Dog Park

[2GoodDogs]

A sheltie that enjoys running and chase can often excite the high prey drive dogs and the chase becomes predatory, and if there are several dogs chasing, it can get ugly quickly.

That happened to my Bobby once, he was running in glee - so fast, had the entire pack at the dog park chasing him - then quickly - he was running for his life .. I got him out of there in a hurry and vowed that no sheltie of mine will play with dogs unknown to me!

Yup, I get to choose his friends. I love responsible dog ownership.

I read on Facebook just this morning about a sheltie that was badly mauled by two dogs in a California dog park. So heartbreaking that this sheltie might not make it...

 

[Jess041]

A sheltie that enjoys running and chase can often excite the high prey drive dogs and the chase becomes predatory, and if there are several dogs chasing, it can get ugly quickly.

That happened to my Bobby once, he was running in glee - so fast, had the entire pack at the dog park chasing him - then quickly - he was running for his life .. I got him out of there in a hurry and vowed that no sheltie of mine will play with dogs unknown to me!

Yup, I get to choose his friends. I love responsible dog ownership.

Yes yes, absolutely yes. This is exactly what happened with the Great Dane. I do know most of the dogs at the dog park, and I'll leave if it's somebody I know doesn't get along with Missy. Luckily she gets along with most dogs. But I have no problem taking her home when things are going south.

 

[cookieP]

Cookie and I used to go to the dog park, but since there is no small dog area at our local park, I quit taking him--especially since I found a really good off leash area by my house.

Usually, I find there are "dog park dogs" (usually labs, retrievers, etc) and then there are "non-dog park dogs" and shelties *usually* fall into the non-dog park dog category. Cookie loves to play run/chase games, and plays exceptionally well with other herding breeds (as is the case with most shelties), but is not the wrestling type. This does often lead to other dogs chasing down him down. He didn't really enjoy it unless there was another herding breed there anyway.

He does go to doggy day camp with me where I work, but in the yard where I place him all the dogs are under thirty pounds, and as in every yard at camp, there is a limit on the number of dogs per yard (in his yard no more than 15) and always a camp counselor monitoring the energy levels and balancing the yards. He loves going there where he frequently gets to play with some of his sheltie friends, and I know everyone is always being carefully watched. Plus, we interview each dog one on one and with other dogs for many hours before they are allowed to actually fully participate in the camp experience. I consider camp more of what a dog park should be like, if one were to go to dog parks.