Dog parks?

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

I just discovered that there is a dog park very close by and with Jace old enough to go I thought that would be a fun thing to do with the weather being so nice here now. It sounds super nice and is brand new, but I was wondering what everyone's experiences with dog parks have been and if they're fun, or chaotic. 

[Diane and Alma]

I don't take Alma to the dog park any more.  She got sick (papilloma virus and giardia) after going there - coinidence??  I would suggest you bring your own drinking water if there is not a clean bowl.  Also, the dog park near me has a double gate, so I would always unleash Alma between the gates so she could enter freely.  The other dogs would always rush the gate when a new dog came in. 

[Dee & Chloe]

I started taking  Chloe to the dog park when she was 5 months old and for the most part it has been a very positive experience. After about a year she was attacked unprovoked and got injured which required a trip to the vet. We were both traumatized. I got lots of excellent advice from this site, one of which was not to take her back. But, for me, taking her back seemed to be the best option for both of us. BUT I changed the way I do things. Since she showed some fear when  I first took her back about one month later, I made sure I took her late in the day when there were very few people and other dogs there. As many have said, I also now make sure I know the owner and dog. If it is someone I don't know, I ask them about their dog and try to assess the owner's attitude also. I also got permission for her to be in the small dog park since she still seems intimidated by the larger dogs. And if I see behavior I don't like in  another dog, I leave right away. She is medium, about 35 lbs. She has been more interested in me hitting tennis balls  than playing with other dogs. Within the last two weeks, she has resumed playing with some of her old friends, some of whom are larger.  Nothing makes both of us happier than a good  romp at the park! I am sure you and Jace will have a great time there.

[Puppy Love]

I took jackson to the dog park Sunday. It was so cute watching run, he seem to float across the park. I think he thought he was in paradise....All of a sudden he became prey. An Australian shepard spotted him and took him down like cattle suddenly he was surrounded by the wolves:(. It was very scary. Then he knocked a woman over, the owner of the shepard that started the attack. I think my fluffy pup resembles a oversized bunny or fat sheep; ( It was kinda of a disaster. I don't we will be going back anytime soon.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I'm glad he was ok.  At least the person he knocked over was the owner of the dog that caused the problems :)

[Puppy Love]

Yeah but my dog is white. Maybe your dog will have a different experience. It was like a movie. He glided across the park like he was in euphoria. Then he was taken down. The lady said the dog isn't hers, its her friends and he was a rescue and she already knew he didn't like big white dogs. Jackson uses his big butt to buck in self defense and he took her down. I couldn't sleep all night cause I felt sad for my pup and mad at myself for not telling that lady anything.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I agree with the comments that they can be risky. We take Darwin to dog parks - but we are careful to screen which parks we attend. For example - we avoid parks that are small, fenced in flat land. Especially if they are usually crowded. I find that these parks are frequented by lazy dog owners, intact dogs, and fights break out.

We frequent off-leash nature areas that are designated dog parks. We have 2 within an hour or two from us. They are hiking trails, with shallow streams and usually a maximum of 3 -5 dogs along the whole trail. Darwin may stop to interact with a dog for a bit - but it's a far cry from a standard park where there is 30 dogs packed together in a high stress environment.

Believe me - we learned the hard way. Darwin was attacked on 2 separate occasions at a traditional dog park, so following the advice of many here, we stopped attending.