that if she wanted to move forward and actually meet the dog, she had to SIT and be calm. So now when she sees another dog she immediately sits and allows the dog to sniff her, but she always seems uncomfortable when they start sniffing around her butt, and she rarely lifts her butt up. Not sure if this is because she is uncertain (she does seem like it) or because she thinks I will take her away from the dog if she moves from the sitting position.

I am hoping that eventually she'll loosen up and realize the proper way to greet dogs. She did meet one boy dog who she actually allowed to sniff her butt! :eek: I was like, "Sophie did you find a boyfriend?" haha.

I took her to the dog beach but did not let her off the leash (she will NOT come back if I let her go, so we are working on recall too!). Interestingly, I found that most dogs did not even care to associate with her! They would come within a few feet and sniff and turn away. I think they sensed her uncertainty or she gave off a bad vibe and they were just like "whatever".

I am just glad she is not nipping and growling at other dogs as much (which is her main problem)! She did snap at three dogs at the beach, but out of around 35 dogs, I think that things are improving.

We did it! :bananna:

When we got to the park there were 4 dogs in the big dog area and no one in the small dog area. I was relieved because it gave us a chance to let Cooper get used to the area. We played ball, he sniffed around, jumped in the pool and had a great time. A little boy in the big dog area (with a great dane) felt bad for Cooper because he saw Cooper had no friends. He came over to play with Cooper and then later protect him from what was to come. Then it happened. A wild beast came in. "Butch" was a giant rat terrier around 30 pounds and came in on a leash barking and ready to kill. His owner said "i'm not sure if i should take him off the leash, he can break that little dog's bones". Heck no she shouldn't. There was a lot of barking between the two but there was also a lot of sniffing. Cooper didn't run away. Someone suggested that she start over and let the dog in without a leash. My heart sank but I said we should try. Her dog was completely different and he and Cooper walked around together. There was one tackle that made me very uneasy.

Come to find out that Cooper seems to be the aggressor. He instigates the other dogs and when they try to go after him he bolts off like a bullet with his tail between his legs.

There was a kiddie pool there. Cooper actually jumped in it and swam under water.

He only played with that one dog. As we were heading to the parking lot someone with a 5 pound yorkie/shih tzu mix came in and we turned and went right back into the park. The other dog wasn't very playful but Cooper really took to the smaller dog.

So, all in all we had a good time and a couple of scares. Cooper wants to smell the other dogs but he does not let any of them smell him. I think if we go a couple of times he will really start to love it. Thanks for everyone's help.

We couldn't get in the bath fast enough when we got home!

YAY Cooper! He looks totally adorable and Jackson would have been right there in that swimming pool with him, LOL. I wish we lived closer, I think the two would really hit it off. But congrats, I hope you keep going and getting better! Like I said, there's some days Jackson doesn't really play/run too much and others where that's all he does so it all depends!

Thanks. I'm excited because it will turn into a new weekly adventure for us. As long as the dogs that enter are under 25 pounds, and as long as I can stay calm and not baby him, I think we will be ok. Everyone gathered to see him swimming. They would put there dogs in but they would jump out immediately. He just stayed in and dunked his head and bobbed for toys.

My dog Cookie was exactly the same way

We have a dog park nearby, one for small dogs and one for big dogs and I try to take Cookie everyday. But the first time we went she refused to leave my side, was frightened by any dog that came by and only got excited when she could greet PEOPLE

But it has been several months now and there is a lot of improvement

Now she enjoys chasing sticks, lets dogs sniff her, will wander around the park the entire time and even runs up to greet the other dogs. She still isn't keen on playing rough house with other dogs but seems to enjoy watching them play.

It just takes time, let your dog get used to being free and they will begin to enjoy it