Evaluation for private dog park membership...

That sounds beyond ridiculous!  throwing a bowl for a startle test? Really??

I think Zack would pass, but he's a little on the dumb side lol.  Maddie there is no way she would pass.

The evaluation sounds so weird though!

 Mine would both fail, because I would never allow that, LOL. Seriously, take them away from me, and handle them like that? Never, EVER gonna happen.

Emma would have bitten somebody's face off, literally. Bean would have a meltdown. Jewel would growl about the food. She's a talker.

Caleb would be bringing the dish back!  LOL  As for the hand in the dish while he's eating- I do that often, and let my nieces and grand daughter do it, too.  Before anyobody freaks out- it's so he is used to hands being in his dish.  You never know what little ones are going to do.  Caleb's reaction is to eat faster, but that's it.  I've had my hand right over his food with no problems.

I have to say- that eval is similar to the eval the therapy group did when Mick & I tested.  They took him into another room and test him while I was "interviewed".  It wasn't TDI, but knowing their test, I had a good idea the kind of tests they were doing (the 10 tests for the CGC plus a few others).  Still wasn't crazy about them taking him away from me, tho.

I think having to take a test to be able to bring the dog into the park is a GREAT idea... but I think THAT test is ridiculous.

Bailey would absolutly fail.

First off, why in the world does the evaluator need to take the dog from you into a separate room? Bailey would be fine with a strange person walking up to us but as far as taking the leash and trying to pull him away from me, I have no idea how he would react because Ive never tested him with that, and I dont plan on it. No one handles Bailey but me, ever. Not because Im afraid of what he will do, more because of I dont trust anyone else to control him.

Why does hugging a dog have to do with testing him for the dog park? I mean, I dont know anyone who goes to a dog park and walks around randomly hugging stange dogs. It makes sence for KIDS becuase of course they dont understand dogs and want to hug them but..... why would a KID be in a dog park in the first place?

Bailey would absolutly fail the "fake hand in the bowl" part. He has come such a long way with his food aggression since I got him, and I can take his food away from him, but someone else that he doesnt know sticking a plastic hand right in his face... he wouldnt tolerate that. I personally, hate that test anyways, or at least, I hate the way its done. The way ive seen it done soooo many times just seems to set the dog up for failure. And IMO even if a dog isnt food aggressive/resource guarding with humans, doesnt mean that it wont be with other dogs. I doubt people are planning on feeding their dogs their dinner while they are at the dog park... so I dont really see how this even matters.

I think the dog park test should be just introducing the dog to several different types of dogs "high energy, playful, neutral, very excited/ball obsessed dog, etc) to see how they would react, and then just test them with meeting new people so make sure they are ok with other people in the park. And checking for resource guarding of toys, so there are no fights over balls/toys(if they are allowed in the park? I know some parks say no dog toys allowed inside the fence...)

 I've never taken my dogs to a dog park but that just sounds ridiculous. o.o At this point, Simba probably wouldn't mind any of it except the bowl throwing. But he's also a puppy so yeah...

Still, that sounds so ridiculous. o.o

I agree with the previous responses--this is beyond ridiculous on so many levels.

3girls

All dogs undergo a regular evaluation for suitability in an off-leash canine-canine environment. The purpose of the evaluation is to test a dog's behavior under various circumstances. At each step, the evaluator watches the dog's reaction.

3girls

Then the evaluator takes the dog from you and goes into a room. The evaluator lets the dog off-leash in the room.

3girls

The evaluator touches the dog as a veterinarian or show judge would--flank test, teeth, hug

Frisby wouldn't react to the startle test....she's deaf.

Do people feed their dogs in bowls dog parks? (Treats I can see, but bowls of dog food???) Why the dish test? I've seen that used in some testing for adoption suitability but for a dog park???? (And, I question it as a criteria to determine if a dog is/isn't suitable for adoption, too.)

A test dog? Playtime? After all that--forget it!

What the heck is a flank test? If it is what I think it is, Nikon would probably fail.  Flanking is how he was originally worked in defense drive for protection.

I think it is important that my dogs will go with a stranger. What if I'm in a car accident and the emergency workers need to get my dogs out of the car? Confidence away from me helps them deal with vets, groomers, boarding kennels, dog walkers etc.

I imagine the hugging thing is for injury purposes, but I hope the person doing it would be smart enough to muzzle the dog first. There's not too many dogs that really like to be hugged then add on an injury and you are asking to be bitten.

I think mandatory testing for membership at a dog park is an excellent idea. But, I'm not sure of that test. I guess they're trying to see how your dog behaves while being handled by a stranger? And how quickly your dog can recover from a scarey incident? And if your dog is a food guarder? IDK how the evaluator is chosen and what their qualifications are, but if I were to subject my dog to testing I'd want to know.

All 3 of my dogs would pass, no problem. They're excellent with strangers and being handled by them, they're not at all food guarders, and they recover quickly from scarey situations. They're very social, and enjoy the company/playfulness of other dogs.

Just my 2 cents, some dogs do better without their owners when being tested/handled/groomed. Many dogs I walk are described by their owners at "terrible pullers", "leash aggressive", "hyper", "a Marley & Me-type of dog", etc, and when I get them they're fine, and generally very good dogs. I know not all dogs are like this, but some definitely are.

My dogs would be ok with the test.  It sounds more like a doggy day care test and I've seen shelter workers use similar tests to assess dogs.   A lot depends on the evaluator.  I've seen some who seem to try to provoke a reaction to the point that some stable dogs might startle or respond in a negative manner.

3girls

 So I was reading the faq about a private dog park that's not too far from me. (Just reading, I really would never take my dogs to a dog park.)

Anyhow, dogs have to undergo an evaluation while applying for membership. The following is the answer to...

What happens in the evaluation? 

**All dogs undergo a regular evaluation for suitability in an off-leash canine-canine environment. The purpose of the evaluation is to test a dog's behavior under various circumstances. At each step, the evaluator watches the dog's reaction. First, the evaluator approaches you with your dog on leash. Then the evaluator takes the dog from you and goes into a room. The evaluator lets the dog off-leash in the room. The evaluator touches the dog as a veterinarian or show judge would--flank test, teeth, hug. The evaluator conducts a startle test by throwing a bowl. The evaluator puts food in the bowl and puts a fake hand in the bowl. If all goes well, the evaluator introduces the dog to a test dog, and then the evaluator takes both dogs out for playtime. **

 

I see so many weird things in that I can't even begin to put it together. My girls would fail at the touching part. (Judges and/or vets 'hug' the dog? huh??)

So how about it.. which of your dogs would pass?? Which of your dogs would fail??

Brownie would do fine except for the other dog part. He would be started by the bowl, and he would eat faster if the hand was in there but he would do fine. He might be a little uncomfortable taken from me but that would be ok. But, he needs time to warm up to strange dogs. And, oh boy, WITHOUT ME there?!?!??!! He would tuck his tail and run! And, if the dog followed he would snap at them. So instant fail there. He is not agressive and gets along fine with other dogs as long as they aren't in his face-hyper. But, he likes me to be there when he meets them. And I'm not so comfortable letting them take him to the point of where I can't see whats happening.

Cuddles would pass. She would be frightened by the other dog without me, but she would warm up in about 45 seconds or so.

Lion would pass with flying colors.

***The Evaluator.. 

Gaci and Shimmer would both fail miserably, Zipper would pass with flying colors.

I don't generally attend dog parks, so it would never apply to me either, but some of things are awfully bizarre enough that I personally would never apply to that dog park. If those are the rules just to get in, I can only imagine what other bogus rules they have.