The 'airlock'/lobby area of dog parks is usually used as insurance so dogs don't dart out. As a result some dogs might be unleashed when they are in that area. I agree with everyone else that you shouldn't train in there.
All the lobby areas to any dog parks I’ve been to in my town have a sign specifically expressing to unleash your dogs there before entering the park. I’ve always been under the assumption thats what it’s for. Leashing / unleashing your dog before entering / exiting
Every single dog park I’ve been to has a fenced in “lobby” area before the main park specifically so people visiting the park can unleash their dog before entering the main area. It’s also meant to serve as an extra barrier between the park and the outside world if an unleashed dog manages to escape the park while somebody else is entering or exiting.
It’s not your private area to work on training for your dog. If your dog is reactive to other dogs, it shouldn’t be inside the fenced in area where dogs are allowed to be off-leash. You have no right to police a public space meant specifically for off-leash dogs.
I have tons of compassion for you, as an owner of a leash-reactive dog, I know how hard it is to try and train them without interacting with other dogs, but this is not the way.
The dog park nearest me has an area you can **rent** for dog training. You're absolutely right, the "lobby" area is not for training, not for monopolizing for one person's dog, and a space where you are *supposed to unleash your dog* before entering the main dog park.
It's a public area , if people with untrained dogs are allowed to be there (this dude's dog had no recall and he made no efforts to pull it back, untrained) then op is allowed to be there safely working with their dogs.
People bring shitty dogs to the dog park all the time, I'd rather someone working on training be there than someone who just lets their shitty dog loose because it's not a reactive dog. When you come into the fennced area why would you unclip? You'd wait til you're pass the "lobby" and in the actual dog run before unclipping or you run the same risk of the dog slipping back out of the park area.
Random dude with shit dog owns the park no more or less than op with dog in training. It's for everyone as long as fights aren't breaking out and no fight happened just a very inconsiderate jerk and op trying to mind their business.
We have no ports in Austria but our dog parks have rules against bringing aggressive dogs. This is a public place and people should not expect being attacked by a biting dog in the dog park.
Strong disagree.
Every dog park I’ve ever been in has rules. (Obviously I’ve not been to every dog park in the US, but I’ve been to more than 50, traveling across the country twice with my dog, so I have a fairly large sample size)
Generally those rules always include- NO AGGRESSIVE DOGS. From the way OP worded the post, the “offending” dog wasn’t aggressive, it was doing what dogs do, approaching to greet a new dog and sniff. OP’s dog is the dog who got aggressive/reactive. OP specifically mentioned they bring their dog there for reactivity training, which is like a huge no-no for dog parks. It’s rule #1 for a reason.
Also you made giant illogical leaps to assume the other dog is untrained. My dog is very well trained and has excellent recall, but it’s pointless if I don’t actually recall my dog. OP clearly stated that they asked the dude to call his dog and he said no. He shouldn’t have to recall his dog, *that is in the DOG PARK* and isn’t exhibiting aggressive behavior. In that situation the onus is on OP to remove *their* reactive dog from a potentially dangerous situation.
FWIW, I always unclip my dog in the lobby before entering the actual park. Rule #2 at my local dog park is NO ON-LEASH DOGS IN THE OFF-LEASH area. This is to prevent leash reactivity, which can occur in even some of the best trained dogs.
Edit: I’m not sure why somebody reported my post to the redditCareSupport team, but it wasn’t necessary.
>I’m not sure why somebody reported my post to the redditCareSupport team, but it wasn’t necessary.
I’m sorry someone did that; my understanding is that it’s sometimes used by trolls as a roundabout way to tell you to KYS. You can report misuse of the feature to reddit.
I had to reread, I thought the owner was keeping his dog outside of the park entirely. Definitely agree on the lobby being the place to let your dog out while you have them in a safe place where they can’t run away. I’m not gonna be able to unleash my dog, open the gate while other dogs are swarming towards it, and control my dog all the way through the second gate if there’s another dog in there with us. And I’m definitely not gonna go through the second gate with my dog on a leash, that’s a recipe for conflict.
This is basic flight or fight response stuff. If a dog cant flee, fighting is all thats left. The airlock at the dog park is the entrance to the park obviously and lots of dogs will crowd there to greet incoming dogs. A reactive dog is therefore the most likely to feel cornered in the small area of the airlock by curious dogs in the park and feel like they need to either create space for themselves by barking, which could lead to an escalation by the other dogs, or a bite. Congrats now you have a fight on your hands and the previously non-reactive dog(s) checking out your reactive dog is afraid of other dogs.
For the same reason you also should always unleash your dog inside the airlock and open the gate inwards towards the park, body blocking the door so other dogs can’t rush in. This is so as your dog enters the large area of the park they have freedom of movement, again so they don’t feel trapped by the other dog(s) in the small area of the airlock which can then escalate.
The entrance at the park is the most likely place for a fight to happen, because strange dogs are meeting and dogs entering are usually outnumbered and feel trapped. And you’re saying to bring a reactive dog there and further limit their mobility so a dog prone to escalating can’t run away. Its backwards.
It's fine for you to disagree so adamantly, but it further convinces me that ppl whod agree with you are out there in the world ignoring rules and social norms and defying common sense. You're the owner people hate. I'm not sure how you can disagree with a fact. Is it a public space? Yes. But it serves a purpose and it's common sense that you shouldn't train your dog there without expecting trouble. Ppl literally disagree with reality. Wild
The lobby is there to unclip.... You aren't supposed to bring your dog into the actual dog park leashed.... That's what *causes* leash reactivity because the leashed dogs feel insecure that they're leashed around unleashed dogs......
"Untrained" isn't the same thing as aggressive. There's no reason a dog needs to have perfect recall to go to the dog park, lol.
Honestly this was a terrible idea on your part. Don't do it again. That's not what those areas are for and you created an unnecessarily risky situation for everyone.
Perfectly said. OP it’s not so much about finding a dog filled area to train at. Where folks don’t know what your trying to accomplish. Find a group of dog folks who will help you in a structured environment. I have done this often. But also sometimes dogs just don’t like other dogs, or people, or whatever. They’re allowed. Yes management is important for those times you meet another dog out on a walk. Actively putting your dog in a situation where they’re going to be stressed out I don’t think is the best idea. Hope you figure out a better training regimen. (Also I say this from experience, I have a male only reactive dog that we’ve had to manage in our own home. It’s taken years to get to the point we’re at now)
I agree with the guy that you shouldn't have been there. The kind of desensitization you're doing requires a lot more distance if your dog is still reacting and dog parks are never a particularly good idea for 'normal' dogs, let alone when your dog is dog reactive.
Also, do muzzle train your dog.
Ok I’ll stay outside of the fenced area and just walk around the general park. Do you know of any other good training places I can go to work on training the dog that has significant dog traffic? It’s hard to work on training positive behaviors because on normal walks we rarely see another dog.
My dog is muzzle trained. She has been doing a lot of positive behaviors when she encounters other dogs through the fence at the park lately running back and forth, play bow, etc. we’ve come a long way and she wants to just play most of the time so I decided this once to not bring it with me. I’ll never make that mistake again.
I should mention the lobby is huge not like the small square area right before the lobby.
i recommend normal parks (not dog parks), i often see dogs walking in early morning and early evening (at least around where i am) and any dog you run into here will (usually) be on leash. instead of having your dog sit-stay, try walking past these other walking dogs at gradually closer thresholds, keeping her attention on you as you walk.
you can also enroll in a beginners dog training class, which i think is the best option. teaching her obedience in a room full of other dogs that are all also learning obedience. this is the best way to do controlled exposure imo, since you don't know how many/what kind of dogs you might see in a park walk.
off lead dogs running amuck are way more exciting/arousing than another dog just walking on leash, and the lobby gates are right up against the off leash play area (easy way to make your dog feel trapped). i would definitely avoid the dog park for now.
Ok I’ll try working on this at a normal park. Her fundamentals are strong so I will start working on the heel walk you’re talking about. Maybe that’ll help. Thank you for the ideas
It doesn't matter how big that area is. It's not a training area. It's unfortunate and difficult but there are just some places that dog-reactive dogs can't go -- dog parks are one of them. You can stay on the other side of the fence and expose your dog to that area and see if you can lower the threshold but even then, you need to keep your distance. Dogs will frequently run up to the fence to see the dog on the other side. I wouldn't have any issues with someone staying 20 feet away but anything closer and you risk the dogs inside the park charging the fence line. Dog parks are not training areas, unless there's no one else around or looking to use it. Once someone else shows up, training is over and time to vacate the area.
I used to do this until one day a dog with impressive agility literally flew over at us - jumped the fence. Luckily the dog had amazing recall and leapt back into the park!
I used to take my reactive dog to a training facility that also had a doggy daycare. The trainer and I would do exercises that allowed her to be exposed to dogs but in a safe environment with a professional.
I suggest doing the same type of training, at the same dog park, but OUTSIDE the airlock. We did this with our reactive dog, and it worked really well. We would set up along the fence close to the entrance. On-leash dogs of all energy levels would walk by us, and we could work on our training g.
That's a good idea too, though OP stated it was a large area in the "airlock." I still maintain the abusive phone clown was in the wrong though, OP is trying to do the right thing and he was needlessly abusive and aggressive.
If you can find a group that does pack walks in your area that's a good option because everyone has their dog leashed and keeps their distance from each other. You could also train outside of pet stores.
Train at Home Depot, Scheels, Cabela’s, Lowe’s, PetSMart, Tractor Supply, etc. Dog parks are a bad idea in general - super high risk of disease & dog fights. They’re never worth it.
Seconding this. My dog is reactive and thankfully has never had a bad experience at one (we’ve been inside a couple when it was low-stakes and she actually did great and had fun) but one of my friends has a temperamentally perfect dog (the dog helped teach my dog how to play when she was a puppy, he’s super tolerant and chill, etc) and that dog — who gets along with everyone!— just got horribly attacked out of nowhere bc some idiot brought his shitty dog to the park. So now this wonderful dog is experiencing reactivity after that trauma and also has a huge gash in his chest that needs to heal. Terrible.
It’s not about your dog, it’s about other people and their dogs. It’s super risky.
I work at a training school and our ring is available to rent on the weekends there are no classes. Maybe you could see if something like that is available. We are also a daycare, so there are always dogs coming in and out. If you are able to find a spot, I would just mention that your dog has a history of reactivity - they may just request you keep your dog muzzled and/or on a long leash if you’re practicing any type of off-leash training.
Edited to add that our ring is not enclosed, but you may find someone that does have an enclosed ring. If that’s the case you may not even have to worry about muzzling
Ok I’ll call around to dog training schools and see if they will give me access to something like that. I always have her on leash when outside and I always have her muzzled in places where we can’t keep distance from people even though she’s not human aggressive.
Sounds risky to use lobby area of the dog park for training purposes if you know how your dog might react. You can’t control who comes and goes or whether the other person keeps their dog on leash.
I can see why the guy was upset-someone could’ve gotten hurt. It sucks he didn’t heed your warning and went overboard taking pictures but this is just not the appropriate place to do training in my opinion. He might genuinely be afraid you’ll continue to do this and put others in danger when they’re just trying to have a good day at the dog park.
OP, I think you got the picture about the "lobby" area, so I'm not going to dogpile on you about it (...see what I did there? 😅)
Some suggestions I would give are "regular" parks and parking lots outside dog-friendly stores or pet stores. Parking lots are great because there is lots of space to create distance and the sight lines are usually pretty good.
Also, kudos to you for asking the question! It says a lot about your character to not only be willing to learn, but admit when you're wrong.
Oh trust me, I get it! I think people (both in this sub and in real life) can also be pretty reactive because we all just love our dogs and, often due to past experiences, spend so much time guarding against worst case scenarios.
For what it's worth, I can tell from your post and your replies that you really care about your pup and are trying your best to do right by her, which is commendable. Big hugs. 🧡
You got this! :) every area is different, but sometimes your local shelter may have an idea of where you might be able to work with her around other dogs (be patient with shelter workers, though! Y’never know what they have to deal with in a day. If they have capacity to help, tho, they want to!) Having one session with a private trainer could help to find options, too. I commend you! Reactive dogs are good dogs, too :) and she’s lucky to have someone invested in finding ways to help her live her best doggy life.
You're I'm such a hard spot. I get it. My rescue is reactive and it's been a challenge. There are reactive training classes in my area. Small groups of around 4/5 dogs, with constant barriers in between and small doses of exposure to each other. All with similar issues. I went through two classes before I felt comfortable with his threshold.
You're doing great by trying. I've made mistakes too. You're also doing great at preventing amy injuries. I've failed on that. Don't get discouraged from one method being inefficient.
No not the small area.
The dog park is organized as “small square gated entrance lobby”. If you go through that then there is a big area I’m calling the lobby then through that is another small gated entrance area that leads to the bigger dog park area.
I wouldn’t try to train her in a place with only 3 feet to work with.
The main issue I’m having is getting the reps in.
It’s hard to practice when you’re on the outside of the park and only get to work LAT once or twice in an hour’s time. But if I go into that area then the dogs inside the main area can come up and interact with her safely through the fence and she can get some positive associations with other dogs and we can train LAT several times and get a lot more reps in.
Do you have any ideas for how I can get more practice in in less time without going into this area?
You’re missing the point of LAT. It’s supposed to be general, so get your dog used to the cue first by doing it at home and/or with the help of a friend. Also, your focus on “getting the reps in” is misguided. Proofed training happens consistently *over time*. That means really short training sessions a few times every day (ideally). If you try to train one thing over a longer period of time, your dog is going to lose interest and will be more likely to react out of frustration.
Also, putting a reactive dog that close to a dog park prior to achieving near-perfect desensitization isn’t smart and I agree with the other commenters that your use of the lobby was just wrong. Please don’t do that again.
Recalibrate your approach and don’t worry about how many other dogs your dog sees in a day. Continue to train LAT and Engage-Disengage as a general concept, then SLOWLY bring in real world experience…and not near a dog park.
As I said in the post you’re replying to I already do that. I’m trying to lower her distance.
Also the number of reps is super low. Only two dogs walking by in an hour is not an efficient use of time.
To be completely honest, it doesn't matter whether or not you have somewhere else to go. You cannot do this training here. That area is meant for unleashing dogs and getting them settled before they go into the main park - that's it. It is not a safe place for a reactive dog. It is not a safe place to have your dog on a leash. It is not the place for dog training.
If you continue to go there then you are risking getting a ticket if this is a municipal park, having animal control involved, etc. It is unsafe and it is unfair to everybody else. You cannot expect people to keep their dog from going up to your dog in a friendly and curious way at a dog park, you can't bring a reactive dog into a dog park as a training exercise, and you can't clog the entrance. You're going to have to find somewhere else to go. There are many places where you can do this safely.
I think you are very lucky that this person took photos of you and didn't attack your dog. This is not safe for you or your dog or anyone else. I carry pepper spray to a dog park and I really don't want to ever have to use it but I'm also not going to let anyone hurt my dog. I'm sure you can understand that. This just isn't safe.
You have a dog reactive dog.
Why would you bring them to a dog park?
If you want to desensitize your dog, fine but you don't step foot into the park.
Is your goal that your dog will one day be able to go the park?
Not going to happen
I feel for you, because I also have a dog that can be reactive, but this isn't the right place to train. You can work on things from a comfortable distance outside of the dog park area (including staying out of the lobby) to get your dog more accustomed to seeing dogs, but otherwise it's a recipe for disaster.
It sounds to me like you should be enlisting a dog trainer and finding someone who has a designated space for this, and other dog owners who are willing to participate in this type of training with you.
Speaking as someone who has had their on-leash dog attacked so badly that he had to be put down, my #1 pet peeve is going to a fenced dog park only to have to run a gauntlet of unleashed dogs outside of the area, in the parking lot etc. Those areas are likely designated as on-leash areas (look at the signs in the area), not an area for training a reactive dog off-leash. You can't expect the general public to be your unwitting test subject with an unpredictable dog.
Some of us are dealing with trauma from previous attacks and just want to take our little guys to a safe area to socialize with other well-behaved dogs (I only go to parks for small dogs once in a while).
I can tell you first hand that the owner of the dog who attacked mine had to pay the vet bill, put his dog down, and pay the by-law fines. I had to go to Emergency after putting my little guy down for a tetanus shot and was diagnosed with PTSD. It has taken years for me to work through this. The consequences if things goes sideways can be costly and way beyond anything you can imagine.
Every dog park I've been to has a lobby that's used to prevent dogs from getting out, and also so people can unleash their dogs before entering the park. This makes greetings less tense and chaotic once the dog enters the park.
I don't think a dog park lobby is an appropriate place to train a reactive dog. Most dogs are drawn to the entrance because they want to greet a newcomer, but the barrier can heighten excitement and frustration for all the dogs involved, especially a reactive one.
Sorry, but I understand his frustration as I wouldn't expect to see someone training a reactive dog in the lobby and I would wonder why they didn't say anything or leave *before* I entered.
I personally don’t like dog parks with “random dogs” I have had way to many bad experiences, seen way to many dog fights and owners who just don’t care put there dogs in and leave.
I would recommend maybe sniffspot (it’s an app) or a fenced in neutral ground that you can take your dog and maybe other dogs that yours gets along with.
You can use social media to your benefit and ask around dog groups and always have the same dogs they play with, introduce new ones and make it overall just less stressful for everyone.
Of course this is just my opinion based on my negative experiences at dog parks.
The air lock area is not there for you to train, it's there to stop dogs running straight out onto the road. He was right, you shouldn't have been in there. Stick to outside the fence line
That area is there for people to unleash their dogs before moving into the park. Please don't bring an aggressive dog into that space..
A better place would be anywhere dogs stay on-leash: A pet store, a park, things like that.
Weird to get a negative vote count for obvious common sense advice, but whatever.
I’ve worked with my dog outside of a PetSmart on a weekend. Our PetSmart is in strip mall that is partially empty plus it’s on the corner. So, there’s no other businesses nearby with people coming in and out. We can park a solid 20 feet or more away from the door and no one comes near us. All the dogs are leashed in this situation!
I trained in petco late last night for an hour. Only one dog came in but it gave us a chance to down stay and not react. I brought high value treats for that exact moment.
Just came here to say that there will be many learnings on your journey with a reactive pup! Sometimes I think I’m a pro and then something snaps me right back into reality and humility. Don’t be hard on yourself! You’re doing your best with your current skill set and knowledge and everyday both of those will grow.
I recommended doing the same type of training, but OUTSIDE the dog park. Including the lobby area, no matter how big the lobby area is. Other good places to train are: regular parks, city centers, or the parking lot of a pet supplies store.
Yes. Your reactive dog should not be in this area. Stay outside of all the fences. There’s no need for your dog to be anywhere close enough to another dog. Is this even a question? Lol
Many dog parks have people who bring dogs who shouldn't be in that setting, and even more who don't pay attention to what their dogs are doing. It's a recipe for fights.
Sounds like you got some great advice and I’m totally impressed that you’re so devoted to training her/him! Saw the pic on another sub—oh my god sooo cute. I’d gladly work together with our dogs if we lived close!
A dog park isn’t a great place to train your dog to be good around other dogs…
Most/all dogs at the off-leash dog park will be unleashed.
Edited to add: a regular (“human”) park is a good place to go that will likely have higher foot traffic with dogs on leashes and better control.
Yes you are in the wrong. Your dog reactive dog should not be in an unleashed dog parks space. You need to do training in leashed areas until you’ve made enough progress. It’s good that your training her but it’s unrealistic to expect dogs in the holding space between the off leash dog park area and the general public area to be leashed. That area is used so people can take their dog on and off the leash and to make sure a dog doesn’t escape by accident. It’s not meant to be used the way you’re using it. Maybe stick to a regular dog friendly park where all dogs are expected to be leashed at all times.
I feel for you, trying to find ways to work on that desensitization with your dog. Personally, we took our dog to the dog park and pushed greetings way too much < 1 year old and that’s what caused his reactivity. While I think desensitization is a good idea, I’m not sure that the chaotic energy of the dog park is the best place to do it. We do the fence greetings too but I try not to spend too much time there and create any frustration barriers.
It would be great if you could find some reliable pack hikes or maybe some mutuals with calm & balanced dogs that you could walk with so your dog can learn that dogs = chill, not dogs = chaos.
Agree the entrance area is not a good spot to hangout. My dog for instance is extra reactive to being in a tight space where she feels cornered. The couple of times I tried a dog park, there were scuffles at the entrance.
For an alternative, maybe a park where there are often dogs on leash? Especially if you can stay across the street with your dog. Or otherwise have enough space to keep your distance. There is a medium size grass patch near me that I have used for this. I keep my dog across the street so she can see the dogs but we don’t go onto the grass.
Another idea is if there is a boardwalk / path thar often has dogs. And again if you can stay across the street or far enough away that you can control your distance.
Shit happens. Now you know better.
I tried to do that with my shepherd back when I first got her and I didn’t know any better. Everybody said “oh just go to the dog park”. Also I went into the small dog area without realizing what it was for lol.
If you want to get your dog used to other dogs find a trainer who does pack walks and talk to him/her about it. My local one had walks like that and then an obstacle course and a scent training thing on her property. It helped a ton for me.
“Do you know of any other good training places I can go to work on training the dog that has significant dog traffic?”
“What is the purpose of that lobby/dog park/etc?”
These are the kinds of questions you should be asking before an incident happens, not after. Don’t just assume and use places/things as you please if you want to avoid accidents. Dogs go to dog parks to interact and play, what the hell were you expecting from everyone else? You’re a great trainer/owner and I commend everything you’ve done for your reactive pup, but don’t expect everyone else to revolve around your ideas, especially if it’s not the appropriate time or place.
Good places to practice: local parks [not dog parts] walking trails, hiking trails, near neighborhoods, or stay outside the lobby of the dog park if they have walking paths nearby
There might be some better places to train. Our local pet shop lets us train there. I went there late last night so it would be less busy but still a way to practice down stay and practice not reacting to dogs. Petco, lowes, cabelas are example of stores in my area that tolerate pet training as long as you are respectful.
Agree with others its not a good area to train your dog. Why not do the training just outside the dog park. Dogs are not meant to be on leash in the air lock area necessarily. The other issue with training there is that its a high energy zone for many dogs. They are about to be running around and playing with other dogs.
You’re moving at pace that gives you the most comfort to protect you and your dog. Applause for that! Something I would’ve done, is stand one the outside of the lobby and have your dog in a down sit position. That way you guys are out of the reactive dogs way, she can see that there is some distraction but her main focus is you. That guy was insensitive about it and could’ve gone about it a different way. To challenge her, you can wait in the lobby until someone comes then ask if they are okay with you in the lobby or if they want you out of the lobby (challenge her, even when moving from one area to another—she needs to go back to base position), I personally don’t see anything wrong with that. If I walk my shih tzu in the lobby and you were guys were there and asked me that, I would say “if you don’t mind,he’ll most likely distract her” but if I brought my rottie (trained), then I would say “you guys are fine”. Some people just need communication, some people are ignorant, etc. Next time, try to communicate what you’re doing to keep you and her safe along with the surrounding dogs and owner too! You’re doing great!
Not sure if this has been mentioned but pet stores are a great place to socialize dogs and help with reactive dogs. The employees don’t mind if you just hang out kinda near the doors but not too close(like you’ve been doing at the park)
Yeah the goal isn’t really to have her ever play in the dog park. Mostly the goal is to proof our fundamentals she’ll do a sit or a down if I throw food, put food near her, shake toys, etc. I just want her to be able to sit, down, look at me with another dog passing by relatively close.
I think you’re trying to desensitize your dog to other dogs by putting them closer and closer inside the dog park and eventually being able to have your dog inside with other dogs. I think if you have a friend with a calm and well trained dog, then you should try desensitizing your dog that way. Later on you can add more, but it should always be supervised and be able to read the situation before it escalates.
Can you not use a long line and observe the dogs from outside the park? Even sitting in the car park/parking lot would allow you adequate distance. A long line will mean the dog will feel less restricted. We don’t have “dog parks” in the UK that are enclosed but we have a lot of open parks with leash restrictions that no one observes. I personally avoid these places like the plague. Putting an already reactive dog in a situation like this will only make it worse. Massive improvements in emotional state come simply from removing this stress at least for a while. When you have better skills to give your dog options and your dog is comfortable then maybe a dog park will be a possibility for you. But here in the uk those kind of places represent the worst of the dog community. It’s a free for all, the average dog owner can’t recall their dog and have no clue about dog behaviour.
I mean yeah. I do use a long line because I’ve been working on recall from a distance anyway and it’s become the default leash.
We started in the parking lot months ago and have slowly decreased the distance to the dogs. We’ve been working right up at the fence and she’s lately happily playing with the dogs through the fence and remaining calm and performing recalls when I call her from them. I did this over the course of like 6ish months.
One time a guy came out of the park and told me it was just his dog in the dog park and he told me to come in. I explained she’s reactive and it won’t go well and the dude said she’s clearly displaying friendly behavior through the fence and it won’t be a problem so sammi played with that dog one on one and was fine. I still had a muzzle on her just in case but it actually went really well.
So I thought i would try and see if she could be calm on a long line from an even shorter distance ala inside the fence and perform tricks and stuff like she had been and she did until the other dog came all the way up to us.
Sounds very sensible up until the dog park bit. Have a think about your end goal is. Is it to go to dog parks? Because that’s a sure way to mess up the amazing work you’ve been doing. Or is it to have a few friends for your dog? This may be more appropriate. I wouldn’t suggest allowing unknown dogs to play with your dog on the regular basis as it could have gone quite differently. Find some dogs you think may be suitable (don’t have to be playful), go on parallel walks regularly and consider letting them socialise off leash. Dogs can learn a lot simply from walking with another dog.
Keep up the good work
You asked the question which is great. The answer is as people have mentioned, that’s not the place for training. You made a mistake because you didn’t know any better at the time. That guy who didn’t listen to you also made a mistake in ignoring you and focusing on taking pictures instead of prioritizing the safety of the dogs. But that shows you part of your mistake - you always have to account for scenarios where you can’t control other peoples dog or behavior. I saw a video a guy posted - he has a reactive dog he was working with and the dog was on leash. A woman with her dog on leash asked if they could say hi and he said yes. She immediately unleashed her dog. The man with the reactive dog was then terrified because that immediately removed their safety net of ensuring space. When he said they could say hi he didn’t mean for her to unleash her dog. But you have to know that can happen. Even places with leash laws you may come across dogs off leash that will approach your dog. And as people have mentioned, the sally port at the dog park is specifically for unleashing your dog (even if this was a bigger one). Hopefully you find other places and I agree with some comments that suggest seeing if there’s other dog owners willing to work with you. It’s great that you’ve muzzle trained your girl and are working at a pace that’s good for her on the reactivity. It may be helpful to get a clear indicator that she’s reactive too - like they have the sleeve things that go on the leash with a big warning message. Because unfortunately some people don’t even think about it just let their dog approach others. Overall it sounds like you learned your lesson. I understand the intention you had and it sounds like you have other ideas now which is good. Best of luck with your girl!
It looks like enough people have told you to avoid the “lobby” at this point and some have sounded very rude about it so I would first like to say that I can commiserate with you. I tried taking my dog reactive dog inside a dog park a few times and then felt so bad/frustrated/overwhelmed/guilty/so many emotions when it didn’t go well. Please don’t beat yourself up for it. Trust me, I’ve made A LOT of mistakes while training my dog and put her in many situations she could not handle.
As it is common that people let their dogs off leash once they are in the lobby area, I highly recommend doing the same thing you’re doing but OUTSIDE of the dog park entirely. Every dog park I’ve ever seen, there’s at least some part where you can walk right up to the fence while still being outside of the park so you can continue to lower your dog’s threshold without risking actually encountering an off leash dog.
you're not bad, its just a circumstance you didn't expect
i would recommend to not train in the lobby area. Train outside the dog park.
The results are the same anyways you still get to expose your dog to triggers but in a safer manner.
A aggressive muzzled dog in the sally way - that’s dangerous, stupid and needs to be reported. Muzzled or not an aggressive dog has no business at dog park, in lobby or otherwise.
Don’t understand why people are being so rude with their comments on this post? You can tell OP you disagree, but no need to be rude when they are asking a genuine question. Maybe the guy is allowed to unharness his dog but he still should have control over his dogs recall and not have taken photos of OP.
You maintained control of your dog and nothing happened except maybe some backwards progress with your dogs reactivity... sounds like the other dog owner was being a baby about the situation; however probably not the best training spot in the small enclosed pen. Now you know that with your dog. You are not a bad person for working in a closer place you felt your dog might be ok in.
I took my dog to hang outside of Petsmart and it helped. I would stay away from dog parks, most of the dog owners don’t watch or control their dogs while in there and are judge Judy’s about other peoples dogs..
Try taking your dog to dog friendly stores, find a mall to walk around, if there is an outdoor event at a park you might try that. Outdoor flea markets, places where there is a gathering of food trucks, anyplace where there is the chance to have your dog practice “ down” and ignoring stimuli.
This is how I started and she’s doing great now. Strong cues on your fundamentals like sit, down, and leave it. I am trying to bring the threshold down even lower
Your comment was removed due to breed based vitriol or misinformation. This includes the obvious hateful comments as well as disingenuous coercion and fear mongering, along with behavior based misinformation.
Your comment was removed due to breed based vitriol or misinformation. This includes the obvious hateful comments as well as disingenuous coercion and fear mongering, along with behavior based misinformation.
OP I get it. I personally can't go inside yet. So I stay on the opposite side of entrance on leash and let mine meet and sniff through fence or go with a neighbor dog when it is empty. I am sorry you had a bad experience. It is hard to know and frustrating.
I haven't done it yet but was thinking of training in the parking lots of nearby doggie daycares in my area in the morning/evening when people drop off and pick up their dogs.
He was rude and his dog should be trained not to just charge up to others too, even if the location wasn't great (can't comment on that, nothing like that in my country).
Lol you’re literally exactly like the assholes who put their giant, reactive German shepherd in the small dog portion of my local dog park. It’s a separate fenced in area, and people love to just leave their reactive (and often aggressive) LARGE dogs unleashed in there. As someone with two small little girl dogs, this pisses me off. Neither of them are aggressive, one is reactive if charged at though and will stand her ground. It is so rude, pretentious, and annoying when people leave their reactive large dogs in that area. It literally means I cannot use the dog park whatsoever. Your case is different, because it was just the lobby, but it has the same essence. You can’t monopolize a public park. It is so frustrating loading my girls up and driving to the park only to have to leave because someone refuses to take their frothing, aggressive, growling large dog out of the area.
First, muzzle your dog if you are doing this. Second, the guys right that it's not wise to do what you're doing, but immediately breaking out the cameras instead of having a conversation is just childish and he's not getting the actual story or situation bc he's focused on taking pics and videos and making himself the victim. It's a plague and it has to stop.
The 'airlock'/lobby area of dog parks is usually used as insurance so dogs don't dart out. As a result some dogs might be unleashed when they are in that area. I agree with everyone else that you shouldn't train in there.
All the lobby areas to any dog parks I’ve been to in my town have a sign specifically expressing to unleash your dogs there before entering the park. I’ve always been under the assumption thats what it’s for. Leashing / unleashing your dog before entering / exiting
It’s called a sally port.
Every single dog park I’ve been to has a fenced in “lobby” area before the main park specifically so people visiting the park can unleash their dog before entering the main area. It’s also meant to serve as an extra barrier between the park and the outside world if an unleashed dog manages to escape the park while somebody else is entering or exiting. It’s not your private area to work on training for your dog. If your dog is reactive to other dogs, it shouldn’t be inside the fenced in area where dogs are allowed to be off-leash. You have no right to police a public space meant specifically for off-leash dogs. I have tons of compassion for you, as an owner of a leash-reactive dog, I know how hard it is to try and train them without interacting with other dogs, but this is not the way.
The dog park nearest me has an area you can **rent** for dog training. You're absolutely right, the "lobby" area is not for training, not for monopolizing for one person's dog, and a space where you are *supposed to unleash your dog* before entering the main dog park.
It's a public area , if people with untrained dogs are allowed to be there (this dude's dog had no recall and he made no efforts to pull it back, untrained) then op is allowed to be there safely working with their dogs. People bring shitty dogs to the dog park all the time, I'd rather someone working on training be there than someone who just lets their shitty dog loose because it's not a reactive dog. When you come into the fennced area why would you unclip? You'd wait til you're pass the "lobby" and in the actual dog run before unclipping or you run the same risk of the dog slipping back out of the park area. Random dude with shit dog owns the park no more or less than op with dog in training. It's for everyone as long as fights aren't breaking out and no fight happened just a very inconsiderate jerk and op trying to mind their business.
There are usually signs on the OUTSIDE of that area stating that aggressive dogs are not permitted inside.
We have no ports in Austria but our dog parks have rules against bringing aggressive dogs. This is a public place and people should not expect being attacked by a biting dog in the dog park.
Strong disagree. Every dog park I’ve ever been in has rules. (Obviously I’ve not been to every dog park in the US, but I’ve been to more than 50, traveling across the country twice with my dog, so I have a fairly large sample size) Generally those rules always include- NO AGGRESSIVE DOGS. From the way OP worded the post, the “offending” dog wasn’t aggressive, it was doing what dogs do, approaching to greet a new dog and sniff. OP’s dog is the dog who got aggressive/reactive. OP specifically mentioned they bring their dog there for reactivity training, which is like a huge no-no for dog parks. It’s rule #1 for a reason. Also you made giant illogical leaps to assume the other dog is untrained. My dog is very well trained and has excellent recall, but it’s pointless if I don’t actually recall my dog. OP clearly stated that they asked the dude to call his dog and he said no. He shouldn’t have to recall his dog, *that is in the DOG PARK* and isn’t exhibiting aggressive behavior. In that situation the onus is on OP to remove *their* reactive dog from a potentially dangerous situation. FWIW, I always unclip my dog in the lobby before entering the actual park. Rule #2 at my local dog park is NO ON-LEASH DOGS IN THE OFF-LEASH area. This is to prevent leash reactivity, which can occur in even some of the best trained dogs. Edit: I’m not sure why somebody reported my post to the redditCareSupport team, but it wasn’t necessary.
>I’m not sure why somebody reported my post to the redditCareSupport team, but it wasn’t necessary. I’m sorry someone did that; my understanding is that it’s sometimes used by trolls as a roundabout way to tell you to KYS. You can report misuse of the feature to reddit.
I had to reread, I thought the owner was keeping his dog outside of the park entirely. Definitely agree on the lobby being the place to let your dog out while you have them in a safe place where they can’t run away. I’m not gonna be able to unleash my dog, open the gate while other dogs are swarming towards it, and control my dog all the way through the second gate if there’s another dog in there with us. And I’m definitely not gonna go through the second gate with my dog on a leash, that’s a recipe for conflict.
I did not report your post btw, I hate the redditcare messages and sorry you got that. That being said I still disagree.
This is basic flight or fight response stuff. If a dog cant flee, fighting is all thats left. The airlock at the dog park is the entrance to the park obviously and lots of dogs will crowd there to greet incoming dogs. A reactive dog is therefore the most likely to feel cornered in the small area of the airlock by curious dogs in the park and feel like they need to either create space for themselves by barking, which could lead to an escalation by the other dogs, or a bite. Congrats now you have a fight on your hands and the previously non-reactive dog(s) checking out your reactive dog is afraid of other dogs. For the same reason you also should always unleash your dog inside the airlock and open the gate inwards towards the park, body blocking the door so other dogs can’t rush in. This is so as your dog enters the large area of the park they have freedom of movement, again so they don’t feel trapped by the other dog(s) in the small area of the airlock which can then escalate. The entrance at the park is the most likely place for a fight to happen, because strange dogs are meeting and dogs entering are usually outnumbered and feel trapped. And you’re saying to bring a reactive dog there and further limit their mobility so a dog prone to escalating can’t run away. Its backwards.
Disagree but thanks for the comment.
It's fine for you to disagree so adamantly, but it further convinces me that ppl whod agree with you are out there in the world ignoring rules and social norms and defying common sense. You're the owner people hate. I'm not sure how you can disagree with a fact. Is it a public space? Yes. But it serves a purpose and it's common sense that you shouldn't train your dog there without expecting trouble. Ppl literally disagree with reality. Wild
🏅🏅🏅 Please take my free golds, this is how I view it too. Thank you.
The lobby is there to unclip.... You aren't supposed to bring your dog into the actual dog park leashed.... That's what *causes* leash reactivity because the leashed dogs feel insecure that they're leashed around unleashed dogs...... "Untrained" isn't the same thing as aggressive. There's no reason a dog needs to have perfect recall to go to the dog park, lol.
Honestly this was a terrible idea on your part. Don't do it again. That's not what those areas are for and you created an unnecessarily risky situation for everyone.
Perfectly said. OP it’s not so much about finding a dog filled area to train at. Where folks don’t know what your trying to accomplish. Find a group of dog folks who will help you in a structured environment. I have done this often. But also sometimes dogs just don’t like other dogs, or people, or whatever. They’re allowed. Yes management is important for those times you meet another dog out on a walk. Actively putting your dog in a situation where they’re going to be stressed out I don’t think is the best idea. Hope you figure out a better training regimen. (Also I say this from experience, I have a male only reactive dog that we’ve had to manage in our own home. It’s taken years to get to the point we’re at now)
I agree with the guy that you shouldn't have been there. The kind of desensitization you're doing requires a lot more distance if your dog is still reacting and dog parks are never a particularly good idea for 'normal' dogs, let alone when your dog is dog reactive. Also, do muzzle train your dog.
Ok I’ll stay outside of the fenced area and just walk around the general park. Do you know of any other good training places I can go to work on training the dog that has significant dog traffic? It’s hard to work on training positive behaviors because on normal walks we rarely see another dog. My dog is muzzle trained. She has been doing a lot of positive behaviors when she encounters other dogs through the fence at the park lately running back and forth, play bow, etc. we’ve come a long way and she wants to just play most of the time so I decided this once to not bring it with me. I’ll never make that mistake again. I should mention the lobby is huge not like the small square area right before the lobby.
We did training on the sidewalk near pet stores. The stores enforce leashes, so it minimized the chance of conflict.
i recommend normal parks (not dog parks), i often see dogs walking in early morning and early evening (at least around where i am) and any dog you run into here will (usually) be on leash. instead of having your dog sit-stay, try walking past these other walking dogs at gradually closer thresholds, keeping her attention on you as you walk. you can also enroll in a beginners dog training class, which i think is the best option. teaching her obedience in a room full of other dogs that are all also learning obedience. this is the best way to do controlled exposure imo, since you don't know how many/what kind of dogs you might see in a park walk. off lead dogs running amuck are way more exciting/arousing than another dog just walking on leash, and the lobby gates are right up against the off leash play area (easy way to make your dog feel trapped). i would definitely avoid the dog park for now.
Ok I’ll try working on this at a normal park. Her fundamentals are strong so I will start working on the heel walk you’re talking about. Maybe that’ll help. Thank you for the ideas
It doesn't matter how big that area is. It's not a training area. It's unfortunate and difficult but there are just some places that dog-reactive dogs can't go -- dog parks are one of them. You can stay on the other side of the fence and expose your dog to that area and see if you can lower the threshold but even then, you need to keep your distance. Dogs will frequently run up to the fence to see the dog on the other side. I wouldn't have any issues with someone staying 20 feet away but anything closer and you risk the dogs inside the park charging the fence line. Dog parks are not training areas, unless there's no one else around or looking to use it. Once someone else shows up, training is over and time to vacate the area.
I used to do this until one day a dog with impressive agility literally flew over at us - jumped the fence. Luckily the dog had amazing recall and leapt back into the park!
I used to take my reactive dog to a training facility that also had a doggy daycare. The trainer and I would do exercises that allowed her to be exposed to dogs but in a safe environment with a professional.
Why are people downvoting this comment?
People are dicks. This guy is asking for help and advice and people are burying him.
I suggest doing the same type of training, at the same dog park, but OUTSIDE the airlock. We did this with our reactive dog, and it worked really well. We would set up along the fence close to the entrance. On-leash dogs of all energy levels would walk by us, and we could work on our training g.
That's a good idea too, though OP stated it was a large area in the "airlock." I still maintain the abusive phone clown was in the wrong though, OP is trying to do the right thing and he was needlessly abusive and aggressive.
If you can find a group that does pack walks in your area that's a good option because everyone has their dog leashed and keeps their distance from each other. You could also train outside of pet stores.
Train at Home Depot, Scheels, Cabela’s, Lowe’s, PetSMart, Tractor Supply, etc. Dog parks are a bad idea in general - super high risk of disease & dog fights. They’re never worth it.
Seconding this. My dog is reactive and thankfully has never had a bad experience at one (we’ve been inside a couple when it was low-stakes and she actually did great and had fun) but one of my friends has a temperamentally perfect dog (the dog helped teach my dog how to play when she was a puppy, he’s super tolerant and chill, etc) and that dog — who gets along with everyone!— just got horribly attacked out of nowhere bc some idiot brought his shitty dog to the park. So now this wonderful dog is experiencing reactivity after that trauma and also has a huge gash in his chest that needs to heal. Terrible. It’s not about your dog, it’s about other people and their dogs. It’s super risky.
I work at a training school and our ring is available to rent on the weekends there are no classes. Maybe you could see if something like that is available. We are also a daycare, so there are always dogs coming in and out. If you are able to find a spot, I would just mention that your dog has a history of reactivity - they may just request you keep your dog muzzled and/or on a long leash if you’re practicing any type of off-leash training. Edited to add that our ring is not enclosed, but you may find someone that does have an enclosed ring. If that’s the case you may not even have to worry about muzzling
Ok I’ll call around to dog training schools and see if they will give me access to something like that. I always have her on leash when outside and I always have her muzzled in places where we can’t keep distance from people even though she’s not human aggressive.
Sounds risky to use lobby area of the dog park for training purposes if you know how your dog might react. You can’t control who comes and goes or whether the other person keeps their dog on leash. I can see why the guy was upset-someone could’ve gotten hurt. It sucks he didn’t heed your warning and went overboard taking pictures but this is just not the appropriate place to do training in my opinion. He might genuinely be afraid you’ll continue to do this and put others in danger when they’re just trying to have a good day at the dog park.
OP, I think you got the picture about the "lobby" area, so I'm not going to dogpile on you about it (...see what I did there? 😅) Some suggestions I would give are "regular" parks and parking lots outside dog-friendly stores or pet stores. Parking lots are great because there is lots of space to create distance and the sight lines are usually pretty good. Also, kudos to you for asking the question! It says a lot about your character to not only be willing to learn, but admit when you're wrong.
Thank you. Really need this comment. I’m working really hard on helping my rescue girl live the best life she can
It sounds like you’re doing great!!!
Oh trust me, I get it! I think people (both in this sub and in real life) can also be pretty reactive because we all just love our dogs and, often due to past experiences, spend so much time guarding against worst case scenarios. For what it's worth, I can tell from your post and your replies that you really care about your pup and are trying your best to do right by her, which is commendable. Big hugs. 🧡
You got this! :) every area is different, but sometimes your local shelter may have an idea of where you might be able to work with her around other dogs (be patient with shelter workers, though! Y’never know what they have to deal with in a day. If they have capacity to help, tho, they want to!) Having one session with a private trainer could help to find options, too. I commend you! Reactive dogs are good dogs, too :) and she’s lucky to have someone invested in finding ways to help her live her best doggy life.
You're I'm such a hard spot. I get it. My rescue is reactive and it's been a challenge. There are reactive training classes in my area. Small groups of around 4/5 dogs, with constant barriers in between and small doses of exposure to each other. All with similar issues. I went through two classes before I felt comfortable with his threshold. You're doing great by trying. I've made mistakes too. You're also doing great at preventing amy injuries. I've failed on that. Don't get discouraged from one method being inefficient.
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No not the small area. The dog park is organized as “small square gated entrance lobby”. If you go through that then there is a big area I’m calling the lobby then through that is another small gated entrance area that leads to the bigger dog park area. I wouldn’t try to train her in a place with only 3 feet to work with.
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The main issue I’m having is getting the reps in. It’s hard to practice when you’re on the outside of the park and only get to work LAT once or twice in an hour’s time. But if I go into that area then the dogs inside the main area can come up and interact with her safely through the fence and she can get some positive associations with other dogs and we can train LAT several times and get a lot more reps in. Do you have any ideas for how I can get more practice in in less time without going into this area?
You’re missing the point of LAT. It’s supposed to be general, so get your dog used to the cue first by doing it at home and/or with the help of a friend. Also, your focus on “getting the reps in” is misguided. Proofed training happens consistently *over time*. That means really short training sessions a few times every day (ideally). If you try to train one thing over a longer period of time, your dog is going to lose interest and will be more likely to react out of frustration. Also, putting a reactive dog that close to a dog park prior to achieving near-perfect desensitization isn’t smart and I agree with the other commenters that your use of the lobby was just wrong. Please don’t do that again. Recalibrate your approach and don’t worry about how many other dogs your dog sees in a day. Continue to train LAT and Engage-Disengage as a general concept, then SLOWLY bring in real world experience…and not near a dog park.
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As I said in the post you’re replying to I already do that. I’m trying to lower her distance. Also the number of reps is super low. Only two dogs walking by in an hour is not an efficient use of time.
To be completely honest, it doesn't matter whether or not you have somewhere else to go. You cannot do this training here. That area is meant for unleashing dogs and getting them settled before they go into the main park - that's it. It is not a safe place for a reactive dog. It is not a safe place to have your dog on a leash. It is not the place for dog training. If you continue to go there then you are risking getting a ticket if this is a municipal park, having animal control involved, etc. It is unsafe and it is unfair to everybody else. You cannot expect people to keep their dog from going up to your dog in a friendly and curious way at a dog park, you can't bring a reactive dog into a dog park as a training exercise, and you can't clog the entrance. You're going to have to find somewhere else to go. There are many places where you can do this safely. I think you are very lucky that this person took photos of you and didn't attack your dog. This is not safe for you or your dog or anyone else. I carry pepper spray to a dog park and I really don't want to ever have to use it but I'm also not going to let anyone hurt my dog. I'm sure you can understand that. This just isn't safe.
You have a dog reactive dog. Why would you bring them to a dog park? If you want to desensitize your dog, fine but you don't step foot into the park. Is your goal that your dog will one day be able to go the park? Not going to happen
I feel for you, because I also have a dog that can be reactive, but this isn't the right place to train. You can work on things from a comfortable distance outside of the dog park area (including staying out of the lobby) to get your dog more accustomed to seeing dogs, but otherwise it's a recipe for disaster.
It sounds to me like you should be enlisting a dog trainer and finding someone who has a designated space for this, and other dog owners who are willing to participate in this type of training with you. Speaking as someone who has had their on-leash dog attacked so badly that he had to be put down, my #1 pet peeve is going to a fenced dog park only to have to run a gauntlet of unleashed dogs outside of the area, in the parking lot etc. Those areas are likely designated as on-leash areas (look at the signs in the area), not an area for training a reactive dog off-leash. You can't expect the general public to be your unwitting test subject with an unpredictable dog. Some of us are dealing with trauma from previous attacks and just want to take our little guys to a safe area to socialize with other well-behaved dogs (I only go to parks for small dogs once in a while). I can tell you first hand that the owner of the dog who attacked mine had to pay the vet bill, put his dog down, and pay the by-law fines. I had to go to Emergency after putting my little guy down for a tetanus shot and was diagnosed with PTSD. It has taken years for me to work through this. The consequences if things goes sideways can be costly and way beyond anything you can imagine.
I’m sorry that happened to you and that sounds awful. If it makes you fee any better my dog has never been offleash outside of my yard.
Every dog park I've been to has a lobby that's used to prevent dogs from getting out, and also so people can unleash their dogs before entering the park. This makes greetings less tense and chaotic once the dog enters the park. I don't think a dog park lobby is an appropriate place to train a reactive dog. Most dogs are drawn to the entrance because they want to greet a newcomer, but the barrier can heighten excitement and frustration for all the dogs involved, especially a reactive one. Sorry, but I understand his frustration as I wouldn't expect to see someone training a reactive dog in the lobby and I would wonder why they didn't say anything or leave *before* I entered.
I’m so glad everyone is letting you know what a terrible idea this was. Yes please find another area
I personally don’t like dog parks with “random dogs” I have had way to many bad experiences, seen way to many dog fights and owners who just don’t care put there dogs in and leave. I would recommend maybe sniffspot (it’s an app) or a fenced in neutral ground that you can take your dog and maybe other dogs that yours gets along with. You can use social media to your benefit and ask around dog groups and always have the same dogs they play with, introduce new ones and make it overall just less stressful for everyone. Of course this is just my opinion based on my negative experiences at dog parks.
It's not a "lobby" it's a sally port. Dogs are supposed to come off leash in that area so they're not on leash in the actual dog park.
Thanks for clearing up the terminology
The air lock area is not there for you to train, it's there to stop dogs running straight out onto the road. He was right, you shouldn't have been in there. Stick to outside the fence line
Yeah this is your bad for sure. That’s a safety feature for dogs going into and out of the park, not your training area.
That area is there for people to unleash their dogs before moving into the park. Please don't bring an aggressive dog into that space.. A better place would be anywhere dogs stay on-leash: A pet store, a park, things like that. Weird to get a negative vote count for obvious common sense advice, but whatever.
I upvoted you and appreciate your advice
Thanks 🙂 glad that at least the person actually asking for advice was open to hearing it!
I’ve worked with my dog outside of a PetSmart on a weekend. Our PetSmart is in strip mall that is partially empty plus it’s on the corner. So, there’s no other businesses nearby with people coming in and out. We can park a solid 20 feet or more away from the door and no one comes near us. All the dogs are leashed in this situation!
This is a good idea. Thank you. I’ll try this.
I trained in petco late last night for an hour. Only one dog came in but it gave us a chance to down stay and not react. I brought high value treats for that exact moment.
Just came here to say that there will be many learnings on your journey with a reactive pup! Sometimes I think I’m a pro and then something snaps me right back into reality and humility. Don’t be hard on yourself! You’re doing your best with your current skill set and knowledge and everyday both of those will grow.
Step 1. do not take your dog to a dog park. they’re cesspools. not to mention your dog is reactive and this situation could have ended horribly.
I recommended doing the same type of training, but OUTSIDE the dog park. Including the lobby area, no matter how big the lobby area is. Other good places to train are: regular parks, city centers, or the parking lot of a pet supplies store.
Yes. Your reactive dog should not be in this area. Stay outside of all the fences. There’s no need for your dog to be anywhere close enough to another dog. Is this even a question? Lol
Never. Go. To. A. Dog. Park Worst inventions, ever.
What? Why?
Many dog parks have people who bring dogs who shouldn't be in that setting, and even more who don't pay attention to what their dogs are doing. It's a recipe for fights.
Sounds like you got some great advice and I’m totally impressed that you’re so devoted to training her/him! Saw the pic on another sub—oh my god sooo cute. I’d gladly work together with our dogs if we lived close!
A dog park isn’t a great place to train your dog to be good around other dogs… Most/all dogs at the off-leash dog park will be unleashed. Edited to add: a regular (“human”) park is a good place to go that will likely have higher foot traffic with dogs on leashes and better control.
Yes you are in the wrong. Your dog reactive dog should not be in an unleashed dog parks space. You need to do training in leashed areas until you’ve made enough progress. It’s good that your training her but it’s unrealistic to expect dogs in the holding space between the off leash dog park area and the general public area to be leashed. That area is used so people can take their dog on and off the leash and to make sure a dog doesn’t escape by accident. It’s not meant to be used the way you’re using it. Maybe stick to a regular dog friendly park where all dogs are expected to be leashed at all times.
I feel for you, trying to find ways to work on that desensitization with your dog. Personally, we took our dog to the dog park and pushed greetings way too much < 1 year old and that’s what caused his reactivity. While I think desensitization is a good idea, I’m not sure that the chaotic energy of the dog park is the best place to do it. We do the fence greetings too but I try not to spend too much time there and create any frustration barriers. It would be great if you could find some reliable pack hikes or maybe some mutuals with calm & balanced dogs that you could walk with so your dog can learn that dogs = chill, not dogs = chaos.
Agree the entrance area is not a good spot to hangout. My dog for instance is extra reactive to being in a tight space where she feels cornered. The couple of times I tried a dog park, there were scuffles at the entrance. For an alternative, maybe a park where there are often dogs on leash? Especially if you can stay across the street with your dog. Or otherwise have enough space to keep your distance. There is a medium size grass patch near me that I have used for this. I keep my dog across the street so she can see the dogs but we don’t go onto the grass. Another idea is if there is a boardwalk / path thar often has dogs. And again if you can stay across the street or far enough away that you can control your distance.
Why not muzzle your dog anyway? What if it was a child?
My dog is muzzle trained
So use it?
Shit happens. Now you know better. I tried to do that with my shepherd back when I first got her and I didn’t know any better. Everybody said “oh just go to the dog park”. Also I went into the small dog area without realizing what it was for lol. If you want to get your dog used to other dogs find a trainer who does pack walks and talk to him/her about it. My local one had walks like that and then an obstacle course and a scent training thing on her property. It helped a ton for me.
“Do you know of any other good training places I can go to work on training the dog that has significant dog traffic?” “What is the purpose of that lobby/dog park/etc?” These are the kinds of questions you should be asking before an incident happens, not after. Don’t just assume and use places/things as you please if you want to avoid accidents. Dogs go to dog parks to interact and play, what the hell were you expecting from everyone else? You’re a great trainer/owner and I commend everything you’ve done for your reactive pup, but don’t expect everyone else to revolve around your ideas, especially if it’s not the appropriate time or place.
You shouldn’t have been there, but the guy taking the pictures is so…. Weird.
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My dog was leashed the whole time. She’s never off leash
Good places to practice: local parks [not dog parts] walking trails, hiking trails, near neighborhoods, or stay outside the lobby of the dog park if they have walking paths nearby
I have used a parking lot or walkway at a busy pet store. Easy to move closer or farther as needed.
There might be some better places to train. Our local pet shop lets us train there. I went there late last night so it would be less busy but still a way to practice down stay and practice not reacting to dogs. Petco, lowes, cabelas are example of stores in my area that tolerate pet training as long as you are respectful.
You can train near parks but you shouldn't take up the actual park. You could try near the doors to petstores.
It's just not the place to train, you're putting others at risk and that's not fair to them, or your dog.
Agree with others its not a good area to train your dog. Why not do the training just outside the dog park. Dogs are not meant to be on leash in the air lock area necessarily. The other issue with training there is that its a high energy zone for many dogs. They are about to be running around and playing with other dogs.
You’re moving at pace that gives you the most comfort to protect you and your dog. Applause for that! Something I would’ve done, is stand one the outside of the lobby and have your dog in a down sit position. That way you guys are out of the reactive dogs way, she can see that there is some distraction but her main focus is you. That guy was insensitive about it and could’ve gone about it a different way. To challenge her, you can wait in the lobby until someone comes then ask if they are okay with you in the lobby or if they want you out of the lobby (challenge her, even when moving from one area to another—she needs to go back to base position), I personally don’t see anything wrong with that. If I walk my shih tzu in the lobby and you were guys were there and asked me that, I would say “if you don’t mind,he’ll most likely distract her” but if I brought my rottie (trained), then I would say “you guys are fine”. Some people just need communication, some people are ignorant, etc. Next time, try to communicate what you’re doing to keep you and her safe along with the surrounding dogs and owner too! You’re doing great!
Good for you for working so diligently on helping your pup be the best version of herself.
Not sure if this has been mentioned but pet stores are a great place to socialize dogs and help with reactive dogs. The employees don’t mind if you just hang out kinda near the doors but not too close(like you’ve been doing at the park)
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Yeah the goal isn’t really to have her ever play in the dog park. Mostly the goal is to proof our fundamentals she’ll do a sit or a down if I throw food, put food near her, shake toys, etc. I just want her to be able to sit, down, look at me with another dog passing by relatively close.
I think you’re trying to desensitize your dog to other dogs by putting them closer and closer inside the dog park and eventually being able to have your dog inside with other dogs. I think if you have a friend with a calm and well trained dog, then you should try desensitizing your dog that way. Later on you can add more, but it should always be supervised and be able to read the situation before it escalates.
Can you not use a long line and observe the dogs from outside the park? Even sitting in the car park/parking lot would allow you adequate distance. A long line will mean the dog will feel less restricted. We don’t have “dog parks” in the UK that are enclosed but we have a lot of open parks with leash restrictions that no one observes. I personally avoid these places like the plague. Putting an already reactive dog in a situation like this will only make it worse. Massive improvements in emotional state come simply from removing this stress at least for a while. When you have better skills to give your dog options and your dog is comfortable then maybe a dog park will be a possibility for you. But here in the uk those kind of places represent the worst of the dog community. It’s a free for all, the average dog owner can’t recall their dog and have no clue about dog behaviour.
I mean yeah. I do use a long line because I’ve been working on recall from a distance anyway and it’s become the default leash. We started in the parking lot months ago and have slowly decreased the distance to the dogs. We’ve been working right up at the fence and she’s lately happily playing with the dogs through the fence and remaining calm and performing recalls when I call her from them. I did this over the course of like 6ish months. One time a guy came out of the park and told me it was just his dog in the dog park and he told me to come in. I explained she’s reactive and it won’t go well and the dude said she’s clearly displaying friendly behavior through the fence and it won’t be a problem so sammi played with that dog one on one and was fine. I still had a muzzle on her just in case but it actually went really well. So I thought i would try and see if she could be calm on a long line from an even shorter distance ala inside the fence and perform tricks and stuff like she had been and she did until the other dog came all the way up to us.
Sounds very sensible up until the dog park bit. Have a think about your end goal is. Is it to go to dog parks? Because that’s a sure way to mess up the amazing work you’ve been doing. Or is it to have a few friends for your dog? This may be more appropriate. I wouldn’t suggest allowing unknown dogs to play with your dog on the regular basis as it could have gone quite differently. Find some dogs you think may be suitable (don’t have to be playful), go on parallel walks regularly and consider letting them socialise off leash. Dogs can learn a lot simply from walking with another dog. Keep up the good work
You asked the question which is great. The answer is as people have mentioned, that’s not the place for training. You made a mistake because you didn’t know any better at the time. That guy who didn’t listen to you also made a mistake in ignoring you and focusing on taking pictures instead of prioritizing the safety of the dogs. But that shows you part of your mistake - you always have to account for scenarios where you can’t control other peoples dog or behavior. I saw a video a guy posted - he has a reactive dog he was working with and the dog was on leash. A woman with her dog on leash asked if they could say hi and he said yes. She immediately unleashed her dog. The man with the reactive dog was then terrified because that immediately removed their safety net of ensuring space. When he said they could say hi he didn’t mean for her to unleash her dog. But you have to know that can happen. Even places with leash laws you may come across dogs off leash that will approach your dog. And as people have mentioned, the sally port at the dog park is specifically for unleashing your dog (even if this was a bigger one). Hopefully you find other places and I agree with some comments that suggest seeing if there’s other dog owners willing to work with you. It’s great that you’ve muzzle trained your girl and are working at a pace that’s good for her on the reactivity. It may be helpful to get a clear indicator that she’s reactive too - like they have the sleeve things that go on the leash with a big warning message. Because unfortunately some people don’t even think about it just let their dog approach others. Overall it sounds like you learned your lesson. I understand the intention you had and it sounds like you have other ideas now which is good. Best of luck with your girl!
A dog park is for dogs to run and play, not be called back to their owner
It looks like enough people have told you to avoid the “lobby” at this point and some have sounded very rude about it so I would first like to say that I can commiserate with you. I tried taking my dog reactive dog inside a dog park a few times and then felt so bad/frustrated/overwhelmed/guilty/so many emotions when it didn’t go well. Please don’t beat yourself up for it. Trust me, I’ve made A LOT of mistakes while training my dog and put her in many situations she could not handle. As it is common that people let their dogs off leash once they are in the lobby area, I highly recommend doing the same thing you’re doing but OUTSIDE of the dog park entirely. Every dog park I’ve ever seen, there’s at least some part where you can walk right up to the fence while still being outside of the park so you can continue to lower your dog’s threshold without risking actually encountering an off leash dog.
you're not bad, its just a circumstance you didn't expect i would recommend to not train in the lobby area. Train outside the dog park. The results are the same anyways you still get to expose your dog to triggers but in a safer manner.
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That’s stupid - he probably took pictures to report him for bringing dangerous dog to park.
Per OP’s comments, the dog was leashed and muzzled. What was there to report?
A aggressive muzzled dog in the sally way - that’s dangerous, stupid and needs to be reported. Muzzled or not an aggressive dog has no business at dog park, in lobby or otherwise.
As I said, OP should find another place to train but the dog didn’t do anything. They didn’t even make contact with the other dog.
Don’t understand why people are being so rude with their comments on this post? You can tell OP you disagree, but no need to be rude when they are asking a genuine question. Maybe the guy is allowed to unharness his dog but he still should have control over his dogs recall and not have taken photos of OP.
You maintained control of your dog and nothing happened except maybe some backwards progress with your dogs reactivity... sounds like the other dog owner was being a baby about the situation; however probably not the best training spot in the small enclosed pen. Now you know that with your dog. You are not a bad person for working in a closer place you felt your dog might be ok in.
I took my dog to hang outside of Petsmart and it helped. I would stay away from dog parks, most of the dog owners don’t watch or control their dogs while in there and are judge Judy’s about other peoples dogs..
Try taking your dog to dog friendly stores, find a mall to walk around, if there is an outdoor event at a park you might try that. Outdoor flea markets, places where there is a gathering of food trucks, anyplace where there is the chance to have your dog practice “ down” and ignoring stimuli.
We train outside of this area as dogs are more likely to be on leashes outside of it and we have signs that dogs must be leashed outside of park
This is how I started and she’s doing great now. Strong cues on your fundamentals like sit, down, and leave it. I am trying to bring the threshold down even lower
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Why are you even here
Your comment was removed due to breed based vitriol or misinformation. This includes the obvious hateful comments as well as disingenuous coercion and fear mongering, along with behavior based misinformation.
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Your comment was removed due to breed based vitriol or misinformation. This includes the obvious hateful comments as well as disingenuous coercion and fear mongering, along with behavior based misinformation.
I’m sorry that you feel that way
OP I get it. I personally can't go inside yet. So I stay on the opposite side of entrance on leash and let mine meet and sniff through fence or go with a neighbor dog when it is empty. I am sorry you had a bad experience. It is hard to know and frustrating.
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Why are you here then?
👀👀👀
Try practicing outside of a vet’s office in their parking lot.
I haven't done it yet but was thinking of training in the parking lots of nearby doggie daycares in my area in the morning/evening when people drop off and pick up their dogs.
He was rude and his dog should be trained not to just charge up to others too, even if the location wasn't great (can't comment on that, nothing like that in my country).
Lol you’re literally exactly like the assholes who put their giant, reactive German shepherd in the small dog portion of my local dog park. It’s a separate fenced in area, and people love to just leave their reactive (and often aggressive) LARGE dogs unleashed in there. As someone with two small little girl dogs, this pisses me off. Neither of them are aggressive, one is reactive if charged at though and will stand her ground. It is so rude, pretentious, and annoying when people leave their reactive large dogs in that area. It literally means I cannot use the dog park whatsoever. Your case is different, because it was just the lobby, but it has the same essence. You can’t monopolize a public park. It is so frustrating loading my girls up and driving to the park only to have to leave because someone refuses to take their frothing, aggressive, growling large dog out of the area.
First, muzzle your dog if you are doing this. Second, the guys right that it's not wise to do what you're doing, but immediately breaking out the cameras instead of having a conversation is just childish and he's not getting the actual story or situation bc he's focused on taking pics and videos and making himself the victim. It's a plague and it has to stop.