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Permalink Reply by justine moeller on August 22, 2010 at 9:21am

We pick and choose when we go to the dog park, usually based on the dogs in there. Our dogs do not do well with un sterilized males or dosgs that try to dominate them, especially ones that use their paws alot. Sometimes the dog park just isnt a great place. It is usually a huge power struggle and owners often dont know how to control their dogs.

If she goes to annoy other dogs, perhaps you should consider leashing her with you and/or doing proper introductions. You should let the other dogs smell her so she becomes submissive.

The herding is something you can not break, sometimes other owners do not understand even after explanation so we also base our dog park outtings based on that. Other owners think it is great! It all depends. If dog park fails, nothing beats a good long structured walk ... they are way more tired (as long as you are leading the walk) after a walk then the dog park in our case..even though they do NEED to run off leash usually once a day.

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on August 22, 2010 at 11:03am

A nice long walk before the dog park will really help lessen her high energy when she gets there. If mine get too pushy with another dog I call them to me and either redirect their attention or leash them. She can really get hurt if you do not correct rude behavior.

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Permalink Reply by Levina Wong on August 22, 2010 at 11:39pm

I've tried the leash thing, but once shes on her leash she just stares at the other dogs and tries to pull to get to them.

I will start trying the long walk before the park though!

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Permalink Reply by Chris Payerl on August 22, 2010 at 10:35pm

Does she have basic manners like coming when you call her, sit on command, stop an undesired behavior after vocal redirect, etc.? If not, you may want to work on training those skills at home until she has them down pat, then trying them at the dog park. It's too distracting to try to train them at the dog park. It would be like trying to teach someone to drive by taking them to a busy freeway. Our corgi likes to herd other dogs and barks like a nut job the whole time, but if she starts growling or nipping, we call her to us and she has to sit and/or lie down a few times so she understands WE are in charge, not her. Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Levina Wong on August 22, 2010 at 11:37pm

Thanks Chris! She does come when called and sit on command and usually does listen at home.. but once shes chasing another dog and barking at them shes in her own little world... Shes so submissive as well. Once we get her attention she flops over on to her side!

I don't like the part where shes in her own world because I'm running after her and calling her name and shes completely lost in her world.

We have tried putting her on her leash for a little time out but she just keeps staring at other dogs playing and we cant break her attention.

It's so hard!! lol

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Permalink Reply by Carla on August 23, 2010 at 2:20pm

I have to second Chris's sentiment; even if she has a decent recall, I would really really stress rewarding her focus on you when you say her name. Not just a recall (ie - "come") but to have her spin 180 degrees to concentrate on you the moment she hears her name called.

For me, this was accomplished through the following steps (if you use clicker training; if not, you can omit the clicker, but it really is very simple and effective with the clicker)

1) Stand directly in front of the dog facing her. Say her name out loud "Abby." When she looks at you, click then treat (don't click and treat at the same time. The click needs to come prior to the reward). Repeat this process 10-20 times a day in a distraction free environment (inside your home) for a solid week. Simple simple simple. Dogs name; they focus on you; click and reward.

2) After a while, start moving a bit farther away from her (still in a distraction free environment) and do the same thing. "Abby;" when she looks at you, click; now when she hears the click, she's going to know that a reward follows and will come over to you to get the reward. When she comes over, treat.

3) Now that you've got her looking at you ever time you say her name, and then coming over to you when she hears the click, kick it up a notch and take this outside (NOT the dog park yet). She's playing in the backyard, or your out on a walk or whatever. Say her name; when she looks at you, click and treat. Unless she's not food motivated at all, she should come over to you to get the treat she knows you have (because she heard the "click" which means treat!)

4) Do it all the time, especially DURING play-time. Say her name, click, treat, back to playing. She learns that when you try to get her attention (by calling her name) the only thing that happens is she comes over to get a delicious treat, and then she goes back to playing. What could be wrong with that?

I also integrated games into this process. When Casey has gotten a bit too far away from me at the dog park, and I call her back, we play the "GO GO GO" game, which she loves. Once she starts moving in my direction, I'll crouch really low and start shouting at the top of my lungs "GO GO GO; HUSSSTTTTLLLLEEEEEEEE; MOVE THOSE LEGS" etc. Sometimes I'll clap my hands together, or even start running AWAY from her. It really excites her and revs her up while running towards me. Yes, you may look like a fool, but when 5 dogs are chasing after a work truck driving through the dog park, and your dog is the only one that comes back when called, you look less like a fool then, lol.

The idea is that you want to be a stronger motivator than whatever your dog is barking at or chasing - in order to do that, you need to offer something delicious (treats) or be fun and exciting (shouting, playing, running).

Using these tactics, I have a rock solid recall with Casey (my 13 month old Cardi). And even now, I still intermittently reward with treats and fun when I ask her to come back, to keep the behaviour from extinguishing.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on August 23, 2010 at 3:07pm

I absolutely agree with Carla's method, though if you don't use clicker-training you can just go straight to treating for looking at you.

If Abby is submissive like you say, she will pick up on this VERY quickly. My girl is easily distracted and will run right up to other dogs and say "harf!" in their face. We've been using this method of just calling her name to get her attention when she's focused on another dog and it works like a charm.

I wish it worked as well with my "smart" one. Jack is so darned stubborn; I'll get the ear-flick as he figures out whether the reward he'll get will be worth leaving what he's doing. If he decides what he's doing is more rewarding than the treats, he'll ignore me. *sigh* So for him, if I can stop him BEFORE he engages in what I don't want by yelling "Jack, NO!" while he's still making up his mind, and then AFTER he looks at me, call him to me I have found that works better.

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Permalink Reply by Bax & Zigs & Rosie on August 23, 2010 at 3:19pm

I've been having a similar recall issue at the dog park. Thank you for these tips!

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Permalink Reply by Vee Luther on August 24, 2010 at 6:59pm

What good info... and I really suggest a long "power " walk BEFORE the dog park. that means you have to hustle for a good 30 minutes and walk fast with her at your side. Not a slow, let's smell everything amble, but really a power walk with purpose. I've taken all 3 of my corgis to an obedience class held in a park, with 30-40 dogs taking part and every one of them had a power walk before class. Never a fight or any bad behavior. Of course all the owners were pretty tired and calm,too!

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Permalink Reply by Tegan, Carol & John on August 24, 2010 at 10:21pm

What a great explanation! I haven't tried clicker training, but now I'm going to.

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Permalink Reply by Mike, Susan, Wally,Oliver & Eva! on September 9, 2010 at 12:52am

Ditto!

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Permalink Reply by Haley Merlot on August 24, 2010 at 10:58pm

I'd try dropping her off at daycare.
Their playtime is supervised and for some reason, corgis don't get as crazy there as they do in the dog park. Mine was bossy and rude in the park, but after a few trips to daycare he learned some manners -- it was like magic! Now he's the dog everyone wants to play with!

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