Dog Park...Yay or Nay?

[EZEtoGRU]

I haven't had a dog for years but am considering getting one...maybe.  Anyway, dog parks have really become a "thing" in the last 20 years or so.  I like the idea of regularly taking a dog to a dog park so they are used to seeing other dogs (and therefore don't freak-out so much when they see one) and learn to socialize/play with other dogs in a friendly way.  However, I also read that dog parks are a great place for pets to pick-up any number of ailments from being around other dogs and their poop/fur.  I'm torn on the issue.

What is your view of taking your dog to the dog park?  Are the socialization benefits overstated?  Is the risk of getting worms and other things real or overstated?  On balance, are you on the yay or nay side of things?

Edited January 6 by EZEtoGRU
clarity

[+ Charlie]

I never take my dogs to a dog park, mainly because of the health issues you mentioned. There is a new canine virus going around that is apparently easily spread in a dog park.

[Stormy]

I take my dog to the park regularly.  I love seeing him off leash, running and playing with dogs.  It’s worth the risk. 

[marylander1940]

35 minutes ago, Stormy said:

I take my dog to the park regularly.  I love seeing him off leash, running and playing with dogs.  It’s worth the risk. 

yes, as long as he's vaccinated for kennel cough.

[soloyo215]

19 hours ago, EZEtoGRU said:

I haven't had a dog for years but am considering getting one...maybe.  Anyway, dog parks have really become a "thing" in the last 20 years or so.  I like the idea of regularly taking a dog to a dog park so they are used to seeing other dogs (and therefore don't freak-out so much when they see one) and learn to socialize/play with other dogs in a friendly way.  However, I also read that dog parks are a great place for pets to pick-up any number of ailments from being around other dogs and their poop/fur.  I'm torn on the issue.

What is your view of taking your dog to the dog park?  Are the socialization benefits overstated?  Is the risk of getting worms and other things real or overstated?  On balance, are you on the yay or nay side of things?

I like the idea because it puts all those dog owners together, so they can do their self-serving display of moral superiority because they care for their dogs. Keeps them away from the rest of us normal people.

[Guest]

Yep; I’ve been dog-shamed at the dog park. Can’t remember what for, but they were so abusive I had to call the cops. And I’ve owned many well-trained dogs who’ve lived long, healthy, happy-go-lucky lives. So, to hell with them and all the self righteous  ne’re-do-wells who can’t get their own lives in order so focus on everyone else’s. Sorry…Sunday rant.

[ICTJOCK]

I'd pass with my beagles.    Too many possibilities for problems.   I think they can work with the proper controls,  but I'd pass with my 3 beagles for now.

[EZEtoGRU]

Two posters have mentioned elitist-type behavior by some dog owners at the park.  What exactly is this?  I guess I could imagine some dog owners shaming someone because they didn't clean up their dog's poop.  Otherwise, I can't fathom what this behavior might be.  Thoughts?

[marylander1940]

21 hours ago, Charlie said:

I never take my dogs to a dog park, mainly because of the health issues you mentioned. There is a new canine virus going around that is apparently easily spread in a dog park.

Thank you for the information, let us know if you find out the name and other things!

[+ WilliamM]

I wish they had 😺 Parks here in Philadelphia 

[+ BobPS]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiGtfKNmcyDAxXqj-4BHZjjDkc4HhAWegQIEBAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublichealth.jhu.edu%2F2023%2Funderstanding-atypical-canine-respiratory-disease&usg=AOvVaw2vxBIAIuEXS8_TXJZYjO1R&opi=89978449

[Stormy]

4 hours ago, EZEtoGRU said:

Two posters have mentioned elitist-type behavior by some dog owners at the park.  What exactly is this?  I guess I could imagine some dog owners shaming someone because they didn't clean up their dog's poop.  Otherwise, I can't fathom what this behavior might be.  Thoughts?

I don’t get that either.   Unless you are not picking up after your dog or you are not paying attention when your dog acts aggressively there is no reason to say anything. My experience has been the opposite.  I’ve made great friends at the park 

[MikeBiDude]

I visit a no-leash dog beach in North San Diego county. I don't own a dog. But watching the unhibited joy of the dogs romping in the sand, lagoon, and surf brings me joy. The humans are nice too.

I also wonder what the sand cleanup process is when they're back home!

[MscleLovr]

On 1/6/2024 at 6:47 PM, EZEtoGRU said:

I haven't had a dog for years but am considering getting one

I had two dogs over the years, but I never considered getting another once I retired. My reason is that I like to travel and nowadays I have extended stays overseas.

I thought @EZEtoGRU that you too travelled extensively? Are you planning to take the dog with you on various trips? Will the dog enjoy visiting the sauna in Brazil with you? 😎

[EZEtoGRU]

39 minutes ago, MscleLovr said:

I thought @EZEtoGRU that you too travelled extensively? Are you planning to take the dog with you on various trips? Will the dog enjoy visiting the sauna in Brazil with you? 😎

My travel isn't what it once was prior to COVID.  I stayed in Michigan for the first 18 months of COVID.  No air travel at all during that time.  Then I slowly started traveling again...but mostly domestically (although with the occasional trip to Montreal).  Also, I have been taking care of mom so the trips I do are short and sweet so as not to be away for long.  Mom moved into Assisted Living before Christmas so I may up my travel game a little but I still need to be around and available for her as I'm her last living relative close by.   

Depending on where one goes, traveling with a small dog seems doable.  You can bring them on the plane with you in a carrier if they are small.  Right before COVID, I was traveling from PVR to DTW and there was a woman in the seat next to me.  She had a small dog in a carrier case under the seat in front of her.  We got talking and I learned that she and her partner (who was not travelling with her) have a condo in Puerto Vallarta.  They spend winters in PV and summers in Ann Arbor.  She said the dog goes with her always.

Anyway, I'm just considering things right now.  Clearly having a dog will limit travel in terms of frequency of travel and destinations if you plan to travel with the dog.   I'm 64 now so I don't see my travel being as extensive as it previously was.  I can see a possibility of having a condo in a warmer location to travel to for the colder months and then returning to Michigan during the April-October timeframe.  Doing that with a dog should be feasible.

Thanks for asking!!

[MscleLovr]

11 hours ago, EZEtoGRU said:

My travel isn't what it once was prior to COVID..…for the first 18 months of COVID.  No air travel at all…

Slightly off-topic but this really resonated with me. The pandemic changed my attitude towards flights and travel too. 
 

Prior to the pandemic, I travelled every month and thought nothing of it. But since then, I’ve been reluctant to travel. In the last 15 months, I made only 4 overseas trips (2 to Southern Africa and 2 to Spain) but each time I stayed for a month.

12 hours ago, EZEtoGRU said:

I can see a possibility of having a condo in a warmer location to travel to for the colder months

In retirement, I had the same idea. But I couldn’t decide where: Key West was once a delight but it’s changed a lot; Palm Springs has too little culture for me; Northern San Diego appealed to me the most.

Good Luck with your decision-making!

[Just Chuck]

I've had too many friends whose dogs have been attacked and injured by other aggressive dogs at off-leash dog parks.  My dog died of old age in July, but whenever I get another dog, I won't take it to be someplace off-leash unless I've met the other dogs and seen them interact on-leash with my dog first.

My nephew's Labrador nearly had his ear ripped off by another dog at the off-leash park.  

A former coworker of mine got bitten on the hands as he tried to get his Jack Russel away from a large pit mix.  His wife took the dog to the emergency vet clinic as he went to the E.R..

 

[denguy150]

I don't go as often as I used to because my 70 pound dog generally submits, rolls over on his back and sometimes pees himself with other dogs;) But I've always loved the dog parks, possibly more than my two mutts. I like people watching, interacting with the dogs and watching the pure joy and goofiness of dogs running around just being dogs. 
Definitely need to keep them vaccinated and yes, occasionally there is a weird owner or a dog that isn't socialized very well, but in my experience it's been pretty rare. 
I live in Denver so along with weed and craft beers, going to one of the dozens of dog parks is pretty much a given;)

Edited January 26 by denguy150

[+ Funguy]

I luv dog parks for my 2 pals - but what I did first was to go to the 2 parks I was considering and just observed the types of dogs  and people a few times.  What I found made my decision: at 1 park the people were snooty, did not pay any attention to their pets and, as such, there were a few tussles.  The second park everybody was involved, keeping an eye on their pets, cleaning up, etc.  They also often brought food that anybody could partake of, were very social with giving out phone numbers, etc. One last step I did before letting them loose at the park was to take them  to a doggie day care for a few sessions of being with other dogs for an extended period - maybe 5-7 other dogs at a time.  When the operators told me they were fine with all sizes of dogs, I knew it was time.  They love it.

My only concern was lately there has been a dog respiratory illness that has been  serious.  My vet says it is much less  prevalent in the past 1-2 months so it's back on!

[+ APPLE1]

https://cvm.missouri.edu/cvm-experts-caution-against-overreaction-to-canine-infectious-respiratory-disease-cases/

[+ Funguy]

13 hours ago, APPLE1 said:

https://cvm.missouri.edu/cvm-experts-caution-against-overreaction-to-canine-infectious-respiratory-disease-cases/

Thanks - my vet said the same thing with the caveat he had seen a flurry of cases, not as severe as has been publicized.  Lately. none.

[+ APPLE1]

I can understand that it's always a question of relative risk. I go to the dog park. Part of the "risk assessment" is weighing the other options. If I didn't go to the dog park, I'd walk the dog down the sidewalk. I typically encounter 15 other dog walkers on a walk. I let my dog sniff and play/interact with the dogs we meet for a bit. It doesn't seem significantly less risky than having more extended interaction with the 20 dogs that will be at the dog park. 

@Funguy is there a map to this mythical magical dog park you speak of full of the "snooty" people? I've never experienced it. LOL! I understand there are crazies on both ends of the dog park spectrum, but I think I would welcome the occasional canine tussle if it meant the DOGS socialized, and the owners got to  keep one eye on the dog and MY other eye on my phone crusing for escorts, or socializing on company of men, and not being  proselytized to about the mistakes I am making with my dog.  And don't get me wrong, I don't care who hosts, or partakes in,  a pot luck at the dog park. Likewise though, OWNERS shouldn't be badgered into participation because we are 2 strangers who simply encounter one another regularly at the dog park. I've known plenty middle aged housewives. WE never bonded just because we both liked dick, and just because someone else owns a dog, that's not enough to make a bond for me either. 

@Stormy  and @EZEtoGRU, I will am certainly willing to share a list of highlights that nut job dog park visitors have attempted to admonish me for: not feeding the right treats, not using the right bags to pick up his shit, not putting a coat on him in the cold (he is a cold weather breed), not shaving him in the summer so he stays cool, allowing him to interact with other dogs freely before asking the owner's permission (not that he's been ageessive to other dogs), not taking him up to and giving him an introduction to people (not that he's been aggressive to people), using a leash and collar instead of a harness (and he does walk completely calm and controlled with a collar), using the wrong leash for his breed, using hand signals and not talking to him enough, allowing him to play in deep water, mud, and/or cold water, allowing him to entice other dogs into playing in deep water, mud, and/or cold water, and finally my favorite, not teaching him that when he and another dog play with his tug toy, he has a social responsibility to let the smaller dogs win sometimes.

While I wish MY experiences at the dog park were better with people, I do still take the dog. HIS positive experiences are my ultimate motivator.

Edited February 2 by APPLE1
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[+ Funguy]

On 2/2/2024 at 2:50 AM, APPLE1 said:

On 2/2/2024 at 2:50 AM, APPLE1 said:

While I wish MY experiences at the dog park were better with people, I do still take the dog. HIS positive experiences are my ultimate motivator.

 

Agree with that whole-heartedly!