# Not quite sure about this one



## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

Dia at the park is normally a great dog. She always is more interested in fetch than the other dogs. Well tonight an ankle biter was getting on her nerves. I think he was a shihtzu. Well he started biting her neck and tried to steal the ball out of her mouth several times. She at first just brushed it off and i told her she was good for ignoring it. Then she had enough and pinned the other dog to the groud. Teeth out and everything. We immediatly corrected her and put her in a submissive position and the owners of the other dog took full blame for the fight. He had no injuries. I just feel terrible about it. They said he deserved her retaliation (they also have a gsd so they know these dogs generally behave). I still cant make any excuse for her.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i think taking the dogs toy to a dog park
or where there's other dogs playing is asking 
for trouble. i'm not against dog parks or places where
people meet with their dogs. i'm against taking the dogs
toys to such gathering.


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## Heidij (Dec 6, 2011)

Dogs, like people, have a tolerance level. Your dog reached it, and nicely told the other dog to knock it off or else. It does happen, and I wouldn't worry about it. If your dog just pinned the little one to the ground and didn't actively pursue hurting it, and you corrected her ( as you mentioned) then your dog will not likely bully other dogs. I would, however, recommend that you try and learn how to read when your dog has had enough, as it is your responsibility as the pack leader to control interactions for your dog, and allowing your dog to "fend for herself" could lead to her having shorter patience. Generally, when interactions between pack members becomes too much for one, the alpha male or female will separate them to discourage fighting.


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> i think taking the dogs toy to a dog park
> or where there's other dogs playing is asking
> for trouble. i'm not against dog parks or places where
> people meet with their dogs. i'm against taking the dogs
> toys to such gathering.


...and food/treats.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I agree. That sounds like normal dog behavior to me. She just had enough, and I don't really blame her.


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## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

Well the dog park is the only place she can play with her frisbee and chuck it. And actually stretch our her legs. Normally i dont have any issues. It was just this one instance. And she was in time out for a couple mins until she was calmed down. I was just so shocked! My girl never retaliates. Until now. At least nothing serious happened. With her chompers it could have been so much worse.


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## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

GatorDog said:


> I agree. That sounds like normal dog behavior to me. She just had enough, and I don't really blame her.


The owner looked at their dog and said you did that to your self buddy. So even they thought so i guess.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

juliejujubean said:


> Well the dog park is the only place she can play with her frisbee and chuck it. And actually stretch our her legs. Normally i dont have any issues. It was just this one instance. And she was in time out for a couple mins until she was calmed down. I was just so shocked! My girl never retaliates. Until now. At least nothing serious happened. With her chompers it could have been so much worse.


But now you know. She has a threshold and the other dog put her over it. So don't be shocked next time, just shut it down before it gets there. It won't be just "this one instance." It's just the first instance for you, but there will be more. Just the nature of the dog park. 

Be very careful of bringing out your toys around the other dogs. I often bring in the Frisbee, but I don't toss it in the general mix of dogs. We go somewhere on the other side of the park to play Frisbee. Same can be said for any toy. Heck, many dogs at the park will fight over sticks. Some just want to play keep-a-way, some will *fight* over a *stick*. 

I go to the dog park often, but it is a crapshoot and you have to really be careful and on top of everything! I'm getting ready to post a new thread on a little injury my boy received just tonight....


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

yeah, food and treats stay in the car. i will take a bottle of water
with the squirt top. i give the other dogs a drink. some of the
dogs don't know how to drink from the bottle. i squeeze the bottle
and the dogs that don't know how to drink from it get a squirt
in the face. the dog park that i go to has a water fountain for
humans and the dogs. there's also bowls of water. i don't like
my dog drinking out of the community bowls.



doggiedad said:


> i think taking the dogs toy to a dog park
> or where there's other dogs playing is asking
> for trouble. i'm not against dog parks or places where
> people meet with their dogs. i'm against taking the dogs
> toys to such gathering.





Falkosmom said:


> ...and food/treats.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

there's no open spaces you can go to to play frisbee
or chuck it other than the dog park??



juliejujubean said:


> Well the dog park is the only place she can play with her frisbee and chuck it. And actually stretch our her legs.


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

chelle said:


> But now you know. She has a threshold and the other dog put her over it. So don't be shocked next time, just shut it down before it gets there. It won't be just "this one instance." It's just the first instance for you, but there will be more. Just the nature of the dog park.
> 
> Be very careful of bringing out your toys around the other dogs. I often bring in the Frisbee, but I don't toss it in the general mix of dogs. We go somewhere on the other side of the park to play Frisbee. Same can be said for any toy. Heck, many dogs at the park will fight over sticks. Some just want to play keep-a-way, some will *fight* over a *stick*.
> 
> I go to the dog park often, but it is a crapshoot and you have to really be careful and on top of everything! I'm getting ready to post a new thread on a little injury my boy received just tonight....


So true. 

I never saw the need to take my dogs to a dog park so I could play with them, I could stay at home to do that or go to a field nearby. 

Toys and treats in a dog park are so often a recipe for a fight. 

I don't go to dog parks anymore, but when I did, I went so the dogs could play with other dogs. Period. If they aren't going there to play with other dogs, why bother to go?


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> there's no open spaces you can go to to play frisbee
> or chuck it other than the dog park??


OP probably lives in a neighborhood like mine.

There are dog leash laws everywhere you go and many places don't allow dogs at all. There are three sizeable parks within walking distance from my house that don't allow dogs in at all.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

juliejujubean said:


> Well the dog park is the only place she can play with her frisbee and chuck it. And actually stretch our her legs. Normally i dont have any issues. It was just this one instance. And she was in time out for a couple mins until she was calmed down. I was just so shocked! My girl never retaliates. Until now. At least nothing serious happened. With her chompers it could have been so much worse.


 
"Time out"?


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## spidermilk (Mar 18, 2010)

This is why I don't go to the dog park. Even if your dog is fine 90% of the time. The 10% where they feel like they have to "do something", or watch their back is the problem.

We are *very* lucky, the city we live in has 6 dog parks. Three are the small, crowded type that I avoid (what are the odds that 30 dogs in 1 acre of land all get along???), but the other three are very large, partially wooded, and you will probably never see another dog the entire time you are there. They are amazing- if you can find anything like that I highly recommend it (as long as your dog has a good recall!).

Do you have a friend or neighbor with a fenced yard? Even though it is against the rules, I admit that I will let my dog off leash in very large parks/on hiking trails- he is not aggressive and has a good recall. If I see another person I leash him up immediately. I often go on days when the weather is bad just so we can have an entire huge park to ourselves...


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

spidermilk said:


> Even though it is against the rules, I admit that I will let my dog off leash in very large parks/on hiking trails- he is not aggressive and has a good recall. If I see another person I leash him up immediately. I often go on days when the weather is bad just so we can have an entire huge park to ourselves...


:thumbup:


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## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

Falkosmom said:


> OP probably lives in a neighborhood like mine.
> 
> There are dog leash laws everywhere you go and many places don't allow dogs at all. There are three sizeable parks within walking distance from my house that don't allow dogs in at all.


When im with my husband we live on fort rucker with extreme leash laws. His yard is fenced in but its only like 4-5 car lengths wide/ 2 deep. 
When im back at school we stay in an apartment complex in a rather urban area so the only places really are the parks  they have signs everywhere saying no dogs. 

And by time out i meant when she was alpha rolled in the submissive state.


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

juliejujubean said:


> When im with my husband we live on fort rucker with extreme leash laws. His yard is fenced in but its only like 4-5 car lengths wide/ 2 deep.
> When im back at school we stay in an apartment complex in a rather urban area so the only places really are the parks  they have signs everywhere saying no dogs.
> 
> And by time out i meant when she was alpha rolled in the submissive state.


Work on her having a bullet proof recall and then take her any where you want to go, off leash. If you keep her constantly fenced, leashed and underexercised, you are going to have a lot of problems with her, mentally, emotionally and physically and you just aren't being fair to her. She deserves to run free and unfettered, it is only natural. There are many that firmly believe that onleash walks are not exercise for a dog.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

juliejujubean said:


> And by time out i meant when she was alpha rolled in the submissive state.


 Usually 'time out' means something different for many dog owners... If you don't stop rolling over your dog and make it 'submit' you will be the source of the problems, not the tiny dogs. Your dog was definitely overcorrected, a simple leave it would be appropriate for the situation in the original post.


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## Bismarck (Oct 10, 2009)

We went to a dog park to play ball, that's the thing he LOVES to do.
he really doesn't care about other dogs, will sniff and be sniffed, he just doesn't want to play with them. he wants to play fetch with his ball.
So we're playing and this other dog starts shadowing him, nipping at him, barking, growling etc...
it started getting worse, and the dog was now acting very aggressive towards biz, who was giving warning growls.
I let this go on for 4 times, had my dog come to me, and sit. i then asked who's dog that was. the owner came forward and i told him to get control of his dog, or i would.
his dog was barking at biz, who was in a sit and wait, right next to me. this guy chased his dog around me 4 times, trying to get him, but the dog was focused on biz, barking (not nice bark, come play). at that point i had enough, and said if you can't control your dog, i will. he finally grabbed his dog and left to the other side of the park. 
he then had the balls to say if your dog isn't socialized, you shouldn't bring him here.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

GSD07 said:


> Usually 'time out' means something different for many dog owners... If you don't stop rolling over your dog and make it 'submit' you will be the source of the problems, not the tiny dogs. Your dog was definitely overcorrected, a simple leave it would be appropriate for the situation in the original post.


Definitely agree.

Putting your dog in a "submissive" position in general let alone in a public dog park you are going to get issues. Not to sound mean to you however you didn't read your dog enough to keep it safe and your dog finally had enough and felt compelled to act on it since you didn't step in to keep her safe. If you want to believe in the whole "alpha" thing technically you weren't being alpha protecting the pack so you're dog assumed the role then you chose to be "alpha" and force your dog to submit you were not being a fair leader to your dog so only a matter of time before she decides that you aren't a stable leader and chooses to not follow your lead anymore.

You have to be a fair leader in everything you do and correcting your dog for acting because of your in-action is not fair. Also, making your dog go into a vulnerable position like that in a place around the other dogs is opening yourself up to some major issues.

Definitely agree that a simple/stern leave it would have been plenty sufficient in this case.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Did your dog do anything wrong? That dog didn't have good manners and your dog corrected it for it. This doesn't sound like an aggression issue at all and I don't think your dog did anything wrong. If it was an aggression issue, that Shihtzu would have been dead or at the vet instead of just being pinned (corrected).

The owners of the two dogs made the error here. Sounds to me like you handled this situation completely wrong before and after the fact.


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## MegansGrace (Apr 27, 2011)

Sounds like your dog just told the little ankle biter to back off (correction). 

Definitely not something I would have alpha rolled a dog over. (I'm not a fan of alpha rolling or submitting in general, but I feel this was an over correction).

I wouldn't take this situation as a sign of aggression, I would just take note that dog parks are an uncontrolled environment so anything can happen. Next time a dog is bothering your dog, it may be time to leash up and go for a walk and come back later before it that dog pushes your dog's threshold. It seemed like you were able to read your dog so now you know for next time what to do : ). Sounds like the dog park normally works pretty well for you guys, but just know that little ankle biters may present a problem, that's all. 

All the dog parks I've been to have plenty of toys. I think food/treats are a big no-no and I can see where toys can present problems too but sometimes I've seen dogs actually get a little too rough but toys aren't present to interact with. I think the key is having enough toys. An environment of plenty! Consider bringing a second ball in case you get a bigger dog that starts trying to infringe on your game of fetch. 

Sorry this situation happened, but I really don't feel like your dog did anything wrong. Just be more aware of the situation next time and remove your dog before anything happens.


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