Pit Bulls in the Dog Park - Part 3 of 4

Hi everyone!  Last week I left you with some questions to share with your family and friends, sorta like a little "pop quiz" and I am excited to hear how you did on the answers. 

Just as a refresh, here are the questions, along with the answers:

1.  TRUE OR FALSE -- "Smart Socializing" involves setting your dog up for only positive dog-dog interactions.

TRUE! - The more positive interaction ANY dog gets with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life.
Right: This female puppy's all-positive exposure to this well-socialized adult dog was planned for her benefit. She grew up to be a 'Dog Selective' adult meaning, she's easily offended by rude behavior from strange dogs, but she enjoys many trusted dog friends for play and socializing fun.
- See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

TRUE!  The more positive dog-dog interactions your dog has, the more his chances are increased that he will be dog tolerant.  Even a dog that starts out with selective tolerance for other dogs can be trained to be dog tolerant by intentionally setting him up with positive dog-dog play time.

TRUE! - The more positive interaction ANY dog gets with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life.
Right: This female puppy's all-positive exposure to this well-socialized adult dog was planned for her benefit. She grew up to be a 'Dog Selective' adult meaning, she's easily offended by rude behavior from strange dogs, but she enjoys many trusted dog friends for play and socializing fun.
- See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

TRUE! - The more positive interaction ANY dog gets with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life.
Right: This female puppy's all-positive exposure to this well-socialized adult dog was planned for her benefit. She grew up to be a 'Dog Selective' adult meaning, she's easily offended by rude behavior from strange dogs, but she enjoys many trusted dog friends for play and socializing fun.
- See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

2.  TRUE OR FALSE -- Dog parks are a dependable place to begin socializing your dog.


FALSE!  Dog parks are a great place for dogs to interact and run off their energy.  But, the dog park is not a good place for all dogs, and that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your dog.  The dog park is definitely not the place to train your dog to be sociable.  The tricky part about a dog park for dogs that aren't yet well-socialized is that it forces the dog to come face-to-face with situations that make him feel uncomfortable, and this may trigger defensiveness and other reactions that break into a fight.  And as I said before, if you want your dog to be properly socialized for life, you really don't want him to ever be in a fight if you can avoid it. 









3.  TRUE OR FALSE -- My dog is really good with the other dogs in my home, and with my cousin's dog that lives close by.  Doesn't that mean he will be fine with all other dogs he meets?


FALSE, FALSE FALSE.  Your dog's reaction to canine family members can be very different from his reaction to dogs who are not part of his family.  There are many situations where 3 dogs can live together in perfect harmony, all with different levels of "social."  They can be "dog social," "dog tolerant" and "dog aggressive," but never show their differences to each other in the comfort of their own home.  It is important to know your dog's individual social limitations so that you don't set him up for failure.  Here is a great link from our friends at Bad Rap that talks more about this topic:

http://www.badrap.org/node/97






4.  TRUE OR FALSE -- It's OK to wait until your dog experiences his first fight to know it's time to begin managing and training him about good doggie citizenship.


FALSE. You want to avoid at all cost your dog ever getting into a fight with another dog.  Dogs learn from their bad experiences just like we do, and a bad fight will likely leave him with a lasting impression that will affect his future tolerance for other dogs.

A dog’s first fight is always the one you want to avoid. Why? A bad fight can make a huge impression on your dog and cause him to have a shorter fuse the next time a dog-dog conflict comes up. Dogs learn from their bad experiences just like we do, so it’s best to protect them from conflict. - See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

5.  TRUE OR FALSE -- A good way to socialize a dog is to let her walk up to other dogs she doesn't know while on her daily walk.


FALSE.  The tension that builds at the end of a leash can lead to very intense "arguments" between two dogs that don't know each other.  Also, allowing your dog to participate in this type of greeting can set the stage for him pulling wildly on his leash the next time he passes a dog on a leash that he wants to meet.  It can also lead to a fight (and that's not something you ever want to happen).

I used to be very leash aggressive and still have my times when I need to be reminded how to behave.  My mom got this crazy idea from some book that she read and she started giving me treats every time we would see a dog approaching us on a leash.  Not just any treats, but my favorite, all time, best ever, good girl Annie treats.  Cheese, bacon, and chicken lead the list of things she carries around with us when we go for a walk.  Sometimes I think she is crazy, but it is working.  I am almost at the point where I think I will be able to pass another dog on the same side of the sidewalk and not pitch one of my little frantic fits.  (I have it down really well now that I don't pay any mind to other dogs if we are on the other side of the street.)  Also, it's important to share with you that my "leash behavior" has nothing to do with how I act toward other dogs (or any other animals) when I am off leash.  I am a very good girl at the dog park, and really hate it when other dogs get into brawls.  Makes me sad, and sometimes I run through their little group just to break them up (and it usually works!).

Here's a little tip for when someone tries to approach your dog with their dog on a leash.  Just smile and step in front of your dog and say politely, "sorry we are in training.  We are not ready for a meeting right now."   


How did you do?  I would really love to read your comments and ideas.

Also, I would really like to say that I am really glad that the dog park rules say that dogs can't be in the dog park with their leashes on.  Never, nada.  Dogs don't always show their true colors when they are at the end of a leash (me!!!) and if your dog doesn't do well off-leash around dogs, then either you need to work with your dog a little more in a smaller group, or he isn't cut out to be in the dog park at all.  He's still a great dog, but his social circle just needs to be a little smaller.  I would volunteer to be part of a small play group with any dog that is having trouble at the dog park.  Just comment here and we can make a play-date!



 

Pit Bulls At The Dog Park (Part 2 of 4-Part Series)

It's Part 2 of my 4-part series on the Dog Park, and I can't wait to tell you what happened this week!  Are you ready?  Momma took my sister and me to the Dog Park and we had a great time.  Whew ... I wasn't sure when I was going to get to go back, but it finally happened.  I love our dog park and I think the people who worked so hard to build it must really love dogs ... a lot!!!  I just wish people would behave themselves at the dog park.  Yes, I said people.  I think following the rules at the dog park is a great way to say thank you for all the hard work that went into making the dog park a reality for all of us.   

Do you know why I decided to call this little series "Pit Bulls at the Dog Park"?  There are actually several reasons:  (1) I am a pit bull, and I love the dog park; (2) there are a lot of people who don't understand me and my breed, and I want to raise awareness of what's true about us; and (3) there have been some really bad situations at our dog park that reportedly involve pit bull type dogs poor judgment being used by individual dogs that are not properly socialized.

I have a theory about why so many people lately have been complaining about pit bulls in our dog park here in Warren County.  You know me -- when I have a theory (aka opinion) I'm probably going to share it with you.  Here are a few of my thinkings:

There are a lot of pit bull type/ pit-mixed breeds in our county -- a lot more than you think.  We have lived behind closed doors for a long time because there has not been an off-leash area where we can run and be free until just last year, and in many cases our owners don't routinely take us places because of the troubling comments and gestures that we experience when we are go out in public (it's embarrassing).  In some households, dogs (not just pitties) are not exercised or stimulated on a regular basis, and have never had interaction with other dogs on any level since they were adopted.  In many cases, this is a "perfect storm" in the making, and taking ANY unsocialized dog to the dog park with no advance preparation is a recipe for disaster, and it's not fair to a dog who thinks he's just doing what he's s'posed to be doing.    

How is a dog owner supposed to know how their dog is going to act around other dogs if they have never been around other dogs?  Is the dog park the place to first get this question answered?  Lordy, no!!!  What if your dog has herding tendencies with other dogs and you have never taken the time to discover/address/manage this issue before opening that gate to the dog park?  What if your dog (who has never been around other dogs) is big and burly and is irritated by a smaller dog running around his hind legs and jumping up trying to sniff his butt say hello? How is he going to react?  Are you a gambling person who wants to wait to find out the answer to that question after you are in the dog park with 25 other dogs?  What if your dog is a terrier -- boston terrier, pit bull terrier, westhighland white terrier -- and, like many terrier type dogs, has a strong chase drive?  If she has never been around another dog (other than a family dog she sees everyday and who is not a good test of a dog's tolerance for other dogs), what are you going to do when you open that gate to the dog park and your terrier with years of pent-up energy and no effective behavior management chases after a little Yorkie, picks him up and shakes him like a rag bone?  Is that your dog's fault, or is it the result of poor owner management?  


I wish that all the people who use the park knew how to use common sense when it comes to dog-dog meetings.  Momma says that most people are smart and have common sense, but the few that leave their brains at home when they bring their dogs to the park are the ones who cause us to have to leave before we are done playing.  

I have come up with a few true/false questions I want to share with you.  Do you know the answers?  I hope they can be conversation starters in your family this week and I will give you the answers to them next week.

1.  TRUE OR FALSE -- "Smart Socializing" involves setting your dog up for only positive dog-dog interactions.

2.  TRUE OR FALSE -- Dog parks are a dependable place to begin socializing your dog.

3.  TRUE OR FALSE -- My dog is really good with the other dogs in my home, and with my cousin's dog that lives close by.  Doesn't that mean he will be fine with all other dogs he meets?

4.  TRUE OR FALSE -- It's OK to wait until your dog experiences his first fight to know it's time to begin managing and training him about good doggie citizenship.

5.  TRUE OR FALSE -- A good way to socialize a dog is to let her walk up to other dogs she doesn't know while on her daily walk.

That's it for this week.  I can't wait to see how many humans pass this basic Good Owner Management Quiz.  Will you get 100%?   I know you will!!! 

Smart Socializing involves setting your dog up for success with only positive dog-dog interactions. - See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

Smart Socializing involves setting your dog up for success with only positive dog-dog interactions. - See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

Smart Socializing involves setting your dog up for success with only positive dog-dog interactions. - See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

Pit Bulls at the Dog Park

FIRST OF A 4-PART SERIES.

I love the Dog Park, and can't wait to start going there again.  It's my favorite thing to do and every time I see my momma get her shoes on I think we are going there and I get very, very excited.  There's just one problem, though -- we haven't been there in a very long time.  Momma has been trying to figure out when is a good time to go back and she can't figure out the answer, so I decided to write about it.  I think the solution is going to come from everyone who uses the Dog Park putting their heads together and coming up with a solution.  I love my readers, and I just know that together we can come up with the answer (which will make this little pittie a very, very happy girl).

The reason I haven't been to the dog park recently is that my momma has seen some really poor choices being made by humans when they bring their dogs to the park, and she doesn't want me and my sister Zoie to be involved or injured when things go badly.  Momma is a pretty calm person and when we get hurt she doesn't get too upset -- after all (she says) dogs will be dogs and scuffles happen.  That's not what's bugging her and it's not just a little scuffle here and there that has me and my sister sitting on the sidelines right now. As much as I hate not being a part of what's going on at my very own the dog park, I agree that things need to change, not only for me and my sister, but for all the dogs that deserve to enjoy the freedom of an off-leash park.  Here are some of my thinkings that I want to share:

No matter the breed of your dog, it might not be a good idea to take him to the dog park. Ever. 

Yep, that's right.  Some dogs don't like the dog park, and some dogs don't belong there even if they seem to like it.  Forget about the breed of your dog or the dogs you see when you go to the dog park.  Look at how YOUR dog is acting and you will know if he likes it or if he belongs there at all.  Dogs, like humans, have good days and bad days.  If you get to the dog park and your dog is having an "off" day, leave and come back another day.  Or come back in a few hours when a different mix of dogs are in the park. Or it might be that you should not ever come back  There is nothing wrong with your dog if he just simply doesn't like the dog park.  It might be his age, his individual temperament or just the day.  Only you know your dog well enough to answer the questions that must be answered in order to keep him and others safe in the dog park.

My big brother Sampson is a great example of a dog that does not belong in the dog park -- never, ever.  At home he is a big marshmallow (and a goofball), but at the park he is timid (I call him crazy) and likes to keep to himself.  Kinda funny for a guy that weighs 157 pounds, huh?  He runs around the perimeter of the fence and doesn't really want anything to do with other dogs.  If a dog approaches him while he is in the park, he barks and snarls and sounds really scary, like the lion on the Wizard of Oz.  That's all fine and dandy, until he did it to a dog that took issue with his Unacceptable Behavior, and there was a fight.  No blood, just a brawl.  Momma doesn't take Sampson to the park anymore.  This is a picture of my brother, Sampson.  He's a Giant Goofball.  

Yes, it is a full-sized couch and he takes up all the room.

 
The dog park is NOT the place to teach your dog to be sociable with other dogs.  

This is the one that's got me sitting on the sidelines right now.  Almost every time we have been to the dog park, my momma hears people talking about how they haven't had their dog around other dogs in years and they are so glad that our county has a dog park because now they can bring their dog to the park so they can be socialized.  Holy crap on a crackerOh my goodness, those are some short visits to the park when momma overhears stuff like that.  She can't get my sister and me out of the park fast enough when she hears that we're in the park with dogs that haven't been taught how to get along with other dogs. One thing that really gets momma's goat is when people say they just adopted a dog from the shelter and the next day they have them out at the dog park, sometimes even after being told by the shelter staff that the dog is not dog friendly.  That's a whole 4-part series all by itself.       

If you take your dog to the dog park and he's not ready to be there, or doesn't belong there, you are setting him up to fail, plain and simple.  At the dog park, adrenalin runs high and excitement is the theme of the day.  Taking your dog to the park without FIRST properly socializing him is like sending someone to take a test when they have never taken the class.  If you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

Now, I know right now you are scratching your head and wondering if I'm out of my pretty little pittie brain.  Nope, I'm dead serious.  Teach your dog to get along with other dogs BEFORE you bring him to the dog park.  Here are some ideas from our friends at badrap.org about how to do that ....

"Creating fun socializing opportunities for your dog starts with finding other conscientious dog owners. Find them by signing up for obedience classes, meetup groups or dog sports ...to meet potential play partners for your pet. Another way to socialize your dog is to sign up as a foster home for a local rescue group.

Some maintain small play groups for their neighborhoods dogs in backyards, fenced in ball fields and small, low traffic parks. If yours does not, see if you can't find one or two dog owners in your area who might be willing to start a small social group.

Our dogs benefit from building up a large list of 'dog friendships,' much in the same way parents seek out good playmates for their small children.  If your dog just isn't fond of other dogs - No sweat. He gets the fun of enjoying play time with you all to himself. Dogs don't have to have other dog friends in order to be happy."

There are as many different reasons as there are breeds of dogs why some many dogs don't do well around other dogs, at home or at the dog park.  It's OK --there is nothing wrong with your dog.  He just needs you to understand him as an individual.  It's that simple.
 

What's up with the people that never have any issues with their dogs at the dog park?  

Dogs that have no problem playing and interacting with larger groups of dogs in rowdy play sessions are generally younger dogs.  But, as that same dog starts to get older and "feel his stuff," it's actually pretty normal for him to be less patient with other dogs' uninvited advances and rude behavior.  And it's all about perception.  What seemed like play and fun rowdiness to him at an earlier age may become very annoying to him as an adult dog.

No matter how much good socializing and training you've done, your dog's tolerance can still disappear if he's triggered into conflict by another dog's challenge, a tussle over a toy, a tug-o-war game or even a friendly wrestling match that gets a little "too exciting."

You NEVER want your dog to fight at the Dog Park.  Wanna know why?
  
In addition to the obvious reasons of your dog being injured or causing injury to another dog, big vet bills, problems with law enforcement, and liability concerns, there's another BIG reason you don't want your dog to ever fight another dog:

If you want to increase the odds of your dog remaining dog tolerant forever, NEVER let him get into his first fight.  According to experts, "whether or not your dog starts it, many a dog is forever changed by his first fight and may never be the same around other dogs again." 

And finally, on a personal note, for all pit bull families out there, during this time of breed prejudice, please remember that even the smallest display of bravado involving pit bull type dogs is going to set off alarm bells in onlookers and tarnish the reputation of our breed more and more.  It's not fair, but it's the reality we're facing right now.   Take your dog to the dog park and help him to enjoy it to the fullest  Be present with your dog and be his leader at all times while in the park.  Correct "snarly" or "rowdy" play BEFORE it escalates.  There is nothing wrong with teaching your dog an appropriate level of play when engaged with other dogs.  Save the snarly stuff for rag bones and tug of war with you at home.  He can be taught to understand the difference and he will love you for it. 

Wanna be a hero to your dog?  Be a fair player at the dog park and teach your dog to do the same. If it doesn't work for your dog, tell him it's OK to just stay home.


See you next week for Part 2 of our 4-part series on "Pit Bulls in the Dog Park."  Have a great week!!!