As some of you may or may not remember, Maverick got bit a couple months back by a dog with some aggression issues (I reported the dog back then as well and was surprised to hear I was the first to put her and the dog on record). Well this afternoon for whatever reason, the owner of the other dog decided to "chat" with me (don't worry Maverick was on the small dog side while the other dog was on the big dog side). Conversation went similar to this (I'm in bold):

"I was just wondering, what days do you show up to the park?"
"As long as it's sunny and I know it's dry up here then I come. Lately with the early closing time, I try to be here about 3:30 til closing
"So you come often and stay long I see. Well I work full time and I'm trying to figure out an appropriate time when you're not here to come as I know you like this side of the park"
"That's considerate of you but I honestly have no problems moving Maverick to the small dog side when you do show up. But if you need to know, I never come in the mornings or before 3."
"Ok...well what is your schedule like? I've been coming every other week to avoid running into Maverick so both my dogs and yours can have a good time separately" (She began to take her poor attitude at this point, something I wanted to avoid as I've learned in past conversations)
"Then what's wrong with me coming to the small dog side? The dogs don't interact, we have this fence to keep them separate and there shouldn't be any issues
"Well I was wondering if you could tell me your schedule so I can configure it around to make sure and make sure we get equal amount of time at the park"
"Again that's considerate of you, but our schedules have nothing to do with this. As long as they are in the separate parts of the park then there shouldn't be an issue. Like I said I don't want Maverick to get bit again not by yours or any other dog for that matter, but with your dog's history I feel more comfortable not being in the same area. And as for "equal" time, this is a public park and either of us can come up anytime we want for however long we want.
"Ok...so there really isn't a day where you don't really show up? You come here often and stay long and I just want to make sure that my dog is socialized"
"I understand you want to keep him socialized, but his issues are what's keeping him from being properly socialized. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to change up my schedule to accommodate yours, this is a public park which I pay an annual fee for and I'm going to enjoy it to the fullest extent. I don't see why there's an issue with me moving Maverick over when you're here. If you feel you're not enjoying the park to its fullest extent don't blame me, blame your dog for biting mine knowing that the dog has issues. You ruined it for yourself.

Things got a bit uncivil after this point, which I didn't like, but what's happened happened. I ended walking away before I said something I would regret and the lady just left.

Anyone else run into the owner of another dog that bit yours months later? This lady was never cooperative at any point after the incident. She refused to talk to me about her dog's history and instead gave me some sob story. I've seen her a few times between the incident and now, but she always took her dogs walking whenever she saw me in the big dog side. A few times I've moved to the small dog side to let her in, I thought this was generous on my part, so she went into the big dog side. What compelled her to come over to have a pointless conversation with me tonight was odd. The conversation didn't do anything, but get us both upset and just ended being another issue between us.

The whole time I just felt like she was saying or giving the vibe of "you're hogging the park and I can't enjoy it". I've spent the past few months TRYING to avoid her but not completely leaving the park as I know all that will come up is my blood pressure when talking to her.

Oh yeah, apparently that same dog has had issues with the other owners as well, so I have their support, but she targeting me for whatever reason. Just a very odd and meaningless conversation that only got both of us a bit angry.

There isn't a big enough "" in the world for what I think of this lady

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Omg what a lunatic! Seriously??? Her dog shouldn't even be going to dog parks!


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I'm a paranoid bit at times, but this just screamed "RUN AWAY". She has no reason or right to know your schedule. I think you were very cooperative. And I agree that her dog shouldn't be going to dog parks with it's history.

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Follow Bear on Facebook!! He's Growing Up, Bear!

Yup she definitely has her own issues....

Like I said other issues have come up with the other owners with her and she's feeling less and less welcomed everytime apparently, why she took it out on me? Don't know.

She doesn't have a right to know my schedule, but considering she made an effort to run into me less, I felt it was fair to let her know the times I try to come up with the current sunset schedule, so I did. I tried to make this work out with no contact, but her chat with me today turned more into a confrontation and I won't be so kind next time around if she does decide to talk to me again. All 3 or 4 times I've talked to her she had some sort of attitude. Next time I'll just say "I have nothing to say to you" or something. Stupid lady...I was enjoying myself too chatting with the other owners there too

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I understand which is why I think you were very cooperative. I think this owner is stuck in a victim mind frame. She possibly views you as the reason she's unable to come to the park whenever she wants, and perhaps in her mind she did a huge step to talk to you and work out a schedule. I still think she's crazy. And I agree, you shouldn't talk to her again. I hope this situation doesn't prevent you from enjoying your time there.

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Follow Bear on Facebook!! He's Growing Up, Bear!

Often, owners with dogs that should not be in dog park because of biting and aggressive behavior, just do not get it.

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Dave

Well I found out I was the first to report her to animal control. If animal control contacts the offending dog then yes she knew it was me, as I reported it about 3 days after the incident. How any of the other victims didn't report her boggles my mind as well.

This confrontation isn't going to stop me from going to the park or me enjoying the park. I've been going on almost a daily basis every since June and have made it into the close knit circle of both day and night crew. All of them know me and Maverick very well and we're both welcomed to both sides of the park. Many were there when Maverick got bit and have taken my side. Heck, a few of them even told me before I started going that dog had issues with some of the others.

I go to this park because the people who go there are consistent. They're usually an older crowd and have had their dogs for years. In their words I'm the "next generation of dog owners" to come to this park and they're "passing the torch" to me lol. It's a place where Maverick can let loose, have some fun, and get tired. It's a place for me to talk with some nice people, learn about dogs more, and a little getaway from the city (it's up in the hills with very little cell signal and feels as though you're hundreds of miles away from the city). This crazy lady isn't going to stop me from enjoying it and if it comes down to it, almost the whole park is against her.

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Ain't that the truth...Just yesterday I ran into a guy with a newly adopted German Shepherd that had alpha issues. He had him 2 weeks and was trying to socialize. Train the dog first before bringing him off leash into a dog park, especially one with dominance issues.

She keeps playing the same old broken record "well this is my son's dog". Again lady, don't matter, you bringing the problem to the park, he's your responsibility.

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Every time I consider bringing Bella to our local dog park, someone posts a thread about a bad experience at their park. I'm leaning against it at this point.




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Grasslands Liberty Belle "Bella" CGC (5-7-2012)

Heh sorry! Whatever you feel comfortable with though.

I've had far more positives than negatives at the dog park. With our daily trips there we've made some friends and have our dogs have some play dates outside of the park.

If you do go I do have advice. Go with your gut feeling. If you feel a dog coming in isn't friendly, then remove yourself from the situation. I've gone with my gut feeling many times, one instance being yesterday with that German Shepherd, and I was glad I did. The owner had to go down and tackle his dog down because he was starting a fight. The thing that really got me was the guy didn't leave and instead let his dog loose again and had to tackle him down about 2 more times

And I quote him:
"Zeus needs to learn that picking a fight isn't ok and there are lines to be drawn. Which is why I remove him from the situation, keep him in timeout for about 5 minutes, then let him go"

No man..only thing you're doing is letting him know it's ok to start X amount of fights before you leave the area completely. You have a dog with alpha issues for only 2 weeks now, you need more 1 on 1 time. And I was also talking to his wife who told me their last dog had to be euthanized because it got out and attacked a neighbor and their dog. Some people...

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