Mean boxer at the dog park (long vent)

[Rocky Hoya]

You are right. He should have to leave since his dog is the aggresive one. Just because he "warned you" doesnt mean you should take your socialized dog home. I can understand people that dont have socialized dogs but they need to get training and not put the rest of us at risk. I know some may say they need to get training at the dog park but that is not the right place in my opinion. They should get a trainer or have other dogs go to their house and socialize their dog under supervision. At least this man is trying his best to take his dog out and did keep him on a leash but he is in the wrong expecting everyone else to accomadate him with special needs.

 

[moira]

Did this guy not mean that you keep your dog away from his dog rather than leave the park. How big are these parks . Is it not possible to put your dog on a leash until you have passed this guy. I understand your point of view but as an owner of a dog aggressive dog who has had lots of attempts at socialising I can kind of understand the guy as well.

 

[Adelle]

There are two sides to every story. I can understand where this guy was coming from to a degree. I don't go to a dog park exactly but we have several local wooded conservation areas that are very popluar with local dog owners. My male Finnegan hates to be approched by an off leash dog while he is on leash. However due to the fact that the parking lot is busy I refuse to let my dog off leash in the parking lot and won't let him off his leash till we are a safe distance up the trail into the woods. However there are many people who don't leash their dogs at any point even in the parking lot which makes it very hard work for me at the start and end of my walk with Finn trying to avoid other dogs that are off leash approaching him. I would go to places that were less busy if I could but those places are so lonely I don't feel safe. So at the start and end of every walk I am in the same situation as this guy although its something I work on constantly and keep a gentle leader on Finngan during this time which really helps. But once we are up into the trail a bit I can let him off and he will play with the same dogs he was growling at moments before. And I get looks from owners who just witnessed him growling on his leash and they are horrified when I let him off because they don't understand that off leash some dogs are much better than they are on leash. I will often ask someone nicely to keep their off leash dog away when we are in the parking lot and the more responsible caring owners whose have well trained dogs will comply and call their dogs away and are very understanding but most of them don't have that sort of voice control over their dogs so some days I will wait in the car till there is a quiet moment for us to slip from the car up the trail - its hard work but my boy needs his exercise too :(

 

[SFRose]

There are so many great points made in this forum........and I can agree with all of them. There really are many sides to every story, and I have certainly been guilty of jumping to conclusions when it comes to other dog owners. I have tried very hard in the past months to try and just worry about myself and my dog and hope that in due time any other owners who may not be be as schooled in 'dog park manners' will one day learn.

I live downtown San Francisco in the middle of an urban jungle, and have to take my own Lola to a park that is not designated as off leash....she can be very leash aggressive, even after we took the 'growly dog class', and unfortunately many dogs are off leash at the park...I simply explain to owners that Lola and I would be much more comfortable if they would call their dog to them if it begins to aproach Lola. We also always stay on the periphery of the park instead of walking right into the center where the bulk of dogs are playing.

I have also had an experience with an extremely aggresive boxer at our very favorite off leash park....I simply chalked that one up to the very characteristic female/female aggression that can happen with Boxers. Thankfully Lola was not the aggressor and she ran behind me when I pulled the other dog off of her. The other owner was very apologetic and removed her dog right away.

I can understand your anger, but sometimes I find that it's just easier for Lola and I to remove ourselves and walk to another park, (even if we are not in the wrong) instead of trying to change someone else who we don't know and who likely doesn't care about what we think.

 

[Ciscobxr]

I do not think the man should have been there with his aggressive dog. If he is so worried about "puppies" being there than HE should be the one leaving if he even THINKS there could be a problem. You should not have to be the one to suffer when it's HIS dog with the problem.
If it was training he was working on, he should not do it when a smaller dog is there FIRST. And if he is there and a smaller dog comes, he should be nice and just leave. I hope you never see him again!