Taking a dog to the dog park

noir_blood

First of all, as the rules dictate, here's Malone



This was taken at a dog park I just took him to. He ended up getting chased by a couple of dogs(in what I hoped was just being playful) and decided to go to higher ground.

This was really my first time bringing him to a park, and he seemed to enjoy it at the beginning, but of course, after the chase, he really didn't want to hang around with other dogs and stuck to the edges of the fence. I couldn't even get him to chase his tennis ball, which he normally likes.

So I guess I'm wondering if I should take him again- looking at the internet, there's seems to be a lot of people saying that dog parks aren't good because of aggressive dogs, careless owners, etc. However, I would like to give him the chance to socialize more, so if not the dog park, what?

Also, in the beginning, all that Malone seemed to do was to go from dog to dog and sniff their butt. Seriously, at one point he was just following a St. Bernard around and taking every opportunity to sniff the dog's behind. Is this normal? Any advise, do's and don'ts that you guys can offer?

Quid

My dog does this. He just doesn't care about other dogs once he's smelled them (Unless we let him in the big dog park and he decides he has to be alpha male over dogs three times his size). It just became kind of pointless after a while since all he wanted to do after that was pee on anything he saw another dog pee on and lay in the sun. We still socialize him but with our friend's dogs. Whenever they come over or we go to their house the dogs go too so they can play together some, which might be the better option for you if you have friends with dogs.

Aldo

Sniffing butts is a dog's way to check someone's LinkedIn profile, it's completely natural and nothing to worry about.

If you know any dogs who you know are nice to other dogs you could plan going to the park together, that way your dog can socialize with dogs you know aren't going to turn out psycho. From experience I know other dog owners like it when they meet up with a sweet dog. Even when the owners really don't have anything in common, it's nice to see your dog interacting in a healthy way with other dogs.

Your dog just got scared by other dogs chasing him around, while they probably didn't even want to hurt him. I imagine that if he ran into a dog his own size he would probably react completely different and he might even try to chase a dog smaller than him given half a chance. Dogs are animals, after all, and once they realize they are stronger than another dog they can act very differently than you're used to. A dog park is a relatively safe environment to learn more about your dog, which can never hurt.

godmode

My rule when taking my dog around other dogs is to keep her on a leash until I'm positive that she won't get too rough/other dogs won't get too rough with her. So I give her a few minutes to adjust in public places, then let her go nuts. Just pay attention to what she's doing - don't take your time at the park to nap or anything or you'll become one of those irresponsible owners that you hear about.
And on that note, no two places are the same. It'd be silly to assume that all dog parks are bad because you read about bad dog park experiences on the internet.

And lastly, dogs sniff each others' behinds as ways of getting to know each other. It's completely natural, even if they seem to be a little insistent. Perhaps Malone just really really liked that St. Bernard. :P

MetroidZoid

I would also guess and build off godmode's advice that not only are no two places the same, I'm certain there's much different levels of activity during different times of the day. You might find a quieter time more suitable, at least to get Malone used to that place.

Elin

Your dog looks smaller in that picture. Look around, there are dog parks with small/shy dog areas where the gigantic dogs are kept in a seperate area from the little uns.

Psychotic One

My dog had a bad experiance as a pup with another dog and now she doesn't trust strange dogs. She really doesn't like dog parks now and just hides behind me all the time. All I can say is gauge the dogs reaction. If curious and wanting to play then you are probably okay. If the dog is scared its probably best to leave. Just pay attention to the dog and it will probably give you pretty good signs if it wants to be in that environment.

godmode

Oh, and don't forget that, believe it or not, your dog will pick up on your emotions. If you're nervous when you take your dog to the park, your dog will know it, and won't be any more at ease.

Dr. Frenchenstein

You really shouldn't have a dog on leash around other dogs that aren't, you're kind of asking for trouble.

That being said, dog parks are great in theory. Yeah, you can get situations where asshole owners aren't paying attention to their asshole dogs. sometimes you can get owners that don't understand dog behavior and can't tell the difference between fighting and playing. it's really a bit of a crapshoot.

amateurhour

Agreed on the part about not taking your dog into the park with the leash on.

The dog will feel scared and unable to protect itself or run and it doesn't help the situation.

I take my two dogs to the park every day and they play with about six or seven other dogs. I've seen three or four in the last six months that have come in just unbelievably scared, to the point where they try to burrow under the gate to get away, and after a few weeks they're as happy as can be. It's really all about introductions and taking it slow.

Don't leave your dog out there for an hour the first few times out. Break him into it slowly if need be, even if it's for like 15 minutes at a time. The biggest thing to look out for is the first entry into the park. All the dogs will come running to the gate to meet the new dog and this can scare the living hell out of an unsocial dog. Just be patient, stay with your dog, and eventually the crowd will clear.

Also, don't fret if your dog is a little antisocial. My older dog used to be REALLY into playing with other dogs and now he kind of just wanders the park and does his own thing, occasionally running with the pack here and there, but he's still incredibly friendly and loves going to the park to meet other dogs and people and play fetch.