A not fun dog park morning!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Such a gorgeous morning.  We had gone to our regular dog park that is fully fenced yesterday, so we decided to try the one much closer to our house that is supposed to be on leash only and is not fenced.  Quincy has poor recall command once he is out of the house so we knew he would have to be on his long lead.  

It was very crowded and most dogs were not on leashes.  All seemed okay and then I heard Quincy yelping really loud.  My DH had the lead and was going toward him.  When I spotted Quincy he was on his back, belly up, screaming, really the best way to describe it.   It scared me near to death.  My husband was trying to get to him, just a short distance, but so was every other dog in the park, it seemed.  Quincy was surrounded by all these dogs. I remember bending over and trying to pick him up and a dog jumping on my back, and I remember seeing my husband and thinking one of us was going to get hurt.  It was just mass confusion.  All the dogs were going crazy by then.  I remember clapping my hands, I guess I was trying to scare them.  I don't even know.  Some people did come over, but it seemed like more dogs joined in instead of owners getting their dogs out of the melee.  Just horrible, with Quincy screaming the whole time.  He is a very verbal dog but with all this mass confusion I really had no way of knowing if he was being bit, had been bit or was just scared- I certainly was.  My husband said he was sure he was going to get bit, too, trying to get the dogs away. 

Once we got him away, some dogs were STILL coming over and poor Quincy was shaking.  I sat on the ground and held him to try to calm him.  I actually started to tremble. the two of us sat there shaking. 

The owner of the dog who first growled and jumped on him or whatever he did at Quincy that made Quincy go on his back and start howling was very nice and felt horrible.  She came over and stayed with us and shooed the other dogs away.  A guy came over and identified himself as a vet and checked for bites- thank goodness, none.  He did say to watch him since they can show up later once there is swelling.  so far so good. 

I remember another post not so long ago-I am bad at remembering who- where her dog was attacked while walking and thinking- crap...what do you do.  I still don't know.  It was mayhem for at least a few seconds that seemed like much much longer. Our poor dog is laying there on his back and there are all these other dogs circling, jumping and I was hearing that awful snarling sound with Quincy yowling.   

After the owner gave me her phone number and suggested to us that we not leave the park but let Quincy be there a bit so he won't be afraid next time.  so we walked down the long lawn and he kept very, very close to us.  

We all started to feel better and then wouldn't you know it we saw a golden doodle and thought, great! But, son of a gun, Quincy went over to him, sniffed his face and the dog growled at Quincy !  He came flying back between my legs.  I could not believe it.  Psycho dog park? or do I have to change Quincy's deodorant...poor guy was just not having any luck. 

We went to another section of the park area and there was a really old dog and his terrific owners.  Her theory is that the pack smells out the puppies and does a hazing on the vulnerable ones.,  i don't know what was up.  We hung out there for a bit, walked him around  and then went home.  

We decided to plant and Quincy got to terrorize us by stealing our garden gloves and the empty plastic pots from the plants were were trying to do.  His drop command is also limited to inside the house.  But, at least he seems just fine. We put the sprinklers on for him, a new treat, and all is settled down.  

My husband is far less dramatic than me.  When he said it was a nightmare, you can bet it was. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I am so sorry this happened to Quincy and to you. I know just how you feel; I think it might have been my post about JD getting attacked and bitten on a recent walk that you are thinking of, and you described that whole dazed helpless feeling very well. 

I'm glad Quincy seems fine. I hope it makes you feel better to know that JD has shown no lasting effects from his incident at all. He walks down that same street without any hesitation or fear, and yesterday we were at the forest preserve dog park and he was fine with the many dogs we met on the trails. I wish the same for Quincy. :-)

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Karen, I thought it was your post, but I am just not good at remembering names.  Better now that I have been on here a bit longer.  Thanks.  Your messages are always reassuring.  

[F, Calla & Luca]

Sadly, I have come to hate og parks and never take mine there. I am glad Quincy was not hurt.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

I hope I can find a happy medium, but I hear you.  Not this park anymore. thanks, F., for your kind words 

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

That does sound scary! I would have been shaking, too!

How old is Quincy? I do know that younger dogs are definitely vulnerable and will often bring out the worst in older dogs. I've even noticed our sweet Rooney (who is only a year and half himself) behaves much more dominantly toward dogs younger than himself than he does to a dog of equal or older age. It's like he finally has a chance to be the big tough guy when normally he is more than willing to defer to more dominant dogs.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

He is 11 + months.  He is such a doodle bug, though.  No apparent dominance.  Needs some I think!  He rolls onto his back in a flash and is very verbal with his whining.  this time it just seemed more and as I said, with the snarls and chaos it was so scary.  

[Jen and Annie]

This is JUST how Annie is at the dog park. Her style of play is to chase. If there are other chasers at the dog park, them she will have a ball. They will fetch and play keepaway. all is well, BUT as soon as another dog tries to wrestle with her or use their paws....she is straight on her back and whimpering.
We have another dog, an older boxer ....and they wrestle with one another all the time. but with dogs that she doesn't know....forget it. She turns into a little baby. She is turning a year old on June first, but even as recent as a few weeks ago, we had a "rough player" that caught Annie by surprise, and there she was rolling on her back looking for me to save her. Now when we go to the dog park, I will observe the dogs inside and walk the perimeter. If there is too much rough stuff, we stay away.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

I wish Quincy would engage more with a ball or frisbee-but he wants to play chase with the other dogs.  

[Christine & Shelby]

So scary.... I am sure it was terrifying. Happy to hear that Quincy is feeling ok and stealing the gardening gloves! Sprinklers are such fun... My Shelby loves them too!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

sprinkler are so fun!  thanks for good thoughts

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

yes, he made us crazy eating up the plastic plant containers-which I was afraid would rip his mouth-and just making us crazy with running away and NOT dropping.  still a puppy...thanks for your words. 

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Poor Quincy.  Glad everyone seems to be ok.