Dominant dog behavior – havoc at the dog park
Dog parks should be pleasant places where dogs and their owners can socialize, relax and play games that their species enjoys, not hotbeds of aggressive dog dominance and other bad canine instinctive behaviors. Instead, however, the dog park becomes a war zone for many dogs and their owners, an apparent manifestation of the machismo of canine dominance behavior. Dog walkers take anxious, overexcited and nervous dogs to the park, usually full of pent-up energy and without prior exercise. They are then released off-leash to run and mingle with other dogs in the park. They usually don’t know and don’t consider the attitude the dog brings there, whether it will cause or attract trouble. Then they often engage in chatting with people they can see or on the cell phone… until trouble breaks out!
The problem is that the puppy newcomer to the park now has the responsibility to find both a psychological challenge and a physical release for himself. His ways of choosing are not always good…
A mentally intact or unstable animal will enter a group of dogs and try to psychologically challenge itself by asserting itself strongly over other dogs. This is to be expected because it is a canine instinctual behavior that you will find in the wild in dog packs. Bored, unchallenged dogs determine that they want the same ball, the same frisbee, the same toy… So they start fights, often between several dogs, and it’s hard for inexperienced people to separate them.
So to avoid dog aggression or dog dominance behavior at a dog park, make sure your dog has had a forty-five minute walk in disciplined circumstances (on heel) FIRST. This would satisfy much of his need for physical and psychological challenge. The park should not be his first “liberation!”
Bring him to the gate or park entrance behind you on his heels so it’s obvious to the other dogs that the newcomer is under control and THEY don’t need to show him the house rules. Realize that if your dog is not under control when he comes in, other dogs will sense this and try to control him for you!
What’s happening? One dog will press yours, and everyone else will want to make sure they’ve made the “stop!” point clear to him. They will grab him and beat him up. Dogs do not put up with pack instability. Excited, scared and aggressive dogs will likely be taught a lesson.
I have broken up many dog fights and will continue to do so when necessary. However, I am reluctant to publish a HOWTO in an article or newsletter because a mistake on your part could lead to unpleasant results. Meet with a dog behavior modification professional to have this shown to you.
However, if you are suddenly faced with a mass attack situation, then move towards the group quickly, but calmly, firmly – DO NOT YELL – with commanding words: “Hey, hey, break” (can be any words). Tone is important. Yelling will escalate it and may even turn the tables on you! Done right, the dogs will either scatter or stay somewhat as a group, but calm.
Then the two instigators can do right as the others just followed. How to do this is beyond the scope of this article, but is discussed in Dominant Dog Behavior – Dog Park Noise.
Use common sense, work with your dog before taking it to the park, and avoid pain and fighting aggression, dog dominance, and other dominant dog behaviors. Pay attention and exude authority and control as your dog’s pack leader.
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