Dog Park and Aggressive Dogs

The dog park is a fun time for everyone as long as certain rules are followed. Of course, among these is the most important rule of not bringing an aggressive dog to the park. It is amazing that one two separate occasions, we have been to the same dog park and this owner insists there is nothing wrong with his aggressive dog.

What do I mean by aggressive? Well the dog is highly protective of his owner and forms a circle around his owner the whole time they are there. The man will notice an innocent dog, bend over to say hello to it, and "wham!", his dog attacks the innocent pooch! The first time we met this man, he was surrounded by other dogs and people but it seems they were there for a while before we got there because everyone was staying clear of him and his bully. Our girls are very friendly and he called them over to say hello. Cheyenne got closest to his and all of a sudden there was a rumble. Our girls don't fight back much because they are so submissive (something we need to work on a little so that they can better protect themselves) and Cheyenne just rolled over onto her back. My husband went to break them up but I knew better as the aggressive dog was not mine and the man did jump to attention. He pulled his dog off our 7-month old Lab puppy and did even apologize. He just said "Oh yeah, he is a little possessive of me." Oh thanks for telling us after the fact!

Needless to say, this aggressive behavior has no place in a dog park if it cannot be controlled. So, I had thought he would not return. This past weekend, as we are on top of one of the hills, we heard a dog fight and to our amazement, it was the same man and his dog - pulling his dog off of another small victim. Of course, we turned and walked the other way; making sure not to cross paths. However, if I do happen to see this man and his dog again, I will be reporting him and his dog to the park officials. As the park rules state:

• Owners are strictly liable for their dog's actions
• Aggressive dogs must be removed from the Park immediately without debate. We realize that what constitutes an aggressive dog isn't always easy, if your dog is routinely involved in altercations with other dogs, chances are your dog shouldn't be at the park.
• Pay attention to your dog(s) interactions with other dogs. Be aware of potential problems. Learn to read and respond to your dog's behavior. Be alert to the behavior of other dogs.

With that being stated, it is evident that the 3rd time will, in fact, be a charm. Someone needs to speak up for our beloved dogs that cannot speak up for themselves.