Yes you are right, this image is AI.
If you would ever like to try and divide dog owners on a topic, there is no quicker way than to bring up the dog park.
“Bringing your dog to the dog park means they will contract viruses”
“My dog kept getting attacked”
“My dog goes everyday and she loves it”
“I’m very worried my dog will get into fights”
“We go weekly and my dog always has a great time, but people keep telling me not to go”
As a trainer who has worked in rescue introducing hundreds of dogs to each other, given group obedience classes and trained in sports, I can tell you I have heard it all and seen it all. So let’s get into:
- What’s bad about the dog park? What are the risks? (and there are some!)
- But also what is good about the dog park (maybe your dog loves it!)?
- Most importantly, where does your dog fall on the spectrum of sociability and what are your training goals with your dog?
Disclaimer: If you are reading this article because your dog keeps getting into fight at the dog park, STOP GOING. It is NORMAL for a dog not to want to play with other dogs. There is no trainer that exists (unless they are scamming you) that can turn your selective dog into a dog that can safely and happily go to the dog park every day. This does not mean your dog cannot learn to make friends, depending on the dog and their behaviour. But again, it is completely normal for a dog to stop being able to socialize at the dog park.
Ok back to the rest of the article.
Risks
Starting with the obvious, fights can and do happen. What’s nice about most dog fights is that they don’t last long and most of the interaction is what we in the training world refer to as a “smoke show”. These scuffles happen usually in the first 30 seconds to a minute of dogs meeting each other and dogs can be relatively easily separated (more on separating dog fights below).
Dog’s mostly do not want to be offensively aggressive (to be the first to instigate an aggressive interaction). With people, we have other ways for a fight to end (the police). Dogs however, do not know about our justice system. Mostly the approach to violence in the animal kingdom is: if you start something, you’ll have to be prepared to finish it. This is where serious injuries come in. Luckily these do not make up the majority of interactions at the dog park.
Please know that if you go to a park where there are dogs off leash, a fight is always possible. The first and more important rule of the dog park is, the only thing you have control over is yourself. You do not have control over the other off leash dogs and you certainly do not want to put your hands anywhere near an unknown (or even known dog’s) mouth when they are in a fight (or even a scuffle!). If you go to a dog park regularly, you need to safely know how to break up a dog fight (link below). If this sounds scary to you, please have your dog’s social needs met with other people you know in a setting where the interactions can be more controlled (a private backyard).
Do fights happen? Yes. Have I been to dog parks at varying intervals in my life despite this? Yes. Do I still recommend that people use dog parks? Yes, depending on their dog and how comfortable they are with the risks. Do I personally use dog parks? No, because the breeds of the dogs that I personally have are not suitable for dog park play (more on that later).
Of course it is also important to be away of health risks. Please ensure your dog is vaccinated (or if you check blood antibodies, that they are sufficiently protected). Of the biggest medical risks, the most frequent are intestinal parasites and respiratory infection. A vaccine for kennel cough is a must, but be aware that your dog can contract it even when vaccinated (there are many strains). Kennel cough is like a cold for dogs, but can be more severe or dangerous depending on the age (very young or rather old) and health of your dog. Please have your dog regularly checked for parasites and inform yourself on what the symptoms of parasitic infection look like.
Now that we have looked at the risks, what can you do about them? What precautions can you then take to ensure your safety?
- Know what good play looks like! Good dog play is 50/50, you want to see some give and some take. Good play looks more like puppy play and is soft and loose as opposed to stiff and rigid. Is one dog simply chasing only your dog around and around? Leave. Is your dog always being pinned down by the others and barely has time to get up and change position? Leave. Is your dog continually jumping on another dog and you can’t tell if the dog he is jumping on is enjoying the interaction? Try a consent test.
- Know about a consent test: when you pull your dog away from another dog, to see what the other dog does. We do this often with an old dog and a puppy. Want to know if your puppy is being too much? Pull the puppy away and see what the adult dog does. Do they leave? Then they want the interaction to end. Keep in mind young dogs don’t know what’s best for them (like little kids) and will often play until exhausted. This is another prime time for misunderstandings to occur and a risk for fights!
- Do not let your dog be bullied, and also do not let them be a bully. You need to manage yourself and your dog. Call your dog away regularly for treats. Reward your dog with something of high value anytime they come near you (BE CAREFUL not to reward close to other dogs as this can start a fight). Watch closely to make sure the play is being enjoyed by all participants.
- Teach a collar grab: it is important that your dog thinks having his collar grabbed means something good is coming his way. This means you will be able to intervene easily and safely around other dogs. Take your dog by the collar, gently at first and reward. Increase the strength with which you grab and where you do it. I do it often on walks and I always incorporate it into my recall training. We also use it in all puppy play in our puppy classes.
- Interrupt play often at first, and then continue at varying intervals. Reward and then ask for a sit and reward again when you interrupt play. You want your dog to think that taking breaks is fun and that they will get to play again after.
- Speak to the other people in the park, check if they seem engaged. If everyone is standing around on their phone and an incident begins to occur, it is unlikely these people will be there quickly to help. Be very judgemental and careful which parks you go to. I have found that dog parks in higher traffic parks (Jarry, Lafontaine) are too full and have too few people watching what is going on.
- Know your breed and their style of play. Hunting dogs like labradors and goldens usually love to play, but play rough. This is inappropriate for an elderly dog. Mastiffs and rottweilers love to wrestle, another dog at the park may not appreciate this. Huskies and malamutes love to run, they may not like to be herded by a shepherd. Shepherds love to herd, the usual suspects are the german shepherd, the australian shepherd and the border collie. Often they play well with hunting dogs because they are easy going. However not all dogs like to be herded! Herding dogs can get frustrated and begin to snap while chasing (german shepherd) or bark continuously (aussie). It is your responsibility to know how to get your dog out of herding mode and to make sure they are not the terrorist of the park. My personal dogs fall into this terrorist category. My dogs make friends in other contexts where I can control the interaction better.
- Understand canine communication: If your dog goes up to another dog in a big play bow and is moving from side to side and the other turns to the side and sniffs the ground, what does that mean? It means they want nothing to do with your dog and if your dog keeps at it, that other dog may not be so happy. Learning the more subtle aspects of canine language can help you stop an interaction before it escalates which protects your dog’s sociability long term and their safety.
What is socialization and what is sociability?
So you want to go to the dog park to socialize your dog? The socialization phase in a dog’s life happens after their eyes and ears open and lasts until adolescence and fear periods begin (anywhere from 12 to 16-17 weeks). This is the time it is most important to let your puppy play with other puppies in a safe and controlled environment. After this period, play is much less important, depending on your personal goals with your dog.
As your dog matures, they go into phases called fear periods where they are much more sensitive. These phases are important, as fear keeps us safe, but if your dog is in this phase, they may take a bad interaction to heart more than if they were not in this fearful period. It is important to know if your dog seems more afraid than usual: barking at things more, more wary of strangers, maybe having a hard time with certain manipulations, because during this phase is it recommended to simply stay away from stressful places, like the dog park.
What is sociability? What breeds are prosocial with their conspecifics? (which dogs are more likely to get along with other dogs?)
Sociability is essentially how social your dog is. I’m certain you can think of examples of people you know that love a party and to hang out in a group. Then there are others (looking at your engineers!) that need their alone time more. Whether you love it or not, going into a group of people you do not know, creates a certain amount of stress. Think of going to your partner’s or friend’s office party. The dog park is a lot like this, but for your dog and if everyone at the party might kill you. This is of course a bit of a joke but for some dogs, and remember dogs are animals, they truly do not know if their interaction will end well or not. This is why you want to consider your breed of dog and your lifestyle when deciding whether you will want to go to the dog park. Also you need to keep in mind that dogs are hyper social when they are young (just like people!). A social adolescent does not guarantee a social adult!
Here is a list of some categories and breeds to help you understand your dog’s sociability a little better:
Hunting dogs – golden retrievers, labradors, cocker spaniels, and Pointers – vizlas, GSPs etc. are all rather social dogs. Dogs for tasks like hunting and pointing, were selected by humans for several hundred years along the predatory motor pattern (the chain of behaviour for how dog’s hunt) for looking at, or bringing back prey. This means they have a soft mouth (for carrying birds, not eating them!) or are made to simply look at something.
Shepherds – Australien, German, Belgian (pointy ears and faces) were selected to grab or bite prey (but not rip apart or eat). This means that their primary job is to strike fear into the hearts of other living beings in order to move them from place to place. Suddenly the image of the german shepherd yapping and running around at all the dogs in the park makes sense now, right? Do not pick this breed if you have the hope of having a life long partner to go to the dog park with.
Spitz breeds – huskies, malamutes etc. These dogs were chosen to pull things and live in harsh climates where prey was present. They can often have a full predatory sequence (right up to consuming!). While they do not usually go looking for trouble, they often will end it. However they were also bred and often left together in groups (breeders who breed to sledding can leave puppies together for up to 12 weeks, to further their social skills) so I find they do usually appreciate contact with other dogs. However, they have been less selected than other breed along the predatory chain, meaning their behaviour is less predictable.
Terriers – jack russell, yorkshire or larger versions – bull terrier etc., these dogs were selected to kill vermin! Some of them were also used to kill larger game for sport. While we have selected these dogs for about a hundred and fifty years for other things, genetics will give what they give. There is no predicting if your terrier will be social or not. Getting a terrier means accepting them as they are and perhaps choosing other methods of mental and physical stimulation than the dog park.
Hounds – basset, beagle etc, these dogs, though selected to find game and have GREAT noses but were often permitted to rip up the animal carcass they found as their reward! Again, we have genetically selected them more for companionship (depending on the line you get!) but you never know which version you will receive as your family pet! Sometimes they like other dogs and other times, not so much. Definitely a breed to put under the ‘’dog selective’’ category.
Please remember: no matter the breed you choose, sociability is a spectrum and just like all people do not like all people: all dogs do not like all dogs! There is no guarantee that your dog will be able or want to go to the park for their entire lives. Young dogs often simply play too rough for older dogs and this naturally causes conflict. It is important to know other ways to mentally stimulate your dog in case your plan A of ‘’go to the dog park everyday’’ goes sour when your dog starts to say : ‘’no thanks!’’
Why many dog parks are insufficient for the need of dogs and their play
Now that we have gone over how your dog’s breed can affect their sociability, there are other reasons fights can happen. Many dog park are simply too small. What this does is pile a bunch of dogs on top of each other and they have no choice but to interact. The size of many of our local dog parks makes many dogs uncomfortable. Dogs are very sensitive to space (like most animals). Many times altercations occur simply because the dog feels they do not have the adequate space to move away from something they don’t like, and end up choosing to fight instead of flee (think of reactions to fear). If you compare our dog parks to say those in Edmonton, there is no competition. A good dog park has ample space for you to walk around with your dog and have them do something other than just play (sniff, dig, run around). The more dogs have other options, the less likely they are to let their play get too rough.
Benefits
There are of course many benefits of using the park if you know how to do so safely. Always watch your dog (and not your phone!) to make sure interaction is safe. I cannot tell you the number of times I have avoided a fight between dogs, simply by breaking up two dogs pre-emptively. Never take it personally if someone separates their dog from yours! They are trying to keep the energy low and the interaction smooth to avoid miscommunication and confrontation. Confrontations are much more likely to occur between dogs that are meeting for the first time, but it doesn’t take much for them to have a misunderstanding even when they do know each other. Maybe your dog loves their friends and you have built a community at your local park. Dogs that love to play and that are easy going can bring out the best in their canine brethren. I have seen dogs that love nothing more, so why deprive them of that fun when it is safe and controlled?
Another factor in letting your dog play: What are your training goals with your dog?
If you intend to compete in canine sports or having your dog’s focus and obedience are priorities for you, going to the dog park often, might not be the best idea. When we train our dogs for competition, we work hard to be the most reinforcing thing around. That is because we want it to be easy for our dogs to make the choice to listen to us. If however every time you leave the house, your only outing is to the dog park, your dog will come to expect this activity. What that means is: if you want your dog to focus on you in the presence of other dogs but usually they get to play with those dogs well, you see the difficulty you have just created in your training. People often come to us for help training their dog’s focus in the presence of other dogs, but for the first year and half all they have done is gone to the dog park. This does not mean you can never have a dog that listens to you when other dogs are present but you are definitely making things much harder for yourself. People who want to train their dog because they love training and having a bond with their dog or people that want to compete in sports often limit or highly contextualize (only in certain places) their dog’s interactions with other dogs.
Most importantly: have other ways to stimulate your dog!
The most important thing to remember is, have other ways to mentally stimulate your dog than just the dog park. Why? Because no matter the breed you choose (yes even the golden retriever!), your dog may stop enjoying play with other dogs! Young dogs are rough and adults like that less, small dogs get sick of being picked on, fearful dogs are wary and do not appreciate confrontation, the space at the park is too small for the comfort of some etc. etc!! Please know how to play with your dog for great mental stimulation, teach your dog obedience and tricks, know how to add distraction in your training at home. Better yet, take up a sport you are interested in! You do not have to work for the border to train your dog to find a scent in your home. It’s fun, inexpensive and easy and we can show you how! Remember for your dog to be fulfilled, they need mental stimulation for their entire lives. We owe it to them to make sure they are not only physically healthy, but mentally stimulated. Most problems we encounter from our clients are simply because the dog is bored and needs more mental challenge!
So go forth and enjoy your local dog park responsibly and never take it personally if someone breaks up play between your dog and theirs. They are trying to protect your dogs (and theirs) sociability!
How to break up a dog fight:
Health risks at the dog park:
Thanks for reading!
We can help you to know if your dog can still make friends one-on-one if they have had fight in the past or if they are reactive on leash. Just book a session!
Riannon
Owner/Trainer
Pour l’Amour des Chiens/For the Love of Dogs