What To Do When Your Dog Is Scared At The Park?

[Bear&Duke]

I took my 6 month old cocker spaniel pup Duke for a walk this afternoon and our route went through a park. Duke was on lead and a playful off lead weimaraner came over to say hi and scared Duke with all his bouncing around. The owner was calling the weim but he wasn't listening and Duke started crying and rushing around to get away from him. I got down low so Duke could hide under my legs and eventually the lady caught the weim. I don't think the Weim was threatening Duke at all but with the size difference he just freaked out. I don't think I acted in the correct way, and in a different situation my actions could have got me hurt but what should I have done?

[GoldenGirl85]

Don't go to dog parks ;)

[Salukifan]

I know what I'd have done.

Picked up my pup and told the Weim's owner to come and get their effing dog NOW. :)

[Janba]

One of the reasons I don't go to dog parks. My dogs get to run free with dogs I know and trust.

[minimax]

This situation isn't unique to dog parks(the OP didn't even say it was a dog park, just that it was a park and a dog was off-leash, this could be an on-leash park and a dog was off), so merely saying don't go to dog parks isn't helpful.

Does anyone have any helpful tips, I'd be interested too.

[huski]

I know what I'd have done.

Picked up my pup and told the Weim's owner to come and get their effing dog NOW. :)

Yep me too!

[Bear&Duke]

I'm starting to think that GoldenGirl, they seem more trouble then they are worth these days with irresponsible owners!

I don't think I showed enough concern Haredown, I really dont like confrotation but next time ill be more vocal! I knew the dog was being playful and not aggressive but even when I was down on the ground guarding Duke she didn't show a lot of haste in controlling her dog.

I suppose my concern also comes from 'babying' duke, I don't want him to be more afraid of other dogs due to my reaction. I stayed calm throughout it all but by sheltering him I don't know if I was fuelling his fear?

[Bear&Duke]

This situation isn't unique to dog parks(the OP didn't even say it was a dog park, just that it was a park and a dog was off-leash, this could be an on-leash park and a dog was off), so merely saying don't go to dog parks isn't helpful.

Does anyone have any helpful tips, I'd be interested too.

Your correct Minimax it wasn't a dog park, it's actually a football oval and is strictly on leash

[Meea]

I took my 6 month old cocker spaniel pup Duke for a walk this afternoon and our route went through a park. Duke was on lead and a playful off lead weimaraner came over to say hi and scared Duke with all his bouncing around. The owner was calling the weim but he wasn't listening and Duke started crying and rushing around to get away from him. I got down low so Duke could hide under my legs and eventually the lady caught the weim. I don't think the Weim was threatening Duke at all but with the size difference he just freaked out. I don't think I acted in the correct way, and in a different situation my actions could have got me hurt but what should I have done?

[Salukifan]

I'm starting to think that GoldenGirl, they seem more trouble then they are worth these days with irresponsible owners!

I don't think I showed enough concern Haredown, I really dont like confrotation but next time ill be more vocal! I knew the dog was being playful and not aggressive but even when I was down on the ground guarding Duke she didn't show a lot of haste in controlling her dog.

I suppose my concern also comes from 'babying' duke, I don't want him to be more afraid of other dogs due to my reaction. I stayed calm throughout it all but by sheltering him I don't know if I was fuelling his fear?

Sadly, you often have to resort to being rude to get any kind of response.

Then you get the affronted "he's only being friendly" to which my next line is "lady, he's 5 times the size of my pup and he's scaring the shit out of him".

Final response will be something rude about "small dog owners".. but you learn to live with it. :) I don't give a toss about what anyone says about picking your pup up. I'd never get on the ground as if it turns ugly, your face is where the other dog can bite it. If a dog jumps when I pick my dog up, it will wear my hip or my boot. I've had one too many vet bills to muck around with these kinds of situations.

[Meea]

Remember Duke is looking up to you. You need to act in a confident and outgoing manner so he knows that you are ok. If you are fearful and concerned that is what he will take away from the experience.

When Necessary I can be quite clear and forceful in words but I will not let my young dog hear me use a scared tone. I cant control everyone in the world and I live in the city. Dog parks are a daily experience for me and 99% of our visits are positive joyful and fun. For that 1% of poor dogs that belong to numpties - well I will be concentrating on my fellow

[DeltaCharlie]

My usual response is to hold my dog behind me, stomp my feet loudly while advancing at approaching dog (being as intimidating as I can) while screaming at the clueless owners to get the f***ing dog!

I once chased a beagle down a beach waving a big stick (dragging my poor bewildered dogs behind me) when we were in WA LOL Was a friendly dog but my anger at the stupid owners turned me into a monster (we had repeatedly asked them to call their dog at which they responded by laughing and drinking more beer). Not to mention Tailwag and I had a pack of 7 onlead dogs with us at the time, no matter how friendly a dog is things could have turned nasty had it tried to enter a pack that size (especially with them onlead).

[nawnim]

If ever we meet an off-lead dog when mine are on lead I have taught my dogs to do a u turn and we get out of there as quickly as we can but with dignity. Dogs are very sensitive to owners being upset or angry and it can make them anxious especially a young dog.

[BigDaz]

Maybe think about getting a behaviourist in to teach you some training methods that will overcome the fear the dog feels, rather than trying to avoid the fear.

[Salukifan]

Maybe think about getting a behaviourist in to teach you some training methods that will overcome the fear the dog feels, rather than trying to avoid the fear.

Training doesn't change temperament. Socialisation may increase the level of comfort the dog has in certain situations but no training method will make a dog less fearful.

[Weasels]

Maybe think about getting a behaviourist in to teach you some training methods that will overcome the fear the dog feels, rather than trying to avoid the fear.

Training doesn't change temperament. Socialisation may increase the level of comfort the dog has in certain situations but no training method will make a dog less fearful.

But isn't changing an emotional response the core concept of counter-conditioning training? Or am I missing something? (quite possible, long day )

[Alkhe]

I would have done the opposite to everyone here, it seems. I'm no expert, but I'm a small dog owner, and I also live in the city and frequent off leash parks. I call my park 'the dog park' but it's actually a sports oval that is off leash, with a bunch of really friendly dogs whose owners I now know and trust.

This is what I would have done, and continue to do - If the other dog has friendly type body language, and isn't acting in an aggressive way (eg they are just bigger and intimidating to a smaller dog just because of their size) I would just stand there and not react to the other dog, and talk to my dog to reassure her. Let her be sniffed and eventually do her own bit of sniffing, etc. If she sits there scared for a second, that's ok in my opinion - I don't want to teach that any dog coming up to us is cause for concern.

When I got her, she was terrified of everything and unsocialised with everything other than Toy Poodles, so the park was a nightmare for her. She's now great - she's still more timid around huge dogs and will just crouch down if even her "friends" at the park all rush over to her at once, but then will jump up and run around with them etc.

I agree that it's very important to remain calm in any situation, regardless of whether the other dog is being friendly or actually giving you cause for concern with their behaviour.

For better or worse, we don't live in a vacuum, and I want my dog to be able to learn to interact with other dogs at the park. I don't want to leave every time another dog comes near us - I want Maggie to know that I've got her back, and if she really is in any danger, by all means I'll pick her up and kick and scream and do whatever it takes to get the other dog off her. I've broken up dogs fights before, thankfully never with my dog, but wouldn't hesitate to stick a steel capped boot into anything that was actually going to hurt her. Hell hath no fury, etc..

I'm sure I'll get jumped on for being irresponsible and endangering her and .. whatever else. But look, I do all in my power to make sure that she is as safe as possible while being able to run around and socialise with other dogs. I am very alert to other dogs' behaviour and have been making a concerted effort to learn more about this. Part of the joy of dog ownership to me is interacting with other dogs and owners at the park; I love it, and Maggie loves it too. That's just been my approach to dealing with it, and so far it has worked out very well.

Initially my reasoning was not rewarding her fear, and I'm not sure whether that holds given that fear is an unconscious thing. Now, my idea is that instead of not rewarding I'm consciously ignoring her fear.

[huski]

Maybe think about getting a behaviourist in to teach you some training methods that will overcome the fear the dog feels, rather than trying to avoid the fear.

Training doesn't change temperament. Socialisation may increase the level of comfort the dog has in certain situations but no training method will make a dog less fearful.

But isn't changing an emotional response the core concept of counter-conditioning training? Or am I missing something? (quite possible, long day )

I definitely believe you can work with a dog to decrease a fearful response, I have seen plenty of dogs that go from displaying a fear based response to specific triggers to no longer feeling fearful of those triggers.

[Salukifan]

I would have done the opposite to everyone here, it seems. I'm no expert, but I'm a small dog owner, and I also live in the city and frequent off leash parks. I call my park 'the dog park' but it's actually a sports oval that is off leash, with a bunch of really friendly dogs whose owners I now know and trust.

This is what I would have done, and continue to do - If the other dog has friendly type body language, and isn't acting in an aggressive way (eg they are just bigger and intimidating to a smaller dog just because of their size) I would just stand there and not react to the other dog, and talk to my dog to reassure her. Let her be sniffed and eventually do her own bit of sniffing, etc. If she sits there scared for a second, that's ok in my opinion - I don't want to teach that any dog coming up to us is cause for concern.

This might work well for an uncertain dog Aklhe but OP's pup was crying in fear and trying to get away.

Forcing the pup to put up with the attention of the other dog would be a recipe for provoking a fear aggressive response IMO. With flight removed as an option, all the dog has left is to shut down or respond aggressively in an attempt to get the other dog to back off.

Weasels said:

But isn't changing an emotional response the core concept of counter-conditioning training? Or am I missing something? (quite possible, long day )

Does counter-conditioning change the emotional response or simply the behaviour the animal displays eg. fearful dog looks to owner rather than crying or trying to escape... or responding aggressively??? I'm not an expert but I'd say its expanding the dog's experiences (via controlled socialisaton) that changes the emotional response to situations???

[Atanquin]

I'm starting to think that GoldenGirl, they seem more trouble then they are worth these days with irresponsible owners!

I don't think I showed enough concern Haredown, I really dont like confrotation but next time ill be more vocal! I knew the dog was being playful and not aggressive but even when I was down on the ground guarding Duke she didn't show a lot of haste in controlling her dog.

I suppose my concern also comes from 'babying' duke, I don't want him to be more afraid of other dogs due to my reaction. I stayed calm throughout it all but by sheltering him I don't know if I was fuelling his fear?

My cocker zorro was like that untill he joined an obedience club now he loves any other dog he meets. He still gets scared if it is an aggressive dog tho, I agree the lady should have more control over her dog. But yer just get him use to as many different dogs as you can :D