Horrific First Dog Park Experience

[Jenna & Cider]

I can't stop crying, I'm so upset and shocked.  Today we took our  4 month old doodle to a reputable dog park. A girlfriend of mine takes her dogs there and recommended it to us. Our doodle has been in puppy training with other dogs and our neighborhood has a lot of dogs that we encounter on our walks....I felt like he has had a good amount of exposure to other dogs. He just got his last set of shots a week ago and we were looking forward to taking him to the dog park and let him play and run around.  He's 36lbs of sweetness. He has never showed any aggressive tendencies. He typically will stop, sit and watch another dog if he sees one.  My girlfriend took her pups to the park when they were 3 months and never had any problems so we figured he was going to be fine and it'd be good for him to get more socialization.

The park has 2 sections, a 20# and under section and a 20# and over. Cider is far beyond 20# so we went to our designated section.  As we walked in, he was so happy! A couple people walked by with their pups and they sniffed eachother. Cider doesn't wander far from us, he walks about 10 feet and waits for us before he walks further. George and I were laughing because Cider would run and stop and look at us to make sure it was ok. He started running around with a retriever mix and we thought....this is great for him!  He followed the retriever over to a group of other dogs that were playing and all of a sudden we heard him yelp and was running towards us.  He's still clumsy, he's growing and getting so tall but he's not used to these long legs yet and he stumbled.   6 dogs chased him down and were attacking him. One pit mix had hold of his side and was trying to get his neck.   Everyone was just standing there while George and I were trying to get Cider who was pinned on his back yelping. George had to tear the pit off of him while I lifted him up. I'm 5'0..not very tall....so while George was trying to get the dogs away from me and Cider- another dog jumped up on me and grabbed Cider's rear. George got him off. I was holding Cider and shaking and crying.....Everything is a blur now. 2 men started fighting because one man pulled the other man's dog off Cider. George got knicked by the pit when he pulled him off.

What is most disturbing to me is how little the other dog owners did. There were a couple folks who tried to help but if it were not for George I do not know what could have happened.  I read mixed things about dog parks on this site. I decided to give it a try based on the glowing reviews from my friend. I feel like I am the worst mom ever. Cider is laid back, doesn't bark at other dogs, not very assertive. Maybe he was too young? Maybe he is too timid to be in that environment... I think maybe the other dogs sensed he was a little nervous/fearful and went into attack mode. The aching in my heart is so intense because I feel like I put my pup in harms way and it's all my fault.

When we got home, I gave him a bath and gave him another inspection to confirm there was no broken skin. Thankfully he is such a fur ball that it appears that they mostly had mouths of hair. I don't think I will ever forget the sight of looking down and seeing my dog's rear in the mouth of another  dog yanking.  We are going to the vet today just to be sure he's fine. I'm freaked about about George have a cut from the dog. Today has been a disaster :( 

[Ginny Nightingale]

Yikes--how awful for you!! I am glad you are all pretty much OK. Some people are very nonchalant about dog fights--they think that the dogs are just playing OR that they will settle it themselves--not me! Or they are so busy chatting that the dogs are forgotten--not me either!

I get very nervous because my hubby wants to hang out at the dog park all the time, but he sits and chats while I watch the dogs. One of my doodlesis fine at the park and just hangs out but the other loves to "herd" the other dogs and it is very unpleasant for them--I feel guilty seeing her chase them into corners--hubby thinks it is fine. Now we have the third doodle and he is a young male. (He is the "herder's" son) He growls and barks at other dogs even though I have dogs coming thru my house all the time and he is used to that. I do not think he is a good candidate for a dog park. We have not been there in a long time and Hubby keeps bugging me to go back--I do not think I will. It is great for some dogs, but maybe not mine.

I am about to take the young male (16 months old) to an obedience class tonight and he has not been to a class in 8 months. I want to start over again with him and see if I can get him to calm down with other dogs. He doesn't fight, but he barks and has to be the boss. If he runs into an aggressive dog someday, we will have a problem. And as your experience has shown just because a dog is at a dog park, it isn't definite that it is a friendly dog.

Maybe when he and his mom are older, dog parks will work for them, but not now. 

I guess my point is that people do bring inappropriate dogs to the parks--my husband would if I let him! I have a friend who brings her dog to parks all the time and he is not a fighter, but humps other dogs relentlessly!! So, you never know what waits for you inside that fence.

[Annie Oak]

I'm glad Cider's ok.   My dog Jax got packed by 3 german shepards and a mutt that all live together. Jax was 7 months old. very tall and all black, he was playing with a few dogs and this group of dogs were at the middle of the park and all started running towards him and pinned him against the fence.  At first it seemed like nothing was wrong, but  about 5 minutes after I left , I saw blood by his eye.  After his eye got infected and he had a tear in the lid all determined after the $400 vet visit. 

Luckily he never let this bother him with other dog visits. I will never go back to that park.  We have doggie play dates with dogs in my yard.  I kept going back to the park to find the owner to present her with the vet bill, but she never returned.

 

Alway observe who's in the park. The fewer dogs the better.  Never go in when German Shepards or pitbulls are in.  Just go home!!!

[Michelle Motorola]

i am very glad that Cider, yourself and George are okay. That sounds like an awful experience, i havent taken my puppy to one yet but it doesnt sound like i am missing out of much. I just cant believe no one helped (especially the attacking dogs owners)   Not sure how some people can sleep at night

[Jenna & Cider]

I know Michelle! I don't know if they just froze up or what. It's not like any of the owners of the attacking dogs bothered to come talk to us or at least make sure Cider was ok. Nor did they bother leashing their dogs after the incident.  Disappointing for sure!!!!

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Boy - you did have a no good very bad day.  I am not a huge dog park fan, although I do take my dogs occasionally.  Some dog parks are better than others.  The dog park where we have the SoCA doodle romps is really nice and although I have only been there maybe a half a dozen times, I have never seen a bad mannered dog or inattentive human.

My local dog park is different.  I will drive there to see who is there and how many dogs.  Too many dogs or certain owners and I don't stop.  I certainly have never had the experience you had, but some dogs and/or owners are just bad combos.

If you ever decide to go to another dog park, try to pick one with only a few dogs.  Watch from the car or outside the fence.  Are the owners watching/supervising their dogs?  Or are they so busy chatting, reading or talking on the phone they don't even know if their dog is still there?  Are the dogs just doing their own thing or is there one or two who are constantly harassing a dog(s) who isn't interested in playing?

Cider will probably recover from this before you do.  In the meantime invite just one dog over to play, try to find a dog near your dog's age and size.

I am so very sorry that this happened to the three of you.

 

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Oh Jenna.. I'm so sorry this happened to you, Cider who by the way is absolutely ADORABEL and your hubby.  I take my Oliver to the dog park as often as I can.  But you have to be real careful and sometimes things like this can happen in a split second.  My Ollie is big and very friendly but is a big mush as well.  He loves to greet all dogs and people in the park.  My Sasha I only bring every once in a while because the park is just not her thing.  She is a skidish type of dog and is not 100% comfortable in the park so she stays home.   I do enter with caution and try to observe the dynamics of the group of dogs first.   I try to get there very early in the morning when there are not too many dogs, it seems that where there are lots of dogs thats when "things" happen.  I hope Cider is OK and please continue to socialize him with other dogs just not at this park or in this type of environment.  It is extremely scray,  I once helped a friends dog who was being attacked by a smaller dog than him.  I was so scared and shaking, it is just a horrible thing to expierence.  My advise is to only go when there are just a few dogs in the park and observe how they all play/socialize first before going in.  Maybe take Cider to the small dog area until he matures.  I hope all works out for you.