Greyhounds At Dog Parks

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Bad idea. I keep trying and it never works out well, so screw it. As long as people are going to bring three pound puppies into a park with more than 60 amped up large breed dogs running around like lunatics, I won't be going.

[Guest burgerandfrey]

I really think off-leash parks, unless there are a just a few dogs who know each other well, are generally a bad idea. Even with dogs who know each other you are taking a risk. Consider that many greyhound owners even muzzle their own greys when they play together! We do that with ours because our boy will nip at our girl...sometimes even grabbing her neck in a playful way...but our girl hates it. She has more fun when everybody is muzzled, and we relax a little more as well because we know their teeth will stay where they should. Unfortunately you can't muzzle your greys in a dog park where the other dogs are not muzzled. Your greys will be at a disadvantage, and other dog owners will assume your dogs are vicious.

 

We have taken our greys to dog parks on rare occasions. We used to live close to one that was quite nice because it was like a real park that just had a fence around it... with lots of trees and rolling hills, rather than just a big flat fenced-in area. On most visits we could find a secluded spot where other dogs were not playing, and throw the tennis ball for our grey (launched it with a ChuckIt, actually). Sometimes another dog would try to chase her, but she usually just ignored them and outran them. We also got to know the other dogs and dog owners, and things stayed pretty calm unless a new dog appeared. There were a couple of incidents where she got snarly with another dog, but fortunately no injuries. We did have one scary incident in another dog park where someone brought their two boxers in, and both dogs sprinted for our girl and immediately attacked her. It was horrifying to watch these two big dogs chasing down our greyhound, who was eight or nine at the time. I barely remember what happened...I ran over and was kicking the boxers. They finally ran to their owner, who was frantically trying to call them. I yelled at the owner (it might have been a couple) that they should not let dogs who run down other dogs off leash. Fortunately our girl did not get hurt, but she did draw a little blood from one of the boxers.

 

With our current greys and our new location (we moved), we generally avoid dog parks. If we must, we try to go during off hours when it won't be crowded. Sometimes early in the morning there won't be anyone there... but really we just look for places that aren't dog parks but are at least fenced in. Elementary school playgrounds outside of school hours are often a good bet if you can find one with more grass than pavement. Greyhounds just aren't the kind of rough & tumble dogs that like to play rough at dog parks, and IMHO anytime you get a bunch of different breeds and put them into a fenced in area there will eventually be a fight... and maybe even a tragedy. This is especially true when you have small dogs mixed with larger ones.

[JaneW]

I don't take Greta--she doesn't get along well enough with other dogs to put her in such a situation.

[Guest isntitgreyt]

The few times I have taken mine are later in the evening when not a lot of people are there. I've been fortunate that we are usually the only ones there. The dog park I go to has a small dog area and large dog area so I don't have to worry about little powder puffs in with my gang. If I did I definetly woulnd't go. Luckily I have a fenced in yard they can run around in.

[Guest AboveTheClouds]

My dogs love the dog park, but then they love dogs and their owners; the more the better. We live in a fairly small town, so our park or the crowds aren't very big, but I have been to several SoCal dog parks too, and they act the same. Every visit is a meet and greet.

 

To mine a dog is a dog, no matter the size. They can play chase with small dogs and to them it's just a game; the other dog never becomes prey. Felines and rodents however, are another matter. There are some other greyhounds we know who do have a fairly strong prey drive and have grabbed small dogs at our park. I've heard a couple of comments as we arrive at the park from other dog owners reassuring the small dog owners that mine are the "nice greyhounds." I'm glad we can show people that not all greyhounds go after small dogs.

Edited May 4, 2010 by AboveTheClouds

[Guest sorenkkg]

Have you looked here to see if there is a greyhound only standing play time at any park you can get to? I'm one of those who has had NO luck at regular parks-- I won't go into it, but luckily my dogs were never physically hurt (though there was that time that a female lab tried to hump our male Haka so maybe some mental damage there). I do find that people with small dogs do not understand the use of the "small dog zone" and that poses issues for some greyhounds... lots of things could happen that don't come up with a muzzled greyhound only play date.

 

We're near a big city, so there are 2 greyhound hours I could choose from, and I've tried both, and just went with the one that is easier for us to get to

 

If you can't do a Search to find play times in your area, just post a new thread with some location details and I bet you'll get some great suggestions for your area!

 

Good luck!

Soren

[Guest NJgrey]

Unless you're the only one in there I wouldn't. The dog park by me is occasionally being used by others when we get there in the morning. In those cases I either wait until they leave, or if no time, Ellie just doesn't get a run that day.

 

Sometimes I'm tempted to let her romp with the others but it's really not worth the risk. Just this morning I was approaching the park and a man was in there with a boxer. Another guy came in with his yellow lab, and within a minute the boxer was tearing at that lab - growls and snarls everywhere. And that was with only 2 dogs! Imagine if there was a pack in there. Unless the dogs know each other it's not worth it IMO.

[Guest jaws4evr]

We go with ours... our Hound is pretty good at picking appropriate friends to meet, and immediately leaves situations where she feels uncomfortable. She's also a terrific diplomat, dogs that try to be dominant over one dog, often will go up to her and meet her ever so politely. We also do our darndest to watch where she is and who is around her, and move to the area of the park with the best energy. Our park is fenced and gated, and has no trees or bushes (it's not very pretty!).

 

Most people going to this park seem responsible, I haven't witnessed any issues yet.

[Guest LindsaySF]

You will get many different responses to your question.

Something I have noticed is that people fairly new to dogs, or at least new to Greyhounds, tend to like dog parks and bring their dogs often. Those of us that have been around the block, so to speak, are adamantly against them. Take from that what you will.

 

 

 

To the OP, before you decide, I would ask that you read the following threads:

 

Let Me Show You Why They Give Us Those Muzzles

 

Greyhound skin is so thin, I would not risk unmuzzled play. (And that means all dogs should be muzzled, not just the Greyhounds). Also check toe nails for length.

 

 

Lexus "Vicious Dog" Formerly of RI

 

Lexus killed a small breed puppy in a dog park and was declared a dangerous/vicious dog because of it. She was ordered to be contained in a 6-sided fenced enclosure at all times. She was at a kill shelter while her owner was supposed to be building this structure, and was about to be put to sleep before Robin and her DH got her out of RI.

 

 

 

 

~Lindsay~

 

 

Edited May 4, 2010 by LindsaySF

[Guest Megatore]

we tried bringing Bowden to a dog park about 1 month ago and as soon as we got in, we didnt even get the leash off and a big lab came over and tried to rape her. the owner didnt seem to think this was a problem, so after i physically removed the lab from my dog, the owner still didnt get the hint. some people are fairly obtuse when it comes other dogs. so i guess in a nut shell, we will not bring our grey to a dog park unless it is empty.

[MerlinsMum]

I have to say, it depends on the dog and it depends on the park. Most folks that are successful go early in the morning or at an off-peak time. I know the park near me the dogs are more pampered than human children so everyone is attentive and there has never been a problem. But maybe some parks out of the city are a little more 'anything goes.'

 

If you dog has any sort of issue with smaller dogs and they don't segregate large and small dogs, it wouldn't be a good idea.

 

Agree 100%. Argos, my first grey, went to the dog park twice a day. He got to run, play with the few dogs that inspired play in him, and socialize as much or as little as he wanted. He was perfectly comfortable sticking up for himself if another dog had bad manners, and he was perfectly comfortable walking away from scuffles. Bootsy, my current grey, gets very nervous at the same park, so I don't take him. I don't like the body language he exhibits or what that might bring out in another dog. He doesn't seem to care about running, so he is happy with his twice daily long walks.

 

Yes, I agree, it does depend on the park. When I first adopted Merlin, I used to take him to the dog park very frequently. He loves playing with little dogs, so he really liked it there. He would stay out of trouble, only pinning another dog down on the ground once when the dog kept trying to hump him. I did not reprimand him for that. Then the place changed - some rough people started coming with their aggressive dogs; I was bitten by someone's dog; and people would come and not pay attention to their dogs, just stand there and drink coffee and chat. I stopped going. I would go to a different park - much nicer crowd, and Merlin behaved, but it was a large place and I felt like I couldn't keep an eye on Merlin all the time. So we stopped going there too. I set up a greyhound playgroup and now we use a local ballfield to play and run Sometimes I wish I could have Merlin play with little dogs again, but Sagan is quite scared of other breeds, so greyhound playgroup works best for us.

 

Generally, dog parks make me nervous for various reasons. First, many people take their dogs there because they are too lazy to walk their dogs. The dog park is not the place for your dog to get his/her main exercise, IMO. Dogs should be exercised PRIOR to being taken to the dog park. Second, so many people either can't be bothered to educate themselves about dog behavior, and are therefore clueless about what is appropriate behavior and what is not, or they don't supervise their dogs when they're at the dog park. Whereas I set up our playgroup, so I know it has rules that everyone needs to abide by.

Edited May 5, 2010 by MerlinsMum

[Guest goofydog]

Weather permitting I take Get Em every Saturday & Sunday. We normally go around 9 in the morning and have a regular group that is there at that time. I don't know if being an 'only' makes a difference or not, but for the most part he wanders around on his own exploring and checking pee mail. If a disagreement starts anywhere near him he heads in the opposite direction post haste. If he is playing with one of the others he tires of the game pretty quickly and will wander off again. He's not much on chasing a ball but will occasionally chase the dog chasing the ball and exhibit herding activity. He will normally get in 2-3 long, full out runs then he's done for the day

 

All that being said, he really loves to go and 'demands' it. If I'm not moving in that direction by 9ish he is in my face barking!

 

Toni

P.S. the park has separate large & small dog areas with another long run that is open to all dogs.

[Guest gecko_foot]

I can't remember if I've already posted or not....yup...I'm scatter-brained.

 

Now, dog parks.....

 

IMO, dog parks can be a good resource if the following statements are always true:

 

1. Separate areas for large dogs (over 30 lbs) and small dogs

2. Strict vaccination and behavior requirements for ALL dogs (i.e. dogs exhibiting aggressive behavior are not allowed in the off-leash area)

 

3. Buffer area (fenced in area that is connected but not open to the rest of the off-leash area) must be present

 

4. No holes, stumps, or other hazards present

5. Fence must be of appropriate height and in good condition

 

The problem I have with some dog parks is that they don't always enforce the above rules. As Cesar says, you have to pick your pack at the dog park, and one out of balance dog can screw everything up. Just for an example, I took Tumnus to the dog park with my friend and her two dogs. There was only one other dog - a lab - in the off-leash area when we arrived, and we were cautious in introducing the dogs. They didn't seem interested in each other, and before you knew it, Tumnus and my friend's dogs were off racing around like idiots. The area was pretty big - about 2 acres - and it was amazing to see them run. There wasn't any snarking or bad behavior, but Tumnus is a confident, mellow boy, and he is comfortable around other dogs of any size.

 

After about 10 minutes, a woman arrived with a mixed-breed dog (about 40 lbs or so). I don't know what this woman was thinking, but she obviously didn't have any common sense. Her dog had its hackles up and was growling as she entered the off-leash area, and SHE LET IT OFF THE LEASH ANYWAY. Needless to say, the other dogs approached just to inspect the new arrival. Tumnus had the good sense to stay away from her and come back to me, but the other two dogs approached her, and there was a fight. The dog's owner apologized and said that her dog wasn't good with others. She then took the dog to the small dog area (which was empty except for a couple of other big dogs), and about five minutes later there was another fight. The other dogs in that area had played nicely with my pack only minutes before.

 

This is why I'm not a fan of going to dog parks unless you have absolute control over who is going to be there. You never know when people are going to bring their unstable and unsocialized dogs. As others have stated, all-greyhound (muzzled) playgroups would be the best option IMO.

[Guest Energy11]

I would NEVER take mine to a dog park. One, were were advised not to, by the adoption group that we got our dogs from. Two, three of five of mine are "greyhound snobs ..." they will go after anything that is NOT a greyhound! Three, dog parks harbor germs! NOT everyone is like us, and some dogs have worms, fleas, ticks, and other communicable diseases!

 

Even the BEST Greyhound, off lead, might go after a little fluffy dog! Not only that, how well-behaved are the other dogs???? Nope, to ME, doggie parks are recipes for disaster! I HATE them!

 

Wanna let your dogs off lead?? Find a ball park that is fenced in. Talk to the city/town that owns it, and see if they will let yours run there. If not, just good long walks are fine.

 

Good Luck! ...p.s. I have horror stories of greys at dog parks, even on "greyhound days!"

Edited May 6, 2010 by Energy11

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

We (in other words, my thankfully wonderful DH) just had to pay $600 plus, and that was only half the bill, because someone brought a tiny Maltese puppy to the fenced dog beach last weekend, and set her down. She simply did not know better. My Borzoi was playing and being silly. This is a dog who lives peacefully with cats and a human baby and does not chase outdoor cats or rabbits or anything. He is a giant wuss. He picked her up like a stuffy (which even those he just carries around and prances about) and somehow broke her jaw. He was not trying to hurt or kill her. If he was, I can assure you that she would be dead. Luckily both myself and the owner were amicable and understanding that she was as much to blame for bringing her dog there and it was an accident, so I paid for the surgery and she paid for the initial emergency visit and X rays. Should she have walked in there with 40 or 50 or maybe 60 dogs, the smallest of which was my fat Whippet who is about 37 pounds? No, of course not. I doubt she will make the mistake again. Even she admits it's obvious my dog is very friendly, and that his gentleness and sweet approach is why she didn't even worry or pay that much attention when it happened. I was rinsing the sand off one of my others just about 15 or 20 feet away. Thankfully the little pup is going to be okay. Expensive and terrifying lesson. Even a dog with no prey drive, that is cat safe, and won't lure course can accidentally hurt a little dog. And even when there are dozens of big dogs around (there were Borzoi, Great Danes, Boxers, Pit Bulls, etc) people will walk right in with a teacup sized puppy and put it on the ground. They don't know any better. Now this woman does, but it cost her $500 and the scare of her life! I feel terrible about it still... that poor little pup. So, we are not going back unless it's abandoned/raining/weekday morning and the dogs will all wear muzzles and if anyone with a dog smaller than a Whippet or a Springer Spaniel shows up, we will leave. My friend who has Borzoi was also there and thankfully had already leashed up her dog which would have gone after the puppy once it started screaming. Very scary day... very traumatic. I'm only now starting to recover from it in fact. My stomach is sick thinking of that poor pup and her human mom.