First time at the dog park

[kkaffrine]

We took Molly to a local dog park yesterday for the first time. She is 6 months now. We have neighbors all around us with all types of dogs she wants to play with but they wont play with her. They are older dogs and are not interested. We thought she would have a blast at the park but it was not a good experience. When we went into the gate, she was immediately surrounded by 5-6 big dogs who all just wanted to check her out. She ran from them, rolled on her back and yipped like they were hurting her. She ran to a picnic table and jumped on top of it. She wanted to play with the people not the dogs! We stayed for about an hour until she began biting at a couple of dogs who came up to her. Any advise......do we take her back and if so how do we handle it? What can we do for her to have a more pleasent experience. She was the smallest and shortest dog there.


Katherine

[milles2]

I'll be interested in what people have to say about this. Given the opption to great adog vs a person, Tucker runs to the person first (they MIGHT have treats). Then he will check out dogs.

Any chance of playdates w/ small to medium size dogs before taking on a dog park?

[Chip's Mom]

You may want to keep her on leash where you have a bit more control of the situation until she gets used to the dogs. It sounds like she felt intimidated by so many dogs all at once. Is she attending obedience class? That is a great way to socialize your pup with other dogs in a controlled environment.

[milles2]

Once inside a dog park, dogs are supposed to be off leash. Dogs interact very differently when on leash vs off.

I don't have a dog park in my town. Always go as a guest of someone. Entering as a pack, Tuck reacts differently than the one time I met friends and we entered alone.

I'm a huge fan of playdates! I get to pick who he interacts with. But if I had a dog park, I probably would use it.

By the way, everyone is invited next weekend (if it doesn't warm up!) to come play on the lake. Kind of a frozen dogpark today!

[Hayashi_eri]

I have the same experience as Susan. Buta will always approache the humans first & then MAYBE the other dogs....

[corgimom]

Originally Posted by kkaffrine

We took Molly to a local dog park yesterday for the first time. She is 6 months now. We have neighbors all around us with all types of dogs she wants to play with but they wont play with her. They are older dogs and are not interested. We thought she would have a blast at the park but it was not a good experience. When we went into the gate, she was immediately surrounded by 5-6 big dogs who all just wanted to check her out. She ran from them, rolled on her back and yipped like they were hurting her. She ran to a picnic table and jumped on top of it. She wanted to play with the people not the dogs! We stayed for about an hour until she began biting at a couple of dogs who came up to her. Any advise......do we take her back and if so how do we handle it? What can we do for her to have a more pleasent experience. She was the smallest and shortest dog there.


Katherine

I remember Cody's training instructor telling us that a puppies first play date experience with other dogs should be a positive one and advised us not to take our puppies to the dog park for their first play date. She said you don't know what you are going to encounter there and said she has seen some bullying going on(with owners not always paying attention), and that we wouldn't want our young pup to experience that for their first play date; and it sounded like all those dogs surrounding Molly at one time was scary for her. Of course, this instructor was talking about our dog park and had done some observation there as to what goes on.

I second what Susan suggested in having Molly interact with some small/med size dogs several times before attempting the dog park again. - Although I am not sure the size of the dog always matters, as one of Cody's favorites at his day care was a Bernese Mountain Dog who was huge compared to him, but she was gentle and not overly exuberant. She was always allowed in the small/med dog section because the other ones in the larger dog section were too active for her.
If Molly doesn't seem to enjoy being there after her next time, I guess I would not be going back.

[Fluffypants]

Poor Molly! I think the play dates are a good idea also.

It would be a good idea (I think) to stay away from that park for awhile and get her used to other (pre-approved by you) dogs on a one to one basis. That situation was just a little out of control and scary for her.

[milles2]

I think this may have been asked in a thread at one point but do Corgis go thru a shy phase?

Yesterday I had Tuck and Lulu out on the frozen lake for the first time this year. It was Lulu's first forray out onto the ice. They had a blast running and sliding.

I purposely kept them away from the clusters of fishermen for awhile. There was a lone seagul and Lulu made it her missions to herd him whenever she got close.

After awhile we ran into another dog! A brittany Spaniel that is a true hunting dog. Lulu runs a long ways barking to meet her and once the brittany saw her and started coming to her, she ran back to be as if hollering! She's never been shy of other dogs???

Then when it was time to go near the fisherman, she did the puppy run to them, tail wagging, ears down, whining and the second they came toward her, she ran back to me!

I walked her over to the men and then she was fine. She hasn't been shy since about a month w/ Tucker. She's as obnoxious as he is when it comes to meeting people!

So while I am monitoring Lulu interacting w/ the men, Tucker had found where they were heating the venison stew, broke into their stash of doritos, then pooped on his way off! Maybe he was using Lulu as a distraction!

I was mortified! Lulu is just getting pats and loving from these guys! What a hoot.

[corgimom]

Originally Posted by milles2@rpi.edu

So while I am monitoring Lulu interacting w/ the men, Tucker had found where they were heating the venison stew, broke into their stash of doritos, then pooped on his way off! Maybe he was using Lulu as a distraction! I was mortified! Lulu is just getting pats and loving from these guys! What a hoot.

Oh my word, that is hilarious - Tucker steals the doritos and then thanks them with a poop

Susan, have you ever thought of writing a children's book about Lulu and Tuckers adventures?

[ZdogZ]

Susan ~ too funny! Sounds like something my dogs would do. Make your momma proud, Tucker!

[Fluffypants]

Oh Tucker - why must you always share your bodily functions? Poor mom!!

Susan - you have another entry into the Funny Stories contest!

She probably just felt unsure being so far away from you and wanted you to come with her?

[milles2]

I didn't find it too funny! I guess 24 hours later, it is! It's just so typical of Tucker (except the poo). He's the Mayor, these men were on his lake, of course he should be allowed to just make himself at home and scarf their doritos!

I was mortified! If anyone's children did that they would be accused of poor manners. Very poor doggie manners!

They had a chafing pan w/ sterno heater on the ice and Tuck just walked up to it and helped himself. It was cold by that point and not much left but if he got burned, it would have served him right!

I apologized profusely, Tucker showed no remorse of course. I didn't see what they had otherwise I would have been prepared to keep him away. Tuck sure did like the vension though.... but the doritos, I'm sure, made Tucker's day! No doritos in my house!

These guys usually have a cooler of beer, and chips! I never expected a chafing dish! These guys knew how to live!