You are here: Home › At the Dog Park › Scardey Dogs at the Dog Park

Scardey Dogs at the Dog Park

I think everyone needs a “scardey dog” friend. While I have never met Bella or Shiva, getting to know them online has made me much more aware of the scardey dogs we meet. I have noticed two in particular in the last couple of weeks. (Naturally I don’t have pictures of either of them, so you’re getting generic dog park pictures.) And it has made me think about how many people think they are being good pet parents when they might be making their dog miserable.

The first dog was quite young, a Lab mix puppy, and came into the small dog park with two kids. (There might have been an adult with them, but I don’t remember one.) The dog was still quite young, and per the boy with her, had been taken from her mother too early, and therefore needed socialization.
They came into the small dog area, and he sat down in a seat very near the entrance and then held the puppy’s leash tightly enough that she was forced to sit between his legs. She had no room to move. He did praise her every time another dog came up to sniff her and she tolerated it, but she was obviously not happy.
He was a kid, and he was trying to do what he thought was right- socialize his puppy. But was this the right way to do it?
Luckily, all of the dogs in the small dog area were very good and the meetings mostly went very well. And, I was able to intervene a little bit. When I went over to meet the puppy, I suggested he hold the leash a little less tightly and give her freedom to move. If he was worried she might respond aggressively to the other dogs, it would be much less likely if she were able to back away and hide, instead of being forced to stay where she was.
This was a sweet puppy, just obviously unhappy to be where she was. I would have loved to advise these kids that it would be better to arrange doggie play dates where she was exposed to maybe one or two other dogs at a time, instead of subjecting her to the dog park. But how could I know that was an option.
I also would have liked to tell them to just let the puppy off leash and let her sniff and explore. I think her chances of getting comfortable meeting the other dogs would have been greatly increased if she could have moved freely. But how much can you tell a 10-12 year old boy you’ve never met before?

The second dog was tiny- think teacup Yorkie, on leash at the giant Grandview park (where there is no small dog area). He was there with a couple other dogs who were quite happy to be off leash and meet other dogs.
We met this dog and his mom as we were on our way out, so I did not talk to her. It was a comment in passing (and the dog’s behavior) that caught my attention. June went to greet this little dog (and June, if I do say so myself is an excellent greeter), but he wrapped around his mom and hid behind her legs. She made a comment about him being scared and then started moving, pulling the poor little guy along.
This is a dog that obviously lives successfully with other dogs, so I am not certain the need for it to be at the dog park, other than it probably seems “wrong” to leave him at home when the other dogs get to go to the dog park. Except that it is a treat for the other dogs and an ordeal for this little guy.
I would have like to have told his mom it would be okay to leave him home.

I think of these situations, and I think of the mini-Aussie rescue lady who told me that they don’t adopt to people who go to dog parks. We love dog parks, and they have always been great places for our dogs. Moree and Smokey loved the open space to run, though Moree was not interested in socializing, and we did not force it. June and Larry both need the exercise that comes from the wide open spaces and both play very well with other dogs (especially Junebug- Larry can be a punk). Howie LOVED meeting other dogs at the park and exploring.
At the same time, I’d like to think that I would stop going to the dog park if I had a dog for whom it was not a good environment (or at least leave that dog at home). But how many people, no matter how much they love their dogs, really think about what the dog park experience is like for their dog.
And I don’t know how much I, before having had the experience of meeting Bella, Shiva and others, would have thought about it myself. While I hope every day to hear about a miracle cure that would allow my scardey dog friends to go to the dog park and have fun, I am also very grateful for the chance I’ve had to get to know them and their struggles, because it makes me that much more aware of my own dogs’ needs.

7 Responses to "Scardey Dogs at the Dog Park"

Gizmo says:

April 9, 2013 at 10:38 am

It's tough when you know you want to say something but don't feel like it's your place…I have learned to bite my tongue, and just feel sorry for the dog…
julesmelfi says:

April 9, 2013 at 9:08 pm

It's so hard to tell someone our opinions – and very likely that they won't be open to them – I guess we just have to remember that they are just doing the best they can with what they know. Cali has always been excited to GO to the dog park, but then been a nervous Nellie the whole time she is there. (she used to hide under the nearest human legs). We finally figured out that she enjoyed being off leash, but not being around big groups of dogs – a few are okay with her, but otherwise she gets overwhelmed. I think we learn as we go! We saw a little toy aussie at Home Depot and the woman said that she was skittish and they were trying to socialize her – poor little thing was scared to death!!
1. ErinShanendoah says:
  
  April 10, 2013 at 9:18 am
  
  In most of our parks, the small dog areas are actually small/shy dog areas, and they tend not to be very full. Our three were 25, 30, and 35lbs, and we would have some people who didn't think we belonged in the small dog area. And truth is, Larry and June certainly didn't need to be there. While they are small (at least in my mind) they aren't shy and both think they are bigger than they are. But we did need to go into the small area so that Howie could have some off leash time. Now that we don't have a Howie, we likely won't spend any time in the small dog area.
Ann_Staub says:

April 10, 2013 at 5:58 am

I don't take my dog to the dog park for some of those reasons. I have to commend the boy for making an effort for his dog though. I don't know if there are many kids his age who would do such a thing.
1. ErinShanendoah says:
  
  April 10, 2013 at 9:15 am
  
  I agree. Which is why I talked to him made sure my dogs met extra nicely, and gave the hint about holding the leash less tightly to give his dog a little more freedom.
  It was a sweet dog, and two kids who were obviously trying to do what they thought was right. I hope very much that it ends up working out well for them. Luckily, the small dog area of that park has a really great group of regulars but isn't "full" very often, so as long as they keep it up, I think their dog should end up fairly well socialized.
Dan Ortiz says:

April 10, 2013 at 12:20 pm

One thing I have to say up front is that leashes are a just a very bad idea inside a fenced in dog park. Dogs' roles change according to whether or not they're leashed and while they are, it's usually "protect my master" time. I'll never understand why some people insist on keeping their dog leashed in our local park and in fact, leashes are not allowed (clearly stated on the rules signage).

Having said that, I have a situation where I'm forced to take a scardey dog to the park even though she's not crazy about it. Mocha is a Chocolate Lab who has been a scardey since we brought her home at 5 weeks old (yes, a little early). I took her to play in every park I could find including all the local dog parks and she always prefers to interact with the humans over the dogs. In two separate instances, her fear caused her to run from groups of dogs who then, of course, chased her into a corner and scared her more. One of the groups scared me as they had her pinned against the fence. She wasn't hurt but she's never liked the dog park since then.

Enter Jimmy. When Mocha was 7 months old we decided that she needed more companionship than we could provide and we found her a friend. Jimmy is an Irish Terrier mix and when it comes socializing, he's exactly the opposite of Mocha – very rambunctious, out-going, and flamboyant. Now, since Jimmy chooses to harass the neighbors and eat their chickens when he's outside the house, we have to keep him on a leash around home even though we have a 5-acre yard. It's a pity because he really likes to run and explore but there is also a road nearby with moderate traffic that presents an obvious danger. Hence our twice-weekly trips to the dog park. We have to do it for Jimmy so Mocha tags along even though she'd rather be almost anyplace else.

There are two great side effects to Jimmy's rowdy behavior at the park: 1) He's very protective of Mocha and if he sees any dog charging or irritating her, he intervenes immediately. It's mostly cute because the dogs don't mean any harm but I can tell she appreciates it. 2) Mocha has been drawn out of her shell quite a bit by Jimmy. His ability to handle any type of interaction (dog or human) has shown Mocha that the world isn't as dangerous as she thought. She's even been able to make a few friends on her own.

I know I'm rambling but my main point is that the dog park takes some effort. You can't just walk in and drag your pet around by a leash (or worse, do high-speed walking laps while talking on your phone), you have to watch them, listen to them and respond accordingly. I always feel like it's Jimmy's time so I'll play by his rules while I entertain Mocha with the Chuck-It. He needs the release and there's nothing better than watching him be himself.

Oddly, too many dog owners don't even know their dogs!

I truly feel that the better you know your dog(s) and the better the relationship is between you, the better your experience will be at the dog park.
1. ErinShanendoah says:
  
  April 11, 2013 at 11:59 am
  
  I will say, I've had a dog on leash at the dog park. Howie was deaf and wanted to be an explorer dog. He LOVED the park and meeting other dogs, but except for in the small dog area, we could not really have him off leash.
  
  And I agree, the dog park does take effort. It is the best place for us to go to get our dogs the differing levels of exercise they need, but I certainly don't think of it as a place where I can let my dogs go and not pay attention or leave them to their own devices. The dog park is a tool, and just like any other tool, its efficacy depends on how well we use it.

Comments are closed.