The dog parks I've been to have all had picnic tables around. Especially helpful for the elderly or handicapped. The dogs still need to get out and run around and stuff, but not all owners can physically keep moving the way you described. Especially where I live now where we have a large retired population and they all seem to own dogs.highlandmum wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:35 pmHow do your dog parks work? Ours have no seats for the owners of the dogs, one of the rules is the dogs owners need to keep walking the entire time, as if you sit down you are less attentive and also the dogs may claim that area as their own. By us keeping moving the dogs are also moving the entire time, and less likely to get into a altercation (although they do happen). We have a few dog parks in the area - one of them has a separate location for small dogs under 25 lbs or puppies 9 months of age, then the other area. The one we go to does not have a small dog/puppy area. Technically our dog Thor could go to the small dog/puppy area since he is 9 months, however at 100 lbs he is a tad big for that route.Baconqueen13 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 11:38 am This is a case of had to be there. The larger dogs could have been pinning the little dog down because the little dog was getting too aggressive in play and they were telling it to settle the f**k down in dog language (pinning and growling.as warning).
Regardless of the situation however it is the responsibility of ALL dog owners to monitor their dog's play and remove their own dog from the situation or divert their dog's attention back to appropriate play. You say the little dog's owner "called" to their dog but an attentive pet owner would have gotten up off their ass and walked to their dog and removed relocated it to the different area. Same with the larger dog owners. All were in the wrong here and need to brush up on their dog training and etiquette.
And I've seen parks with separate areas based on size and I've also seen parks with no separate areas at all. But even when there are separate areas I think of it as more of a suggestion rather than a rule. I think about the owner who has two dogs, one the right size for the large dog area and one the right size for the small dog area. So what is that owner supposed to do with their two dogs? They can't be in both places at once.
That's why I think the overriding rule of dog parks above all else is control your dog, and if your dog is aggressive (regardless of size) remove your dog or don't bring them in the first place.
