Should Small And Big Dogs Behave The Same?

[Adnil444]

I actually find it rude that dogs of any size are allowed to simply race up to any other dog regardless of it's size.

In this case I believe the owner of the Lab needs to teach the dog some manners, and should herself show some consideration to other owners.

But in an open-slather dog park, this is what happens, day in day out and it will never stop. Dogs run around and play, investigate other dogs etc. That is the nature of the parks. Big dogs, as stated in a previous post, can bounce off each other and take most knocks, a small dog cannot. Therefore why not have big dog parks and small dog parks - that surely would have to be a win win for everyone (expect maybe for the vets!!).

Exactly why I don't use dog parks, too many rude dogs and rude owners.

Would you use a dog park if they were segregated?

[Crisovar]

I actually find it rude that dogs of any size are allowed to simply race up to any other dog regardless of it's size.

In this case I believe the owner of the Lab needs to teach the dog some manners, and should herself show some consideration to other owners.

But in an open-slather dog park, this is what happens, day in day out and it will never stop. Dogs run around and play, investigate other dogs etc. That is the nature of the parks. Big dogs, as stated in a previous post, can bounce off each other and take most knocks, a small dog cannot. Therefore why not have big dog parks and small dog parks - that surely would have to be a win win for everyone (expect maybe for the vets!!).

Exactly why I don't use dog parks, too many rude dogs and rude owners.

Would you use a dog park if they were segregated?

Probably not.

[Adnil444]

My dog is older now and certainly CANNOT take knocks and being bounced off by a dog of similar size. Our local park is just a park but dogs are permitted offlead if under control. Young dogs are most likely to come bouncing up but dog law says you dont take down another dog and they still stop to sniff (even if its the in your face type of greeting) if the owner knows their dog is too bouncey and doesnt know how to interact they should be puttin git back on the lead when others appear or ensuring a proper introduction.

If you turn around and say little dogs can have a park here and big dogs there you will have owners of the opposite sized dogs unhappy as their preferred park is banned for them to use (eg if its empty technically they cannot use it if their dog is the wrong size).

I understand what you are saying here but then surely the onus then is on the owner of the dog that takes it into the inappropriate park - i.e. small dog taken into large dog area. If the parks are close by, it shouldn't make a difference to any owner and I would have thought that all dog owners would appreciate their "own" space for similar size dogs. If the park was empty use it, but be aware that you either have to leave once other dogs arrive, or take the risk. I certainly wouldn't take the risk. I'm an owner of 3 dogs - one a mini schnauzer and I wouldn't take her to a large dog park as she is older now and certainly not able to take any knocks - she is perfectly dog friendly and well socialised so I don't have an issue with her running and squealing though. But if there was a small dog park - terrific, I'd be there in a flash.

[Adnil444]

I actually find it rude that dogs of any size are allowed to simply race up to any other dog regardless of it's size.

In this case I believe the owner of the Lab needs to teach the dog some manners, and should herself show some consideration to other owners.

But in an open-slather dog park, this is what happens, day in day out and it will never stop. Dogs run around and play, investigate other dogs etc. That is the nature of the parks. Big dogs, as stated in a previous post, can bounce off each other and take most knocks, a small dog cannot. Therefore why not have big dog parks and small dog parks - that surely would have to be a win win for everyone (expect maybe for the vets!!).

Exactly why I don't use dog parks, too many rude dogs and rude owners.

Would you use a dog park if they were segregated?

Probably not.

Why is that - I don't have any issues with my larger dogs mixing with similar and larger dogs at all - they all seem to work together nicely. In fact the only real issues at the dog park I go to are with small dogs and large dogs. Yes some of the larger dogs are a bit rough, but after being there a while they settle down and there is certainly no running away or squealing from the larger dogs, that is probably why they end up playing nicely together. I might add that we have lots of smaller dogs that are terrific with the larger dogs and for some reason they are either pugs or boston terriers or french bulldogs or the pug crosses. They all seem to be confident, unafraid dogs and they mix wonderfully with dogs of all sizes. They are great little dogs. It only appears to be the fluffy oodles and maltese type dogs that have issues.

[Crisovar]

Rude dogs and rude owners come in all sizes, I have no wish to run the gauntlet of them.

Letting a pack of strange dogs loose to play doesn't really appeal to me.

[Adnil444]

Rude dogs and rude owners come in all sizes, I have no wish to run the gauntlet of them.

Letting a pack of strange dogs loose to play doesn't really appeal to me.

Fair enough to me. At the park I go to, the regulars I classify as no longer "strangers", we all seem to know each others dogs pretty well (have been going for several years now) and the newbies that come, it doesn't take them long to join in. As I stated before, there is hardly any trouble with the big dogs, they seem to work it out nicely. And personally, I haven't come across any of the larger dog owners that are rude, however I'm sure they are at the park, just I haven't come across them (thankfully). I wish I could say the same about the smaller dog owners though.

[ncarter]

would you stop bagging the small dog owners please! And stop it with the running and squealing. This is not a common response from a fearful dog in comparison to say standing there yapping.

[Simply Grand]

Adnil, you seem to be making recommendations for all dog parks based only on your own experience at your dog park.

There are two dog parks near me and the experiences I've had between the two of them have been quite different in both dog behaviour and owner attitudes. At one of the parks people in general seem to be more dog savvy and I have seen fewer incidents there but there are all sorts of reasons for that, not just size. I wouldn't use my personal experience at either or both as a basis for how all dog parks should operate.

I do agree with some of what you're saying but you are starting to make some massive generalisations based on your own experiences.

[Adnil444]

would you stop bagging the small dog owners please! And stop it with the running and squealing. This is not a common response from a fearful dog in comparison to say standing there yapping.

I won't stop bagging these particular small dog owners - and if you had read my other posts, I make several comments about some great small dogs at the park (in fact when the time comes to move to a smaller breed, I'm seriously thinking of one of these breeds). If the dog is running and squealing what do you call it then - afraid, frightened - whatever you call it, the same response from the other dogs is the same.

[Adnil444]

Adnil, you seem to be making recommendations for all dog parks based only on your own experience at your dog park.

There are two dog parks near me and the experiences I've had between the two of them have been quite different in both dog behaviour and owner attitudes. At one of the parks people in general seem to be more dog savvy and I have seen fewer incidents there but there are all sorts of reasons for that, not just size. I wouldn't use my personal experience at either or both as a basis for how all dog parks should operate.

I do agree with some of what you're saying but you are starting to make some massive generalisations based on your own experiences.

Hi, point taken, I can only go on the experience that I (and lots of others at the park I go to) have had. I have been to other dog parks and haven't had any issue with them. The one I go to is closer to my residence and fits in well with picking up kids from sports etc.

Maybe perhaps if the council gave some choices - not necessarily segregating the one dog park, but had several for small and larger dog owners.

My park hasn't always been like this, and it has only been recently that this has started to become an issue. Though tonight there was no issue at all, but there was only a few small dogs at the park out of about 30 and the small dogs that were there were great and played and interacted with most of the dogs and vice versa with the larger dogs.

[Adnil444]

would you stop bagging the small dog owners please! And stop it with the running and squealing. This is not a common response from a fearful dog in comparison to say standing there yapping.

BTW I am also a small dog owner (I have a great little mini-schnauzer) and I would never take her into a dog park if she reacted in the way some small dogs do. In fact she doesn't go to a dog park now at all as she is no longer dog tolerant as she is going blind and is partially deaf as well. I'm worried that she could get knocked over by a larger dog (possibly even one of mine) and she would not be able to take it and get injured. I'm sorry if the "running and squealing" offends you, but how else do I describe what these dogs do - they run and they squeal, there is no other description. What words would you prefer that I use to describe these dogs response? I don't know if they are fearful (however I was at a dog seminar with a senior dog behaviourist and described to her what they do and she agreed that in some fearful dogs, this is how they behave - not all but some), perhaps they are just timid or frightened - I don't know.