Dog Park Meet & Greets, Ventura, CA

[jaleely]

Hello all!
We've been trying to socialize Finn, and so we're going to the dog park a lot. I'm planning on posting here whenever we're going to go to a dog park, because if some of you can make it, I'd love to meet up with other Sheltie owners!
If anyone has an idea of another park to go to, please post here and let's plan some meetups.

Text me, if you like!
805-815-1712

Hope to see you!
Melissa, Kevin, & Finn

 

[Piper's mom]

While socializing your dog is a great idea, going to a dog park is not the way to go about it. In fact a dog park can be the absolute worst way as many people take their unsocialized dogs there and then a fight ensues and your dog can be mentally scarred. The best way to socialize your pup is taking a puppy class with a reputable trainer and by taking your pup to as many places as you can...stores that allow dogs, schoolyards, any busy place with lots of different people (kids, men, women) and allowing them to pet and hold your pup (only if the pup has all his shots, otherwise bring a bottle of hand wash and politely ask them to clean their hands). Allow your pup to experience as many different things in a safe environment (for example at a noisy schoolyard give treats and praise the puppy as they watch the goings on) and continue to do this as the grow up and you will be rewarded with a very stable adult dog.

 

[ghggp]

I agree, call me paranoid, I don't trust some dog owners to have properly socialized their dogs.

Going to training groups is better as all dogs are closely supervised. Any dog misbehaving will never get a chance to hurt your pup as they are restrained by the leash.
Might be nice to have play days with other Sheltie owners.

I found a Sheltie MeetUp in California:

San Diego Sheltie Meetup Group
https://www.meetup.com/SanDiegoShelties/

 

[Piper's mom]

I wish we had a group where I live...we should seeing as how there are about 6 breeders within a hundred mile radius...should be lots of Sheltie pet owners lol.

 

[Pam]

Ooo I need to find out if there is a NJ Sheltie Meetup Group. I agree with Piper's Mom and Baron's mom, dog parks can be pretty bad. I took Beau a few times when he was young, and the first times were fine and THEN there was a pitie mix that was bullying him badly, and Beau kept tummying up but it didn't help--the owner was on his cell phone. I couldn't get the dog to leave Beau alone to take him out...another owner watching the whole thing got very concerned and threw a treat to distract the other dog and then got between him and Beau and I whisked him away to never return. He goes to a really really good doggie daycare occasionally. This daycare first spends time with the dog alone, then introduces other dogs they know slowly, then watches the play and assigns a play group based on size and play style. They keep the dog/people ratio really low and take each dog out every hour for a potty/release break. It has been terrific to socialize Beau. Much safer than a dog park.

 

[jaleely]

I do take the advice, truly. We've had some iffy dog park experiences over the past 12 years or so, that I've lived in Ventura. The post was kind of a call out, because there are a few Shelties nd their owners here in Ventura, and I'd like to meet up!
I found that during the middle of the day, during the week, the Camino Real park has some very nice people in it. I'm always right there next to Bowser and Finn however. It doesn't give me very much time to socialize. I wouldn't mind going to a beach or something though. Unfortunately we're finding out that not only does Finn hate his harness and Leash, but he might be a little leash aggressive! He doesn't like anyone when he's on a leash. The minute it's off, the only thing he cares about is the ball. He's definitely not like any dog my husband and I have owned before!

I was actually worried that we might have been being too protective off Finn, because we had waited so long TO take him to someplace like the dog park! Lol!
We just really don't have a lot of places for him to go and run around. Our yard is very small, though our townhouse has good running space.
In a few months we're planning to move out of state, and that'll be really nice to get some land and let him run around!

 

[jaleely]

Well, if anyone has any good ideas on how Finn and I can meet other Shelties, I'm up for it! So is he!