Dog Park Rant! Food+Baby=Disaster!

Callie and others are way more generous and gracious in spirit than I am, I guess: I think they were willfully and pointedly challenging the posted rules.  And while I think I should have reasonable verbal control over my dogs while in the dog park, I don't think that control should be needlessly and recklessly tested by someone flagrantly violating common sense and clearly posted protocol.

We actually had the dogs at a very large, city regulated dog park on Thanksgiving, rather late in the day.  This is acres and acres of wooded land and trails on the river.  As we were hiking out, we suddenly encountered a group of people who were setting up a Thanksgiving smorgasbord along a downed tree just off the main trail about 30 or 40 yards from the only entrance!!  Turkey, side dishes, etc. - lots of deli containers on a tablecloth and they were also setting a bonfire (don't believe this is legal, but it does happen in the park).  Pretty sure they knew exactly what they were doing and I think the aim was to spend a convivial couple of hours in a large group and with their dogs in the park celebrating the holiday.  As the sun was setting and it was a holiday, they probably assumed the traffic would be minimal.  Our dogs were ahead of us on the trail and came upon this unexpected scene before us and they did run to jump up on the tree and check out the delights.  DH and I called them back to us and they came and DH started apolgizing.  The apology was warmly received and acknowledged, but I asked him to stop offering the apology - I was willing to call my dogs back and control their behavior after the surprise encounter, but I did not feel I needed to apologize for their curiosity in the slightest.  In this case, I believe the participants were well aware of the challenges they might face and I thought the idea was kind of sweet, but I still didn't feel compelled to feel awkard about my dogs' completely understandable reactions.  And even if they had gotten into the food, I would not have apologized!!

I certainly could be wrong about the folks the OP posted about, but their reaction makes me think there was intent....

As far as controlling our dogs, no.  Not in the way you're implying.  At a off-leash dog park, dogs run around with reckless abandon and often knock grown people down  because they're off leash and don't move in predictable ways. So no, they're not "under control".  That's why most parks have rules regarding the ages of children that can be in there and whether food and toys are allowed.  Dogs that may get along fine with other dogs sometimes become toy aggressive and food aggressive.  And in the case of my dog, it's one of the only places he can go and run and play and SHOULD NOT be harassed by children, which he is terrified of, because the stated age restrictions are no one under 10 period, no one between 10 and 14 w/o a parent.  But time after time, especially when the weather is fine, like now, children wander over from the playground without their parents and completely ruin our time by chasing my dog, not stopping when told to, and not leaving when told to.  Is there a parent around to deal with? Nope.  Can I put my hands on their shoulders and escort them out of the park?  Oh, HE!! NO! So we have to leave  a park that is designated for US.  The control should be exercised by parents who feel it's an appropriate place for small children (it is not, regardless of the parent's protectiveness or child's dog-savvy-ness) particularly when it is labeled DOG PARK and has clearly posted rules. 

ETA: It's people like that family that get parks shut down despite the strenuous efforts of dog lovers to assure public officials that it's a risk worth taking.  They wander in, violate the rules, get harmed, complain, and officials fearful of a lawsuit shut the park down.  That's when you'll find people letting their dogs run leashless in public parks where they should not be because there's nowhere else to go.  I'd rather be known as the rude b!tch who always chases people off when they violate the rules than to have a dog who is there in full compliance with the rules harm a child in some unintentional way and pay the price in a state that labels dogs dangerous and places extreme requirements on the owners. 

BCMixs

At a off-leash dog park, dogs run around with reckless abandon and often knock grown people down  because they're off leash and don't move in predictable ways.

LOL, That just reminded me of a dog that came barrelling at me full force from behind, took out my legs and knocked me on my butt! No I didnt know he was coming at me as I was walking back toward my dogs...how embarassing, yet funny....

I don't go to the dog park here anymore, but when I did, there were children who would chase my dog around when she wouldn't want bothered, throw small rocks and sticks...I seen a little boy get knocked over hard by a huge dog, I seen a lady bring a stroller into the park to push her baby through there, and I seen a little girl stand on the table that's there screaming because she was afraid of the dogs running around...not sure why the parents made her stay in there if she was that scared. There have been some well behaved children there that just wanted to play with their dog, but a good bit are running around without any parents in sight, or the parents are too busy gabbing to pay attention, at either their dog or child.

I swear people need an education before entering a dog park these days.  We had a lovely young couple last summer set up a sunday brunch on the same picnic table Dublin sits on!  So he smells fresh bagels and lox and makes a beeline right for it.  With me running behind him half laughing at what would happen next.  He beat a lumbering Lab and a small Welsh Corgi for the bagels and I mean totally knocked all the food onto the ground for the dogs to all fight over.  They lady was furious.  I mean seriously how gross to eat on a table dogs that run thru pee and poop sit on and then think they will have manners in a dog park!  They might not do that at home but the dog park has it's own rules in their minds.  Food is a there...I need food....eat before they eat etc.

When my children were really little I wouldn't take them to a park with ONE off leash dog.  Where we used to live there was a park across the street from us where people would take their dogs to run, I never saw more than one dog at a time, but if I saw a dog off leash I would leave.  Never mind if I saw a bunch of dogs.    I think even if they didn't know what a dog park is (which is understandable, I probably wouldn't have known before getting dogs and would've thought it meant park where dogs are allowed) when they saw off leash dogs they should have left. They took a risk bringing their baby around those dogs. Than to leave in a huff is sort of rude, where I live it seems so limited where we can dogs off leash, if someone came into one of the very few places where they can be off leash than tried to eat and expected the dogs to leave alone I'd be pretty annoyed. I get annoyed when anyone takes their kids to the dog park, I don't take mine, it's just not a kid safe environment. Adults have broken bones from being knocked down from big dogs playing at ours!