A Southern Perspective: Dog Park Etiquette

For those of you who have dogs and have a brain stem and USE IT, then you can relate to me.

Today I took the pups to the dog park in my neighborhood. It was mine and theirs first time to a dog park let alone the one in my neighborhood. Anyways, it's really nice: plenty of shade trees, benches, trashcans, a shovel for poop, and tennis balls galore floating the in the pond. I've always been weary of other dogs. You know how they can be...one wrong sniff and there is gnashing of teeth. Anyways, we were the only ones there and they were having a BALL (no pun intended). I think they ran around the pond at FULL speed 50 times. And then they were in the pond. Swimming and swimming and swimming. Another lady showed up with her dog, a weimaraner... off leash. To be specific, NO leash period which is one of the rules on the sign before you enter. You must have one leash for every dog that you bring. So my two see the lady and dog and take off to greet them. When I say they are harmless, they are HARMLESS. They wouldn't hurt a fly. All Lily and Legend were doing were sniffing. I ran up behind them and apologized because they were soaking wet and the lady looked to be in her best dress at the dog park that happens to have a LARGE pond in the middle... Her dog didn't give off a great vibe so I was corralling my two to head back to the other side of the pond but they were way too excited to meet someone new. The lady proceeds to say (mind you her voice is shaking and she sounds SCARED to death) "Oh, I can't have other dogs around me or pet them. He gets aggressive." I'm thinking to myself "HOLD UP! Your dog is aggressive?" Greeattt. My two were busy sniffing the lady and "Remi" looks as if he is about to lunge and grab onto Lily's neck. I grabbed Lily and pulled her away from the lady. Legend, poor Legend. He is goofy but thinks he is macho sometimes. I hear gnashing of teeth and growling and immediately turn around....Legend is humping the dog, Remi. I immediately grabbed Legend and he is whining and scared to death of this dog. I think it's really a male dominance thing and that's why he started humping the other dog. I apologized and grabbed my two and we left. And Legend is neutered btw. He still has the urge I guess and was filled with P&V. The lady walked off and started talking on her cell phone.

Let me ask you something. Now I know it was wrong on Legend's part to hump the dog, but I immediately grabbed him and reprimanded him. But, I'm sorry. The lady informed me her dog was 2 and was aggressive and protective of her when other dogs were around. Um HELLO!? WHY ARE YOU AT THE DOG PARK???? There is even a rule that says "If your dog is the least bit aggressive, please do not use the park." I think that's only common sense. And if you still wanted to use the dog park, then use it when there isn't others there. Am I wrong?

I was just apologetic to the woman. But after getting in the car and driving off, I started FUMING and started thinking about all the things I should have said to her...something along the lines of "You need to call Caesar Milan." Not mean enough but just a jab to the side. Anyways, I have been fuming over this since I got home. I apologize for spelling or grammar errors. This was written fuming and in a hurry! I do plan on re-visiting the park... just not when those people are there.

[Side note: I never went to the dog park because I was afraid of other aggressive dogs and a dog fight. Thank you Remi and owner without a brain stem for making my fear come true on my first visit to the dog park.]

Here are a few pictures that I took before we were so rudely interrupted. They are not great quality because all I had was my phone. Enjoy!