http://ux.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/judy-putnam/2018/07/10/murphy-dog-mauled-dewitt-dog-park-and-owners-ask-change/773305002/

It's the Dog Parks themselves that would be better off "BANNED"

I never understood why dog owners would let their little dogs loose in a park with strange dogs.
Any and every dog can snap, it's a risk I would never be willing to take, period.
Dog parks are like bars. And I don't go to bars!

 Quote: Becky Niedbalka

I never understood why dog owners would let their little dogs loose in a park with strange dogs.
Any and every dog can snap, it's a risk I would never be willing to take, period.

Dog parks are like bars. And I don't go to bars!

Great quote, Becky !!! May I use it ??? THANKS

Anytime!

We rescued a great dane and used to go to dog parks (because, before discovering this site, we didn't know any better). We saw another dane arrive one day and I was aware that my dog did not like this dane puppy for some reason and were leaving with Oz when he suddenly launched an unprovoked attack on the puppy (whose owners were a distance away and who had previously been made aware that our dog was a rescue and that we hadn't had him long so didn't know him well). My daughter acted instantly by grabbing our dog's back legs and lifting them off the ground while circling which broke off the attack. The other dog had one small puncture on his head but we still had to pay the vet bill.
I have some sympathy for the owner of the attacking dog therefore, but feel so sad for the owner of the little dog that was attacked. People are just not aware of the dangers at off leash parks. (And our dog has never done anything similar since).

"People are just not aware of the dangers at off leash parks. "


You are so right, Kim. I hope that threads like this one will help.

A few yrs ago in a dog park about 20 miles from my house a Great Dane Killed a Golden Retriever. It happened in a matter of seconds.

Given the likelihood of running into an oblivious, obnoxious, completely clueless dog owner or owners at a dog park, where one's dog is put at risk either as victim or villain, it is a befuddlement to me why anyone with the least inclination to protect their dog would frequent such a place.

My mutts do not need, in my opinion, new best friends of either the four or two legged types. My responsibility is to the well being of my dogs, and in that regard I choose to never frequent dog parks of any kind.

It is a source of seemingly endless bemusement the oblivious attitude of apparently carefree risk deniers so on display at such parks. And the after the fact shock so manifest when something goes horribly wrong. Freaking amazing.

My sympathy is always for both dogs in the aftermath of a tragic encounter. Both owners betrayed their responsibility to their dogs. And always the dogs pay the price for insipid human irresponsibility. But I digress.

Cutting to the chase, I don't frequent such places, and consider such a place an obvious exemplar of the old saw, and very definition of the warning, an accident waiting to happen.

No strong feelings here.

 Quote: Bob Scott

A few yrs ago in a dog park about 20 miles from my house a Great Dane Killed a Golden Retriever. It happened in a matter of seconds.

Yes, a dog with intent to Kill simply does NOT waste any time, whether it's Hunting for Food OR acting on any other Other SURVIVAL Instinct -- Their tried-&-true motto is:

"Shoot First / Shoot Fast / Shoot to Kill" ... There is no bluffing, no hesitation, no posturing, no telegraphing, and no wimping out, any of which would give its Enemy OR Prey a greater chance to inflict some mortal injury in return /// The brutality of Nature is savage because it has to be, but it is NOT cruel, since THAT is solely a Human trait, IMHO