tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post5145139293937457624..comments2024-02-05T13:39:43.501+01:00Comments on Kenzo the Hovawart: Kenzo stopped visiting the dog parkTeam Kenzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06113604410676702370noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-81165947928449512222010-06-16T22:37:00.311+02:002010-06-16T22:37:00.311+02:00@Kenzo,
I agree.
It's always a risk to vis...@Kenzo, <br /><br />I agree. <br /><br />It's always a risk to visit the dog park. <br /><br />I only take the two best trained and best socialized dogs I know to the dog park. In two yrs, we've had one outright issue and a few things I saw coming and left the park. <br /><br />My own dog would be a nightmare at the park! <br /><br />But that said, for those of us who live in urban areas (we don't have fenced yards, don't have easy access to safe off-lead areas) dog parks are a necessary evil. <br /><br />They are always risky. I hope I gave some common sense guidelines to how to best use them if you choose to do so. <br /><br />But honestly, if I had other options for off-lead play, I'd use them instead of the dog park. ;)<br /><br />With my own dog, as she is NOT dog park safe, we have to go far away and find off-lead play spaces.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-49815167626716564382010-06-16T22:01:33.714+02:002010-06-16T22:01:33.714+02:00I don't hope you did :) But thank you for thes...I don't hope you did :) But thank you for these guidelines. They make a lot of sense. We all seem to agree that visiting a dog park involves risk. But in stead of trying to manage the risc I would prefer to avoid it.<br /><br />There is always a chance for something to happen that is difficult to manage. Something as simple as the wrong dog suddenly turning up around the next tree in the park (in Denmark dog parks are like small forests) can spoil any preventive measure.<br /><br />I am rather safe then sorry.Team Kenzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06113604410676702370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-26334786291738361262010-06-16T21:21:28.477+02:002010-06-16T21:21:28.477+02:00Oh dear, I did not mean to kill the conversation a...Oh dear, I did not mean to kill the conversation about dog parks. Sorry if I did!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-68042076277220444482010-06-14T16:42:16.259+02:002010-06-14T16:42:16.259+02:00I'm not quite as anti-dog park as everyone els...I'm not quite as anti-dog park as everyone else seems to be, but I do fully agree that visiting one always involves risk. <br /><br />I only take two of my client dogs to the park (separately) because they're the only two that I think are good candidates. <br /><br />-They both are fully vaccinated and have no joint issues or other types of chronic pain.<br />-They both are well-socialized with people, children and other dogs.<br />-They both have excellent Recall and Leave-it commands, which I use to keep them away from the entry space and trouble in general. <br /><br />To me, those are the bare minimum requirements for any dog to visit the dog park. Too many people bring dogs who should never be anywhere near a dog park! They appear to mistake the dog park for a training facility and create chaos while there. And they also unwittingly make their dogs' behavior problems far worse in the process! <br /><br />The humans involved in this also bear a great deal of responsibility for what occurs at the park. The minimum requirements for the people at the park:<br /><br />-Only bring one dog. I don't care how wonderful your dogs are. You'll be watching every single dog at the park and it's far too much responsibility to think you can control more than one of your own at the dog park while monitoring the rest of it. <br /><br />-Be over ten years old. There is no place for small children at the dog park. Things happen too quickly and small children can easily be hurt by even friendly dogs engaged in boisterous play or chasing games. Children don't read dogs well and they are a distraction to the parent who unwisely brought them. <br /><br />-Be reasonably fit. You need to be able to control your dog, possibly to break up an incident and be steady on your feet. Why I see seniors who need help walking to a bench at the dog park, I'll never understand. <br /><br />-You have to watch your own dog carefully and stay close to him. Things happen quickly and it's your responsibility to control your dog. You should also be a reasonable reader of dog body language so you can prevent incidents from occurring. <br /><br />-You should have at least partially exercised your dog before you arrive at the park. Otherwise, he may be too excitable to safely use the dog park. <br /><br />-You should make at least one lap around the outside of the park before entering. If you don't like what you see inside, don't enter. You also should be prepared to leave immediately if trouble starts. <br /><br />-Similarly, you should keep an eye on the entry space. You can often spot the troublemakers (canine and human) right there. <br /><br />- I try to go at the least busy times of the week and day. So do most other good owners and walkers. It's just safer as it's less busy the more responsible dog owners also go at those times. I've also become familiar with most of the owners and dogs who use the Dog park when I do, which also helps. And we talk to each other about the dogs we don't all know so we're prepared. If you see someone you know and trust leaving the park because a new dog is entering, you probably ought to go too. <br /><br />If this sounds like the dog park is a lot of work instead of a relaxing way to kill a few hours with your dog, you're right! It is! If more people would put the work into dog park visits, we'd all have a better time in them. The dog park can be an asset if it's used properly, but often, it's used improperly. <br /><br />I absolutely understand why many people decide it's far better to socialize and play with their dogs somewhere else! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-16317428187690040052010-06-14T10:48:36.664+02:002010-06-14T10:48:36.664+02:00We don't have dog parks in the UK and for the ...We don't have dog parks in the UK and for the reasons you've laid out above, I'm very glad. You handled your dog so well; even the confident ones need their 'line manager' to guide them. The key is exactly what you do; to read the body language of the other dog and get your own dog out of there. Well done.Jaq Bunnhttp://www.dogpsyche.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-84081937669434991172010-06-14T01:48:34.392+02:002010-06-14T01:48:34.392+02:00Nice experiences.. a dog with no supervision AND a...Nice experiences.. a dog with no supervision AND a dog fight. I don't go to dog parks for the exact reason.Karen Frieseckehttp://www.doggiestylish.com/store/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-9439911608657044092010-06-13T09:44:46.553+02:002010-06-13T09:44:46.553+02:00@Dog Mama
She was following the owner to write dow...@Dog Mama<br />She was following the owner to write down his license plate. I think she is.<br /><br />@JJ<br />I take recall very serious like you. We are not there yet actually it is very difficult to train, but I know the situations I have to work on. But as you said, I was so happy he came, all those training hours and this little split second moment made it all worthwhile. I will definitely continue training recall even more, it is a lifesaver.<br /><br />Good idea about going back to the park and handout flyers, our dog training club is actually the nearest by. I will talk with ppl in our club about that. It will not make a difference for the owner mentioned in the post as you might guess, he seemend very impressed with himself and his "knowledge" on dogs :(<br /><br />Knowing body language is key, and it was what brought me back to the park. I will return to train that.Team Kenzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06113604410676702370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-6233993302739633992010-06-13T08:33:14.103+02:002010-06-13T08:33:14.103+02:00Sometimes a dog fight can break out simply from to...Sometimes a dog fight can break out simply from too much adrenaline from a play.<br /><br />But that seldom happens.<br /><br />Usually it's because the owner didn't do something they should or did something they shouldn't :-(DawgBloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03549947489170037163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-74614907357548097882010-06-13T06:25:08.351+02:002010-06-13T06:25:08.351+02:00Aww. That made me cry.
You know, it's ironic s...Aww. That made me cry.<br />You know, it's ironic somehow that when you said recall, I thought about this - We promise all of our clients in puppy class, obedience, and even agility that having a solid recall will SAVE YOUR DOG'S LIFE AT LEAST ONE TIME.<br />Kenzo's a lucky puppy that Dad is so good to him that he trained him how to come back even when there's a fight breaking out. That's amazing training. I wish there were more people like you.<br />It's weird how gut feelings work, but my behaviorist would tell us both, "You have instincts for a reason; use them." <br />Does anyone in your area teach Dog Safety Classes? If they do, you should go back to the Dog Park and hand them out. I almost had a heart attack reading that that lady jumped in (it's instinctual, too; we protect our young, even when they're adopted and furry.) Honestly, it could have been worse than a bite. I know that's a crappy thing to say, considering...a bite is bad. That's just messed up.<br />The worst part of it all is that those owners make us look so bad. It only takes one bad owner to make us all look bad. A dog park is supposed to be a place where puppies go and socialize, be merry, and learn to play. There should never be a point in time when you have to worry about a dog attacking another dog. (I'm being unrealistic; dog fights happen for reasons we'll never fully understand, and they can happen between two of the friendliest dogs you've ever met, who love each other. And that's part of the issue, isn't it? We're unrealistic as humans, because we can't fathom some things.)<br />I'm glad that you and Kenzo aren't injured. =[ And I feel terribly for that lady. <br />You know... at the Doggy Beach, my trainer friend can spot a fight from practically a mile away - she's crazy, but she's dang good at what she does. She can be between those dogs (cutting off direct eye contact and redirecting one or the other) before you can even blink. <br />Does the Dog Park have a supervisor, like a trainer who helps these things? I think they should; I'm sure they don't. <br />...The deal is that most of us aren't that perceptive, aren't that quick, and aren't that good at reading body language. It's like it doesn't register fast enough.<br />I don't know.<br />I'm ranting; this is a very upsetting article.<br />=[JJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01519840534826809959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-67318300768003088722010-06-12T23:19:44.842+02:002010-06-12T23:19:44.842+02:00WOW. Just when I thought I saw it all! I truly hop...WOW. Just when I thought I saw it all! I truly hope that the attacked owner will take legal action with the SOB?DawgBloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03549947489170037163noreply@blogger.com