Off leash parks - what's with people?!

[danny zubot]

I do agree with you and your "time bomb" theory, and perhaps you are correct about it. I haven't actually seen the dog around children so I can't say for sure. What I meant by trusting this dog is that it is the least likely to accidentally injure a child by jumping on it or other playful things. The only point I was making is that it is a well behaved and very intelligent K9, in comparison to some of the other "undertrained" dogs my friends have.

[AndyL]

Originally Posted by G1GY

With some large breed dogs (Rottweiler, German shepard, pitt bulls, Bull mastiff, Stafordshire terrier ect..) There is a need to reinforce your dominance as the alfa in a way that they understand. If this done with too much force or at too young of an age, the dog will be broken and that's not an easy thing to change. On the other hand if it's not done at all, you've taught the dog that it's the alfa of the pack and you will be the pet unless you take the appropriate measures to estlablish your dominance.

It's not just the large breeds, this applies to all breeds. My little cody (all of 16lbs full grown (Even if he does look like a german shepard)) had a hellish dominance streak that took the better part of 3 months (working with him all day every day) to break him of. after getting him back from his visit with josh, it was a good month of retraining - he picked up a few bad habits (no offense intended to josh - but we do have very different views on keeping dogs) that needed to be broken again.

The real hard part about training dogs, is all the little things they do to assert dominance... Ever met a kissy dog? Notice how most people recoil away - you pull away - and you've just shown the dog he's the boss. They can read body/facial language better than we can ever hope to. With difficult dogs (like my cody - who was a ferral dog when I got him) you've got to stop and think about everything you do and say - because it really can come back and "Bite you in the arse". David kilcommon wrote a great book good owners great dogs I think it was called, I'd personally call it mandatory reading material for any dog owner.

And training isn't just a one time thing, it's a daily thing - as much as it sucks some days. You've got to prove to your dog daily that you're the boss, you've got to make him "work" every day. That doesn't mean obedience classes, in some cases it's as simple as who eats first, who sits on the couch - and who gets the floor at your feet. One of the big ones for cody was making him 'work' for a treat, not just tossing one to him.

Andy

[Ryan]

Dogs read facial and body expressions better than we do becasue this is how they speak to each other. Like wolves a dog that has a high dominance stature will hold the tail, ears and head high. Ever notice how when you scold your dog it tries to make its self small. Holds the head long drooping ears and tail. This is a form of submission. You have to stand tall not back down and use a comanding voice. Maybe this is why old peoples dogs run their lives lol.

[EmilyB]

Old people say...you have SO much to learn Ryan....go with DOG..

Originally Posted by EmilyB

Old people say...you have SO much to learn Ryan....go with DOG..

I think I peed a little in my pants....lol

[muck]

Originally Posted by UnderWorldAquatics

I think I peed a little in my pants....lol

[trilinearmipmap]

Originally Posted by G1GY

There is a need to reinforce your dominance as the alfa in a way that they understand. If this done with too much force or at too young of an age, the dog will be broken and that's not an easy thing to change. On the other hand if it's not done at all, you've taught the dog that it's the alfa of the pack and you will be the pet unless you take the appropriate measures to estlablish your dominance.

Somebody should have told me this ten years ago before I got married.

[G1GY]

Originally Posted by trilinearmipmap

Somebody should have told me this ten years ago before I got married.

You and me both!

[trilinearmipmap]

Anyway first sorry that I hijacked this thread away from the topic of off-leash parks. Clearly dogs should be allowed off-leash in an off-leash park.

Looks like there is an emotional reaction to the issue of T-Rex type dogs. Those of us who have been attacked be out-of-control dogs are not very keen on them. Those of us who have them as pets love them and think they would never harm anyone.

Maybe the answer should just be liability insurance made mandatory for all these dogs. If the risk of injury is really so low, the insurance would be affordable. If the risks are higher, the high insurance premium would dissuade most people from owning these dogs.

[LostMind]

Hmmm, I was also attacked by a dog - german shepard when I was ten. I didnt need any stitches but my best friend at the time got 18 on his head.