What about dog parks?

[russ]

Sometimes I take buck to a dog park. He's almost 6 months. My main concern is him picking up some sort of infection. He does seem to enjoy himself and if not a trouble maker. He'll bark often if he sees another dog say outside the car and at the neighbors dogs some but at the dog park he plays nice. He often fixates on his favorite and if it's a smaller dog he can be overbearing and hard to redirect but he isn't looking to fight which is good. I understand this may not always work. There's often a community water bowl which buck often hogs and I think this could also be a source of infection. Temperatures are below freezing now so that helps all around but people bring water to add to the dishes...

 

[karennj]

We don't have any dog parks in town but some that are pretty big and worth the drive. I would love to take Bear because he plays well with other dogs, he needs to run and it tires them out quick. My only concern is the other peoples dogs. I hear about too many instances of people ignoring their dogs and fights breaking out. Bear also does not have a great recall yet so if he gets too far away from me and there is trouble I will have to run to stop it (the one park is huge). He is still on the young side (12 months) and thinks all dogs are pretty great right now and I don't want to ruin that with one bad experience with another dog. Anyway, back to your question....the biggest issue with dog parks is kennel cough and possibly canine influenza. There are vaccines for these so speak to your vet if your going to the park. There is also the possibility of picking up parasites such as giardia and coccidia which you would have to treat with meds (coccidia is very contagious). I suppose in a rare case lepto is a possibility as well. It is transmitted through urine of an infected animal so if you have it in your area you should get it regardless of the dog park or not.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

In our city all the dog parks are posted that a pup has to be at least 6 months old and have had all its shots, as do all other dogs. All dogs must be wearing their rabies and licence tags. Users are to report anyone who brings unlicenced dogs to animal control. Obviously, the rules get broken by a significant number of people. I cringe when I see people bring tiny puppies to the park. Everyone tries to educate the offenders why this is a terrible idea.

Obviously, the common watering bowl is a concern, but unless you have a dog on a short leash they will get into it. Bringing your own (great idea) still doesn't keep them out of it always.

Picking up your poop every time cuts down on other diseases. Generally, following the rules, using good common sense, not bringing your dog into the park when it is sick, notifying animal control if your dog comes down with a contagious disease so that the park can be posted so other pet parents can manage their risk tolerance. Avoid the busy weekends, in my opinion, as the park has a sudden influx of dogs that have been housebound all week and just go wild and act out. And, as always, if your pup gets too physical with another dog, step in and keep things civil. Talk to the other owner, maybe they are comfortable with rough play and trust their dog can handle it. Communication is the key to a great time at the park.

 

[karennj]

By the way this assumes distemper and parvo were already vaccinated for. I forgot to add that ringworm and mange are always a possibility as well but unlikely. Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms can be passed through the dirt or the water bowl if the water is contaminated. I suppose fleas could be a possibility as well but again probably unlikely.

 

[russ]

Thank you for the knowledgable replies. I think I'll get buck in to his vet for a stool check etc.

 

[karennj]

Parasite checks are done yearly at our vet along with the normal exam and a urinalysis. Can't tell you how many dogs have UTI's and the owners have no clue so we check them yearly now.

 

[delilah87]

My personal opinion, I would not take my dog to a doggy park. I feel like the environment is not controlled. When I worked as a Dispatcher with Animal Services, we had many complaints of dog attacks, not to mention all the things the dogs can catch.

 

[QY10]

I personally do not do dog parks. I think that they are a breeding ground for disaster.

You cannot always count on other people's dogs to be well mannered and they could potentially teach your pup some very bad behaviours that you do not want them having.

Fights break out and you having the bigger breed, will always get blamed. I personally just don't want my dogs in that position.

I have also found there to be a lot of breed discrimination at the dog parks around my area. I used to walk my pit near at a leash-optional park (she is always on-leash) and people would constantly be like, "Your dog isn't allowed to meet my dog because your dog is vicious" and "Your dog shouldn't be here. She's aggressive." Again, she was always controlled and on-leash and this was a leash-optional area, so I had every right to be there.

All in all, I do not want my dog's picking up bad habits from other dogs and I do not want to put them or myself in a situation where I am going to have to fight for and defend them and potentially punch someone in their ignorant face. I know a few people with dogs and we have regular play dates where I know that the dogs are well-mannered and if there is a squabble between two dogs, then it's not completely blown out of proportion and is dealt with maturely.

 

[DennasMom]

I love dog parks - and I always want them to be happy visits for all the dogs there. I control my dog - and am not afraid to step in to control someone else's, if needed... although, I've never had to. Our area has pretty good dog owners. I've only run into one bad apple in 20 years... luckily his dog was nice...

Our last dog picked up hookworm at one of our big parks (pretty sure that's where it came from) - we do annual fecal tests as part of our wellness visits, so we found it early and treated it. Due to the longevity of the hookworm larvae (in our yard), we'll be doing that forever now (the testing... so far, other than puppy round worms, Denna has always tested clean)... That doesn't bother me, though - the fun of "just being a dog" and running off-leash at the park is worth it to me.

For water, there are basically 3 scenarios at the parks we visit:
1) no water provided, but the park has 'natural' water (i.e. stream or big lake) - perfect!
2) no water provided, all owner's bring their own - works, as long as I remember to bring some!
3) water provided, dishes are under a water fountain spigot - first thing I do is dump the water and re-fill with fresh. I have heard of anti-dog people poisoning water dishes, so I won't chance it.

If there were random water dishes and no spigot for a refill, I'd dump them and refill with water I brought in - or I'd keep my dog away from the dishes, so it wasn't tempting. If I saw another owner fill them fresh, I'd let mine partake, but I'd avoid water that was there from before I arrived.

You do have to be very vigilant when at the dog park and know where there are potential trouble spots - our first dog was around 200 pounds; rott/gsd/pyn mix (definitely on the "at fault" end of the spectrum for size and the rottie look). He was always running INTO the noisy frays... but, he was The Ref. He'd plop himself in the middle of 10 little snarky dogs getting into it, and just stand there as they all scattered... it was Hilarious to watch.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

I personally do not do dog parks. I think that they are a breeding ground for disaster.

You cannot always count on other people's dogs to be well mannered and they could potentially teach your pup some very bad behaviours that you do not want them having.

Fights break out and you having the bigger breed, will always get blamed. I personally just don't want my dogs in that position.

I have also found there to be a lot of breed discrimination at the dog parks around my area. I used to walk my pit near at a leash-optional park (she is always on-leash) and people would constantly be like, "Your dog isn't allowed to meet my dog because your dog is vicious" and "Your dog shouldn't be here. She's aggressive." Again, she was always controlled and on-leash and this was a leash-optional area, so I had every right to be there.

All in all, I do not want my dog's picking up bad habits from other dogs and I do not want to put them or myself in a situation where I am going to have to fight for and defend them and potentially punch someone in their ignorant face. I know a few people with dogs and we have regular play dates where I know that the dogs are well-mannered and if there is a squabble between two dogs, then it's not completely blown out of proportion and is dealt with maturely.

As always you must feel comfortable with the park you attend. We have three in the city and I continually hear people say they'd rather travel to the one in our end because people are friendly, pet knowledgeable, and considerate. But, I'd say, even the time of day or week can affect whether you have a good outcome. We don't do weekends...oh, God No! After 5:30 pm...multiply the crazies. It's an investment in your dog's life, you have to find what works for you and your circumstances.

 

[AZ Boerboel]

I no longer take my Boerboel to dog parks. She is fine with other dogs until one bites her and then it just gets really bad. She simply will not stand for anything else biting her in an aggressive manner. If another dog signals that it is on...It's over, and I just can't risk it.
Thankfully I've been there to stop it the few times it has happened and she's never gotten hold of another dog. Since most dog owners treat their little satan dogs like spoiled rotten children instead of properly training them I can't take the risk any more. Because of what my dog is, how capable/strong she is, and how she looks I know she will automatically be the "Bad guy" unless I have it on video.
Now I take her to a couple different desert type parks that no one uses, a preserve area with a bunch of ponds, or use her as an excuse to go out in the woods more. She still gets to run and hang out with dogs that I know are ok.
We have also had a couple cases of ringworm, mange, some sort of cough, and mouth warts in various dogs of ours, all thanks to the dog parks.

As an example of dog park issues: There was a very well behaved and beautiful intact male American Bulldog that was best buddies with my Boerboel. He wasn't aggressive in the slightest towards anything and just wanted to play with every one. He was totally your doofus best buddy. In one day I watched that dog get attacked twice by others and all he did was lay there and take it. Another day I watched him get attacked by a golden retriever 3 times, the 3rd time he fought back right as we separated them so nothing brutal happened.
About a week later I arrived just as a huge commotion was ending. Apparently a German Shepherd had attacked the AB and they really got into it. In the midst of that fight a boxer also got too close and his leg ended up in the AB's mouth and was torn up pretty bad. I know the GS and it's owner and make sure to avoid them as that dog is horribly behaved and very aggressive towards male dogs. From talking to a few people the GS started everything and had done so a few times that morning but since the AB came out on top and really tore up two other dogs he was the bad one. The cop that came out told the owner he was no longer allowed to bring that dog to the park. Total BS especially since the GS is still there almost daily and constantly starts fights.

 

[scorning]

I think it depends on your dog and the park. My former dane was always good at dog parks. We actually led the Great Dane Meetup for our area, and it was fun to have a pack of danes running around the park. My dane before that was great at dog parks as a puppy / young adult, but then frequently got into it with other male dogs when he was about 3 and we had to stop taking him. You might find that your dog becomes less tolerant of other dogs as he matures, so I would just watch him closely for this.

My current dane is only 5 months and I won't take him to a dog park until he is at least 6 months. I am waiting until he is 6 months for his rabies, and also I want to have more control over his dog interactions while he is little. When we start going, I'm going to select smaller dog parks and go in off peak times. I would also try to prevent him from drinking any water that is there by bringing my own.

 

[Cuddles Dad]

I no longer take my Boerboel to dog parks. She is fine with other dogs until one bites her and then it just gets really bad. She simply will not stand for anything else biting her in an aggressive manner. If another dog signals that it is on...It's over, and I just can't risk it.
Thankfully I've been there to stop it the few times it has happened and she's never gotten hold of another dog. Since most dog owners treat their little satan dogs like spoiled rotten children instead of properly training them I can't take the risk any more. Because of what my dog is, how capable/strong she is, and how she looks I know she will automatically be the "Bad guy" unless I have it on video.
Now I take her to a couple different desert type parks that no one uses, a preserve area with a bunch of ponds, or use her as an excuse to go out in the woods more. She still gets to run and hang out with dogs that I know are ok.
We have also had a couple cases of ringworm, mange, some sort of cough, and mouth warts in various dogs of ours, all thanks to the dog parks.

As an example of dog park issues: There was a very well behaved and beautiful intact male American Bulldog that was best buddies with my Boerboel. He wasn't aggressive in the slightest towards anything and just wanted to play with every one. He was totally your doofus best buddy. In one day I watched that dog get attacked twice by others and all he did was lay there and take it. Another day I watched him get attacked by a golden retriever 3 times, the 3rd time he fought back right as we separated them so nothing brutal happened.
About a week later I arrived just as a huge commotion was ending. Apparently a German Shepherd had attacked the AB and they really got into it. In the midst of that fight a boxer also got too close and his leg ended up in the AB's mouth and was torn up pretty bad. I know the GS and it's owner and make sure to avoid them as that dog is horribly behaved and very aggressive towards male dogs. From talking to a few people the GS started everything and had done so a few times that morning but since the AB came out on top and really tore up two other dogs he was the bad one. The cop that came out told the owner he was no longer allowed to bring that dog to the park. Total BS especially since the GS is still there almost daily and constantly starts fights.

Cuddles had a similar experience.
She loved going to the off-leash park and had a few "buddies" she played with. That all ended the day she was attacked by 2 collies.
Thankfully, I had just finished work and still had my steel toed boots on.
The collie owner showed up after the fight was over and blamed Cuddles for starting it. There were a few people who had seen the whole thing and ripped her a new one.
Now Cuddles has an "I'll get them before they get me" attitude that I just can't break and I can't let her near ANY other dogs.

 

[karennj]

And that is my fear with dog parks. Once an attack happens what effect does it have on the dog. Honestly I would check to see if you have any dog daycare places around that would allow you to do a drop in hour. Also, some places that have training classes do group playdates for an hour. This way all the dogs are known and are being watched by professionals.

 

[AZ Boerboel]

The few times other dogs started issues with Lucia it didn't have a lasting effect and two of the dogs are now her buddies. It thankfully didn't change her temperament towards dogs overall and she usually wants to greet new dogs when on walks or hiking.

However, my female pug used to attack Lucia a lot. She was extremely dominant towards other females and bit Lucia several times which led to several fights. After the first 5 times that my pug started things it was game on instantly anytime they saw each other. We tried really hard with muzzles on to retrain them, but ended up having to keep them separated or they would instantly fight. Unfortunately 3 weeks ago they were both accidentally out at the same time and we lost our pug. It's absolutely horrible to deal with. I don't want to risk that with some other persons dog so I won't even take her to the "Large dog" sections of the park.

 

[russ]

I'm not on here very often. But there has been lots of good discussion. Buck is 6 months old today and we haven't been for a couple of weeks but so far buck has always been good. I have seen a couple bad nuts at the dog park here in KC. It's too bad because buck love running around with the other dogs. So far our experience has been good but he's young and not real dominant yet. So far I've been more worried about disease than buck ending up in a fight. I appreciate the various views.

 

[DMikeM]

When I took Jade to the DP last year everyone just left. Except one lady that had a Fila boy. She asked about Jade and they sniffed noses and went right to play mode. We just let them fly and they had a blast. But everyone that showed up just turned back and left. I guess they never saw 2 mastiffs really play hard before. Reminded me of an old Godzilla movie or Clash of the Titans.

 

[russ]

Mike that would have been interesting to see. It sounds like they both loved it. It's fun to see when two or more dogs are really playing. I went to a park in KC this weekend. The weather was great and it was really crowded. Buck did very well. There was a smaller dog he was interested in but she was very snappy and as she'd bite at him he would bounce around and sniff her and she'd snarl and snap and he'd bounce and sniff. Buck seems to fixate on dogs like this and seems to think "she's playing with me. This is fun. She's my buddy." I usually redirect buck unless it's clear the other owner thinks it's all good. Bucks not that big yet so he can usually fit in but I can see other people responding like Mike said by leaving as he gets bigger which is too bad. Buck seems to know the difference between the dog park and his house. He barks at other dogs more aggressively when he's in the yard but is in play mode at the dog park and everyone is his buddy.

 

[Deepbreath]

As an owner struggling through adolescence with a female fixed BB I will say our dog at 6 months was vastly more easy going then the grown up dog I have today. Truly deceptive, as our once friendly and sociable dog is now highly protective and unpredictable. She will still have rousing play sessions with other dogs and occasionally wants to be chased by strangers-a lab that jumps on you is annoying, but people will call the cops if your BB does it. Rightly so, they are intimidating dogs. So we made the decision today for no more off leash, they are so fast and agile it's very hard to micro manage her. She will be playing with dogs and charge a new owner...

I'm not saying this will happen to you, just be prepared that it might. Social dog and stranger classes 3 x a week from 12 weeks to 8 months, 3 rounds of obedience, daily runs.