Group Dog Training In Public Parks

[Guest Willow]

I run group training classes in a very lovely public park. It's about 10 acres, and we only take up the tiniest of corners. I have signage up to say that dog classes are running, and even to the casual observer it would be fairly obvious whats's going on.

So why then, when we are the ONLY people in the park, do families insist on arriving with kids, outdoor toys & multiple dogs, and then set up camp just a few metres from the group, and think it's fine to let their three dogs invade the class???

On three seperate occasions I had to collect dogs from in the middle of our cirlce/take them away from hassling my clients dogs & ask the owners to keep an eye on them. In the end I asked the "mum" of the group if they would mind moving just a little further away, as the dogs were continually interupting the class. She rolled her eyes at me & looked at me like I was a moron.

SURELY it's common sense & common courtesy to not allow your dogs to do zoomies & jump all over a training class full of clients with onlead dogs??? This isn't even a one off incident...people throw their tennis balls into the middle of the circle & have their dogs run in fetch it, they stand there & watch while their dogs "play" with my clients dogs while they are trying to train.

Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of the park users are fabulous, with very well controlled dogs, but it sems we have one stupid person each week who just doesn't get the whole "space" thing.....it's kind of like going to a 10km stretch of deserted beach & putting your towel right next to the only other person there!!!

[Rozzie]

Is it an off lead park?

[Guest Willow]

Is it an off lead park?

Yes, as far as I am aware, so I can't pin anyone for that...only for not having dogs under effective control.

[Kavik]

I'll see your public disrupting a class and raise you disrupting a trial in progress

My club also runs agility classes at an off lead park, which is leased to the club, and we are supposed to have full use of it when classes or trials are on. At one trial last year, someone walked through the park with her dogs offlead and purposely walked them through the trial rings It was pretty obvious something organised was going on, pretty hard to miss a heap of agility equipment set up, people there with dogs crated, ring ropes etc She was being pretty obnoxious!

We also have the odd person disrupting classes with their dog running in the middle of a sequence. Again I am unsure why - you can certainly tell something organised is going on!

Edited January 9, 2010 by Kavik

[Danois]

Do you have council permission to hold the classes and hold public liability insurance?

[Kavik]

my club does, don't know about willow

[Guest Willow]

I'll see your public disrupting a class and raise you disrupting a trial in progress

My club also runs agility classes at an off lead park, which is leased to the club, and we are supposed to have full use of it when classes or trials are on. At one trial last year, someone walked through the park with her dogs offlead and purposely walked them through the trial rings It was pretty obvious something organised was going on, pretty hard to miss a heap of agility equipment set up, people there with dogs crated, ring ropes etc She was being pretty obnoxious!

We also have the odd person disrupting classes with their dog running in the middle of a sequence. Again I am unsure why - you can certainly tell something organised is going on!

OMG!!! You're kidding!!! OK, you win for sure!!!

Do you have council permission to hold the classes and hold public liability insurance?

Yes & yes.

[WoofnHoof]

Probably worth investing in some of that temporary orange netting like the sort councils put up to keep people out of developments etc, they do that at the lure coursing club when they set it up at the MPW stops the dogs nicking off and stops other dogs getting in

[Guest Willow]

that's a good idea woofnhoof!!!

[Scarlet]

I'd also make up a sign stating that you have council permission for (exclusive) use of this part of the park.

A lot of people think that because they pay rates they can do / use what they like. And think what "right" you have to exclude tham from public land.

[huski]

Is it an off lead park?

It shouldn't really matter if it is, in terms of the people who let their dogs interrupt the training class.

Off lead parks require owners to have control over their dogs - just because it's an off leash, does not mean it's a free for all and that owners can let their dogs do as they please.

Some people are really dense Willow, one of the parks I train Daisy at often isn't an off leash park (one reason we go there!) and yet you'll get people letting their off leash dogs run up to us, interrupting our training session and definitely not under effective control.

[mita]

Probably worth investing in some of that temporary orange netting like the sort councils put up to keep people out of developments etc, they do that at the lure coursing club when they set it up at the MPW stops the dogs nicking off and stops other dogs getting in

Neat way of setting up a boundary in what is, after all, a public park.

[Greytmate]

We used to have this problem at our dog club in Victoria.

We had booked the park, and formal dog training activities are similar to organised sports matches in that they override the off-lead status of the park. You wouldn't set up a picnic on the edge of a soccer field while a match was on and expect to get away with it, and people shouldn't expect to be able to disrupt dog training in this way either.

I ended up learning a way to get these people to move away. If a dog ran into our class I would restrain it and wait for the owner to come over. They would walk over and call out to me to release the dog, but I never did until I was good and ready.

A lot of people seem to have the attitude that people are in a dog class because their dog is bad, but their own dogs is so good it doesn't have to be on a lead or in a class, so they smirk as their dog runs around the class, and they show off by calling their dog to them. So by restraining their dog you embarrass them. It gives you a chance to say "We have an arrangement with council that we have reserved this space (define the space) for our private classes. You need to put your dog on lead and take it away from this area." Invariably they will step back and just call the dog, so don't let go of its collar while you do more talking. "Where is your lead, do you have a lead?" "Your dog is not listening to you, put it on lead and remove it please. "

When they finally reach out to physically take hold of the dog I say something like. "That dog really needs to be under control, I had to hold on to it so it wouldn't keep disrupting us, please take it somewhere else to play."

By then they would usually be really embarrassed and eager to just get their dog and move away.

In your position Willow, I would insist that they move as you have paid for the space. If they do not, I would call the police.

[Crysti_Lei]

Is it an off lead park?

WA is very different. all parks are offlead unless otherwise stated.

[Guest Willow]

Some people are really dense Willow

Couldn't have put it better myself!!!

Greytmate, I like your idea of holding onto the dog & making them come get it....I'm sure they'd be quick to watch it if they think the crazy dog lady is going to hold it hostage!!!!

Fortunately all of the dogs that have crashed the party have been reasonably frindsly, but that's not always the case with clients dogs. I had one lady who brought her dog because she was reactive (but not aggressive) to toher dogs, and she wanted a chance to work her dog near others, but safely, and it's not good if she gets jumped on by random dogs.

I will definitely look into the orange fencing!!!

[Katdogs]

Our local group has met at the same time in the same park for many many years. It's booked through Council and there are some signs up, but because it's a busy leash-free park we often get random dogs walking through. After she'd been disrupting classes for a while, I got one to come to me and used her as my demo dog - she was a Lab so pretty easy to get her attention for sit and drop with food, then she even did a commando crawl for fun at the end! Finally (about 25mins after this dog had started running through the classes) a woman started walking towards me, yes she was her dog, yes she realised there were classes but she and her friends met there every weekday at the same time and lived just up the road and didn't care about coming to training, her dog came back whenever she was called

Luckily her dog didn't try to play with some of the less friendly dogs at our club. Stupid woman wouldn't have had a clue where her dog was.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I used to have the same problem working at another club, only mostly our beef was with the soccer club that insisted on bringing out their couch- yes couch! And also encroach on our space about an hour earlier than was allowable. We used cones but of course it didn't stop other dogs coming into the class.

Greytmate's idea is a good one, sometimes we would pick up new clients like that too!

I was going to suggest the hazard fencing it would fix your problem. I bought stakes from bunnings made of recycled plastic and the hazard fencing is a bit exy but a once off investment, it seems to be hard wearing as flyball clubs use theirs over and over.

ETA: Don't be afraid to be more forceful either - I am happy to say I PAY X AMOUNT EACH YEAR FOR THE USE OF THIS AREA, PLEASE KEEP YOUR DOG AWAY!

Edited January 10, 2010 by Staff'n'Toller

[WoofnHoof]

I will definitely look into the orange fencing!!!

I saw some the other day at a rural store and you can buy some step in electric fence posts to tie it onto they are really light and easy even I can put them up and I'm pretty weak

[JulesP]

I don't understand why some people insist upon being so close to other people! It is one of my pet hates in restaurants and cinemas, when they are empty and the people come and sit right near you.

[SpikesPuppy]

I don't understand why some people insist upon being so close to other people! It is one of my pet hates in restaurants and cinemas, when they are empty and the people come and sit right near you.

I hate that too! It happens alot on the train... maybe half a dozen people in the carriage and someone has to sit practically ontop of you!! People are strange creatures.....