Dog-aggressive dogs do not belong at a dog park. And, for pete's sake, why was this little dog allowed to get all obnoxious like that? Sounds like there was plenty of warning before the actual incident, and I think she handled it very well. Most DA dogs would have eaten a small brat like that. Allowing her to be harassed by other dogs isn't going to help her get over being DA. IF you absolutely must bring her to the park, leave immediately if an obnoxious dog comes in. That shouldn't be allowed.

 

I agree with Willowy. This situation is likely to repeat itself. It's also hard to pay adequate attention to two dogs running around off leash. I would try to set up some playdates fopr your Rotti mix - in controlled situations with other dogs that you know are well behaved.

 

IMO, that incident wasn't instigated by your dog. The Shiba was being the pushy, obnoxious party and your dog wasn't willing to tolerate it. If your dog was truly aggressive, the Shiba would not have walked away without injury. In a perfect world, the Shiba should have left before it provoked an incident. When I see dogs like that come in my dog park, we leave immediately. Don't be afraid to leave when you see a dog that might cause problems with your dog. The less your dog gets to rehearse bad play behavior, the better the dog will be with other dogs.

I do agree that leaving was the right thing to do because an aroused dog has a spike of stress hormones circulating in it's bloodstream that takes days to return to normal. It will not be in the right state of mind to interact positively with other dogs at that point.

Your dog probably isn't testing dominance with other dogs, it's more likely insecure and doesn't really know proper dog to dog play etiquette. Some dogs think they initiate play by being pushy and obnoxious. When you see your dog posturing another dog, redirect their attention to play chase with you or some other dogs that are NOT standing still, play ball, do something else to engage her. This will prevent her from annoying the wrong dog and ending up in a scuffle or shouting match.

Another good idea would be to run or walk your dog for a while before entering the park. An aroused, energetic dog will be too much to handle for dogs that have been playing for a while. Along the same lines, know when your dog has had enough. A tired dog is often a cranky dog and a cranky dog isn't the best behaved park goer.

Finally, pay no mind to the idiots at the dog park. Many people think that unless a dog plays quiet, gentle, and without any biting it is a "bad" dog. Different dogs have different play styles and it's important to know which dogs will play well together and which dogs should be separated. As far as helping your dog get over aversion to other dogs, gradual socialization is the key to having a social dog. Don't ever punish your dog around other dogs (I could extend this to don't ever punish your dog period, but we'll stick to the issue at hand), don't force your dog to tolerate a situation it is uncomfortable with, and don't make your dog stay there if she doesn't feel up to it. I have a formerly aggressive dog that has been rehabilitated. He is now comfortable around all people and most dogs. He has earned his canine good citizen certification and goes to normal group dog sport classes, dog parks, and dog events. Building trust with a dog with socialization issues is key to getting the dog to overcome those socialization issues.

 

Given your dog's breed, you aren't likely to be forgiven for any mistakes. I would protect your dog by keeping her out of situations where a mistake can get her labelled as dangerous, deserved or not.

IMHO, dog parks are NOT places to rehab dogs with challenges. Dog parks are places where dog-friendly, stable dogs can go to play with other safe dogs.

Mine don't belong there. Too likely to get their panties in a twist.

 

I'd say no to any more dog park visits for the rotti. Frankly, it makes me very uncomfortable to know that people are testing their dog's dog aggression rehab on other people's dogs. That's what you were doing. It would be one thing to ask another dog owner if they'd like to help you with that, but to just do it without asking is unethical at best. I sympathize deeply with the struggle of having a DA dog, my old dog was DA, but I would never offer up my new dog for that sort of experiment, and I can't imagine too many other people would, either.

Plus, it's a bad thing to do to the breed. Lots of people are very prejudiced against rottis, we don't need any more incidents making them look bad, even if the other dog did start it.

 

Her dog aggression is mainly vocal, she's never bitten or injured another dog which is why I took her to the dog park. She did great until provoked repeatedly, and even then, the dog that she "attacked" didn't walk away with any injuries and went right back to nipping other dogs.
I've spent three years working on her dog aggression, she's done great in one on one settings with friends dogs and in four on one settings with the neighbors dogs, and even let the neighbors dog come in like house and eat her food.
I wouldn't say I was experimenting with others dogs or putting them at risk, I wax just taking what I though was the next step in her training.


Thank you for the input, we won't be taking her back to the dog park for a little while, and when we do we will try for a less busy day and I will promptly remove her if there is another dog pestering her.

 

The dog park is not the place for working on issues. There are just too many variables(such as the rude shiba inu whose owner apparently did nothing to prevent this).

Check out a good trainer or behaviorist that will use positive methods to get you through it. You can also look at meetup.com to find play groups in your area. The people that frequent these play groups tend to be a little more dog savvy than your average dog parker goer. A hiking group could give her fun experiences out with other dogs. What's important is that other she has good experiences with/around other dogs.

 

Her "aggression" sounds more like "reactivity" IMO, but I agree it would be best not to bring her anymore. Some dogs may fare well at dog parks, but for many it's just not an appropriate environment. Andy is not DA, but is overwhelmed in large groups of dogs and unsure of being approached face to face. He will typically try to move away, but if the other dog persists and ignores his signals, he will get ugly. He's never injured another dog, but I have witnessed him "pinning" a dog as well. If you're really interested in allowing her to play with other dogs, I'd look more into one on one play dates with a compatible dog. If not, there are plenty of other activities that do not involve other dogs.

In regards to the shepherd mix; what did you meant when you said she was "too weak" to attend the dog park? When you say senior, how old do you mean?

 

Thanks for your input. Hopefully her interaction with our other dog will be enough stimulation for now.

my shepherd mix is a rescue from a dog hoarder, her hind legs were severely deteriorated she could barely walk and couldn't get up the the stairs to our front porch when we first.brought her home. Plus she was about 20 pounds underweight. So getting her to gain muscle and gain weight in a healthy way, has been a chore. she is 11 years old, the rotti mix is 13.