How much training to go to the off-leash park?

[mixedupdog]

I'm really arguing with a friend. I maintain that you shouldn't bring your dog to the dog park until you are reasonably sure that you have a solid recall. No dog is 100%, but I maintain that the dog park is not the place to take a dog who doesn't listen when excited in order to "practice". Obedience class or outside the fence is the place for that. I contend that it's dangerous not to be able to call your dog out of a potentially volatile situation.
My friend maintains that her dog is better off learning to be polite with other dogs FROM other dogs, so when her dog gets nipped or chased for being a pesty puppy, it's ok. She says that expecting recall at the dog park is "unrealistic" dogs will be dogs, and should be able to "let go."  She also thinks that bringing treats to the dog park is a necessary bribe, and it's ok to bring training treats into the park.
Am I just nuts? Are my years as an Animal Control Officer, where I saw thousands of fights and injuries making me "paranoid" like my friend says?

[GR8DAME]

I do agree that a solid recall and control over your pet in an off leash situation is an absolute must. Unfortunetly I don't see alot of control at the dog parks I have been to. People are too busy socializing to pay attention to what their dogs are doing.
I waffle on the treat thing tho. I can see where it may create a problem, but all of my dogs are so treat motivated that it makes my life easier if I can bring them.
Stella

[kristi]

I'm in agreement with you regarding the recall...

I would never take a dog to an off-leash area unless I knew for sure that it was going to listen to me & had some form of training...

I don't think that it's a place to practice - too many factors involved - too many things could go wrong.

Another thing, too many other idiots bring their uncontrolled dogs to these locations... I don't ever want to be placed in that category!
-k.

[stryder]

No, you are not NUTS, you have just seen a lot more reality than most people.
I work at a Humane Society canine program. The work that goes into controlling forty dogs at any given time is overwhelming.
We have a mix of pens and runs and work with the County Dog Shelter to rescue and/or rehome 95% of them.
If I were at an off leash park;
Step 1 Walk the park with my dog on a short leash
Step 2 Walk the park with my dog on a retractable leash
Step 3 Look over the dogs to check for strong dominates and if satisfied only then would I let my dog off lead.
THoM

[MafiaPrincess]

When I lived in St. Kitts we used to go to the park often.  Cider was liek 5-6 months old.. had basic OB, didn't listen worth a dam*.. but was far better at following my commands than almost any other dog we met.

They were mainly monsters.. Cause their dogs couldn't escape the fence.. they figured no training required.

I wouldn't want to take my dog who doesn't reliably listen to the park, but the majority of people in parks are the ones who's dogs have no manners...

I always take treats just in case I really need my dog to push it for something, like keeping her away from danger.  Though with permission I'll play and treat other people's dogs.

[ZooCrew]

I guess I can see both sides of the issue b/c I have done training with dogs at dog parks.  BUT, this is NOT the preferrable way of doing things.  And in a large park, definitely not.

As a pet sitter, I had 2 (and the occasional 3) dogs I took to the park on a regular basis.  One I had been taking for over a year.  I worked with recall training there, I had to.  I wasn't about to go chasing her around ever time it was time to go.  After a month, she had perfect recall.

The second dog was worse, and treats came into the picture, as well as leaving the leash on if there were few dogs there (which, in the afternoon was usually the case).  She greatly improved w/i a couple of weeks was allowed totally off leash, but still easily distracted. 

Our park, of course is very small, maybe 1 1/2 acres, so recall problems aren't usually a huge issue there.  Before I bring my own dogs to any park, I would of course want good recall on them especially if there were strange dogs or alot of dogs there.  I think in most cases, I don't like treats to be involved, only b/c Keiko will do absolutely nothing except glue herself to whoever has treats for the whole time we are there.  I was lucky that the ones I brought must not have given off any kind of odor.  If I had attracted a group of dogs, I would have abandoned that idea quickly.  It can be dangerous to bring any kind of food into a park, including treats.  My dogs aren't aggressive food getters, they will just sit and stare at you until you give them something.  But I've seen other dogs biting at people's jackets/pants, jumping on them, and beinga general nuisance.  Not to mention if there was a food aggressive dog there it would cause huge problems.

[smsmith]

I think in most cases, I don't like treats to be involved, only b/c Keiko will do absolutely nothing except glue herself to whoever has treats for the whole time we are there.  I was lucky that the ones I brought must not have given off any kind of odor.  If I had attracted a group of dogs, I would have abandoned that idea quickly.  It can be dangerous to bring any kind of food into a park, including treats.  My dogs aren't aggressive food getters, they will just sit and stare at you until you give them something.  But I've seen other dogs biting at people's jackets/pants, jumping on them, and beinga general nuisance.  Not to mention if there was a food aggressive dog there it would cause huge problems.

I started out with treats for Einstein, but gave it up cause the level of cooperation I got with them wasn't any different than without.  He seems to cooperate best when he's had lots of exercise.  His brain clicks in when his "dog nature" has been taken care of (and I don't mean food, I mean long walks).

And I have made the mistake of taking treats to the dog park (in a ziploc bag - in my pocket).  Never again!  Not all the dogs, but a few, were obsessed with me the whole time I was there.

[Boyle]

From experience I would say NO treats at ANY dog park.  We tried that last year at the dog beach on recommendation of our trainer.  Nola was just a little guy (for a mastiff) and we were teaching him recall.  This is when a nasty, aggresive weim BIT me in the arm and on the bum.  We had had problems with the dog and owner prior to that.  He's one of those people on the phone or trying to chat up women while his dog is snarling at other dogs.  I was told by this dog's jerk of a owner that I had been "tempting" his dog all summer by bringing treats.  What if it had been a child at the beach who happened to have treats??   Fortunately, no skin was broken but my blood pressure was through the roof.  Both b/f and Nola were ready to pound him. It still ticks me off just thinking about it.  OK, ranting over.