# Do you take your dog to a dog park?



## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

i was just curious on how many owners actually take their animals to the park.


----------



## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

I can't pick an option. I have gone in the past and saw too many things from other dogs and stupid owners I didn't want near my dog. I do sometimes still go but only when the park is empty.

**ETA**
Also, Sage gets along with other dogs but he never cared for playing with strange dogs at the park. He wanted to play with me.


----------



## shadow mum (Apr 8, 2008)

I used to take Shadow, but there were too many people in there who didn't control their dogs. Shadow was attacked on two different occasions and that was enough for me.


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

sagelfn said:


> I can't pick an option. I have gone in the past and saw too many things from other dogs and stupid owners I didn't want near my dog. I do sometimes still go but only when the park is empty.


Same here, there should be an option: Yes, we go occasionally. Not everyone who goes to a dog park loves it.


----------



## CassandGunnar (Jan 3, 2011)

PaddyD said:


> Same here, there should be an option: Yes, we go occasionally. Not everyone who goes to a dog park loves it.


I guess we're in this group as well. We go, rarely, and usually when there are fewer people or when we know there will tend to be people at our park that have control of their dogs.


----------



## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Absolutely not.

Bringing my animals to meet with strange animals and people of unknown health and temperament is not my piece of cake.

And for those who own 'dangerous dogs' - it's for your dogs own good you don't take them to a dog park.


----------



## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

I took Raven as a puppy but stopped when she matured and stopped enjoying it. I've never taken Kaiser. We do go hiking off leash with a group of dogs and they all get along but the dynamics of a dog park are too risky for me. I need my dogs to remain dog friendly and can't risk it.


----------



## dazedtrucker (May 2, 2011)

It's WAY worse than taking a 2 year old to a McDonalds playplace!!! People that have ill behaved kids are as bad as ill behaved/uncontrolled dogs. I will go if there is no one else there, or just 1 or 2, but anymore than that, not even worth it. ( I had a kid about 2 years *older* violently shove my 2 year old down the steps...long story short, his dad said "he's just being a kid"'. Yeah a kid with an a* for a parent  maybe I should come knock your a* out...just being a parent...) They left. Darn. Same things with dogs, but with a developing pups temperment at stake, I will not take the chance at all. Humans (even little ones) learn that some people just stink, dogs don't quite get it like that...


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

No I don't. I would love to utilize the private one that just opened, they have an agility course, pond and dock for diving and lots of open land. It is pricey($365 annually) and not busy ever. 
I think it would be great to schedule private use, they may get more people as members if we could have it to ourselves(or training group) for blocks of time.
There are a few public dog parks around, but I wouldn't use them as I don't care to socialize my dogs with strange ones.
The water feature is the only draw...not many dog friendly beaches around anymore.


----------



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Yes we go once in a while. The park I really like to go to (but don't get there often due to the distance) is 44 acres with prairie/grasslands surrounding the paths and fields, and a pond in a separately fenced area from the main park and when we go often the only other dogs we see are off in the distance. The also have separately fenced training enclosures. 
We also sometimes go to the dog beach because dogs aren't allowed on the city beaches here, only on the dog beaches. To be allowed on the dog beach you have to get a special Dog Friendly Area permit tag(same one for the city dog parks) which you need to get from a vet and requires a health certificate, fecal check and vaccines (or titers).


----------



## Cruiser (Mar 29, 2011)

I just started taking Cruiser to one here but am finding there are some really uncontrolled dogs there. The play gets really rough and today I put him back on leash and left as I didn't want him getting hurt. Some people just turn them loose and don't watch at all....not the place for us to get socialized.


----------



## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

I used to take Molly daily up until around 3 months ago. She has become dog reactive on lead and I just didn't want to risk it that it may transfer to off-lead.


----------



## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Wow, I am the only one who said option #4.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

your dog has to be 6 months old
before going to the local dog park.
there's a group of people that meet
daily in the woods near our house.
all sorts of dogs gather there. i used
the dog park as a training aide. we started out
training in the parking lot. i gradually moved closer to
fenced in area. we trained along the fence for a while.
then we moved inside. now when we go to the dog park
i let him play. sometimes i'll reinforce his commands.


----------



## Wolfie907 (Jan 14, 2011)

Almost daily. There is the occasional 'problem child' there, but pressure from other owners, and the Park Rangers are really good & helpful

Wolfie 'asks' to go "play" daily, and with 6 acres to roam on, and lots of friends to entertain her - it's really funny, other regular goers (the dogs) meet Wolfie at the gate when we arrive - it's a great place to hang out and socialize her.

Occasionally we have a GSD Meetup group, and then we get up to 30 or 40 GSDs there are once...it's a great thing.

Last night there was a guy with 2 labs who were 'grouchy' and being a bit agressive...the other patrons encouraged the guy to leave and he did.

Been going since Wolfie was 4 months old, and don't think will stop anytime soon.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

wow, that's GSD heaven.



Wolfie907 said:


> Occasionally we have a GSD Meetup group, and then we get up to 30 or 40 GSDs there are once...it's a great thing.


----------



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

We love the dog park. The large breed section is huge. If we get a bad vibe from a dog or owner/parent...we just move 

PS - I enjoyed your pictures. What a doll.


----------



## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

I take him at least once a week, to the dog park to get him to socialize, but now that Thor is 6months, I'm running into alot of owners that let their dogs do whatever they want, this last week, as soon as we were in the gates, one hyper female pit came over and right away started to play rough with his legs, Thor took of running as to play with her, then another big dog got in the action, and before I knew it they were both on top of Thor, I went over and got the dogs separated, not that they were hurting him, but then again they started on Thor, so this time I grabed the dogs by the collar and swung them off, and looked around for the owners, as I was looking the owners were just sitting doing nothing, so I asked them to keep their dogs controlled, or I was gonna have to be a lil more physical with them. Thor is a very sociable puppy, and he actually loves it when he see's we are driving in to the park. He's like a kid in a candy store..I won't let others dictate on where and when I take my puppy to the park.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I do not. I can control my dog, but I can't control a stranger's dog. I also don't want to tempt any health risks. 

Honestly, my GSD wouldn't enjoy a dog park. He isn't a social butterfly.


----------



## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

its interesting to hear (well read) all of your opinions, I find it fun to read point of views on such a touchy topic. but that one with the dock, we need that one here. i don't care if its that much a year (while it is pricey, it is only a dollar a day) she would love that, she loves the water!

thanks mac's mom, i enjoy every moment with my pup, she is amazing, a total sweetheart.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> I find it fun to read point of views on such a touchy topic. but that one with the dock, we need that one here. i don't care if its that much a year (while it is pricey, it is only a dollar a day) she would love that, she loves the water!


Yes, that is only a dollar a day, but 4 months(at least) out of the year there is a fair amount of snow on the ground, so it is equivilant to taking the dogs out for a romp in the snow, which I can do anywhere.
Today I went by there and there were about 20 vehicles, so it was busier. I think just visiting a dp without a dog would be fun~watching the dynamics of their communication~ if you had time to kill.


----------

