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| | Dog Park Pet Peeves? Page 2 of 2 (1, 2) | ^^^ Agree!
I spent buckets of money keeping my pet clean and pest free, principally because of neighbours who never bothered to use pest control on their pets or yards. I expect that owners who keep their dogs outside might be less fussy, but my bully was an inside dog - and after excursions to a park, I'd have to bath him to get rid of the fleas.
With very few exceptions, we don't have dedicated dog parks in Australia. In my home state, the government enacted the Companion Animals Act about a decade ago which prescribes that all local governments provide at least 1 off-leash park for dog owners. In other parks, dogs may be allowed on leash or not allowed at all.
The Act also lists a number of provisions covering dog & cat owners, eg that dogs be registered and identified with collar & tag, greyhounds & other breeds must be muzzled, etc. It further stipulates that an offence may still have been committed if the dog rushes at, attacks, bites, harasses or chases any person or animal, whether or not any injury is caused. All very laudable...... But ...
THE TROUBLE IS ... parks are never patrolled. Off-leash parks have pooper-scooper bins but not all owners use them. I also experienced nasty, bitey, aggressive dogs and their irresponsible owners who are totally CLUELESS when it comes to dog training. Large, boisterous dogs were never muzzled. Even at dedicated doggie events sponsored by the RSPCA, small bitey dogs would try to attack him. Life's too short for aggravation so I gave it away.
And when I travelled, it was easier to just hire someone to house-sit, because he came back from his one experience of a very expensive kennel with sores on his body!
@Mo -  | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/21/2012 10:44:43 AM | My dogs are very well mannered. They love going to the park to see their "friends".
We live in Florida......HOT. We don't always stay long as it's just too hot for them but I've learned it's not the length of time that matters as much as the "act" of going to the park. Just to be off leash and able to sniff every (SINGLE) blade of grass :) makes their day!! | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/21/2012 6:29:17 PM | | i don't have a dog anymore but my son has a jack russell terrier. that dog is walked several times a day and he loves the dog park. i heard there is one not far from where i live that has a lake for the dogs to swim in and fountains and things to run up and run down. he seems to enjoy socializing and everyone is friendly...its fun to take him. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/21/2012 7:38:57 PM | My dog park is Central Park. I'm more worried about others dogs than my own since most people do not know how to control their dogs properly. My biggest pet peeve is people who bring children into a dog park. Well, people that bring children into anywhere that isn't appropriate is a pet peeve in general. But we wouldn't want to keep the little darlings out of anything, would we.
People who bring pit bulls or other agressive dogs
I bet you couldn't pick out a Pitbull in a lineup. I bet you've never even spent time with one. Stop hating a dog because of the way it looks. I've met way more aggressive chihuahaus than I have Pitbulls and the smaller dog is usually the one taunting the bigger dog.
Yes they are. People who own them are usually ***holes too which makes the problem even worse.
And people that usually judge someone or something by the way they look are usually ignorant azzholes that I would probably cross to the other side of the street because I can sense an azzhole a mile away. So I guess that makes us even .Famous people that own/owned Pits. Helen Keller, Cesar Milan, Jessica Alba, Brad Pitt, Linda Blair, Mary Tyler Moore, Rachel Ray and countless other people who I guess are azzholes because of the breed of dog they owned. My dog is a Pit and a therapy dog. He couldn't be one if he didn't have absolute perfect behavior in all situations. I take him to visit senior citizens and children with special needs. Let's see your dog do that. And I don't even care what kind of dog you have. I will put my dog up against your dog any day of the week and see who is better behaved.
Labs and Golden are far more popular breeds. Of course their share of dog bites will be greater. Pit Bulls are also banned in Miami. Because they are dangerous. Pit Bulls are responsible for far more bites per capita..
How many people do you know that get bit by a small 10 lb dog, are calling the health dept to report a small dog bit them? Pits aren't dangerous, bad owners are. Do not sweep every owner of a particular breed with the same stroke. So the way you tell it, I'm no better than Michael Vick? He owned his dogs. He also slammed them to the ground and electrocuted them when they lost fights. He also shot the ones that were underperformers. Guess what? I've done neither.
That BullShyt Law...I mean Breed Specific Legislation is about to be overturned in August because most people with sense know they shouldn't judge someone or a whole group on the actions of a few. But then George Zimmerman thought he was judge and jury because of the way a child looked too...and he's in FL too. There's a lot of things in that state that need to be overturned.
According to the American Temperament Test latest results , American Pit Bull Terriers 86.8% and Golden Retrievers 85.2%...a Shih Tzu (for shyts and giggles) scored 76.2%. Those oh so adorable Lhasa Apso scored just 70% The closer to 100, means the dogs were better behaved. So I guess they are just making up those test results? | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/21/2012 9:28:20 PM | am sure many of you own a dog or owned a dog at some point in your lives or dog sit other people's pooches. I am also sure many of you take Fido to the dog park more or less frequently. .....What are your major dog park pet peeves? Also, does your city enforce dog park rules (I sometimes wish mine would)?
I had a lab for 13 years. I rarely took her to dog parks. My problem with dog parks was the other dogs who so often behaved badly. My dog was very intelligent and well behaved. I took the time to train her, myself, and to make sure she was well socialized to behave well with humans and other dogs; also, it was in her nature to be pleasant and non-agressive. In dog parks, there are all kinds of dogs and owners. Many owners do not train their dogs properly and the dogs start fights, or jump all over people, etc. If I would throw a ball, for example, for my dog to chase, another dog would go after it and take it away from her. And the owner of that dog would do nothing about it. I didn't find dog parks a good experience for me or my dog. I liked when she socialzied with one or two dogs at a time, not large groups of them because in a large group, there were always many whose owners exercised no control over their pets while their pets were agressive or just wildly out of control.
When I took my dog to parks, it was large wilderness type parks where we hiked for miles. (I lived in Seattle and there are many parks like that in the area.) Or I took her swimming. Often on these excursions, she met other dogs and socialized with them, one or two at a time. That worked well, imo. Dog parks are just a chaotic mess.
I think people should be more vigilent of their dogs' behavior in the park and should use it as a place to socialize rather than to burn energy after being cooped up inside all day Absolutely agree.
Pit bulls aren't more aggressive than other dogs.... Baloney. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/22/2012 2:02:14 PM | Pits aren't dangerous, bad owners are.
ATM, I share what I think is your fondness for the APBT, but I gotta say this statement isn't accurate and it doesn't tell the whole story. I've owned and trained a bunch of these dogs, as well as a variety of other breeds, mostly working breeds and livestock dogs. I've seen the best and worst of the APBT. A bad pitbull is a complete menace, WHY because:
1. Their willingness to bite is unrestrained and uninhibited.
2. The nature of the bite is very different than other dog bites.
3. These dogs often do not telegraph their intentions like other dogs do.
Aside from these breed-specific traits, you have the fact that there are many, many, MANY bad owners breeding bad dogs at will because they're azzholes who think having a badazz dog who looks badazz and acts badazz is badazz. What is the result, an awesome breed that has been ruined by stupidity and greed, and much tragedy. So not only do you have a dog that is *potentially* more dangerous just because of the way it's been designed, but you have their overwhelming popularity among the scum of the earth. And that spells trouble.
Just one small example I remember, about 8 years ago there was a couple in Baltimore who had a pit bull. Missus has a new baby and she is at home with baby, who is sitting in the bouncy thing on the floor. Pit bull is in the same room. She leaves the room and 10 minutes later she comes back and the dog has mauled the baby and ripped the kid's face off. THIS IS NOT NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR A DOG, even for a dog who doesn't understand children (and many of them do not). I wouldn't in a million years wish that kind of tragedy on anyone, but the price of ignorance and stupidity, such as we have seen happen with these dogs, can be incredibly high.
Back in the old days when dog fighting was still legal, people actually treated their pitbulls alot better, and bred them selectively with care. Also, because of the nature of the handling they required, ANY dog who showed aggression towards people was immediately destroyed. As a result pit bulls were extraordinarily popular family pets for exactly the opposite reason they are today, they were approachable but tough, incredibly stable, and easy to handle and train. Not advocating for legalizing dog fights, just pointing out the irony and a little of the history.
That being said, I don't agree with breed-specific legislation which is not only unfair but almost completely useless. What if the dog is a Staffy? Same dog, but very different dog. What if it's half French poodle, three-quarters Boxer? I know some jurisdictions have required owners to buy liability insurance that's so expensive most people simply can't afford to own a pit bull, EVEN IF they can get the insurance. Again why punish responsible owners with normal, sane dogs? Maybe we should have owner-specific legislation: Joe Blow has been declared too stupid to own a dog. Gosh, that would be politically incorrect. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/22/2012 2:56:45 PM | Today at the (regular) park I was walking my girl and another dog went mental.
The owner had it on a retractable leash (of course) and let the leash wind all the way out, so her crazy unsocialized dog could get as close to mine as possible. (I had to walk 7 feet off the sidewalk to stay clear of it)
It barked manically, lunged, growled and had 2 feet off the ground as it attempted to attack my dog, who ignored it.
The owner's reaction?
Dead silence until we walked off the sidewalk to go around them.
And then she said "no no" -once- in baby talk.
Jane Blow has been declared too stupid to own a dog- by me. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/22/2012 4:26:16 PM |
The dog park is NOT for exersise. It is to socialise the dogs to other dogs and humans.
The dog park is a place to exercise your dog. And socialize with other dogs and humans. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/22/2012 5:39:18 PM | When I used to take my dog to the park these were my pet peeves:
1 - People bringing kids as young as 18 months and letting them frollick around on the grass. First - ew. You do know what the dogs do on the grass young Timmy is rolling on, right? Second, most of the dogs were big dogs. Most of them played rough (but mostly not aggressively). Most ran and chased each other. Do you really want 70 lbs of muscle racing towards your toddler? (My dog knocked over a child who had JUST learned to walk. His mother had allowed him to walk AHEAD of the stroller. I didn't see him when I was walking up behind the group, my dog bolted through them and ran smack into the kid. I felt bad on the one hand, and thankful he wasn't hurt, but that was entirely his mother's fault). People who bring kids and then get ANGRY!! at you when their child is bumped or knocked over. I don't take my dog to a kid's park and complain about your kids mauling my pet, why the hell do you bring your children to a dog park!?
2 - People who bring FOOD/DRINKS. Oh. My. God. How stupid can you be to bring food or drinks to the park? Don't be surprised if that sh*t gets knocked out of your hands by the less polite dogs. Further, bringing food COULD incite a fight. It's even worse when it's a young child holding food. I just cringe and leave the park.
3 - People who are AFRAID of dogs but still walk around the park. Where I used to live, there were 2 women who were terrified of dogs. One was an older woman who was just petrified of dogs, but she walked around the park all the time and freaked out whenever a dog came up to her. My dog, who is friendly, came up to her wanting to play and after I realized what she was all about, I just stopped calling my dog away from her. You want to be stupid enough to be scared of dogs but still walk around their fenced-in dog park, I'm not calling my dog away from you. So sorry.
4 - People who bring clearly aggressive dogs (regardless of breed) and refuse to acknowledge when their dog is crossing the line and then get angry when I remove my dog from the situation. Learn to read your dog's signals.
5 - People who have not trained their dogs in any way. My dog is whistle trained (b/c of the hunting we do with her) and it always amused me how people at the park were in awe, truly in awe, that she sat, laid down, or came back to me with a few blows on the whistle, as though it were magic. These people would then spend 15 minutes screaming, waving their arms, cajoling, and bribing their dogs back when they wanted to leave the park. I'm not saying I've never had to chase my dog down; she's only 2 and still very easily distracted and she is a very stubborn dog, but I don't spend 20 minutes screaming at the top of my lungs, either. I know usually beforehand if she's going to give me issues when it's time to leave, usually by her unwillingness to listen to a command, and if that's the case, we leave before it progresses to her running off and looking back at me like "up yours, I'm not coming back."
I don't frequent parks anymore, and especially not the one where I currently live as the ignorant idiots HAVE called the SPCA on my family twice for using our whistles ('silent whistles'). Apparently, according to the idiots that reported us, it's inhumane not to use the dog's name to yell at them from across the park while 10 other people are also screaming for their dogs. It's more hassle than it's worth, so I just take them up to the bush and they run free there, without the idiots. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/27/2012 10:09:56 AM | Oh hell don't get me started on this!
1. When people don't know what they're looking at when Fido is about to start a fight. Clearly you should be more in tune with a dog's body language.
2. After the fight ensues they bring in Fido and start petting him and saying "Oh you're okay, it's alright." REALLY!?!?!!?? Don't pet your dog after he's just been in a fight with another dog! That only enforces the behavior.
3. When people let their dog run around crazily terrorizing other dogs.
4. People bringing in little 5 pound Fido into the large dog side.... Annoys me to no end.
5. Not picking up your dog's waste. It's not that hard really... Just pick it up with the bags they provide and throw it away!
6. Little kids running around unsupervised. I know it's not their fault, it's their parents. Parents, realize this; your dog may be perfectly fine with little kids but other's dogs may not be! don't let your "mini me" run around unsupervised with large dogs. Yes, I have seen this on several occasions. And the dog park rules clearly state no unsupervised children!
I could go on but I'm just going to stop. These are the reasons I don't go to dog parks anymore. The main one being because people let their dog run around starting fights. Irks me so bad. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/27/2012 10:22:17 AM | Has anyone ever noticed there is always a (self) appointed king/and/or queen of the dog park? Someone who is always trying to organize/invent their own set of rules and regulations to impose on the other users? This bugs the s*it out of me.
Plus, except for a few people I have met, I hate dog park conversations. Sorry, but where I live, the dog parks are clique-y, and the patrons can be really pretentious.
I pefer to take my dogs down to the beaten path beside the StLaurence seaway. No fights, lots of nature and clean. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/27/2012 12:36:56 PM | Dog parks have a minimum age for children in the park, dogs play rough, and I agree, when I take my dog to the dog park, I should not have to worry about small children.
Furthermore, dogs behave differently in a large group, than they do on their own. There are many fights in dog parks, ask at any emergency vet service. Dog parks are neither safe nor sanitary for small children.
I once was chewed out (pardon the pun) because my dog lifted it's leg on a stroller.
If your child is still in a stroller, it is too young to be in the dog park. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 6/27/2012 1:29:29 PM |
No kids in a dog park? That is like saying there can't be any limes with Corona Beer, like saying that you can't put cheese on a burger, like saying that you can't put mustard on a hot dog.......... get the point? Kids and dogs go together like peanut butter and jelly, like tequila and salt and limes...............
No, they don't. Your kid with YOUR dog is one thing, your kid with a STRANGE dog is another thing. Not -all- dogs like kids, understand kids, or have been around kids much. Children behave, act, and move differently than adults. They are unpredictable and there is little reason behind their motives. As such, some dogs cannot accurately judge what a child is doing or going to do, like they can with an adult. A dog that has not been around children much and is suddenly being chased or mauled by an over-eager 4-year-old who wrestles with the family's black Lab may behave unexpectedly i.e. the dog may bite out of fear, surprise, or an attempt to "control" the child.
My chocolate Lab is a lovely dog, but she's never been exposed to kids all that much since I have none and none of my friends have them either. Would I feel comfortable letting a toddler or a 5 or 6 year old play with her? No. Not because I think my dog is vicious, but because she's never been exposed to them in much length and has no experience in what kids are all about.
I have no problem with OLDER children (10 years +) in a dog park, I have issues with toddlers and younger kids being allowed in to wander around, roll in the grass, etc.
I don't even like them coming after my Papillon, who HAS been exposed consistently to children when my mom had a daycare in her house. She has teeny, tiny little legs that could be easily broken by a child who does not know how to play with a small dog.
So no, kids and dogs do NOT go together like peanut butter and jam, or anything else you want to throw up there.
Your kid and your dog is entirely different than your child and a STRANGE dog, regardless of whether they're at the park or on the side walk. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 7/19/2012 10:12:02 AM | The owner had it on a retractable leash (of course) and let the leash wind all the way out, so her crazy unsocialized dog could get as close to mine as possible. (I had to walk 7 feet off the sidewalk to stay clear of it)
Pet behaviors are a consequence of careless owners. | |
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| Dog Park Pet Peeves?
Posted: 7/20/2012 5:10:54 PM | | The amount of pit-bull ignorance in this thread is truly disappointing. The majority of pitties are sweet, gentle dogs that get along fine with people and other dogs. Typically the problem pits are the result of ignorant owners who have not trained or socialized them correctly. There are lots of pitties at my local dog park, and they are rarely the problem. My own dog is a pit/beagle mix, and is as sweet as can be. | |
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