Injury and now Insult - what next?

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

The dog bite is slowly getting better - doesn't look nice but at least it isn't hurting with every step I take.  The last two nights I've let dh take the boys to the dog park as I am enjoying having him home and am spending the early evening making nice dinners.  We are making sure to get the boys there exactly at the start of "big dog" time which is 4:30 knowing that the puggles (who should go to small dog time but don't) won't arrive until about 5:20 - this gives us time to wear the doods out. 

So I go back to the dog park tonight and while I'm visiting with Bob in comes Brae a Weimariner (spell?) and owner.  Brae is giant and a little aggressive plus he has a very disgusting habit of marking (peeing) on the chairs and benches - doesn't matter if you a sitting in one.  Other people have been peed on but not me - until tonight!  I usually keep a keen eye out but tonight my defenses were down.  Warm dog pee all over both my legs and shorts - DISGUSTING!  The owner doesn't do anything.  We have a dog drinking fountain with a hose attached so I hosed off but still.  So tomorrow I am going on a search to find the biggest, baddest, water bottle sprayer that I can find.  Next time I go to the dog park - I am going to be READY!!!!!  Does this make me evil?  Have I gone over the edge?  What would you do?

 

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Jane - you sure have had your share of tough situations lately!  Are you certain you're not living some evil life on the side that we don't know about??  Your DK persona is so kind, loving, happy, giving, etc.!!!!

[Joe R.]

The water bottle sprayer sounds like a good solution. Let us know how the owners of the dog liked it when you spray THEM.

[Adina P]

I would quit going to the dog park.  It would not be worth it to me.  It attracts far too many owners who have no desire to control their dogs.  To me most dog parks end up being places where too often people take dogs because it's so easy to take an unruly dog for exercise without putting any training into that dog.  It's an easy place to exercise your dog while you (not YOU Jane, but the generic you) stand around and talk or text or whatever.  Natural, not appropriate, dog behavior rules at dog parks for the most part.  I would not want to walk down a street where all sorts of untrained dogs were walked off leash...and thus I don't want to go into a fenced yard (territory) where a bunch of dogs are left to be as unruly as they want to be.  Can you tell I'm a bit biased in my feelings about dog parks?  I was on the committee that helped establish a dog park in my town...but I've changed my mind since then.  I think nice dogs getting together is great.  But a bunch of stranger dogs and stranger people ... meh, I'd skip. Well I'd skip except for using it for training because I can't think of much that is a better distraction.  And mostly training on the OUTSIDE of the fence.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I would skip it too and I do. Of course it is easier to do when you have the luxury of a fenced yard.

[Adina P]

As to the water bottle...go for one of those water gun bazooka's =)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Mace would be good too, JK.

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

That's what I was thinking hehe

[Jennifer]

YES!!!! Fing the biggest Super Soaker on the market. Muah-ha-ha-ha (evil laugh). :-)

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Maybe it's time for a dog park intervention. Time to tighten up the rules and voice your concerns to the board I am pretty sure you mentioned having one. Since this is your associations dog park and not open to the public you should be able to say the things needed to be said. If this doesn't correct anything maybe you just can't go anymore :o(

As far as the water bottle goes I wouldn't just use it, I would tell the owner "hope you don't mind but if so and so comes over I intend to spray him so he does not spray me again".

Good Luck Jane...and get that home up for sale already, you need a big fenced in back yard for sure.

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

I'm with Adina in feeling like it's not worth going to the dog park with my guys. They might be social butterflies and be absolutely fine, but I can't guarantee that every other dog is the same and I don't want to risk my guys. Having said that, Lachlan would be the one to cause the problem - I call him my Engineer Dog: No social skills at all. He wants to run up into the face of every dog he meets, which from the dog perspective is quite rude and earns him an appropriate snarl and snap every time. (You'd think he'd catch on eventually, eh?)

I don't think you're in the least evil! I'd get the biggest, most powerful, highest volume water gun I could find ... and then make sure to drench the owner with it! (Hmmm ... evil thought ... add red food coloring to the water ... see, I'm the evil one!)

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I can just picture you strutting out with your guns over your shoulders! I think the people would be running! You go girl!   Photos please! And seriously good luck. I can't imagine someone even bringing their dog back after it behaves like that?!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

It seems the dog park has given you quite a bit of angst lately. And avoiding it would eliminate the issues that arise at dog parks, but when you don't have a fenced yard it is just so darn fun for them to run and play and be free to be dogs. Having said that, when we have doodle romps and someone gets upset that a dog did this or a dog did that, I usually say, in as unsarcastic way I can make it, " they are just dogs, doing what dogs do" . Yes, owners are ultimately responsible, but even standing 3 feet away at all times, ( impossible btw, or they might as well be leashed), I have seen dogs snap and fight and pee on each other and eat poop and attack over a ball, or hump another dog, not every owner can or does correct their dogs. Yes it is sad and frustrating that people can allow their dogs to be so rude, but then some people are just rude themselves to others so it's not a stretch to think they just don't know any different nor do they care. People are rude everywhere, in traffic, in line at the grocery store, at sporting events, but I don't stop going to those.
The experiences you've had recently could and have happened in many other places besides dog parks, when only one or two other dogs were around, so yes we do run higher risks of dog like behavior happening when there are more dogs in one area.
If the dog park means the most exercise your guys can safely have and you want to keep going, then I'd just expect that doo-doo will happen, roll with it and / or ignore what doesn't hurt you or the boys. It really is about the price you are willing to pay to use the dog park. Are you willing to go and accept that given the situation and environment, something is possible and probably going to happen that can make the time there unpleasant. Granted, dog fights are more than unpleasant I felt bad for you when that happened. I do go to a local dog park at least 3 times a week. And I think it's worth it, but only u can decide that. Good luck.