Dog Park Etiquette
 

I am fairly new to the dog park world. I have a small 8 lb. Dog who loves to play with everyone, including probably some that are too big or strong for her. Everything is fine until that dog gets rough, pins her down and my dog yips as though she is being hurt. There is one particular Boston terrier who is like that, when I brought it to the attention of its owner she became quite angry and said I didn’t know anything about dogs and that is normal play! Is it? It’s ok when my dog yips in pain? I asked her to stop her dog from doing that and she said get your own dog out of here. Several of us at the dog park feel this way but she won’t be reasoned with. I’d love your opinions. Is there someone to report to if we feel the dog is too aggressive and the owner won’t be reasoned with?

Villages' dog park? Doggie Doo Run Run? Other?

IMO you and your dog on your own. Been few incidents at dog parks lot worse. I just go at different time when bully dog and it’s bully owner not there.

Air horn may distract dogs and allow them to disengage. Siren may also work. Use the tranquilizer gun if air horn or siren doesn't work. Not on the dog. On the owner. Or both. Jmho.

Doggie Doo Run Run's owners will usually try to address problem pooches. They often stick them in the agility area or remove them from the park if the dog is causing too many problems. It has been open about 20 years and I have taken a dog there since 2007. Present dog has neck problems so stopped taking him there last year.

Borrow a big dog, and sort the Boston Terrier out.
See what the owner says about normal play then. :shrug:

Some of the big dogs are afraid of the much smaller ones. There was an adorable Chihuahua/Pin Min mix named Jon Snow who would break up fights between much bigger dogs while at Doggie Doo Run Run. The owner is a big Game of Thrones fan.


All of the Villages' area dog parks I have been in have separate areas for big and little dogs. They could intermingle at Doggie Doo Run Run the last time I was there by choice while the dogs go through the big dog section to get to the 5 acre field.

Villages dog park

with all due respect, please don't use dog parks. you have no idea who the stranger's dog is, what they have/had or how they 'play.' imo you take your pet's safety in your hands unless you already know all the dogs & it's a great place to pick up parasites, too. i arrange play dates for the Pug, with friends we already now & she enjoys being with. they're just like kids.

Which one? I quit going because of some of the dogs and the owners are worse. I started going to Lady Lake dog park. It is for members only. Must provide proof of shots. Village dog parks do not. You really don't know who is there and if their dogs have shots. Lady Lake dog park is off Rolling Acres near the driving range and is golf cart accessible.

I would try different times and different dog parks if you have some close to you. I noticed some of the Southern Villages dog parks are close together.

Some of the people seem to come about the same time every day or so.

I suggest finding another dog park. I've been taking dogs to dog parks since 1995 and never picked up a flea, parasite, or injury. I have picked up a lot of friends. My dogs are bigger, get along with everyone. If an aggressive dog comes in (which is extremely rare in our Wildwood Bark Park), they are either sequestered by their owner into an empty smaller park within the park, or one time we left. Most of the people there are Villagers, but many from the Wildwood area too; all of them are good owners and nice people. We do other stuff together (dinners, celebrations, concerts, etc.) You just have to find the right place for you and your dog.

I have checked out that dog park. A little small but had friendly people and shade.

It is smaller than Doggie Doo Run, but bigger than the one over on Rolling Acres and bigger than most TV parks, plus has more seating and shade than any of them. It is big enough, though, that if my beagle/hound mix does not want to play with the other dogs, she can go to another part of the park and do her thing (which is stalk squirrels). And it's ten minutes from my house in Tamarind Grove.
But that's my point: find what works for you and your dog. I know you have, Tal.

The biggest menace and problem dogs at most dog parks, are dogs who don't go to dog parks regularly and learn how to be "dogs". Dogs that don't socialize with other dogs on a fairly regular basis, just don't know how to be dogs ... it's like raising a child and not allowing them out of the house until they're 18.

Dogs are generally "pack animals" and it's hard to learn how life works, when you're in a "pack of 1".