The Dog Park

I would like to state upfront that I am not a current dog owner, however I am doing the research in order to become a Dog Owner.

In regards to the Dog Parks, and the fact that Dogs are a pack Animal I fully agree with Ed. What surprises me are the comments stating Ed doesn’t know of what he speaks in relation to Dog Parks.

I am also astounded that people find the pack concept, such a foreign one. Humans themselves are quite the pack animal. This is evident in everyday life, if you observe a group of Kindergartners on their first day of school it doesn’t take long for the “Alphas” of the pack to emerge. After sometime the pack of small humans will each fall in line with a defined role.
Now the day comes that a new student is introduced to the human pack of Kindergartners, the “Alpha” often challenges this new pack member out of fear that he/she will lose their standing with in the pack. If a fight occurs the bigger “Alpha” (teacher)arrives on the scene and the pack will back down, a lot of times to resume later, but the reason they back down is because there a immediate consequences that are associated with the teacher.
In some cases as we have all seen, this struggle to be the Alpha human in a school leads to mass shootings. This same scenario can be identified in every day Human interactions, road rage, corporate competition, sports, ect.. Just see what would happen if you took a group of Democrats to a Republican bar. Two “alphas” from each party would most likely lead their political pack in confrontation of some kind. What I am trying to point out is that Humans with all of their logic and reasoning often react in aggressive ways when in a group setting of unfamiliar territory, and Humans choose where they go.

So if I am a dog , and I am comfortable with my Family pack and understand my role, chances are I do not want to be thrown in a group setting where I do not know where I fit in, I might feel threatened or the need to establish my dominance in order to prevent being harassed. So my question to Dog Park supporters is this. Before taking your dog to a dog park to socialize, ask yourself these questions;
1. Am I really thinking of the dog, or am I really wanting to socialize myself?
2. Would I appreciate being forced into a play date with people I don’t know anything about?
3. Am I really going just to use my dog as a status symbol?
Some of you will read this and immediately want to use profanity or verbal threats to demonstrate your higher rank within the Human Pack. Ed I may have a different way of looking at this, but I agree with you 100% For those individuals that want to prove that dogs are people too, and should be allowed to freely interact with little supervision, may I suggest you rent the film Lord of the Flies.

Do you have young kids? I do not like dog parks either but the kindergarden analogy was a little off the wall.

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I would like to state upfront that I am not a current dog owner, however I am doing the research in order to become a Dog Owner.

Does doing research include writing articles? Or are you just thinking out loud?

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In regards to the Dog Parks, and the fact that Dogs are a pack Animal I fully agree with Ed.

I dont think there's anyone actively posting on this forum that doesn't?

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What surprises me are the comments stating Ed doesn’t know of what he speaks in relation to Dog Parks.

Who is your post aimed at? I don't think anyone on this forum takes their dogs to dog parks...

Maybe the OP was referring to the Q and A articles? I haven't seen any comments like that on the forum either.

My (leashed) dog was attacked by a loose dog 2 weeks ago and we weren't even in the dog park. So yes, too many people think they can just let their dogs loose and run up to any dog and things will be just fine. (The "it's okay, he's friendly" comment we've all heard comes to mind) But I don't think anyone here on this forum would ever condone that. ???

Mendy I can see no benefit of a dog park except for attorneys. By attending such a park you are inserting your dog in a group where some dogs may be dangerous, diseased and or out of control. If a fight ensues, no matter whose at fault, the owner of the largest dog or any dog that looks most like a pit bull will lose in the obligatory lawsuit. Moreover owners can be testy, and I am being kind, when there poor pooch who never hurt any one is in a scrap. If you want your dog to interact with other dogs do so in an environment where you know all the other dogs and *owners*.

Mendy, who is your intended audience?

This is your first post, so I'll assume that you have no idea what the makeup of the board is. Who this means: "What surprises me are the comments stating Ed doesn’t know of what he speaks in relation to Dog Parks, " I have no idea.

I didn't see a training question; we'll just close this thread.

Welcome to the board! You might want to browse around and do some reading here.

May I also add that you have posted in the Streaming Video forum? Please familiarize yourself with the various sections of the board before you post again.

 Quote: mendy bailey

"In some cases as we have all seen, this struggle to be the Alpha human in a school leads to mass shootings

Huh?
Please speak for yourself - in no way do I "see" that mass shooting are part of the "struggle to be the Alpha human"
That is a bizzare view with no basis in fact.

Mendy

One more post like this and it will be your last post. Also your last warning

Ed