# Kira was the laughing stock at the dog park



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I have a beautiful waterfront dog park near my home. The leash law allows dogs off the leash, and in the ocean up to 9am.
After that, it's on a leash, or get a summons.

This is the park where Kira was attacked as a pup. 

I get there about 8:50am, and decide to keep Kira in the truck. There were about 25-30 loose dogs, including the white GSD that attacked her. It was my intention to wait until everybody left, then take her for a nice walk along the beach. 
I get out of the truck, and go mingle with a few familiar faces.

Someone asked where my dog was.
I replied that she's in the truck.
They ask why I don't let her out.
I reply that she has issues with aggressive dogs.
Some guy yells out "SHE IS A GERMAN SHEPHERD, ISN'T SHE?..HAHAHAHA"
At that point, everybody started laughing at this poor dog. The GSD jokes were flying left and right.
One guy asked if I was doing anything about it. I mentioned socializing, and just respecting her temperament. Then I made the mistake of saying that I spoke to a professional about her "shy behavior". Well... Now the jokes were about my dog needing a shrink, and how people like me spend money on so-called behavioral specialists.

I stood there, and clenched my teeth. I was ready to crack someone, but didn't feel like spending a night in jail.
I sat there with a couple decent people, and waited for everyone to leave.
I was so "_HOT_", but chose to keep my cool. 
Two people stayed behind, and we let the dogs play for 10 minutes (after the time limit), before walking down to the beach.

Just thought I'd share my story.
Not a nice way to start a Sunday morning.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

People are just rude...and seem to be even ruder lately. Makes me wonder if our moon's gravitational pull is off and making their brain hemisphere's unbalanced thus causing an inability to form non-offensive sentences.


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

Yep, she is a german shepherd. That's why you are being a responsible owner and caring about your dog, rather than letting their vicious dogs attack her again.

Good job keeping your cool.


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## TaZoR (Jan 26, 2012)

Tazor has been laughed at too. He was scared of a rat terrier who was COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL, and was jumping all over his back growling and finally, when running didn't work, Tazor fell down belly up in submission.

I did not find this nearly as amusing as other people. Taze was about 5 mos. but has always been big for his age.

People suck!


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## breyer08 (Jul 4, 2012)

Ughh, that would have made me upset. Now that I have Ava, I am really beginning to understand the issues that dog owners have with other people. For instance, parents REALLY need to teach their children to ask before petting a stranger's dog. We were training in PetSmart the other day, doing an obedience obstacle course, and two different children came over to her during the middle of our training and just reached over and started petting her! The parents said nothing!

Then yesterday morning we were out for a walk at the park doing some loose leash training (she has a problem with pulling, which we are working on every day). An elderly woman walked by us and said loudly: "Oh, THAT is an annoying dog. Yes, a VERY annoying dog." What the heck?!! Ava is a PUPPY, and pulling at her leash is normal at her age. (And she wasn't going anywhere near the woman, either, so it's not like she was bothering her! In fact, when the lady said that, Ava was just sniffing at some grass and I was telling her to come with me.) 

Sometimes, people are just jerks.


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

Jax08 said:


> People are just rude...and seem to be even ruder lately. Makes me wonder if our moon's gravitational pull is off and making their brain hemisphere's unbalanced thus causing an inability to form non-offensive sentences.


LOL Good answer Jax and probably true.


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## tank101 (Mar 30, 2012)

yup, I am used to it. I own labs and bigger dog owners can not be so nice sometimes. People are just rude.

Someone did make a comment though about how my dogs, while friendly, will watch everyone and make sure no one hurts me. I said "there my shepherds in a lab body".


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I live in a different area than most of you. I'm in Staten island, which is basically a direct decendent of Brooklyn, which has some of th biggest "chest - pounders" known to man.

Too many of these people need to identify with their dogs. I see Pits with 3 inch spiked collars, and the owners teaching them to bite a tree trunk on command, and use the spikes in the attack!
I've listened to GSD owners gloat over their dogs aggression towards other dog.
I've watched people bring rescues into a dog run, only to see "how they do" around other dogs.
I can go on and on.

I have to admit, when I first got here, I thought the dog park would be a good place for my dog. I'm so glad that I took the advice of these people, and chose to pick and choose her friends.
Kira is a happy, playfull dog. She loves life, enjoys her play time, and is not subject to having her ears ripped off.

As far as the owners go... well, best bet is to avoid them. But sometimes it's just inevitable.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Good attitude Anthony. I think you handled an infuriating and potentially dangerous situation perfectly


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Ya know, stuff like this, just let it go. I'll just call it like it is (ah oh) they are morons who don't have a clue to what it is being a responsible dog owner. Yeah that is rude 

You wouldn't believe the things I've had said to me about Woolf, while they are being so 'kind with their advice', I'm either being woke up because they can't control their dog barking or while they are standing there and I am having to kick their dog back because it is at my feet snapping. It's like 'you are telling me to have my dog pts and he is under control and completely contained and your dog is loose and snapping at me?'

Hand pick Kira's friends and be careful if it is any of those that were laughing. They may think it is funny if their dog gets to bossy with Kira, until she reaches her limit.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

x0emiroxy0x said:


> Yep, she is a german shepherd. That's why you are being a responsible owner and caring about your dog, rather than letting their vicious dogs attack her again.
> 
> Good job keeping your cool.


 :thumbup: 

That's great you were able to keep your cool, let the idiots think what they want, YOU are the one that's doing the right thing and there's nothing wrong with knowing and respecting your dogs limits.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I try to stay out of dog park politics. I go to dog parks, 2 or 3 in my area that I frequently visit and recently I've been going to a secluded are on Lake Michigan where the dogs are supposed to be on leash but no one cares (and I've never ran into a bad dog there). But when I do see the same people there I notice the clicks and although I'll join in conversations sometimes, I try not to give too much information, or judge people too much for what they talk about.

I was there once and there was a 32" at the withers GSD, one of the ladies looked at my boy and told him that he's going to be that big when he grows up. My boy was almost two at the time and hadn't grown an inch over 26" since he was about a year old. I just said, no, he's full grown. The owner of that big GSD knew that my boy was the standard (she just doesn't care and has two dogs from this same breeder). The same day, my boy wasn't really listening to me at the park as much as I wanted him to, so I corrected him, and made a joke that sometimes he needs a reminder of who he's here with. A lady piped up about using an e-collar cause that's what worked on their dog. They'd just shock him until he listened. I didn't bother with a response to that one. The others in her group thought it was just great that it worked.

We always have to remember that the regular dog owners we meet aren't as passionate as we are, just be happy that they're giving dogs homes and are at least giving them everything they need. I don't know anyone that is knowingly teaching their dogs to be aggressive or bad, so I can't speak for those people, but everyone else I know is just a great pet owner. Although they don't do what I do with my dog, or know as much about dog behavior as I do, I don't really mind, they're the 99% of dog owners, and we're the weird ones that love our dogs so much that we sit on a forum and talk about them.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Anthony8858 said:


> I live in a different area than most of you. I'm in Staten island, which is basically a direct decendent of Brooklyn, which has some of th biggest "chest - pounders" known to man.


....I was just about to ask where this dog park was located, but you beat me to it--now things are starting to make more sense. 

There are some people that just can't be reasoned with. I'd avoid the dog park altogether if I were you--it just isn't worth the frustration.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

In cases like this, my mom would advise to just pretend that you walked by a building and a brick fell on your head. You can't get mad at the brick for what it is-- and people like those have the same intelligence and finesse.


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## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

Anthony8858- I'm familiar with Brooklyn, having been born in Queens.

I understand the mentality you're talking about.

Kudos to you for keeping your cool.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Sunflowers said:


> In cases like this, my mom would advise to just pretend that you walked by a building and a brick fell on your head. You can't get mad at the brick for what it is-- and people like those have the same intelligence and finesse.


:thumbup:


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

Show's how intelligent they are to think it's funny for dogs to attack other dogs. It's sad that they need an animal to make them something they are not.


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

Anthony... I lived in SI for 8 years, and am actually moving back there now... great job on keeping your cool. Remember you can't fix stupid and I'm sorry to say, but SI has a lot of stupid 

I would just ignore them and stay away from them. I'm actually worried about taking my boy around the neighborhood because I know people seem to LOVE aggression in SI because like you said it's another way to pound their chests...

Good job on keeping your cool. Maybe we can get Kira and Tines together for a playdate, I'll be living off of Sand Lane.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

I just checked out the 2 pictures you have of Kira and have come to the conclusion that they must be jealous. She is beautiful and appears to be photogenic as well!


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## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

She is a beauty!


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## cta (May 24, 2011)

TaZoR said:


> Tazor has been laughed at too. He was scared of a rat terrier who was COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL, and was jumping all over his back growling and finally, when running didn't work, Tazor fell down belly up in submission.
> 
> I did not find this nearly as amusing as other people. Taze was about 5 mos. but has always been big for his age.
> 
> People suck!


something similar happened to me too...i was so annoyed but just chose to walk away from the situation, although i wish i would've said something. to anthony...you know what is best for your dog..i'm sorry people were rude. sometimes they just don't get it.


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## kitmcd (Aug 31, 2011)

Anthony, I hear you! I had to stop taking Isa to the dog park near our house a few months ago. She was attacked 3 times there...twice by pit bulls and the last was a golden retriever! Some of the people I know who go there are always making fun of my German Shepherd who got beat up by a golden. All I know is that it was scary to me and must have been for her too. I really think those experiences are why she is so submissive to other dogs. I also think its why she barks her head off when she sees another dog (but is fine once she meets them).


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

ayoitzrimz said:


> Anthony... I lived in SI for 8 years, and am actually moving back there now... great job on keeping your cool. Remember you can't fix stupid and I'm sorry to say, but SI has a lot of stupid
> 
> I would just ignore them and stay away from them. I'm actually worried about taking my boy around the neighborhood because I know people seem to LOVE aggression in SI because like you said it's another way to pound their chests...
> 
> Good job on keeping your cool. Maybe we can get Kira and Tines together for a playdate, I'll be living off of Sand Lane.


Absolutely. Reach out when you get here.
Silver lake park is nice, and pretty close to Sand Lane. Of course, Midland Beach is a walking distance.

Oh, and watch out for the stupid.. They're everywhere.




Nigel said:


> I just checked out the 2 pictures you have of Kira and have come to the conclusion that they must be jealous. She is beautiful and appears to be photogenic as well!


You must be mistaken.... You must've meant 2000 pictures ...


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