Pit Bulls going to dog park

Well hi there "CG."

As I have told you many, many times (even after you insulted me) Pit Bulls do NOT belong at dog parks! They are NOT dog park material.

I provided you with many links to prove my point. Did you even bother to read them?

Stop by Pitbullforum.com, and pitbull-chat.com and they will tell you exactly what I have told you.

I agree with bullypaws. Dog parks are no place for pitbulls. It is an accident waiting to happen even when you are watchful of your pittie. It only takes a second for something to happen. It may not even have been started by your dog but it will be blamed on the pittie. You will never know when or if your pittie will develop DA until it happens. Even if he hasn't shown signs of it yet, that doesn't mean tomorrow will be the same. Long walks, controlled pittie play dates with responsible owners are a better avenue.

I think a better way to explain this is: it isn't that dog parks aren't for pit bulls: dog parks are not safe for ANY breed of dog, period.

The sad truth is that there are irresponsible dog owners for *every single breed of dog* and because of this, your dog, whether or not it's a pit bull, is NOT safe at a dog park.

There are numerous stories of dogs getting into violent fights at dog parks because people do not have control over their animals. And this occurs with every breed of dog, period.

I own a non-aggressive (but extremely passive and submissive) Aussie Shepherd and I wouldn't bring her to a dog park (I did once and I was extremely nervous) because it's not her I worry about: it's other dogs and their ignorant owners. Regardless of breed, dog parks are extremely unsafe.

A better way to exercise or socialize your dog is to find people to meet up with and have one on one doggy "play dates". If you're extremely concerned about their "activity level" or "exercise" they're receiving, your dog should be given regular walks anyway. There are also numerous activities, such as weight pulling, agility, and other things that you can enroll your dog in to not only get physical exercise, but mental exercise as well.

I think the best thing in this situation wasn't to bluntly say "pit bulls don't belong" but "dog parks are dangerous for every dog, period". Sometimes wording things different helps to defuse an argument or fight :)

Also, I'm pretty sure DA stands for "dog aggression".

It's the other dogs at the dog park that we have to worry about . If something was to happen it would be the pitt that would get blamed

Its ignorant people like yal that keeps the pit bull breed in a negative light. Pit bulls are terriers who love to run, chase, and play and for many people the only area they get to do that is at the dog park. People shouldn't be frightened of pit bulls, they are a loving breed. If the dogs are brought up right in a loving and caring enviroment and trained well you have nothing to worry about at the dog park. Not everyone is Mike Vick.

I don't know what kind of dog parks you guys go to, but they sound a lot different from our local one. There, all the dog owners talk amongst themselves, but they've always got an eye on their dogs.

Daisy, our Pit, is well known there - in a GREAT way. People ask what breed she is, we tell them, and they're surprised because of how well she plays and how friendly she is with the owners. But you know, it's opened a lot of eyes. Nobody leaves when she's there, everyone accepts her. So I think socializing your Pit at a park is what you SHOULD do as an owner. Don't keep your dog away, because THAT makes them look unfriendly. Let them interact, keep YOUR eye on your dog - and make sure your dog is TRAINED and dog-friendly. That's the key, I think.

If you set the example by being responsible for your pet, people might take notice and pay more attention themselves. Stay close by and watch, the way you'd watch your kids playing at a park. Let's give people something GOOD to talk about in the name of Pits.

Did you say dog park?

More often than they should, pit bull owners wonder about the dog park issue, finding themselves explaining to others that their dog is not a "killing machine," it is not "one of those pit bulls" and there is no reason that their dog can’t enjoy off leash time with unknown dogs. Some will even insist that "you only add to the misconception toward this breed when you don't allow your friendly pit bull to go to the dog park.” After all, these people argue that it is all about "how we raise them" and providing socialization is the key to no problem dogs. Unfortunately, that’s not true.

Dog aggression in our own dogs should not be a problem. Good management and knowledge prevent trouble. Responsible and caring pit bull owners have done their homework and know what to expect from the breed. This breed's genetic traits involve dog aggression, to varying degrees. Even the most well socialized pit bull can one day decide that other dogs are not play buddies. It happens most often when the dog reaches maturity between two and three years of age, and it can happen without apparent reason.

Here are some good articles for basic breed information:

http://www.pbrc.net/breedinfo.html
http://www.realpitbull.com/fight.html

Because of the breed's background, it is unfair to expect dogs to behave the way we want them to when it comes to dog aggression and dog to dog relationships. We set our dogs up for failure when we decide to let them off leash in a public place and allow them to romp with other dogs. Dog parks are a place where people like to chit chat with each other, paying very little attention to what happens around their dogs. Posturing, body language, subtle looks and even vocalization are often misunderstood or overlooked by dog owners. Even when dogs let us know what is about to happen we might not see what is happening until it is too late. Most dog owners have no idea of what body language means, and don’t know how to intervene if things go wrong. They panic, scream, yell, and hit the attacking dog; all of which often just makes things worse. A fight between two dogs can be hard enough to stop; now imagine a fight among 4 or 5 of them. In fights like these, pets and even people can be seriously injured.

Dog parks are also a place where unknown dogs are present. We don't know if they’re fully vaccinated or in good health. They can be sick and our dogs can get ill as well.

We don't know if they are truly friendly dogs or if they may be aggressive. Everybody's dog is friendly, according to their owners. When the "friendly" dog decides to snap at ours, a fight starts.

Who is going to be blamed for that fight? Will it be the pit bull or the cute little fluffy dog? The answer is obvious.

Here is the story of one accident at a dog park, involving a pit bull.:

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/dogpark.cfm

Below is an article about a pit bull named Nettie that attacked a police horse, in San Francisco, in 2003. Nettie was let off leash at a public park by her irresponsible owner. The dog did nothing wrong, but she was set up for failure by the person who should have protected her. Nettie belonged to an SPCA volunteer and she was often taken to senior centers to comfort the elderly. Nettie was a good dog. This pretty pit bull female paid the price for her owner’s ignorance and irresponsibility with her life. Many dogs have lost their lives the same way, due to the same kind of irresponsibility. It took her life for her owner to "get it.” Like most situations of this sort, the events that ultimately resulted in Nettie’s unfair death were totally preventable.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2003/11/23/horse23.DTL

Each time a pit bull is allowed to harm another pet all pit bull owners and their dogs suffer. One common defensive reaction of dog park lovers is "the dog is mine and it is nobody's business where I take it.” This is not true. It is every pit bull owner's business as well. We are surrounded by BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) all over the Country. The news media report dog to dog attacks or dog to cat/cow/horse/sheep attacks almost every day, and with the same attention as if Osama Bin Laden had been captured. Reporters often compare human aggression to animal aggression. How many times do we hear "it was a dog but it could have been a child"?

It is ridiculous but it happens every day. “There goes another vicious pit bull attacking an innocent dog or cat!” What happens after a pit bull attacks another dog in the neighborhood or at the local dog park? It is like we suddenly own wild animals that have no right to exist. Our friendly neighbor suddenly stops talking to us and no longer lets her children come around our dog. The person we used to walk our dog with is no longer available because she fears for her pet. The two men down the street no longer come and pet our dog when we walk by their homes or rush into the house if they have their dogs with them. People ask for a ban. We did not change and our dog is the same as always but this is the result of one mistake, caused by someone who obviously did not care about the rest of us. It is a sad situation to be in.

This breed doesn't need any more accidents, we can't afford them. We are in this situation thank to those who failed their own dogs. When a whole breed suffers because of someone's action it is our business as well. No doubt on that.

Vet bills aren't cheap, emotions can be overwhelming, the guilt stays, so why to risk it? It isn't fair that only one breed is targeted when dogs of other breeds have killed or attacked other dogs. Today, a dog behaving like a dog has become a sin. Fair or not that is how the situation is and every pit bull owner needs to understand it.

The point of socialization is for a dog to have positive experiences with other dogs. When people take their dogs, perhaps puppies, to a park and something happens, they are responsible for the consequences. A young dog that is attacked for no reason won't be so willing to be friendly the next time it meets an unknown dog. An experience like that is a bad start and can often lead to problems in the future. There are no guarantees on what can happen at a dog park because dog parks are often full of different dogs with different personalities and tolerance levels. Even an easy going adult dog can change its approach after an attack. It is hard enough for a dog of this breed to tolerate other dogs and it is a big mistake to contribute to bad experiences. Dogs should always rely on us to defend them--the trust factor is important. We are responsible for protecting our dogs from harm. A dog that has no choice but to defend itself loses its trust in the owner and knows that in the future it needs to take care of itself. It then becomes fearful of other dogs and not so willing to behave like a well-balanced dog that was socialized in the appropriate way.

How can we socialize around other dogs then? Good question. Socialization is a must but it has to be done with common sense and in a controlled environment. Perhaps a friend has a mellow dog of the opposite sex and he/she is willing to let the dogs play together. Both owners should know that there is the possibility of a scrap and will intervene immediately and with the appropriate tools/techniques. Both owners will watch their dogs closely and never leave them unsupervised.

Every pit bull owner should have a breaking stick available, even when on a walk, hidden somewhere. It is a quick and effective way to break a hold.

What is a breaking stick and why it is an important tool to have:
http://www.pbrc.net/breaksticks.html

Some information on how to break up a fight:
http://www.pbrc.net/breakfight.html

Obedience classes are an option too. In obedience classes, the dogs are leashed and can learn to control themselves in the presence of other dogs. It is not necessary for a pit bull to be dog friendly, but it is necessary for us to help them learn to control natural behaviors. Dogs that are exposed to this kind of environment can learn to behave with some time and work.

The local feedstore/petstore is another way to socialize our dogs, because they are another place where dogs are leashed. It’s important to remember that it doesn’t mean we don't need to pay attention to the surroundings. Respect the comfort level of your dog and move away from other dogs if necessary. Face to face interactions can quickly end badly, even when both dogs are leashed.

Those who are still convinced that a pit bull belongs to a dog park would benefit from reading these links. Their dogs and all of us will benefit as well.Please, don't set your dog up for failure.

http://www.pbrc.net/dogpark.html
http://www.pitbullpress.com/ARTICLES/DOGPARK.html

Well Chris since it seems that everyone on HERE wants to bash you for taking your dog to a dog park which you asked not to do I will say that I myself take my two pits to the dog park and I live in OHIO!! Yeah Ohio! I know my dogs in and out and if other dogs are in the park they have to be mussled BY LAW!! Most of the time we go there we are the only one's there. They have a blast running and just playing together. This dog park is at the dog wardens in our county. The manager there met my two pits and they loved him. He told me as long as no one else was in there that hey could be unmussled but if I seen someone coming with their dog to be safe they needed to be musseld. I know the things that can happen and all the hoopla about how vicious and mean and lalalala it goes. But these dogs need exercise and if no one else is there then who give a damn. If you treat your dog like others who are idots see them then what good are you doing other than proving them right. You hide your dog from the real world because idoits have made them so MEAN! Yes they can turn on other dogs and I'm not saying it won't happen. It is smart to want to avoid those situations but how good is it to harbor them from a life like normal dogs? If you have your pit a park then you need to keep constant vigulance over them. You are ther for them not for you to socailize. Just like kids. You don't or at least shouldn't just let your kids loose in a park and go talk with other moms and ignore you child like he or she isn't there. Same rule applies! If you don't like what I said then sorry I'm a responsible own and they are my children. Don't do anything that might get them harmed in any way!!!

Amber, I never bashed and no body else did either. Disagreeing does not equal bashing.

I, for one, certainly said that dog parks are dangerous for all dogs, not just pits. All it takes is one other person to have a dog they cannot control and it rips into your dog. That is a risk I'm unwilling to take, with any of my dogs of any breed. I have an Australian Shepherd and we do not bring her to dog parks. There is too much risk and other people are too ignorant and irresponsible.

my trainer suggested that i don't, but i think that if ur dog has been well socialized to play well with other dogs it should be fine. i've only had my pit since last october and she's 2 years old, i've tried to have her play with other dogs but she has shown some anxiety around larger dogs, and bullies the smaller dogs. i prefer to exercise her by taking her on walks and i take her to forest preserves where i know she can have fun and usually avoid dogs. my thing is that i know she has had issues with other dogs so i try to set her up for success. but once again if ur dog doesn't show any of those issues i don't see why not, it's mostly all aabout knowing ur dog, and controlling the environment as much as possible to have a happy fun trip to the park.

Chris968...you rock. I love that you go ahead and defend us dog park goers. I posted a reply argument toward the same "supposed" pit bull lover you did in another thread. I agree with you; my dog loves the park (in Michigan) and was raised going there every week (in California). I would never deny her the excitement and chance to run and play because of her breed. It's amazing to me that there are those of us owners who wish to encourage people to think better of pits, and other owners who think badly of their very own furry companions. No wonder our breed gets a bad rep.

I understand that some of you have your opinion of "No pits in dog parks". Good for you. And yes I read through some of the articles and "attack" news clips you all posted so I'm not avoiding it all. But the bottom line is that I know my dog inside and out, I have a degree in animal training, and am confident in my role as pack leader. My dog and I will continue to attend our local dog park and Sasha will continue to be an ambassador for her breed.

I take my dog to a dog park about the same time of day. Its the same people, same dogs. They all know and like my dog, and have asked me to keep bringing him. What works for me is, if there are dogs that I dont know I stay close to mine. Anytime there is a dog that I dont trust I leave. My dog loves all dogs and all people, and i want to keep it that way.

Thanks Bullypaws, I think he is too. I hate to continue with this...but I must say. Has any of you ever been in an unexpected dog fight? Well I am a responsible experienced dog owner. We've bred/raised Drathars, I've also owned Labs, Aussies, and Rotties. I currently have a Bull Mastiff and a Pittie. Those two got along great, both are well mannered and know and responded to commands! One day everyone was out in our large backyard and I was out there supervising as usual. The dogs were at opposite ends of the yard doing their own thing. Before I was able to react the Mastiff charged across the yard with lightening speed and jumped my Pittie. Blood was flying. My husband who is not a small man and myself tried to separate them. We tried the hose, shovels, wood, a break stick on the Pittie, it can't be used on the Mastiff(and he wasn't about to let go) to separate them. The only way we got them separated was both of us choking the dogs at the same time till they let go. The end result was my Mastiff having a wound on his shoulder 6" long where you could see muscle and the pittie had puncture wounds on his head, neck and eyebrows. It took 12 staples, numerous vet visits, hundreds of dollars and 3 months for the wound to heal. We now know my Mastiff has DA. He never showed signs of it before this. This happened in my backyard, now picture this happening in a Dog Park? The Mastiff wouldn't of been blamed, the Pittie would. Most likely more dogs would of joined in and more damage. Would you want you and your pittie to be involved in that type of mayhem? During times a crisis, commands don't always work, leashes and muzzles break! No matter how well trained and knowledgeable you are about your dog and it's breed, sh*t happens. And I also live in Ohio, we were once a happy loving dog family now we are separated by crates and gates for the safety of everyone. This may not change anyone's personal opinion of dog parks saying...."It would never happen to me and my dog. I always supervise my animals". Yeah, I said that too and look what happened. Never say never. I will not put my dogs in a position to fail again. My rant is over.

To take your dog to a dog park you n ot only have to know your dog but the other dogs as well and thier owners and the park itself. There ARE SEVERAL parks in my area and the one I would never take my dogs there. It is known to be populated with irresponsible owners. Another one is basically empty all the time and I will go there with my pack but leave when someone I dont know comes. I prefer to take long walks with them. It seems to tire them out a lot better.

people at the parks rarely watch their dogs. but i occasionally will take mine to a park. the only one that is free and open 24 hours is about a 30 min drive. so we have to plan for it.
the only problems we have really had was a argument over who gets the ball.
we also try and go later at night so there wont be as many people.

the people at the park that i go to dont really mind that he is a pit... atleast they dont say anything...

I think a lot of things depend on the park you go to.

I recently took my pit to the local dog park for a dog event that was going on there. The area is kind of ritzy so it's full of pure bred dogs. It was nice because there were big dogs (a saint bernard and a great dane) medium sized (labs and boxers) and also little dogs (boston terriers and spaniels). Sasha loves all sizes of dogs and just enjoyed running around with them all.

The only issue we had was this cute little boston terrier that insisted on hanging from my dog's face by her teeth. lol. Poor Sasha couldn't figure out how to play with it! She'd run away to play with other dogs and the terrier would follow her and jump up and bite at her face. Eventually she started pawing at the dog and then started dropping her weight onto it and rolling on it. The owners kept apologizing over and over. They would leash their dog for a bit and as soon as they let it off leash it went back to my dog. I don't know what it's deal was but Sasha was very patient with it and only wanted to figure out a way to play with it. If anything, I was afraid she might crush it by accident with her big muscle chest.

No one the whole day said anything about my dog being a pit bull and everyone there was watching their dog and roaming within the park to keep an eye on things. Several people commented that my dog had beautiful markings and was so friendly, but nothing was said of her breed. The dog park can be a positive experience for dog and owner :)

I will never take a dog to a "dog park" no matter the breed. The dogs are unsupervised and too energetic. People should exercise their dogs prior to going to a park rather than relying on the park for the exercise. All you end up with is a bunch of hyper, overexcited dogs asking for trouble.

I'm new here so first things first, hellow to everyone in this pit community. Now, I don't know anyone who posted on this topic but I can say this. Don't do it. I don't care how much you think you know your pitbull, he or she is what he or she is...a Pitbull. There are the most loving animals I've ever owned but I know they can't be trusted not fight and/or defend themselves. This is not because I've read about them or somebody told me about them, it's because I've witnessed it first hand. I won't tell the story or go in to details just trust me and the others that have warned you about the dogparks. It's a bad situation waiting to happen. My incident wasn't at a dog park when it happened it was a much more controlled enviroment (or so we thought). These dogs have been bred for blood sports (bull baiting, bear baiting, and dog fighting)for over a hundred years. Those genetics will take a long time if ever to go away.

I am a dog lover but not a pitbull owner.  I have siberian huskies and can not imagine life without the dogpark.  I applaud this discussion - your community displays a standard for care from which other dog owners could learn.  I have been going to various dogparks in Florida and now Texas for about 5 years.  I probably spend at least 10-hours a week there and most of the new friends I've made, I met at the dog park.  I have met a lot of bad dogs/bad dog owners at the park - the concerns raised here are certainly not limitted to pitbulls.  When it comes down to it, the sign on the park says, "use at your own risk".  And, managing that risk is your business.  As long as you obey the laws, no one should look down on you for bringing your pet to the park.  At the same time you really need to take into account the additional risks you place on yourself and your pet.  I have seen multiple fights involving pitbulls at the dogpark (among many of other fights).  However, the only dogs and owners I have seen held accountable were the pitbull families.  In the worst case, the pitbull was confiscated from the owner and destroyed and the owner was sited by the city and held responsible for vet and medical bills.  It seems to me that by taking a pitbull into a dogpark your responsible for your dog - and everyone else's in the  park.  That's a pretty scary thought.

I'm quite nervous about taking my little guy to a local park even though it was suggested but from reading the experiences here it seems like my decision has been made for me. I don't think I'll be taking him to the dog park, it doesn't allow leashes and I'd be quite fearful for something to happen. He's been so well behaved when meeting other dogs and when I tell him to sit as a new dog approaches on the street while walking he will remain still as the other dogs investigate and will not move until I give him the go ahead. He even treats the neighbors dog like a dream and it's not much larger than a squirrel.

I want to socialize him but I would not want to take a chance with so many strange dogs running around as I have no idea what their temperament may be toward other dogs, specifically mine. I have grown up in an area where all the dogs knew one another and you could let them out in the yard and they'd play with each other and you knew the owners and the dogs well.

Now I own a home in the city so things are a little different. Add to that this is my first dog after having moved out of my parents' home for school. I'm fairly experienced but I'm pretty worried about other people and the way I have seen so many dogs raised. I really want to socialize my dog properly but I'm not about to jeopardize the community with a poorly though out choice.

I'm quite nervous about taking my little guy to a local park even though it was suggested but from reading the experiences here it seems like my decision has been made for me. I don't think I'll be taking him to the dog park, it doesn't allow leashes and I'd be quite fearful for something to happen. He's been so well behaved when meeting other dogs and when I tell him to sit as a new dog approaches on the street while walking he will remain still as the other dogs investigate and will not move until I give him the go ahead. He even treats the neighbors dog like a dream and it's not much larger than a squirrel.

I want to socialize him but I would not want to take a chance with so many strange dogs running around as I have no idea what their temperament may be toward other dogs, specifically mine. I have grown up in an area where all the dogs knew one another and you could let them out in the yard and they'd play with each other and you knew the owners and the dogs well.

Now I own a home in the city so things are a little different. Add to that this is my first dog after having moved out of my parents' home for school. I'm fairly experienced but I'm pretty worried about other people and the way I have seen so many dogs raised. I really want to socialize my dog properly but I'm not about to jeopardize the community with a poorly though out choice.

We stopped taking our pit to the dog park when an agressive dog bit him. My pit was so scared, he is not alpha but the alpha dog seem to corner him at the dog park. The other dog owners don't see anything wrong with their dogs behavior. he just likes to play chase with the little dogs.

I used to take mine when she was a puppy only but too many people go to make friends and socialize and they're not even paying attention to their dog's actions. I also stopped going because we had two bad experience in the dog park with huskies. And since then my dog doesn't like huskies, She has been attacked by them at least 4 times.