[Morgan_G]

My dog Lucy is a three year old mix, unsure of what mix though (possibly Boston Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and/or Frenchie? Let me know if you have a guess).
We rescued her a little over 8 months ago she had just turned three, she’ll be four in November. When we first got her she was very timid toward other dogs and/or would try and pounce on them as they walked by. Over time she has gotten better and better and we have finally been able to take her to the dog parks. We started taking her back in March before COVID and she was doing very well, no problems or anything. And now that the dog parks are open again she has been very excited to get back. Her first few interactions were great, but they’ve continued to get worse. She frequently comes on too strong and scares the other dogs trying to chase them and then tackling them until I have to pull her off. She also keeps getting into fights (she’s a very happy and almost overly friendly dog so this has also been strange). She plays pretty rough and doesn’t know her strength so that is an issue with smaller dogs. And her frequent issue is bugging the one dog in the park that doesn’t want to play. It’s so tough because even when she gets beat up by another dog she still pulls at the gate and tries to go back in and keep playing. Any tips for helping her be a better friend at the dog park? It breaks my heart every time I have to take her home after 2 minutes/when all the other dogs leave the park because she’s isn’t playing nice.

 

[LeoRose]

I saw your other thread. She's a cutie.

A lot of bull-breed type dogs simply don't make good dog park dogs. Their "tackle and wrestle" play style can be pretty intimidating to other dogs. Being a pest, and insisting on trying to interact with a dog who clearly doesn't want to interact with her could wind up having serious consequences if it's allowed to continue. At best, she will get a reputation for being something of a bully. At worst, it could result in a fight with a serious injury (or even death) and you having your socks sued off.

If you really just have to allow her some doggy friends, then getting together privately with a couple of well-known dogs who are of similar size, temperament, and play style is a much better option than the chaos of a dog park.

 

[BKaymuttleycrew]

Honestly, she just doesn't really sound like a good candidate for dog parks. If she has select dogs that she likes & can play nicely with, perhaps arranging one-on-one play dates would be a better option.

 

[Tater33]

People are on edge these days. If your dog roughs up another it could lead to an ugly confrontation.
I would keep her away from public parks. Dogs like that are why we don't bring our dog to dog parks anymore. Ours got bit by a husky and the owner took off. Got stuck with the bill.

 

[3GSD4IPO]

Dog parks are bad news. I do not suggest or recommend them and your dog is not a dog park candidate.

If you stand outside a dog park and watch the dogs you will learn a ton about dog behavior. Often someone arrives at the dog park and starts talking to other people and is clueless that their dog is scared and uncomfortable. Their dog gets defensive (snarling and snapping) and the clueless owner will punish their dog.. then say Play Nice.. when it was the other dogs not playing nice.

I highly recommend you stop taking your dog to the dog park. In fact, I highly recommend against taking any dog to a dog park. Hot bed or disease and dog fights in my opinion.

 

[DaySleepers]

Agreed with the above. It's very normal for adult dogs not to be 'dog park dogs', and that's okay. Especially when it comes to "thunderdome" style dog parks where there's limited space and the only activity is interacting with other dogs. It gravitates dogs to each other and doesn't give them space to avoid each other if you have a personality or play style clash. As group activities go, something structured like parallel walks/play (where the dogs are walking or playing with their owner, near but not interacting with another dog) or an off-leash hike tends to work much better for adult dogs.

And, sadly, it does matter that you have a bully breed mix. The sad truth is that these dogs are both boisterous, physical players that often clash with other dogs' play styles, and are apt to be blamed for any altercation that happens. Whether it was their fault or not. They're currently the bugaboo 'aggressive breed' of the dog world, despite loads of research and statistics showing that they don't cause any more bites than any other breed, which means they get less social leeway in group situations. It sucks, but it's important to protect your dog by being careful with who they interact with.

Personally, I use dog parks pretty much as a training tool (where I'm outside and the other dogs are inside, so I can work with my dog-reactive dog without worrying he'll get rushed by loose dogs), or when they're completely empty so my boys can go stretch their legs. I've used them in the past, mostly with my eldest dog, and frankly I think they're partially responsible for his poor dog-dog social manners today. He gets overstimulated and overhyped, pushy, and snarky and stops listening to other dogs' signals. Recipe for a disaster, especially with a smaller dog, because he'll start fights and I'm worried about who's going to finish them.

Pre-covid, we did arrange co-walking groups around our local trail park, which I think was much more successful and socially healthier for many of the dogs who attended.