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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on May 7, 2014 at 10:35am

I must premise that I don't go to dog parks because I heard too many incidents of things going wrong there.  The problem with "letting them work it out" is that dogs work things out with teeth and this can lead to injury and Vet bills and, sometimes medical bills as well for the humans who get in the middle to pull dogs apart.  Some dogs like to just play with others, particularly others they know,  many more have these squabbles to determine who is in higher in rank within this pack of sorts (of sorts because there can never develop any true pack order under such circumstances).  How far can it go? Well, you take the chance. 

I have seen people downplay the aggressiveness of their own dog, who clearly should not be in a dog park environment.  You enter that situation at your own choice and risk.

Is your dog neutered?  If not this would be a factor in his becoming more aggressive around 7 months.  Also Corgis are a herding breed that would control cattle by chasing, barking and biting at heels, so this natural instinct can show up in a group of dogs and not be well received.  Obviously all dogs are individuals, so individual behavior, thus experience varies.

As a new dog owner, I would be even more cautious because you now rely on others (who "supposedly" know more than you) to assess situations and behavioral displays as well as risk...but any unwanted consequences would be yours.

It is my experience that dogs who fight learn to enjoy it  ( I see this in humans as well...) and indeed you have noticed an escalation in your dog.  I would be going for nice long walks and limiting any play to dogs that I know work out well with mine, or none at all. The dog park would be off my list, as you have no control of who shows up with what, and little possible control of your own 7 month old either.  When all else fails, in the moment, you are usually better off following your own gut instincts about the situation than the advice of others.  You are feeling uncomfortable about this for good reason.

If you are in Manhattan, look for obedience training where they offer Basic as well as more advanced classes and the interaction with other dogs is more structured, you will both learn a lot and enjoy it as well if the training is positive.  Then maybe find other avenues for fun such as Agility. 

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Permalink Reply by Natalie, Lance &Tucker on May 7, 2014 at 11:31am

I agree with Anna, I also do not like dog parks.  You want your dog to pick up good behaviors at 7 months old, and you don't know what dogs with what manners will show up. It is just my opinion, and I tend to be very cautious. 

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Permalink Reply by Marina Holshevnikoff on May 7, 2014 at 11:57am

I think the fact that you're concerned about others' dogs as well as your own is definitely not being "too" protective.  I think it's being very polite and aware!  I'm ALWAYS shadowing Jerry around the dog parks for this exact reason.  I do NOT want to be the aloof dog owner who's dog runs around terrorizing every other dog in the park, haha.  I never let Jerry play too rough with other dogs beyond my comfort point. Sometimes they figure it out by then, and sometimes they don't.

Jerry is almost 6 months old now and has been the victim of a couple of rough play matches but not yet the instigator.  In general, we have had a very positive experience at our nearby dog park.  The dogs are older and very tolerant of Jerry and have helped to teach him good manners.

As for curbing Moose's behavior, I'm not sure.  He may be feeling very comfortable and dominant in the dog park.  Also probably a bit "herdy".  Maybe try staying away for a bit, and focusing on walks only.  From what it sounds like, you are leaving when he continues to be aggressive, which is good, but perhaps the park needs to be removed from his routine for a while.  Does he interact well with other dogs on leash?

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Permalink Reply by Jane on May 7, 2014 at 12:00pm

I personally do not allow that type of behavior at dog parks. I would pull my dog aside and take him for a walk away from the action. My two will wrestle and sometimes snark at each other during play at home, but I know my dogs and their signals. I would never allow that type of behavior with a dog/owner I did not know.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on May 7, 2014 at 12:08pm

When dogs play-wrestle you will see frequent signs from the dogs that it is play. Play-wrestling can look and sound fierce, but they should break it off frequently and may do things like shake (like they would after a bath) or briefly sniff the ground to calm things down. One dog may then play-bow or bark to start the game again. If one dog is trying to get away and the other won't let them, if either dog looks scared, if either dog is getting so excited that they forget to take frequent breaks, or if either dog has hard eyes it's gone too far. In real fights dogs don't willingly break off the activity or turn away from each other.

This book has helped me "read" dogs tremendously.

http://www.amazon.com/Canine-Body-Language-Photographic-Interpretin...

You can't always go by others' reactions. I have seen about equal numbers of people who are clueless and allow their dogs to be bullies or, worse, openly aggressive while they mistakenly chalk it up to play; and the other end which is people who freak out over normal play and well-controlled appropriate dog-dog corrections.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on May 7, 2014 at 12:12pm

I should add that if you see one dog growling and holding the other dog by the neck, and then he lets go and the "victim" cheerfully shakes it off, turns and play-bows and encourages the game, then the "victim" is a willing one. Having had one of my dogs flipped and held by another dog who meant business, I can assure you that she wanted to get as far away as possible from the other dog once we got them apart.

I agree with what others say BUT I have also had new dog owners post videos here of dogs engaging in very mild wrestling that the owner was worried about unnecessarily, so without seeing what is happening I don't think anyone can tell you if it's ok or not.

I might suggest that you go without your dog and sit and watch, once a week or so, and observe how the other dogs interact. When does play continue happily? When does one dog run back to its owner for protection? When is there a fight? What actions did the various dogs take that led up to these situations? The book I linked to is a good start in learning the many ways dogs communicate using body language.

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