Our dog trainers are often asked to speak or write about dog safety at dog parks. Today’s entry addresses behavior we actually witnessed at a local dog park this morning and the owner’s contention that her dog was “just playing.” This leads us into topic #1, what is appropriate play? What does it look like?
What is Appropriate Dog Play at the Dog Park?
1. Mouthing occasionally (no teeth and no hold) is normal dog behavior. Biting or nipping at another dog’s neck, legs, or other body parts is not good behavior. If your dog bites at the flesh or collar of another dog and will not let go, if you or someone else has to pull that dog off of another, this is not appropriate play. In fact, this isn’t “play” at all. A dog exhibiting these behaviors should not be in a dog park until he is properly socialized and learns how to play appropriately.
2. Chasing other dogs is normal dog behavior but there are clear rules to this game which all dogs should instinctively understand. Dogs take turns chasing and being chased, this is the fun and the spirit of the game. The game is over when one dog stops running, lays down or hides himself. If a dog continuously pursues another dog, even when the other dog is hiding, or with his human for protection, this is not “play”. Watch your dog when he is chasing another dog. Does the other dog turn around and chase yours too? If the answer is “yes”, that’s great dog play! If your dog is only chasing other dogs and they are not chasing him back, pay closer attention. Does your dog give up the chase or continue his pursuit? Is he pursuing a dog that is lying down or hiding from him? If the answer to either of these questions is “yes”, please remove your dog from the dog park. The other dogs are telling him that they are fearful of him, do not want to play and are utilizing their “flight” option. If the chaser doesn’t leave him alone, he may have no choice but to pursue his “fight option” in order to protect himself from the chaser.
Even though we took training dogs to the park, (they are normally non-reactive), we removed them immediately after witnessing these behaviors repeatedly from one dog. If you are unsure if your dog is behaving offensively, a good indicator is if people are leaving with their dogs to get away from yours. Watch to see if the dogs leaving are dogs which have been recently “played with” by your dog and if people are leaving in mass. Three people made their exit shortly before or after we did, one of which was compelled to carry her dog out.
Dog owners should always be watching their dogs while in a dog park. Sure, a large part of the enjoyment is catching up with our human friends, but we must be mindful in watching our dog’s behavior and the behavior of other dogs. Why? Keeping dogs safe should be our number one concern while in a pack environment.
Good Human Behavior includes making sure that your dog is playing appropriately with other dogs and immediately removing them from the park if their behavior is not appropriate.
Today’s tip: How other humans tell you that your dog shouldn’t be in the dog park:
Very few people will ask another person to remove their dog from the dog park until there’s a fight or a bite. This is understandable human behavior but it doesn’t help the dogs who are at risk and it doesn’t help the other human understand that their dog shouldn’t be in the dog park environment. If people say things like, “Wow, he’s really fired up today! “ “Does he always play like that?” or “He sure doesn’t take no for an answer does he?” you may want to take a closer look at your dog’s behavior.
The clearest signal is this, are people leaving the park to escape your dog? Pay close attention to this “human behavior”, especially if the dog that’s leaving was just being “played with” by your dog. Humans find it a lot easier to avoid a problem than to address it head on and this is especially true at dog parks where no one wants to offend anyone else. Not every dog is suited for an off-leash, pack environment. This doesn’t make the dog bad, it just means that this environment is not a good fit for him. It’s up to the human to make the right decision for their dog and the safety of other dogs at the park.
Oh man, we’ve got several yellow jacket nests in the ground behind our home. We’ve had several treated by an exterminator and now the dogs have found another nest. I don’t see much on the web about this. Are dogs allergic to their stings like some people are? My neighbor also has this problem, anyone else? The exterminator knew a lot about treating the problem but not about dogs reaction to the stings. It doesn’t look like they’ve been stung yet but when they get too close to the nest, the wasps swarm like crazy. The person who cuts our grass got stung 4 times Saturday when he accidentally stepped on a nest. Anyone know what to do and if the sting of these wasps is harmful to the dogs?
We recently got a dog who is about 8 months old and we really want to take her to the dog park. We’ve heard conflicting stories about them…some swear by them and others have nothing nice to say about them. Can anyone tell me about their experiences? Is it good for your dog? What are the pros and cons of this adventure? Are the ownersattentive to their dogs or am I putting her in a positon where another dog will attack her? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
We have an 8 week old puppy and want to enroll him in puppy classes and then dog obedience classes. Which do you think is better…group classes or in-home, private dog training?
Alison- I work from home too and thought that a puppy would be perfect since I would almost always be around to care for them. Was I ever wrong! Puppy care was by far more time consuming and frustrating than I realized and it was really challenging to “work” at home with all the puppy interuptions. While I adore my puppy, it was not a good choice and I’ve had to hire help just so that I could work during the day! Save yourself and get an older, already trained dog.
I remember puppy-hood. We almost didn’t survive it. We didn’t listen to our dog trainer when he told us to buy all the puppy books we could and to read them BEFORE the puppy came home as we wouldn’t have any time to read them after. He wasn’t kidding. Our next dog will be at least 2 years old!
Puppy care is exhausting work yet very rewarding if you have the time and the energy to devote to the task. As mentioned by some of our bloggers, many dog owners are surprised at the amount of work in raising a puppy. Raising a behaviorally healthy puppy takes a village! We suggest that before anyone brings a puppy home that they read everything they can get their hands on relative to puppy needs and early training requirements. Develop a relationship immediately with a veterinarian, a pet sitter (puppies must eat and go to the bathroom every few hours) and dog trainer who is experienced in puppy care. A puppies behavior and temperment are defined within the first 12 weeks of his life. Make sure you have a suitable network and plenty of time to mold your pup into a good member of society.