dog park woes

a friend and I went to the dog park yesterday (pics to come) and unfortunately Russell's enemy dog showed up! he seems to arrive as soon as i do every time! its so annoying!

I don't know what it is about this dog but Russell hates him (i think) - here's the back story

Oscar is a kelpie/collie cross who LOVES his soccer ball and he plays soccer with it like actually kicks it with his feet back to whoever threw it to him, but if another dog tries to touch Oscar's ball he will crack it and bark/snap at them (never makes contact though).
So the first few times Russell met Oscar he would try to grab the ball - get snapped at and run off and I would walk with him to the other end of the park so not to annoy Oscar, but now Russell doesn't even care about the ball, if Oscar is at the dog park Russell will seek him out from wherever we are and just bark at him! continually, bark bark bark bark bark until Oscar gets frustrated and snaps and then Russell does this stupid staffy scream and goes back for more barking. (It's so embarrassing!)

So it has now gotten to the point that if Oscar is at the park, I have to keep Russell on a lead because he will run to Oscar from wherever we are (and you know staffy's, when they want something and are so determined they wont listen) so recall is out when Oscar is around, it works most other situations.

yesterday I saw Oscar so we avoided him, I didn't think Russell knew he was there, but I bent down to pick up Russell's mess and when I stood up he was gone and I could hear the barking.
when I got down there this other bloke (not Oscars owner) told me off and said I need to take better care of my dog and added a few choice words too.
I'm usually the one frowning upon bad owners and today I was the one who people looked at like I had no idea it really was embarrassing...


any suggestions? I'm not leaving the park just because Oscars there, they live up the road from the park I drive 20 minutes just to be there!

Oh dear

How big is the park, and is it enclosed "especially" for use by dogs ?

If only we knew what our dogs were actually saying when they bark.

Never been to a dog park, could you keep Russ on a long lead until Oscar has left or maybe speak to the owner and time it differently. They do take a dislike sometimes, for sure Moo has and we now avoid them but its easier as we aren't in a set place Xx

yeah it's enclosed just for dogs, there are sectioned off parts but they are very small and for use of small dogs and puppies, but I suppose I should be the one to go in there since my dog is the one being a nuisance, I just wish he would stop it!
maybe I will look into getting a long lead too, I have thought about getting one of those just never seen them available in stores, do you use horse leads? or those retractable things?

I like the long lead suggestion as well. You should be able to find some on Amazon. I don't think I'd use a retractable one though.

If the other dog is there the same time everyday could you just change the time you go to the park? Don't know what your schedule is like but that's what I'd do.

you might be right, I don't actually have a time that I go there but now that i think about it, it does always seem to be around 2-3PM so I might start going a bit earlier, maybe 11-12.
great suggestions thank you every one.
still going to look into the long lead too

Unfortunately, I have had similar things happen and a long lead is really the best way to control them. The only other option is like you plan to do and try another time. Hope it works out!

Where is Oscar's owner in all this? IMHO the owner should have stopped Oscar's growling in the first place.

I agree with Ty. I know dogs often get protective about their favourite toy and start exhibiting guarding behaviour, but the owner should know that lots of dogs chase any ball they see and so should have stopped the guarding or just simply not take the ball to the park where it is almost certain that other dogs will take a fancy to it. I'm guessing Russell isn't the only dog that has gone for the ball!

Ty wrote:Where is Oscar's owner in all this? IMHO the owner should have stopped Oscar's growling in the first place.

that right, some dogs get away with murder cause they are small or cute, best if you try and go at a different time as that what we do with billy

I have put a link to a long training lead of 9 metres at Amazon over here. I know you don't have Amazon in Australia but at least you would know what to look for. It is a tape like material of about 25mm wide. If you cannot find this in a dog equipment shop try a climbing shop and ask for tape (used for slings etc.)


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ancol-Nylon-Training-Track-Black/dp/B004NOZD60/ref=sr_1_53?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1322045346&sr=1-53

i agree I wish the owner would stop bringing the ball, he is a very nice man and never gets annoyed with Russell's behaviour. I think the reason he brings the ball is because he likes to show off the way his dog plays with it like a soccer player - every one loves it, it is pretty cool to see but I am over it now!

but you are right, Russell isn't the only dog Oscar has had a go at, he's just the only dog that doesn't handle it well! lol.

thanks Kathy! I was looking into horse lunge ropes today because the pet shops don't have long leads here as far as I can tell!

I agree with the long line, it'll help when Oscar's in tha park as well. Once Oscar has left, you can then let him off the lead.

shontelle wrote:I agree with Ty. I know dogs often get protective about their favourite toy and start exhibiting guarding behaviour, but the owner should know that lots of dogs chase any ball they see and so should have stopped the guarding or just simply not take the ball to the park where it is almost certain that other dogs will take a fancy to it. I'm guessing Russell isn't the only dog that has gone for the ball!

I don't think that's quite fair. I take a boomer ball over the park with Dempsey & he's quite protective of it, although I make sure that I throw the ball away from other dogs. However, it's up to other owners to make sure that their own dog isn't a nuisance & stop them running after someone else's ball! Probably sounds harsh, but I know Dempsey ignores other dogs when he has his ball (one of the reasons I take it!), but will stand guard over it if another dog comes near it. If they try to take his ball, he will pin them down.

Just because one person is playing with their dog with a ball, doesn't mean everyone else has to join in!

shontelle wrote:I agree with Ty. I know dogs often get protective about their favourite toy and start exhibiting guarding behaviour, but the owner should know that lots of dogs chase any ball they see and so should have stopped the guarding or just simply not take the ball to the park where it is almost certain that other dogs will take a fancy to it. I'm guessing Russell isn't the only dog that has gone for the ball!

Agree 100%

But surely dogs should be taught a strong 'leave' command, and if they go for someone else's ball the owner should get them to leave? That's what I've done, and Dempsey never chases other balls, only his own!

From what you're saying, nobody should ever take anything to the park in case another dog's owner doesn't have control of their dog?

Caryll wrote:I agree with the long line, it'll help when Oscar's in tha park as well. Once Oscar has left, you can then let him off the lead.

shontelle wrote:I agree with Ty. I know dogs often get protective about their favourite toy and start exhibiting guarding behaviour, but the owner should know that lots of dogs chase any ball they see and so should have stopped the guarding or just simply not take the ball to the park where it is almost certain that other dogs will take a fancy to it. I'm guessing Russell isn't the only dog that has gone for the ball!

I don't think that's quite fair. I take a boomer ball over the park with Dempsey & he's quite protective of it, although I make sure that I throw the ball away from other dogs. However, it's up to other owners to make sure that their own dog isn't a nuisance & stop them running after someone else's ball! Probably sounds harsh, but I know Dempsey ignores other dogs when he has his ball (one of the reasons I take it!), but will stand guard over it if another dog comes near it. If they try to take his ball, he will pin them down.

Just because one person is playing with their dog with a ball, doesn't mean everyone else has to join in!

Absolutley...i have to agree on this one. I ALWAYS take Ty's ball out with us because he loves it so much and is so fixated on it and is a fantastic distraction for him when other dogs are about. Ty was even completley ignoring a JRT barking and yapping about 5 feet away from him the other day coz he was playing with his ball. He will not have anyone else bar kaos playing with it though, he got into a bit of a scrap with mt friends collie the other day. Mollie the collie is a lovely dog but wont have males to close to her, quite happily play with them etc but they are not allowed to touch her. Mollie went for Ty s ball and Ty flew at her, well not at her (as i was trying to explain to my friend) he flew at the ball and was trying to take it out her mouth (as he does to kaos all the time) but mollie went mental coz she doesnt like dogs touching her and ....... well u get the jist lol. Any way i banged on a bit then ......what were we talking about??? lol um yea i think also its up to everyone to keep thier own dogs under control and away (if necessery) from other people and thier dogs and toys lol x

The line i use is 20m long and i can coil it up onto a spool with a handle. I bought it in a DIY store for about £10 , it's not for dogs but just happens to come on an H shaped holder. Kasidy doesn't notice it but it is a great confidence booster and her recall has improved a lot. Check your DIY store?.

I agree that dogs should be taught to leave other dogs balls and toys, but it is a difficult thing to train when theres so many dogs around (at the dog park) its very exciting!

The dog park is a place where people take their dogs to socialise and play with other dogs, well, that is my idea of the dog park any way. But I suppose others see it as a place to let their dog run off lead - I take that for granted because we have a lot of land to do that anyway.

either way, I feel more could be done on both owners parts. I need to train Russell to leave Oscar alone - and any other dogs that are around, but I don't think its good that Oscar snaps at any dog that comes near him - they don't have to touch the ball, they just have to be near him for him to grump.

I just think that if a dog is protective of a toy to the point that it gets nasty, somewhere like a dog park is not the place to take it because although, yes, dogs should leave something when told, in a place with so many dogs, you can pretty much guarantee that there are dogs that won't.

Charlie has a very good leave it, and will back away from something the minute I tell him, but I know not all dogs have that impulse control, and I think better safe than sorry, especially if it were my dog getting nasty. Perhaps Oscar's owner could save his soccer ball for a time and place that he can play with less chance of being interrupted.