play time with other dogs (a little long)

[nalabear]

Nala loves the dog park but doesn't like dogs jumping on her. Let me explain. when she was a pup she was attacked twice when dogs jumped on her so now whenever a dog jumps on her she gets defensive. she loves to play with other dogs like running and chasing each other and that is all fine no problems, the problem comes into play when dogs want to rough house with her. you can tell she wants to do it too but as soon as the dog jumps on her a fight breaks out. i don't know if she is starting them or if its the other dog or what. my other issue is when a dog is vocal as in growling while playing she takes this as an attack on her and again gets defensive. she is very vocal when we play together.

so yesterday we went to the dog park and this lab wanted to play. all was fine until it jumped on her and it got heated. nala immediately calmed down as soon as the other dog was removed from on top of her but the lady of the other dog took it as nala being overly aggressive. we went our way she went hers. we ended up meeting up with another lady who had two pups about 8 months old. they got along well and nala actually tried to rough house with them. things got vocal but i honestly don't know if it was going to get over the top so i would stop it cause i didn't want her to be mean. the lady said she was surprised that her female was allowing her male to play with nala like he was cause she usually attacks him for being to hyper and that didn't happen.

I don't know what to do. the dogs that nala can hang around with just run and chase each other, no rough housing like that so i don't know if she is just being really really vocal or if she is trying to defend herself from getting attacked again. I don't want people thinking she is aggressive either because she feels threatened when she is jumped on.

she was even bitten by a little dog and we had to take her to the vet to clean out the bite and she never retaliated against that dog.

is my dog aggressive or am i being over-dramatic and to cautious? I want her to be able to rough house with other dogs and be a dog. I just don't know if i'm the problem or if she really is having a problem with it. i'm not stressed going to the dog park and i let her great all the dogs, i am always close by and stay relaxed.

Any thoughts are welcome and any suggestions too.

 

[BostonGeorge]

I worry about this too! I want Boston to have a great time and play, but I know things can escalate quickly. I do know however some dogs just make crazy noises that can be mistaken as aggressive when playing. Boston has two boxer friends he plays with....sweetest puppies (theyre 1) ever. But when they play hahah they sound like demon dogs!!!! So anyone who didn't know, could easily mistaken it for something else. I've also learned that boxers just play hardcore! Some dogs have never "boxed" before so they don't like it and some can handle the rough housing. I have had people say something before when they were playing and I'm 100% sure Boston wasn't being aggressive, hahah he just likes to play rough.

But I know where you're coming from, its a close line between rough housing and it being taken to the next level. Especially if you're dog can act out (its happened with Bostons brother)...thats why I'm always nervous. You want the kids to have fun, and play nice :0)

I think the best thing you can do is keep a very close eye on Nala. You know her best and what she will and will not tolerate. And if you see the situation escalating or her/ other dogs getting too rough, just remove her from it...take a little walk/ breather.

Sometimes when Boston is getting too excited playing with me I have to take a step back and let him know he needs to calm down.

Goodluck! I just wanted to drop in and say I know how you feel and it sounds like you're doing a good job keeping an eye out for things!

 

[johann]

Why does she have to go to the dog park? It sounds like it's not a good experience for her and that's she's on edge a lot from previous bad experiences.

Can you set up play dates with other dogs that you know she's compatible with instead? Every time that she aggresses towards another dog (even if it's in retaliation or fear), the behavior is getting more ingrained in her and thus harder to get stop.

Johann can't go to dog parks. He gets too stressed out and anxious, then picks on whoever the closest dog is. We go to other areas where he can run off leash (the beach, a baseball field, nearby gravel pit). He plays well with dogs at those places....but it's a bigger area with only a 1 or 2 other dogs.

 

[nalabear]

Why does she have to go to the dog park? It sounds like it's not a good experience for her and that's she's on edge a lot from previous bad experiences.

Can you set up play dates with other dogs that you know she's compatible with instead? Every time that she aggresses towards another dog (even if it's in retaliation or fear), the behavior is getting more ingrained in her and thus harder to get stop.

Johann can't go to dog parks. He gets too stressed out and anxious, then picks on whoever the closest dog is. We go to other areas where he can run off leash (the beach, a baseball field, nearby gravel pit). He plays well with dogs at those places....but it's a bigger area with only a 1 or 2 other dogs.

I know it sounds weird but Nala actually loves going to the park. She loves hanging around the dogs its just when they want to rough house that we have an issue. If the dogs just walk or run around to play with no contact she is all good. she greets all dogs like a dog should, no growling or issues at all. She greets all humans of course.

today at the dog park their were three ladies with like six dogs nala ran into the middle of the dogs to say hi to the ladies and layed down on the ground and rolled over with all the dogs hovering around her. she had never met these dogs before today. there was no aggression or anything. she hung around them for like 20 minutes running and walking with them but when one wanted to start rough housing it sounded nasty. I don't know if she is being vocal or is being nasty...there in lies my problem.

I only have one friend who has dogs. Our schedules don't match to well to get the dogs together. I did tell her that she was welcome if i was home to bring the dogs by and drop them off while she ran and did her errends so the dogs could play so hopefully she will take me up on this.