Bad human manners at the dog park
I got in between to grab Bear and the golden turned around and bit me in the hand. Pretty good, too because I looked down and there was blood dripping off my hand. After I had Bear separated and under control, sitting at my side, I turned to ask the people if their dog was up to date on all his shots and they started yelling at me, telling me that my dog was crazy and I shouldn't bring him out if he gets like this. I asked again if the dog had his shots and they told me I had a lot of nerve asking this (again, as blood is dripping off my hand). I was in shock that they wouldn't be the least bit concerned. heck, even if it was none of my dog's fault but somehow they got bit, I'd want to make sure that they were ok. I didn't even have anything to wipe the blood off with and my hand was all slippery so I had to wipe it on Bear so I could get a grip on the lead. Now I'm all upset, and I'm trying to calm down and I turn around to see some woman, yelling at Clyde, telling him he's a bad dog because he's playing completely normally with her dog. She didn't want him touching her dog, apparently. I was so mad, I called them all over and told them we were going. I found that whole experience very upsetting and it makes me never want to go back. My hand is throbbing today to make things worse. |
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Gosh! Some people!!!!  That's unbelievable!
Of course you want to know if the dog is up-to-date on its shots.... so you know if you should go get a rabies shot. Should you be seeing your doctor just in case? Also, why do people bring their dog to a dog park if they don't want their dog to play with other dogs.... isn't that the point?!? Geeeezzzz! Completely understand why you're upset. |
I hate when things like that happen. I am guessing that they assume that since Bear is sooo big he has to be the agressor and at fault. Their precious golden retriever could never do anything "bad" or dog like 
Even if you and your dog were completely at fault...they still need to tell you if their dog is utd on shots
Hope your hand feels better soon and heals well  |
Regardless of who was at fault, they should not have been offended when you asked if their dog was UTD on shots since YOU were the one who had been bitten. Geez.  |
| Our dogs do tend to play boisterously.
I wouldn't have let them go until they gave up all of their personal and veterinary information, or I would have called the police. You never know the course an injury might take. |
 Jill, I am sorry to hear about your hand, boy that hurts. I hope it heals fast and without any problems. |
Ron wrote: Our dogs do tend to play boisterously.
I wouldn't have let them go until they gave up all of their personal and veterinary information, or I would have called the police. You never know the course an injury might take. I'm with Ron on this one. If they are dog park regulars, I'd return and at least get a license plate number and give it to the police. Or, make a police report today and they can go to the park and ask questions. I've run into the dog park Prima Donnas and their neurotic pups. They are the same ones that will yell at other people’s children on the playground, while ignoring their little darling’s behavior .  |
| Jill,
I hope you hand is all right.. maybe you should go to your doctor just in case. Unfortunately, like Amanda says.. because Bear is Big.. they naturally assume that he was the agressor.. I get that all the time with Dudley. If it is your regular park.. I would definately make it a point of going back, again and again and again...You have no reason to stay away. It has been my experience, that some people think of their dogs like their children (I am one of them) and when their dogs are participants in a kafuffle, it CANNOT possible be their precious puppers.....just like if it was their child. Watch that hand!! |
| On the plus side, to enter our dog park, you have to have all your records on file at city office to even get a key pass to get in. I can always call the city if anything comes of it.
Bear is no angel, I'm the first to admit. He is beyond boisterous and very unaware of his size so he can be a bit much for a dog that isn't used to him. But, he is always the one that gets blamed because of his size. A month or so ago. I saw a dog come in that does not get along with bear so I put him on lead before the dog got 10 feet in the park. Bear stayed right at my side, well behaved. Then the other dog came up and attacked Bear, grabbing his face. Bear wound up bleeding and the guy who owned the other dog came over to ask what Bear did to provoke the other dog. Even all the people standing around vouched for us that time because they saw that he was just sitting there when it happened. Big boys always get the blame. 
In yesterday's incident, I didn't see the scuffle immediately start but, like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if it was his fault that anything began. I just didn't get the cold shoulder business I was getting from the people. The dogs didn't get hurt, I did. It's common courtesy to make sure someone is all right. Clyde on the other hand really wasn't doing anything wrong. He plays well with others and he's gentle when he should be. The woman that was yelling at him was holding her labradoodle like he was going to break if anyone breathed on him. I think someone else mentioned it, why take the dogs there if you don't want to let them play? I think I'm mostly annoyed in general with the whole situation yesterday because it all comes down to ignorance of dog behavior, not just the woman coddling her dog, but the other people screaming and going nuts as soon as things went beyond playing. Before I could calmly walk up and walk Bear away from the situation to diffuse it, they were running and yelling and getting everyone all excited, dogs and humans. Today the boys are back at day care where they play happily all day and the owner said she loves having them. She said Bear is well behaved with the other dogs all day and they have a great time with them there. I think it really depends on the attitude of the other dogs with him. Dogs that are uninterested or play a little with him get a long great, but as soon as a dog shows fear of submissiveness, Bear doesn't want to stop playing and pushing. He either doesn't understand, or he's a jerk. probably a little of both! |
| You are never going to change people and their ignorant attitudes about "my child (dog) would never do anything wrong". But don't let those people run you guys off. Bear, Clyde and Lucy have just as much right to play in that dog park as any dog and they shouldn't be punished for someone elses neurotic parenting!
I always have the utmost respect for parents when they are aware of their children's flaws! That is what is wrong with our society today - these parent's expect EVERYONE to cater to the whims of THEIR child without regard to anyone else including adults! I always laugh though and say the joke is on them because usually people can't stand their monster, I mean "little darling" and they would be horrified if they knew it! Sorry I just got on my soapbox. 
I hope your hand is okay, Jill. |
ButtersStotch wrote: Today the boys are back at day care where they play happily all day and the owner said she loves having them. I think our dogs also act and play slightly different when we are around. We have stopped going to the dog park because most of the time Izzie would just sit by us and not play. She would occasionally rush into the middle of a fight to herd the two dogs apart, but hardly ever just played. However at daycare...the owner says she is just fine and plays well all day. I have asked several times to make sure she doesn't get too rough or bossy and Judy says no...so unless she wants me to feel better about Izzie's behaviour, Izzie behaves slightly differently there. |
| Sorry to hear that you got bit, Jill. It was unbelievably ignorant for those people to not answer the question. Anyone watching you bleed should understand why you were asking! |
ButtersStotch wrote: I didn't even have anything to wipe the blood off with and my hand was all slippery so I had to wipe it on Bear so I could get a grip on the lead.
I'm sorry to make light of the situation, but this had me cracking up. Using your dog as a napkin is such a great idea! (I hope your hand feels better though! |
Lil Walty wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: I didn't even have anything to wipe the blood off with and my hand was all slippery so I had to wipe it on Bear so I could get a grip on the lead. I'm sorry to make light of the situation, but this had me cracking up. Using your dog as a napkin is such a great idea! (I hope your hand feels better though! I'm glad I'm not alone--I thought this too! I'm sorry you were bitten; that really sucks. I wonder if the people are relatively new dog park people and aren't really knowledgeable about how dogs play. I've only been to the dog park a few times and I get a little nervous whenever I'm there (I'm little, so I'm worried I wouldn't be able to effectively break up a scuffle on my own). So maybe they've never seen other dogs play with their goldens... (Not that I'm defending their actions, I'm just wondering...) |
barney1 wrote: Lil Walty wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: I didn't even have anything to wipe the blood off with and my hand was all slippery so I had to wipe it on Bear so I could get a grip on the lead. I'm sorry to make light of the situation, but this had me cracking up. Using your dog as a napkin is such a great idea! (I hope your hand feels better though! I'm glad I'm not alone--I thought this too! My first reaction to that part was.... "Oh no! How is she going to get blood stains out of Bear's coat???"  |
| Wow! That's awful! I hope your hand heals up ok, dog bites can be really nasty for infections... |
Ron wrote: Our dogs do tend to play boisterously.
I wouldn't have let them go until they gave up all of their personal and veterinary information, or I would have called the police. You never know the course an injury might take. I absolutely agree!!! You did get the shot info right? It occurred to me that their anger might have been a diversion to keep you from pursuing the shot info!!! |
| Jill,
I am so sorry that this happened to you; it must have been really frustrating that you could not get a straight answer about the dog's records. These people were acting like jerks and they were probably affraid you were going to take legal action against them. Have you had anyone look at your hand just to be on the safe side? On the rules sign for our dog park it says that if your dog is the aggressor in a fight you have to leave. Most of the other dog owners are pretty good about preventing things from getting out of hand when the dogs start to fight. Unfortunately, there are also some grade-A idiots at our dog park too. There is one woman with a black lab that is extremely aggressive, who torments dogs that are much larger regularly and she continues to bring her dog to the park. My attitude is, you blame the owner, not the dog because a person should know better Well, a couple of months ago there was an incident involving her dog. Her lab was harrasing a pit bill repeatedly; the pit bull ignored the dog for quite a while. The lab went to bite the pit bull's neck and the pit bull grabbed the lab's neck. His jaws locked up around the labs neck. Who do you think came off as the bad party in this scenario? The lab ended up needing major stiches. The thing that aggravates me the most about this story, that would have angered me had this happened to me was the woman yelling at Clyde for no reason. He's not at all involved in the incident and he gets scolded by a stranger. I think this would have been the thing that really put me over the top, not the medical records, this would have been the straw that broke the camel's back How did you manage to keep your cool? Bear, Clyde and Lucy deserve to go back to their dog park. I hope this incident does not keep you away from your park. |
Sheepie Heaven wrote: My first reaction to that part was.... "Oh no! How is she going to get blood stains out of Bear's coat???" He was wet so it didn't stick. I wiped it in his beard, lol. Quote: The thing that aggravates me the most about this story, that would have angered me had this happened to me was the woman yelling at Clyde for no reason. He's not at all involved in the incident and he gets scolded by a stranger.
Me too, because it was totally unrelated to the first incident. It was like adding insult to injury. I was having trouble every way I looked. I think at some point I'll go back, but for now, I'll just keep taking them to day care and to the indoor dog park that the day care has. They always get along fine there. It's a lot of big dogs at day care (Great Danes, Newfies, Mastiffs) so they can play however they like without having to worry about hurting anyone. |
| I have noticed that people that have a single dog are not accustomed to seeing dogs rolling around wrestling and play fighting. When it does happen (for example, London running and grabbing the other dog by the neck and then flipping them or herself over and all the snapping going on) they think their dog is being attacked and get very anxious and they rush in to stop it and it elevates the situation from being play to being more serious.
I am so sorry you got bit and please make sure you take care of it so it doesn't get infected. |
| I am so sorry about your bad day at the dog park Wynette is right people don't understand how "dogs "or sheepies play. I have a german shepherd and people right away think she is mean. (she is just a love bug ) Please keep an eye on your hand,dogs have bacteria in their mouths that can cause a bite to the hand to get infected quickly because the bones are so close to the skin an infection near or in the bone can happen. |
| Jill, I feel your pain....about the park, not the hand..
I guess we are pretty lucky to have parks where most people seem to be OK about the dogs wrestling etc. Soemtimes to the oppostive extrme, where folks let their poor pooch get bullied, or let their doggs bully pooches.. But Bosley, too, can be a bit of a pain, with an overly -submissive dog, or one that gives him the eye. What I do is watch him and the other dogs like a hawk. It is hard, but I never have to worry about Dixie, so I just follow Bosley around. If I don't like the looks of a dog, or the way Bosley is looking at a dog, I call him over for a treat, and we move off somewhere else. But if anyone ever got bitten...wow....that would be a HUGE deal! |
Geez Jill, starting trouble again  Is this the park right by your house? Bear as a napkin made me laugh but seriously take care of your hand so it will be in good shape to break on your next snowboarding adventure |
| Why even go to a "dog park" if the dogs can't play. I think that's pretty hypocritical. People can be so arrogant and ignorant. Unfortunately there are a lot of meanies out there that ruin it for everyone else.
I got mad reading that and I don't know you personally. I think it strikes a chord with people. Dont you worry about it. I say get your hand checked out and complain about those people IF you happen to see them again in the near future should another confrontation occur. You have EVERY right to ask if that dog was up to date on shots. And honestly....if these people were SOOOO concerned about their precious golden, why didn't THEY stop their dog from getting aggressive with yours. Where were they while all this happened..... talking to the paranoid labradoodle lady? You did absolutely NOTHING wrong. |
| That's aweful. Hope your hand is OK. |
| What a horrible time with horrible people, poor bear. The size I suppose does not help him as people also don't realise he is still a youngster, I imagine because of the size of him they think he is a lot older then he really is.
Now this is from a motherly point of view, HECK JILL, go to the doctors and at least get some anti-biotics & a tetnus shot if you are not up to date with that, the dog broke the skin and you are an open case for an infection now. We don't want to see a blown up infected hand in your up and coming wedding photos. 
Hope those people find another park and don't return so your boys can keep playing and having a doggie fun time.  |
BatonRougeSheepies wrote: I have noticed that people that have a single dog are not accustomed to seeing dogs rolling around wrestling and play fighting.
Wynette, I think this is a good point. People with only one dog or their first dog can't tell the difference between fighting and playing. Bailey is pretty submissive in the dog park, which can cause other dogs to be aggressive, but now I just yell at him to stop being a wimp. Thank goodness I have Darcy so close by, because that's how I learned what was normal for big dogs playing together. The wrestling started when Bailey was half Panda's size and I thought "gee, I hope she doesn't hurt him!" but he seemed to be enjoying it. Now Bailey is twice Panda's size and I think "gee, I hope HE doesn't hurt HER" but she loves it and keeps going back for more. The time we met Edgar at the dog park he launched his puppy self right into the fray with no fear - trying to grab Bailey by the neck even though Bailey towered over him! And yes, there have been some bitten and bloody tongues as a result, but all in the name of a good romp |
I Dream Of Sheepie wrote: Why even go to a "dog park" if the dogs can't play. I think that's pretty hypocritical.
I think a lot of people like the idea of going to a dog park and having their dogs play, but once they get there and see what it looks like when dogs play they get uptight and nervous about their dogs...I mean, it IS sometimes hard to tell what's fun and what's mean when they are at a park. I think they might have the idea that playing dogs are mostly a non-contact sport and that they just run and chase each other. Not excusing these people, just thinking of reasons why some people don't behave correctly at dog parks. |
| Ultimately, they really weren't getting along. It did go beyond playing. But that happens with dogs. You just calmly separate the dogs and move on. Going crazy never solves anything. Yelling at someone who just got bit by your dog is never appropriate either! I'm the first to admit that Bear can get rough with submissive dogs. Because of that, I watch him and I keep a lead in hand as I follow him around in case he needs a time out. He always relaxes with no problem, he's not seething and fighting to go after other dogs. He just doesn't seem to understand that not all dogs enjoy butt biting and that he can't mouth a short haired small dog as hard on the neck as he can Clyde and get a similar response. I, in no way, blame the other dog. It's the people that were acting inappropriately for owners whose dog had actually bit a person.
I do agree about single dogs. People aren't used to how 2 dogs, let alone 2 huge dogs play. Sometimes even when people come over my house and watch the boys play outside, they run over to ask me if it's ok or if they're fighting. I don't even have to look to answer. It always looks terrible if you aren't used to it! |
| Jill,
So sorry about your hand and about the rude people! |
| How is your hand doing Jill? |
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