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You will also find if you own a more agressive type of breed if he/she wants to see another dog and your thinking it's going to fight and pull it back close to you. You will find that your dogs acts back threw that leash with agression. Holding back the leash tight close to you can also cause your dog to be agressive. It's hard because you don't want to take the chance of just letting it go up and sniff the other dog thinking your dog will rip it's head off. Often in alot of cases you will find that if your relaxed talking to the other dog's owner and allowing your dog lots of leash to smell the other dog and not pulling him/her back. Most times they will go up and just smell eachother and then walk off following you. Just a nice voice from you saying lets go! NEVER growl at your dog when on leash because you have control. Most times when you growl at your dog if he's smelling or trying to smell another dog he thinks your growling and he'll follow your lead and get agressive with the dog to back you up. Kinds sounds weird, but if you feel you may have a dog that pulls and looks a bit agressive twards another dog when on lead and your the puller. Maybe set up something where you have a friend and a friendly submissive dog also on leash and walk twards eachother and allow your both dogs alot of leash to smell eachother and you may be surprised how not agressive they will be. I don't recomend this for everyone because I'd have to see your dog in the situation at that time and walk you threw what your doing wrong, or to see if your dog has true agression or not. I shouldn't of wrote that because some of you may go out there not knowing what to do and your dog could rip up the other friendly dog on the other leash.... Going to a trainer if you have any problems, but make sure you find a good trainer.

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So my basic thinking is please obey the leash laws for everyones safety and enjoyment. My dog is NEVER off Leash, EVER outdoors in public. The park I go to is usually empty - and when its not, if I know the dog and how mine has interacted with that particular dog in the past - I will make the decision to either go socialize or not. Generally if she has met and played with another dog before and hasnt reacted badly - she will play and be fine and happy - on leash! But if she had issues with a dog in the past, she generally reacts the same. Saying that I refer to what Lover bigtime had to say. She may be reacting to my fear (of a dog fight) or not.

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this is all so weird, as I am new to dog parks with my dog. he is under 3 yrs old, and LOVES to play. I am now starting to notice all the "problems" that come with it all, it is very difficult. For instance, in a off leash dog park where there are maybe 7 or 8 dogs playing everything is fine.Suddenly, an older dog that has arthritis comes in, well i feel bad as sometimes it may get knocked over and it gets hurt. As the dog is older and can not play, I wish the owners would walk it instead of being around rambunctious dogs (my last dog was old, and I avoided the dog parks). Last time my dog did knock one over and I felt like the bad guy, so I left right away. What else should I do? The owner had to literally lift the dog up after,so the pain is pretty bad. Hard to fit into the off leash parks...

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Hi Rabbit, I've gotta say, you're so right! There are little dogs that some owners let get away with murder, which is ridiculous! I myself have 2 boston terriers and a min. dachsund, so I'm not being biased against small dogs, just truthful. The parks I go to are usually very good, but you'll always find a few owners like this. Little dogs initially are sometimes bad with the big dogs out of fear. The key is to show them there's nothing to be scared of. The troble is, lots of small dog owners are scared too, so they pick up their little dogs as soon as they see another dog which only reinforces their dogs fear. I can not stand when people pick up their little dogs!!!!!! How will they ever become well socialized if they're constantly being babied! I find it really sad reading the posts where people have given up on off leash parks though. You will always run into some ignorant people, but to run at an off leash is so benifical for all sizes of dogs. Isn't it worth trying to reson with some of these people? Someone else mentioned that alot of people don't seem to understand dogs behaviour. I think this can be a big problem at the off leash. Anyways, I could ramble all day, so I'm going to cut myself off now! LOL!

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I so agree with you puppypack. and to the lady/man with the young springer spaniel, im sorry you had to deal with those dogs, but an off leash dog park is the perfect way to socialize your dog(.) for the non-rescues or people who got their dogs as puppies...every dog can be socialized. you just need to put in the effort. if a dog is around a lot of different kinds of dogs when it is young and you continue the routine. they should have no problems! i have found a lot of owners who are disrespectful... OH ROBBIE?? WHERE R U? remember when I was at the beach that day with my bf and Memphis?? well...this lady was chatting it up on her cell phone while her dog was chasing my dog and grabbing by the neck and not letting my dog come near anyone. so anyways...me my bf and this other lady were all like "whose dog is this?? blah blah" no one says anything..this lady is 5 feet away from us. the dog continues attacking memphis so...my bf tackled the thing to the ground. the owner immediately got off her phone and was like "its ok its ok thats how he plays!"....not with my dog he doesnt. my dog doesnt play that way. and where the hell was she when we were trying to figure out whos dog this was. my boy is anti-aggressive (the dog and the bf) but this situation was the worst thing that happened to memphis. if my dog is anti-aggressive and yours is being aggressive to mine. CALL YOUR DOG BACK!! GET HIM TO STOP!!!...my dog doesnt need to be put through unessary stress!.. ok ill stop now. but most owners ive met are very curtious in knowing that memphis doesnt like to be barked at or bit!...he'll chase you for miles and let you chase him. but no agression. we like him that way. ok enough...i like off leash dog parks! unless u can tell me a grassy path i can walk memphis in. ahh yeah ok im done now..sorry for carrying on.

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I guess we're all in the same boat here... I too, absolutely hate when people have their dogs off leash in public places. There's by-laws against that sort of thing in most, if not, every city! Everytime I see a dog off-leash, and the owner is busy talking to his buddy not paying attention, I make my dog sit (see, she's not the most dog friendly dog in the world, but we're working on it, and plus she's a senior, so she has her grouchy days..), and I make it clear to the other owner that if they don't get control of their dog and put a leash on it, as the law states, that in order to protect myself and my dog, either my foot, or her teeth will do the job! I don't care what people think, I'm at least being a responsible pet owner by having my dog on-leash. If you want to have your dog off leash, there are parks specifically designed for those kinds of people. One time, this guy's dog wouldn't leave us alone, I told him numerous times to grab his dog, but he just kept walking forward, meanwhile my poor Jesse is having a little freak out because this dog just kept coming for her, really wanting to play, but it wasn't the time nor place to do so. There was an elderly couple walking behind us, and the funniest thing happened, the old man had told me to just let her go at the other dog, he'd be a witness in my defence if anything were to result from it! I just had to laugh, but also explained that I am a responsible owner and don't want to put my dog through anything like that, as it would just set back the years of training we've gone through. Anyway, there's alot more stories, but I don't wanna take up all the space, nor do I want to write a book...lol...

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Hey LMD, I'm here (as usual) working away trying to tidy up Yes, I do remember that lady on the cell phone and her Dog running amok with your pup and the others. Irresponsible people in all walks of life, make it hard for everyone. I try to reat everyone, and everything with respect, that's what works for me. Responsible Dog owners (like you guys) totally 'get' that your pup is a family member and not an extension of an 'ego'

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This a huge pet peeve of mine too guys. I could give a couple dozen or more stories of irresponsible owners at parks and their out of control dogs but I'll just get mad re-hashing them! I choose not to take my 1 1/2 year old male Argentine Dogo to the off leash park any more because there are so many out of control dogs there and irresponsible owners. Before my guy hit one year of age he was attacked the last two times we took him to the park. He turned the other cheek and walked away - now he is an adult I would not trust him to walk away calmly from a dog cutting open his face like he did back then. I have to be responsible an acknowledge that he is capable of seriously harming a dog his own size and capable of killing a smaller dog if one were to attack him. He has never instigated ANY aggression towards any dog, EVER. He knows we do not allow it, we work very hard training him to be the dog he is . But he would very likely defend himself in the event he were attacked and local authorities would highly likely hold me accountable regardless of who instigated the attack. Rightfully so, I am responsible for my dog, but if I take him to an ON leash park/area I do not expect to have to claim responsibility if a dog that is off leash attacks him and he defends himself - sadly, authorities do not see it that way and it is a civil matter, I'd probably loose the court case. I take my 4 month old Cane Corso pup to the park to socialize her with all breeds and sizes of dog and to practice her recall in an enviroment of distraction and so far no incident. But I will not be taking her there as an adult. Here's my take, if I'm in a situation, onleash or off, where my dog is attacked or threatened by another dog that is off leash or out of the owners control I will PERSONALLY defend my dog by ANY means required - that is my responsibility to MY dog.

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nicely said wander, another point..even when you are at an off leash park and you deem your dog to be well behaved, that does not mean you dont have to watch them...or WORSE sit in your car while your dog runs in the park by itself!!!! yep people sure should have a license to own a dog.. it really grinds my gears...haha. my dog may not hurt a fly but i still watch them like hawks. and i pick up their poop! yeah pick up your dogs poo people.

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I totally agree, i go to the park all the time with my baby and am always being sterotyped its ok 4 a jack russel to jump up my leg and try bite my dog as i struggel to lift her from the ground becasue i kow she could eat that dog but its ok b-cuz he's a little dog with 'oh sorry u know wat he's like' but if that was my baby it would b get that f***in dog on a lead - its disgusting when there dog is actually vicious but my dog should b on a lead b-cuz she has a semi mean face it all comes down to the way the dogs are raised i know this because my baby's best friend is a half shih ztu and half chiuwawa...

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i dont think it is because your dog has a "mean face" i really dont know what the means. unless it is in a vicious snarl, no dog has a "mean face". its really sad that the only "mean" dogs we hear about is pitbulls. we all know what causes a dogs aggression. really sad to see the front page of the paper yesterday. 5 dog attacks in 6 weeks. when the weather starts getting better, dogs seem to be let into yards unleashed, unsupervised and can sometimes get out easily. so just be careful when walking your dogs. and make sure your little ones dont get out, you dont want them getting into dangerous situations.

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Not sure about y'all, but I also feel quite uncomfortable when folks bring their young children to the dog parks and let them mingle with the dogs, with barely no supervision. We all know that there are squabbles that happen at the park, no matter how well behaved and socialized dogs may be, some dogs aren't, and like mine, like to be dominant over other dogs, even though she has never bitten anyone, she likes to show who's boss, and at the dog park I go to, everyone knows this and is fine. But what if it were a huge 100lbs + dog, who doesn't know his manners, and topples over the little kids running, or worse yet...a bite, if confusion happens from a fight? What happens then? Goes to show that some people should also have a license to have kids...no offense to parents, I love kids and want my own, but safety first people! Not all kids know how to act around dogs, especially strange dogs. An example was a few weeks ago at the park, this lady brought her maybe 6-7yo daughter, and she was playing by the dog water dishes, and every dog that came by, she kept slapping them in the face and yelling at them to go away. The mother just stood there and watched, but said nothing, she would rather socialize with other owners, who also said nothing (probably to not embarass her parenting skills, or lack thereof), and just let the kid get away with it! Grrr...what a mess...

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OMG...totally got you on that one. Phoenix is a very dominant and friendly girl (doesnt like grown ups too much(besides the one she knows), but she will lick childrens faces off!!!). im never quite sure who she'll dominate or maul with licks. i dont understand why parents let their kids run so far away from them in a dog park. are they not afraid something will happen??...im so afraid that memphis or phoenix will knock them over by accident, they LOVE children because my bf has a 5 year old, who can do anything to them and they would not retalliate, they know better. but even when we take his son with us to the dog park, he knows that they can accidently knock them over, so he stays close to us incase we need to shield him from a bump. If "our" 5 year old knows the dangers of other dogs (because he was educated by us!) shouldnt other parents do the same thing if they have a dog, or go to the dog park. This includes asking the owners if it is okay if they touch their dogs, before even approaching them!!!! im sorry but if some kid was slapping my dog in the face, i wouldnt have the courtesy to not say anything. it kinda wanna makes me slap the childs parent in the face... sorry but true!

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Totally agree...I left as soon as I saw that happening, no way was she going to slap my dog in the face, even though my dog would never harm a child since she grew up with many children around, but you never know about anybody else's dogs who have been adopted, and nobody knows the dog's history with children... Yeah, I will totally say something to her next time if I see that happening again, for the child's sake, and of course for the poor dog that might accidently bite, or growl and then get branded a vicious dog because of the child's and mothers' stupidity.

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its tru but its a way of decribing it, my baby is quiet pretty actually and its not a mean face its the typical 'stereotyped face'

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i just want to say something to the bully breeds! the next time you are judged or your dog for being ruthless or just made for pit fights...let them know that THIS IS NOT WHY THE BREED WAS MADE!!!! this was not their first purpose and was actually the last resort to keep the breed going. like most terrier breeds, they were used for baiting, pitty and what not were used for bull baiting and great danes were actually on the ban list up til about 20 years ago. if you want to down talk a breed, know what they were used for and not what you have heard! i researched the bully breeds and for a while, pitt bull was not a breed but a look of a group of dogs. i cant stand people with the aggressive little yappy dogs calling my gsd or my gsd husky cross mean cause they are a little vocal when new dogs come up to the park and ave the nerve to tell me that my dog, who likes the sound of his voice, is aggressive because he still have his dangles! get over yourself! just because your little rat is small doesnt mean it isnt mean. (sorry to the RESPONSIBLE small dog owners who mind their dogs like most of us large breed owners do) im done for the nite!

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I agree about the small yappy dogs at the dog park. Those are the types of dogs who always get themselves into trouble because of "mouthing off" the bigger kids, and their owners letting them be only because they think "it's cute because they're small". No, it's not cute! It's downright annoying, and dangerous for your dog, because if a bigger dog isn't so good natured as you might think, they might perceive the barking as a threat and an instability, and try to calm them down, sometimes in ways that might not be Ok with most owners.