Dog Parks: Why I Don't Like Them
Dog Parks: Does Denver Need More?
"Why I don't Recommend Them"
By Robert Forto, PhD
I was just recently interviewed for a local newspaper, Life on Capitol Hill (November, 2009 pg. 1) in Denver, Colorado about dog parks and thought it would be beneficial to re-post this article. I have been outspoken on the dog park issue for years and I am often sought out to give an expert opinion on whether a city should consider the issue. I always welcome your feedback and please leave any comments you wish.
I have been a canine behaviorist for the past nineteen years and I have to go on the record and state that I do not like dog parks. I think they are an accident waiting to happen. Many people, especially in Denver, Colorado love these parks and they think they are a tranquil place for their dogs to run, romp, and play with other dogs.
After dealing with aggressive and violent dogs my entire career this is the furthest from the truth. I deal with aggressive dogs every day. It is my specialty. While it may be true that many, and maybe most, dogs will do fine at the dog park, with little if no incidents of a problem, you are just bidding your time. A dog park is not a natural place for dogs to be.
In the news this week, the city of Denver (Colorado) is trying to devise a plan to increase the number of dog parks. There are seven in the city right now and they cannot keep up with the rising demand of dog owners and having a place for their furry friends to run off leash. This is only going to lead to disaster!
If I may quote an article placed on CBS4's website: "So many people have dogs. I think it's a good place for bringing dogs," one owner said on the website. "People who live downtown have dogs in small apartments. They bring them to the dog parks and they learn a lot of necessary stuff from other dogs like how to play, you know when to be rough or when not to."
Are these people crazy! This couldn't be farther from the truth! I published this article about this same time last year in the Rocky Mountain News' Your Hub section and I received an overwhelming response from readers agreeing with what I said.
So I encourage you to read this article from the perspective of the dog, not an owner that needs their dog to have a place to "play". I welcome all comments and of course criticism. But in my opinion, dog parks, especially more of them, are a bad idea.
The Dangers of Dog Parks
Almost daily I get a call or an email from someone telling me about the problems they have with their dog because they think he is aggressive, or a story about how their dog was attacked when they were on walks or running loose at a local dog park. I have even addressed this problem and have a class that meets on Saturdays. I call it my Growl Class. You would be surprised of how many people have signed up for it. Not just owners with Colorado's classified banned breeds. We've had everything from miniature poodles to Old English sheep dogs.
People ask me how to deal with overly aggressive dogs that belong to other owners. They ask me to show them how to handle their dog so that they can "teach" someone at the dog park how to handle their dogs. They ask me questions about their own dog not trying to stick up for or defend themselves when they are approached by an aggressive dog. Many people have watched television shows and they were told that the dogs need to work it out for themselves. I say--so far from the truth!
The concept of dog parks was well intended but not a researched enough idea by the local, state, and city governments. The idea of a park is to bring people and families closer together-not to build internal strife and conflict that sometimes resembles doggie gang warfare! Many dog parks allow dogs to run off-leash in lush acreage of surrounding utopia--what a disaster. The main problem stems from people who just do not understand canine pack structure. The City Council's that set up these open space wonderlands are politician's not canine handlers--they should have consulted an expert. What it equals is that the dogs in these parks are out of control. Too often as well, the owners are completely oblivious as to what their dog is doing at the dog park. The owners are often observed using cell phones or doing other things that distract them from monitoring their own dogs' actions.
The average dog owner does not take the time to understand, much less install, pack structure. They do not know how strong the pack instincts are in their family pets. These drives can, and often do, click into high gear when a dog is taken into a park with strange dogs. I meet with people every day that come into my training center and they say that this dog is the alpha dog because he is the male, or he is older, or he is stronger, or he is my favorite. Canine pack behavior is a very complex dynamic that should not be under-estimated. I spent the better part of my career studying pack structure with a team of thirty-five Siberian husky sled dogs. I lived and slept with these dogs. I became a part of their pack. I learned many life lessons from them. The most important one: do not under estimate at dog's potential-ever.
When a new dog comes into a park that other dogs visit every day the new visitor is often seen as an intruder into "the personal territory" of the regular visitor. More often than not they are not seen as a new found friend. This often leads to either territorial aggression, dominance aggression or fear aggression. Instincts kick in and pandemonium develops. Owners are running and screaming towards their dogs, a fight breaks out and the utopia is now in chaos. Someone inevitably gets hurt.
DOG PACKS in the PARK
When a group of dogs, three or more, are allowed to run together in an area where there are no strong pack leaders (human pack leaders), they instinctively try to establish a rank order, or pecking order. If there are several dogs that want to assume a certain rank within this new pack there are often problems. Too often, this results in dog fights to determine what rank a dog will assume.
It is a mistake to assume that every dog in the park is a well-mannered, well-trained pet. Just because its playing with other dogs does not mean that it will play with your dog. The issue of rank has already been settled with these other dogs and the game may be going according to their rules. Your dog will not know the rules and can easily get into trouble. Too often when a fight breaks out between your dog and the leader of this pack the other dogs in the pack will also jump in and go after your dog.
The vast majority of dogs do not want to be pack leaders. They are perfectly happy with their owners assuming the position of leader. As such these dogs expect their pack leader--their owner-- to protect them. That's why these dogs will run to their owner when they fell threatened by another dog. When an owner does not protect his dog the dog is in conflict and loses confidence. When the owner ignores the perceived threat their dogs often move into fight or flight.
When you stop to think about it, normal people would never expect their young children to fight adults that were threatening their home. So why do people expect their young dogs to show aggression to older dogs? In most cases, the owners simply lack the understanding of pack drive and dog training. People get caught in the trap of thinking they have a German Shepherd from working police bloodlines and it should be tough!! Well, it doesn't work that way.
When new owners assume the position of pack leader and they do everything right when their pup is young the dog will grow up to be a confident adult dog. When owners drop the pack structure ball their dogs grow up to be dogs with aggressive issues (either overly aggressive or fearful). This is the primary focus of my work and why my aggression management classes are so successful. Canine training is not about training the dog. It is about educating the owner. I have been known to say that dog training is 90% people and 10% dog. I wholeheartedly believe that. I have conducted many seminars called "Leader of the Pack" and there is a weekly show on cable that promotes "Be a Pack Leader." But do you really know what that means? Do you know how much work, how much time and energy, how much of a commitment it is going to take to give you that empowerment? Being a pack leader to your dog can not, and should not, be compartmentalized in a 30-minute program where the magic of television makes everything alright.
Dog fights are scary business. They could literally mean life and death. I am sure you have heard the horror stories. Is this something that you are ready for? I have been bit hundreds of times--often by the cutest dogs in the neighborhood. I have respect for all dogs. And I make it my business to earn theirs. Aggressive dogs need to be dealt with by a professional. Not an arm-chair quarterback at a dog park shouting "leave it!" because they read a book, or watched a show or attended a chain store puppy class.
My Growl class is a course out of necessity. People love their dogs and they love the outdoors. But dog parks are a plethora of chaos. Research shows that three out of four dogs are not trained. My definition of training has always been: "Control for you, routine for your dog". If you have a dog that needs work with aggression. If you would like to better understand canine pack structure or if you are tired of your dog getting into fights at the dog park give me a call and we'll talk about it.
Citation: www.CBS4denver.com(March 23, 2009)
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Robert Forto, PhD is the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado and the host of a weekly radio show, The Dog Doctor Radio Show. He specializes in canine aggression. Please check out his website at www.DenverDogWorks.com. He can be reached anytime at <뒬ʸ> 303-752-2818
Posted by Michele Forto at 11/9/2009 10:35 AM 
Categories: Dog Law
Tags: denver dog works dog park denver #dogtraining canine aggression pet dog training denver dog parks robert forto forto dog doctor radio #dogs your brand plan life on capitol hill
Categories: Dog Law
Tags: denver dog works dog park denver #dogtraining canine aggression pet dog training denver dog parks robert forto forto dog doctor radio #dogs your brand plan life on capitol hill
I totally understand and agree with you assessment of the dangers of dog parks, but the fact remains that our dogs need a place to run and play and the city has made it so that many of us are afraid to do it anywhere but a dog park. I socialize my dogs and train them at home. I don't go to a park for that. I want them to have a little freedom from the leash.
What is your solution to that? As impractical as it is, a place that is supervised by trained people like you and your students is what I'd love in a perfect world. But that will never happen.
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You have a strong and largely unpopular opinion, yet I understand your point. The problem with dog parks is not the dogs; it is their owners. That is who we need to educate in leadership. You pointed out that the dog park is not a place for an owner to "kick back"; they must be in full leadership mode. When I take my pack of 3 to the park, it is a full time job to keep tabs on them. They are well-trained and highly socialized, and my status is always clear. I am in charge. Whenever that ceases to be the case, we leave.
Dog Owners will continue to push for dog parks to give their dogs off-leash time, as long as there are leash laws everywhere. Trainers need to push just as hard for more owner training. That said, I do not believe all owners have it in them to provide adequate leadership for their dogs. I see owners every day that treat their dogs like little babies and give them everything they BEG for.
I suppose the problems are no different than those with parents who are not in charge of their children. I hope you will continue to push for more training of owners, and I would encourage you to embrace the idea of a training class for dog park attendees that includes lots of leadership skills.
Best wishes, Carrie Boyko
All Things Dog Blog
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Thank you for your comments Carrie and Meg. Carrie, I agree with you. I do have an unpopular opinion but it is an opinion that most people can understand as you stated. There are so many problems in the local dog parks that I have had to start a class called my Growl Class to deal with all the dog reactive dogs.
When I orginally published this article it was reposted in the Rocky Mountain News and I spoke many times as an expert witness for the local city governments about what should be done.
This issue needs to be looked in depth and a plan needs to be enacted.
Take care,
Robert Forto, PhD
Denver Dog Works
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I have a love-hate relationship with dog parks.. As a city resident and owner of two very high-energy herding dogs, it is very difficult to find places where I can get them the exercise they need. Our small yard and daily walks are simply not enough for them. We no longer utilize city dog parks because of uneducated and ignorant owners. My dogs like and NEED to work and run(A LOT). Any time we go to a dog park, their toys are stolen by other dogs with oblivious owners. We choose to go to the two state parks in the area with "off-leash training areas." These parks allow much more space for dogs to run and since there are no fences, there are usually better trained dogs there. Even in the rare instance that there are "problem dogs," there is always enough room to get away.
I just wish there were more options for city residents with well trained dogs to have off-leash privileges in some parks or even large fenced areas that were available for private rentals.
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We have a few dog parks here. The best ones being the completly fenced ones for my dogs. I used to take my siberians to the dog parks everyday to run and run and play. But now the dog parks are mostly in ruins and full of horribly aggressive dogs and owners who pay no attention to the dogs, thus leaving poop and fights all over. I wonder, in my neighborhood these invisible fences are the norm. And behind every one of these fences is a horribly aggressive dog. I cannot walk my dogs near my home because many of these aggressive dogs break through the fence to attack my dogs. I am left with putting dogs into car and going to a state park with trails or something, its a huge pain. I totally agree with what you say and these aggressive dogs and idiot owners are ruining my enjoyment of walking and spending time exercising my dogs.
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