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. 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I am thrilled to hear that Quincy didn't suffer any physical injuries!!! I know how scary that sound is!!!

My Charli, the black, is the tallest of our 4 at 28" at the shoulder. She may be the tallest but she has no confidence at all! She is the one that the other 3 pull her ears and tail and grab her by the neck. As soon as they come running towards her she flips over onto her back and most of the time just takes it tho she does swat with her legs and grabs them their legs with her mouth.

It's not just with my 3, it is with most other dogs too. When she greets other doodles she darts into their faces like a puppy does with their Momma. Two trainers have told me that they believe since she was pulled from her Momma and littermates when she was app 2 weeks old (she's from an Amish Puppy Mill) she did not have a chance to learn proper greet doggie manners.  There is nothing I can do to help her with this. I just intervene if it gets too rough - I am very afraid of someone getting hurt.  

It just maybe that Quincy is one of the those that gives off a lack of confidence vibe that other dogs feel they can pick on. This is the reason that we no longer go to the dog park - she just doesn't attempt to interact with the other dogs. We have doodle play dates that we can keep everyone under control. 

[Dee & Chloe]

I have been gone all day or I would have responded sooner. I am so sorry you and Quincy had to go through this. I am glad that he was not hurt and that he seemed to be himself shortly afterwards. Chloe was attacked at the dog park several times and  each time it was unprovoked.  The last incident was at Thanksgiving and she received several bites and a deep puncture wound in her front leg. She too is very submissive and always went belly up. I was told by the vet to not take her to the park until her wound healed, which took several weeks. When we did go back, I'm not sure who was more nervous, she or I. She was fearful of larger dogs and still is with some. Since she is a medium, she is allowed to go both in the small dog area or the big dog area. Since the attack, I have kept her with the smaller dogs for the most part. I also only take her at hours when there are not a lot of dogs and people. I try to look over to see what dogs are in the park and how they are behaving before I allow her in the big dog area. Or, if there are few small dogs, Chloe and a larger dog we both know and get along with, will hang out in the small dog area. I  have tried to just allow her to go at her own pace as far as interacting with other dogs. Just recently, she was able to stand up for herself with dogs that were trying to hump her. She didn't growl or bite but just turned to them in a more assertive way, and they both backed off. Of course Chloe just turned two and I think she is becoming more assertive as she matures.  The dog park has been very positive for the most part and it is the only place where she can run off her excessive energy. She has shown less interest in playing with the other dogs since the attack but I keep her busy by hitting tennis balls to her for hours. She still loves going to the dog park and for us it seems like the best alternative. I just had to change my thinking and learn to pay attention to Chloe's body language and that of the other dogs. So we have had no incidents since then. I am sure you  will find a way that is comfortable for you and Quincy.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Luckily the enclosed park has been incident free.  I will no longer go to the one where we feel we need to leash him.  I am thinking, after reading all these posts, that we placed him at a disadvantage.  The leash kept him from running away, which he did Saturday.  Instead, he went on his back and the feeding frenzy ensued.  

This is as hard as parenting a human child.  

But thanks everyone for your kind words and insights.  

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

Poor Quincy and poor YOU!  When my adrelalin starts pumping like that there is no holding back the Irish Temper.  It really isn't pretty. 

I started carrying a small airhorn with me as this not only startles the crap out of dogs but it also gets the attention of owners and they usually come quickly to see what's up or to grab their dogs from the crazy lady.  I got Stan used to the noise in our backyard so the airhorn doesn't startle him but the other dogs take off a'running.  AND.....they only cost a dollar at the Dollar Store!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Great idea.  My husband said mace, but that could harm us and Quincy.  I remember discussing this when Karen was attacked.  Vinegar in a squirt bottle was one suggestion.  

Hopefully, back at our original park we won't need anything.  He loves to run so much, I would hate to not do that. 

[Lynette Main]

I'mglad hes fine. I can't think why the other owners wouldn't have come to helpThats awful.I went to our dog park and a very big dog came after.Shea. I haven't gone back.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Poor Quincy :(

Luna has been pinned before at the dog park - I go into full "momma bear" mode and go up to the dog and say very loud "NO" and "OFF" and try to position my body between Luna and the other dog.   Now that I'm pregnant we don't go to the dog park at all... my husband doesn't appear to have the same instinct and just freezes if something is happening involving large dogs.

Since it happened a few times (thankfully she never had an injury - just scared) she stays away from bigger dogs, especially bully breed dogs.  If one approaches her she comes and stands by us or sits at our feet.

[Bonnie and Kona]

This sounds really horrible to me. We did not experience this at the local dog park but after visiting it for several months, we decided the potential was there. I hope you and Quincy are all settled now.

[Adrienne]

Lori, I am so sorry to hear about your and Quincy's traumatic ordeal at the dog park.  So thankful that no one was injured.  I am also glad that I read this because I was looking forward to taking my pup to the dog park but I now know that it may not be such a wise idea.  I think that I will stick to walks in neighborhood/parks and puppy play dates.  Sending hugs to you and Quincy (also your DH)  :) .

[Pat and Traveler]

So sorry about your terrifying experience, Lori!  Sounds like Quincy came out of it just fine, but your DH is right--a nightmare!

I've given up going to dog parks.  Trav has been chased by a pack, gotten attacked a couple of times (fairly minor incidents but enough to scare me spitless), and he's joined in a pack chasing another unfortunate dog.  He doesn't really play with other dogs anyhow, not the way he did when he was a puppy.  Now he would much prefer to have somebody throw a ball for him, and if there's another dog around, his idea of a good time is to run with a ball or toy in his mouth while the other dog tries to catch him.  If the other dog doesn't want to chase him, then he just ignores the dog.  I've accepted that 'play' doesn't mean the same thing to him that I once thought it should.  He doesn't need other dogs, though there are a few dogs he knows and is comfortable around.  It's been a learning experience for me! 

We have a good exercise alternative in a local park that isn't a dog park.  I can throw a ball for him there, and he can run with it to his heart's content.  I leash him whenever I see another dog, but it's a pretty quiet place so he can usually get in plenty of running.  He doesn't try to run off and has good recall, so this works out quite nicely for us.