Ladies,
I think dog parks are fine for Jet, but I do worry about the mix of large and small dogs running loose and the plethora of owners who do not understand doggie body language. Do you use dog parks and recommend them?
Advantages:
o Dog socialisation+
o Dog-oriented people can meet and interact
o Doggy play dates can be arranged
o Physical+ and Mental Stimulation Advantages for dogs
o Educational Advantages such as good opportunity for owners to learn about dogs through observation and provides the opportunity to learn from more experienced owners
o Opportunity for well-mannered-dog advocates to demonstrate how they turned their dog into a well-mannered dog
Disadvantages:
o Potential of danger from aggressive dogs
o Un- desexed dogs ( of both sexes!) may create problems
o Potential for parasites and disease - especially with shared waterbowls and contaminated ground regardless of whether faeces has been collected or not.
o Potential for lack of impulse control and over-excitement
o May not appropriate for small and large dogs at the same time. Many dogparks overseas have separate parks for small and large dogs
o Some people will not be educated enough about dogs to know if a dog park is appropriate for their dog in the first place ( eg aggressive dogs should not go)
o Some people will not recognise inappropriate pack behaviour
o Potential for arguments
o Potential liability issues
Things to consider:
o Some people will not be educated enough about dogs to know if a dog park is appropriate for their dog in the first place
o Must have clear rules ie liability for council versus liability for individuals
I think you have covered all the bases bar one. I generally advise anyone with a young dog (under 1 1/2 years) or with any issues (shyness, anxiety) etc, not to use dog parks as you just don't know what you are going to get. It takes hundreds of good experiences to set up a robust dog that will be able to deal with and 'shake off' a bad experience so I just don't think it's worth the risk. The one issue you haven't mentioned is 'pack mentality' - I see this all the time in our little 'play pen' at BDOC with people not understanding how dogs will 'turn' - all it takes is for a dog to be down, squeal, etc, and suddenly several dogs go into a frenzy. Offlead in a big area there's no chance to diffuse the situation, not to mention the 'rabbit' frenzy that can also happen. In a perfect world yes, they should be great. It would probably be better if they had several smaller areas set up. I've never actually been to one, do they have rules displayed and liability advice?
ReplyDeleteCheryl you have certainly covered a lot of the advantages and disadvantages of dog parks.
ReplyDeleteWhen Charlie and Bonnie were about 9 months old, John and I did take them to the dog park in Forde. It was not a pleasant experience for the dogs, and the pack mentality was very evident.
Charlie was being chased by a kelpie, whose owner had absolutely no control over her dog, and was unable to call it back to her.
Charlie took cover in the large cement tunnel, which gave me a chance to crawl in and rescue him. The other dogs sensed Charlie's fear, and had started to group around, and no doubt gang up on him.
The other dog owners were just standing around talking, and seemed oblivious to the pending pack mentality developing into something quite nasty.
Needless to say we left immediately, and have never ventured near a dog park again.