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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We go to a dog run and the socialization is so important for our dog. The angry people on here ranting about long leashes etc likely have aggressive breed dogs, and refuse to acknowledge it. [/quote]

Trainer again. “Socialization” is such a ruined term. Dogs need acclimation. They need to calmly observe and experience the world going by without negative consequences. Dogs need to lie down and do nothing while the world goes by, garbage trucks rattle, other dogs pass, babies cry, strollers stroll, etc. They do not need to play with other strange dogs.

Curated friends are a good thing! One or two known dogs with similar play styles, behaviors, mannerisms. But not a dog park. The staring border collie is rude to the body slamming retriever who is offensive to the spaniel who is scary to the tiny terrier. The person who brings their fearful dog to try to “help” is going to create an explosion of fear aggression when other dogs approach. If there is an experienced person there reading body language and stepping in and redirecting it can work with a few dogs, but 5-10-20 at a dog park is a disaster waiting to happen.[/quote]

The dogs at our park all get along. They know each other at this point, and look forward to playing together. It’s my dogs favorite part of the day, but obviously if he didn’t like it, I wouldn’t take him. It’s generally not more than 5 dogs at a time. I find it odd you’re so against dog parks for all dogs. Do you run one of those paid socialization groups or something? [/quote]

No, I do private in home training and board and trains. No social groups. Dogs don’t need social groups. We have bred and domesticated them so that we are their social groups.

Do dogs get joy out of running zoomies with safe friends? Absolutely!! My own dogs (I have three) run around together and wrestle and play. If you have a singleton dog, I think there is absolutely value in letting them play with another dog one on one. But not a public place where any time the gate opens you don’t know what you are going to get—vaccinations? Maybe—no one is checking. Tempering play to match the other dog? If you’re lucky. Ability to read, “that’s enough, please leave me alone now, I need a break”. Fingers crossed—but if I had one piece of advice for dog park users (besides please don’t!) it would be to read up on dog body language. What does ear set, tail carriage, eye direction, hackles, etc indicate in YOUR dog. You won’t be able to read it in others who you don’t know without a hell if a lot of experience (26 years and a billion CEUs later I’m still learning!) but you can at least learn to recognize when your dog is done, or is being a jerk and not listening to others. (Stereotyping, but Labs/Goldens/doodles are the biggest doofuses here—they do not read the subtleties of other breeds at all and don’t know when to stop. Often times other dogs will be giving signals for a good period of time and the retrievers just don’t get it. Then someone snaps and everyone is shocked)

I’m glad you have never experienced a negative from the dog parks. I hope you never do. But I have a steady stream of clients trying to rehab dog park social fall outs, so it’s not a random one off thing, and IMHO it’s not worth it.[/quote]

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