Both Shiba and Kai go to the dog park. My girl will run with packs and have fun. I don't have to worry about her at all.. My Kai, on the other hand, he prefers to do his own thing. He will try to initiate play through 'stalking' them (ie see the thread about stalking). I do have to be cautious with him as he will attract other dogs. Ty has alot of confidence and other dogs will b-line it to him to test him. Of course Ty will try to stand his ground. He can be the punk on the playground too. If another dog isnt running fast enough for him he will run into them, jump over them, or get just far enough ahead of them then jump back at them. Yea, we are still working on breaking this habit.
After about an hour at the dog park Asako will try to herd me to the gate to go. During the time at the park though, both will run around doing their own thing, but they will always come and 'check in' every few minutes.
Nero loves the dog park, however we tend to be very cautious. There have been several issues with other dogs barely watched by their owners that want to dominate everything they see. We also had an outbreak of kennel cough at our local dog park recently so have stayed clear even though he has his bordetella vaccine.
We have been taking advantage of the Doggie Day Care lately too though and he LOVES it. Turns out he has become inseparable with a Shiba Inu named Kobe that tends to be there on Saturdays.
My dogs (Malamute and Shikoku) do alright at daycare, where things are very moderated and they feel "safe", but the dog park is always iffy. If I go, I will only go when there are few people/dogs (1-3) and only for short times. My Shikoku is a bit better than my Malamute, but can be more reactive to new things that get him worked up.
My Kishu has done well on hikes when we encounter other dogs or outside with other dogs, but I would never (at this point) bring her to daycare or a dog park.
I used to do the dog park frequently for socialization with Kona, looking back on it I wouldn't have gone so often. She used to handle all dogs well, and now it's a different story (she can't seem to read body language very well, and is tense every time she goes or she tries to play too rough with smaller dogs, they get scared and snap and it starts a whole chain reaction...not great)..so now I only take kimber if i do, and I do it very seldom only when there are a few dogs there. Otherwise I find it always seems to turn into a doggie mosh-pit and things escalate quickly. I can't tell you how many times i've seen 10 dogs chasing a dog, one dog pinning it down and the rest joining in and going to town...it's like they feed off this energy and it turns bad (which is also why I always grab kimber now when I see more than a few dogs chasing her).
I don't have anything against dog parks, I just think there are better ways to do socialization in a more controlled environment..
@mdokic That sounds terrible There are a few written rules at the dog park we go to but most of the etiquette is verbally passed around. One of the unwritten rules is to never let dogs play two on one and our park members are very proactive! I tried three different parks before I found one I liked and even then I only enjoy the crowd that comes at a certain time of day. A few of the parks we tested were like the one you described and it is scary to see how quickly the domino falls.
@Valkyrii & @Crispy I have heard of doggy daycare, is it worth it?
@poinea My shikoku also checks in every few minutes and I am so grateful for it! She can be a punk when it comes to chasing other dogs but has always come back if I whistle for her to stop. It helps that she never goes too far so that I can get involved when needed.
Granted, there are times where he can be a bit too rough for certain dogs (and it's obvious they don't enjoy it either), but I'll call him off and we go our separate ways to not risk anything escalating. Otherwise it's always been a pleasant experience!
I avoid dog parks like an STD. There's just too many idiot dog owners out there for me to feel safe letting my dogs play with them. More often than not the owners are the issue, not the dogs.
I take both dogs to the dog park late at night, early in the morning, or during bad weather when no one else is there. I leash them up and leave if someone else arrives. This is primarily for Rakka's benefit. I used to take her there all the time with no problems, but her snarkiness scared a few dog owners, and I thought it would be better just not to get into anything. I have also found that she is less and less tolerant of strange dogs. She's almost 8 now and she pretty much just doesn't want anything to do with other dogs.
Sosuke's fine and I'll take him whenever, too. Although, I should note that the dog parks where I live are these huge pieces of land at the edges of town where it's pretty easy to avoid others. There are trails where everyone else walks, and I usually go climb a hill or just go off where no one else is. So, I avoid others even with Sosuke, but there's always a chance that a dog will come running all the way over.
Technically, a strange dog could come running up to us anywhere we walk (and it has happened on leashed sidewalk walks, too), but it's just about risk management. It's also unlikely that Rakka would actually fight and injure another dog, but it's worth minimizing the risk because she is reactive.
I swear I thought it was just my pup! Athena (8months 26lbs) plays and she jumps on top of a dog (usually bigger) and growls and pretty much pins down x dog (usually twice her size) and starts biting at him. I let it play out to see if the owners are ok, because of course this is how athena plays- i know because this is what she does to Hades (shiba) all the time. I usually based what im going to do off the owners and not the dog because IMO the dog flipped over on their own, I refuse to think she is capable of doing it on her own.
Usually the dogs are ok with it. At this point, one of two things will happen- 1) The dog owner will understand this is play, and they allow their pup to figure out how to pin my small "aggressive" dog. Or the dog gets free and the chase ensues. 2) ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE and the owners are 3 steps from hitting my dog because she has x dog pinned down and is growling. Of which I quickly intervene, before things really go bad.
I'm a daily dog park goer here w/ both the Shiba and Basenji.
That said, my definition of an acceptable "dog park" is a multi-acre, often multi-function expanse with no fences and lots of room to move freely. We don't go to parks with the express purpose of playing with other dogs, but to enjoy scenery, stroll off leash, and just be out amongst what is usually a fairly chill group of regular walkers. To that end, I do not go to fenced-in dog parks where there's little for the dogs to do except interact with other dogs. Those environments tend to get boring and claustrophobic for them pretty quickly.
@curlytails - That's pretty much what the dog park is like here in Seattle (technically Redmond). It's 40 acres, semi-fenced, and tons and tons of room to explore and do your own thing. I often see people in jogging outfits and their dogs follow them on the trail in the park, so it's a good excuse for that, too...
I do typically avoid dog parks that are tiny and enclosed and popular, though, for sure.
Used to take Kuma (Shiba Inu) to dog parks, but he doesn't seem to like it. At one particular dog park he waits by a gate next to an open area where other dogs are playing off leash. He give's me a "Let me the hell outta here look" until I get to the gate and let him out. He'll play in the open area, but just wander around the enclosed "official" dog park.
Have to agree with @BradA1878 and @Shikoku's point #2, it's usually owners that are the problem. There are *always* owners at dog parks that have no clue where their dog is or what they are doing. They're the same ones who never clean up after their dog. There also seem to be a lot of owners who go berserk if your dog even snarls at their dog, usually yappy little fluff balls.
Last time we went to a dog park I overheard one owner say to another, "that's a Shiba, they're not social and don't get along with other dogs" as they went the other direction.
Dog parks literally sometimes make me HATE people in general. HATE. Esp now after that last sentence @roninshiba. Idk what I would have done if I heard that..at this point in my life, I probably would've gone into full crazy mode...but that's just because my patience for anything has dwindled so much
I've given up being nice to this woman in my complex who keeps calling Kona an "it". I'm done.
that's a Shiba, they're not social and don't get along with other dogs
**My Deepest darkest inward yell*** If one more person asks me if the shiba is the "Barkless dog, or comment on how they arent supposed to be black and tan, or say they arent social" IM GONNA FLIP OUT!
**Done screaming to myself**
That's why i usually just say, not sure what breed, or they are from the pound. That Stops all questions and assumptions.
My dog park rant/story... Last time I took Mya and Shelby, a Schnauzer attacked Mya. Of course the owners of said Schnauzer were not paying attention. Mya wasn't hurt and she left the Schnauzer alone after I broke up the fight. Well, about 5 minutes later the dang Schnauzer went after Mya again. I noticed Shelby laying down just before this. What I saw was kind of amazing. Mya led the Schnauzer closer to Shelby (as I started to run towards them) and Shelby mowed the Schnauzer down! She didn't bite it, but she head butted it and knocked it over. Of course the owners of the Schnauzer noticed this. I got fussed at and told to control my vicious dogs. I just put their leashes on and we left. That Schnauzer was a bully to all the dogs at the park and when my dogs stuck up for themselves they were labeled as vicious. I hate people.
@Shikoku I get that kind of crap with my Shiba and my chi. Apparently Shibas never bark and Chihuahuas bark and bite all the time. The only time Mya barks is if someone is at the door, but she definitely barks. Rosie Has bitten once... during a bad seizure... when I opened her mouth because she was choking. Totally out of control aggression there...
I guess I haven't had near this much bad luck. I guess ppl here are much more laid back. Dogs getting knocked over is pretty standard here. Some of the dogs are nervous coming in. There was one owner recently that wasn't watching his dog well he was at a table studying for hours, but his dog was probably the best behaved dog there. Only thing recently that has bothered me was a guy put his hands on my dog trying to get his dog and arashi to play. Arashi didn't care, she thought it was fun; i just know some dogs would freak.
@mkdokic and @shikoku, at the time the person made the comment my only thought was "What an ignorant moron". What dog owner brings their "anti-social" dog to a dog park?
@Myabee09, I would have been proud of Shelby for looking after her sister. I probably would have blown up at the Schnauzer owner for being clueless, before leaving.
The one thing that bothers me most is when owners just assume they can let their dog just walk up to another dog on leash and everything will be okay. I was walking Kuma at a local park one morning and he found a bush to relieve himself. While he was doing so, another owner let her dog walk right up to Kuma from our rear and start sniffing, before I could turn around and stop her. Kuma got pissed off turned and bared his teeth and let her dog know that was not acceptable. She got huffy and pulled her dog away mumbling something about Kuma being vicious. My only thought was, "that was totally a stupid thing to do". I didn't say anything although I should have told her it was stupid of her to continue moving toward Kuma while he was busy without alerting me/us or even asking me. Sometimes you just have to wonder just how stupid some dog owners can be.
I use to take Kiyoshi (Shikoku) to the dog park back when he was 3 months old. But being an intact male he doesn't play well sometimes, especially with other males. He loves the ladies though!
Plus I've had some bad experiences at the dog park. I avoid it like the plague. For his safety as well as my own. That's about all I have to say...
I think it's a rare adult NK that actually would enjoy dog park. Some young NK like it but they tend to outgrow it. The key- as some have already said- is just finding a little group of people and dogs that click well and meeting up with your group.
I havent taken any of my dogs to a fenced dog park, but I used to meet a group of the same friends every day with the same dogs at the same time to walk in a 35 acre hayfield and that was great!! As more people found out about our paradise, however, more dogs came in, the field owners fenced it (feeling worried about their liability for dogs getting hit on the road adjacent or the RR tracks on the opposite side) and put in a parking area. Before the formalization of the dog field, nobody brought dogs there who didnt have good recall (road, RR tracks) and stickiness. Now people would bring dogs with no control at all and turn em loose.
This coincided with late adolescence for Sage, my "rott-kai-ller," and we had trouble with other dogs. (not just Sage either- the labs and spaniels and mixes we walked with had issues too, but they rebounded well, and sensitive Sage did not.) Too many dogs, too many out of control/away from owner dogs and his tolerance was just too low for this activity.
Adult dogs don't need a parade/frat party social experience. Except for dogs selected for gregariousness and the need to work with strange dogs often (many hounds, retreivers) - the 'default' for the majority of adult dogs is to have a small circle of familiar dogs (sometimes a very small circle) or dogs/humans and be happiest with distance from out-of-family dogs. It's more than okay if you dog doesn't like dog park as he/she matures. It's very normal
Its so unfortunate to hear all these stories of negative experiences. We've never had any issues nor see any cases of owners being irresponsible or over reactive but now that I think of it, the park we went to in FL was a membership only park and was pricey so that kind of limited it to only really dedicated dog lovers. I miss that park though. It was 42 acres with half of it being open park with a lake, tires and tunnels, the other half was nature trails. They also had a park for little dogs and an agility area
I avoid dog parks like an STD. There's just too many idiot dog owners out there for me to feel safe letting my dogs play with them. More often than not the owners are the issue, not the dogs.
This is my favorite statement ever about dog parks. My thoughts too!
And @Wrylybrindle, though I didn't quote your post, that was a great one. I agree--the majority of adult NK don't like dog parks, and don't really need them. I note on the Shiba forum that many, many people take their Shibas to dog parks as puppies, and then eventually comes the post about "my dog is not getting along at the dog park anymore" and the dog is almost invariably reaching maturity (roughly around 2 years old).
I used to take a GSD I had to a dog park, because he was a GSD, was sticky, and had good recall. He was ok with it, but I never enjoyed it myself--too many people doing stupid things with their dogs (frankly--I'm very much a Shiba myself, and when I see people doing stupid Cesar Millan shit, for example, it makes me very snarky and growly). Before I moved to NM, I had a group of friends who would meet in a rural area (part corn field, part trail through a wooded area) where we let our dogs off leash for a group walk and that was lovely, but we all had sticky dogs (my lab/chow cross never got to go offleash on those walks!). I'd prefer that.
Of my four (1 shiba, 2 AA, 1 Kai Ken), the Kai is the only one who could tolerate a dog park situation. And he would hate it. I took him to puppy play groups a lot as a puppy, and he always spent 10 minutes sniffing all the other dogs, and maybe if there was a bigger puppy, he'd play for 5 minutes, and then the rest of the time was spent looking for ways to escape. I finally stopped going when I realized he mostly hated it.
Before I knew better, I tried my Shiba at a dog park when he was a puppy. He attacked every dog he met, even if they were large grown dogs, so that wasn't successful.
And my Akitas are....well, Akitas. In general, AAs+dog parks=bad idea. Akitas are very selective about what dogs they will tolerate. And while Zora (11 months old) has been in a few puppy play groups, she's now starting to develop the Akita hyperfocus on other dogs, which sometimes does not end well. (I'm working with her on it, but....). (I don't know if JAs are like this, but every AA I've had has, at around a year old or so, suddenly started to develop the Akita intolerance to other dogs, but it starts out as a very keen interest, except the interest isn't always friendly).
So...no. They do have a new dog park out here in the mountains that I've thought of checking out (though don't really have a dog to bring to it!), but they've had a huge problem with rattlesnakes there lately, so I guess I can continue to avoid dog parks!
I mainly take my ladies so Mya can go for her beloved car rides and Shelby can swim (Mya lifeguards). I used to being them for the exercise, but now we have a yard that's fenced and big enough for them to get all the exercise they need.
My JA loves other dogs, she was very socialized when young and loves the thought of playing with other dogs. We don't really have dog parks here in the highlands but a lot of people have their dogs constantly off of lead. Aiko is usually on an extended lead but so far she's had no issues with anyone outside the house (She only dislikes one dog with very good reason) - I will take her to the dog parks when I get to Toronto in a week and see what she thinks from that.
@Tamagou, if you are talking about the dog from your intro, she's only 6 months. Still a puppy! The intolerance typically comes with maturity.
As for my dog, a Shiba, nope. We can't go to dog parks anymore. He hit that wall early and was getting into scuffles over toys people brought to the park by 8 months. He would be attacked for "stealing" a tossed ball, and eventually he stopped backing down. Toy-free, he could get along with meetups until he was about 1.5. Now he can only play with dogs he already knows, or has a neutral introduction in a controlled environment.
My advice to all considering dog parks - it's not worth it. When you have no control over who is interacting with your dog, things can happen. And NKs have long memories. You are better off arranging playdates with friends or attending group classes. It's the old quantity vs quality problem. Socialization is good! But bad socialization is worse than none.
I used to bring my dogs (shiba + shikoku) often, but depending on the day either dog gets attacked and they don't back down, so I usually leave because the offending owners don't care.Other days, I've had mine start some scuffles with dogs who don't want to play with them but they are too persistent. Then I get weird owners trying to feed my dogs without permission or give me attitude because mine isn't a rescue or a breed they know of.. It's really a hit our miss. Either way, it's become too frustrating! I avoid it if I can.
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My Kai, on the other hand, he prefers to do his own thing. He will try to initiate play through 'stalking' them (ie see the thread about stalking). I do have to be cautious with him as he will attract other dogs. Ty has alot of confidence and other dogs will b-line it to him to test him. Of course Ty will try to stand his ground. He can be the punk on the playground too. If another dog isnt running fast enough for him he will run into them, jump over them, or get just far enough ahead of them then jump back at them. Yea, we are still working on breaking this habit.
After about an hour at the dog park Asako will try to herd me to the gate to go. During the time at the park though, both will run around doing their own thing, but they will always come and 'check in' every few minutes.
We have been taking advantage of the Doggie Day Care lately too though and he LOVES it. Turns out he has become inseparable with a Shiba Inu named Kobe that tends to be there on Saturdays.
My Kishu has done well on hikes when we encounter other dogs or outside with other dogs, but I would never (at this point) bring her to daycare or a dog park.
I don't have anything against dog parks, I just think there are better ways to do socialization in a more controlled environment..
That sounds terrible
@Valkyrii & @Crispy
I have heard of doggy daycare, is it worth it?
@poinea
My shikoku also checks in every few minutes and I am so grateful for it! She can be a punk when it comes to chasing other dogs but has always come back if I whistle for her to stop. It helps that she never goes too far so that I can get involved when needed.
Granted, there are times where he can be a bit too rough for certain dogs (and it's obvious they don't enjoy it either), but I'll call him off and we go our separate ways to not risk anything escalating. Otherwise it's always been a pleasant experience!
Sosuke's fine and I'll take him whenever, too. Although, I should note that the dog parks where I live are these huge pieces of land at the edges of town where it's pretty easy to avoid others. There are trails where everyone else walks, and I usually go climb a hill or just go off where no one else is. So, I avoid others even with Sosuke, but there's always a chance that a dog will come running all the way over.
Technically, a strange dog could come running up to us anywhere we walk (and it has happened on leashed sidewalk walks, too), but it's just about risk management. It's also unlikely that Rakka would actually fight and injure another dog, but it's worth minimizing the risk because she is reactive.
I agree that the owners are almost always the issue.
Usually the dogs are ok with it. At this point, one of two things will happen- 1) The dog owner will understand this is play, and they allow their pup to figure out how to pin my small "aggressive" dog. Or the dog gets free and the chase ensues. 2) ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE and the owners are 3 steps from hitting my dog because she has x dog pinned down and is growling. Of which I quickly intervene, before things really go bad.
SADLY, More times then not it is option #2.
That said, my definition of an acceptable "dog park" is a multi-acre, often multi-function expanse with no fences and lots of room to move freely. We don't go to parks with the express purpose of playing with other dogs, but to enjoy scenery, stroll off leash, and just be out amongst what is usually a fairly chill group of regular walkers. To that end, I do not go to fenced-in dog parks where there's little for the dogs to do except interact with other dogs. Those environments tend to get boring and claustrophobic for them pretty quickly.
I do typically avoid dog parks that are tiny and enclosed and popular, though, for sure.
Have to agree with @BradA1878 and @Shikoku's point #2, it's usually owners that are the problem. There are *always* owners at dog parks that have no clue where their dog is or what they are doing. They're the same ones who never clean up after their dog. There also seem to be a lot of owners who go berserk if your dog even snarls at their dog, usually yappy little fluff balls.
Last time we went to a dog park I overheard one owner say to another, "that's a Shiba, they're not social and don't get along with other dogs" as they went the other direction.
I've given up being nice to this woman in my complex who keeps calling Kona an "it". I'm done.
If one more person asks me if the shiba is the "Barkless dog, or comment on how they arent supposed to be black and tan, or say they arent social" IM GONNA FLIP OUT!
**Done screaming to myself**
That's why i usually just say, not sure what breed, or they are from the pound. That Stops all questions and assumptions.
Last time I took Mya and Shelby, a Schnauzer attacked Mya. Of course the owners of said Schnauzer were not paying attention. Mya wasn't hurt and she left the Schnauzer alone after I broke up the fight. Well, about 5 minutes later the dang Schnauzer went after Mya again. I noticed Shelby laying down just before this. What I saw was kind of amazing. Mya led the Schnauzer closer to Shelby (as I started to run towards them) and Shelby mowed the Schnauzer down! She didn't bite it, but she head butted it and knocked it over. Of course the owners of the Schnauzer noticed this. I got fussed at and told to control my vicious dogs. I just put their leashes on and we left. That Schnauzer was a bully to all the dogs at the park and when my dogs stuck up for themselves they were labeled as vicious. I hate people.
@Shikoku I get that kind of crap with my Shiba and my chi. Apparently Shibas never bark and Chihuahuas bark and bite all the time. The only time Mya barks is if someone is at the door, but she definitely barks. Rosie Has bitten once... during a bad seizure... when I opened her mouth because she was choking. Totally out of control aggression there...
@Myabee09, I would have been proud of Shelby for looking after her sister. I probably would have blown up at the Schnauzer owner for being clueless, before leaving.
The one thing that bothers me most is when owners just assume they can let their dog just walk up to another dog on leash and everything will be okay. I was walking Kuma at a local park one morning and he found a bush to relieve himself. While he was doing so, another owner let her dog walk right up to Kuma from our rear and start sniffing, before I could turn around and stop her. Kuma got pissed off turned and bared his teeth and let her dog know that was not acceptable. She got huffy and pulled her dog away mumbling something about Kuma being vicious. My only thought was, "that was totally a stupid thing to do". I didn't say anything although I should have told her it was stupid of her to continue moving toward Kuma while he was busy without alerting me/us or even asking me. Sometimes you just have to wonder just how stupid some dog owners can be.
Plus I've had some bad experiences at the dog park. I avoid it like the plague. For his safety as well as my own. That's about all I have to say...
I havent taken any of my dogs to a fenced dog park, but I used to meet a group of the same friends every day with the same dogs at the same time to walk in a 35 acre hayfield and that was great!! As more people found out about our paradise, however, more dogs came in, the field owners fenced it (feeling worried about their liability for dogs getting hit on the road adjacent or the RR tracks on the opposite side) and put in a parking area. Before the formalization of the dog field, nobody brought dogs there who didnt have good recall (road, RR tracks) and stickiness. Now people would bring dogs with no control at all and turn em loose.
This coincided with late adolescence for Sage, my "rott-kai-ller," and we had trouble with other dogs. (not just Sage either- the labs and spaniels and mixes we walked with had issues too, but they rebounded well, and sensitive Sage did not.) Too many dogs, too many out of control/away from owner dogs and his tolerance was just too low for this activity.
Adult dogs don't need a parade/frat party social experience. Except for dogs selected for gregariousness and the need to work with strange dogs often (many hounds, retreivers) - the 'default' for the majority of adult dogs is to have a small circle of familiar dogs (sometimes a very small circle) or dogs/humans and be happiest with distance from out-of-family dogs. It's more than okay if you dog doesn't like dog park as he/she matures. It's very normal
And @Wrylybrindle, though I didn't quote your post, that was a great one. I agree--the majority of adult NK don't like dog parks, and don't really need them. I note on the Shiba forum that many, many people take their Shibas to dog parks as puppies, and then eventually comes the post about "my dog is not getting along at the dog park anymore" and the dog is almost invariably reaching maturity (roughly around 2 years old).
I used to take a GSD I had to a dog park, because he was a GSD, was sticky, and had good recall. He was ok with it, but I never enjoyed it myself--too many people doing stupid things with their dogs (frankly--I'm very much a Shiba myself, and when I see people doing stupid Cesar Millan shit, for example, it makes me very snarky and growly). Before I moved to NM, I had a group of friends who would meet in a rural area (part corn field, part trail through a wooded area) where we let our dogs off leash for a group walk and that was lovely, but we all had sticky dogs (my lab/chow cross never got to go offleash on those walks!). I'd prefer that.
Of my four (1 shiba, 2 AA, 1 Kai Ken), the Kai is the only one who could tolerate a dog park situation. And he would hate it. I took him to puppy play groups a lot as a puppy, and he always spent 10 minutes sniffing all the other dogs, and maybe if there was a bigger puppy, he'd play for 5 minutes, and then the rest of the time was spent looking for ways to escape. I finally stopped going when I realized he mostly hated it.
Before I knew better, I tried my Shiba at a dog park when he was a puppy. He attacked every dog he met, even if they were large grown dogs, so that wasn't successful.
And my Akitas are....well, Akitas. In general, AAs+dog parks=bad idea. Akitas are very selective about what dogs they will tolerate. And while Zora (11 months old) has been in a few puppy play groups, she's now starting to develop the Akita hyperfocus on other dogs, which sometimes does not end well. (I'm working with her on it, but....). (I don't know if JAs are like this, but every AA I've had has, at around a year old or so, suddenly started to develop the Akita intolerance to other dogs, but it starts out as a very keen interest, except the interest isn't always friendly).
So...no. They do have a new dog park out here in the mountains that I've thought of checking out (though don't really have a dog to bring to it!), but they've had a huge problem with rattlesnakes there lately, so I guess I can continue to avoid dog parks!
As for my dog, a Shiba, nope. We can't go to dog parks anymore. He hit that wall early and was getting into scuffles over toys people brought to the park by 8 months. He would be attacked for "stealing" a tossed ball, and eventually he stopped backing down. Toy-free, he could get along with meetups until he was about 1.5. Now he can only play with dogs he already knows, or has a neutral introduction in a controlled environment.
My advice to all considering dog parks - it's not worth it. When you have no control over who is interacting with your dog, things can happen. And NKs have long memories. You are better off arranging playdates with friends or attending group classes. It's the old quantity vs quality problem. Socialization is good! But bad socialization is worse than none.
Then I get weird owners trying to feed my dogs without permission or give me attitude because mine isn't a rescue or a breed they know of..
It's really a hit our miss. Either way, it's become too frustrating! I avoid it if I can.