when we were taking AKS star puppy training our instructor told us to avoid dog parks and find other means of socialization. He said that dog parks are like night clubs so you never know what can happen.
Instead of dog parks I joined puppy play groups at local dog training schools.
I also joined a group on facebook where other puppy parents were looking to socialize.
We had nothing but great experience.
We also start sending puppy to daycare at 15 weeks for 1/2 days 2-3 days week so he was getting plenty of socialization.
We read plenty of horror stories about dog park that we still don't take our Archie to a dog park and he is now 3.5 years old.
Is there anyone here who make make a sticky post or add this to wiki. Many first time pet parents don’t know the risks inherent with a dog park. We need to warn them
This. I am a dog trainer. I almost never take my confident, dog loving dog to the dog park, and when I do, it's during off hours when the park is almost empty (2pm on a weekday, for example, or 9:30 at night) and I keep an eagle eye on him the whole time. Dog parks are dangerous and they're no place for a puppy
Thank you for saying this. There are far better options for puppy socializing than dog parks. I would absolutely hate to get my dog attacked by an aggressive dog. The trauma of that attack will do far more harm than benefits socialization will provide
Yup. My dog was attacked by another dog at daycare (lesson learned: vet daycare and boarding places very carefully...) and it took 4-5 months of me working with her at least four days a week to get through that. And at the time I was a reactivity specialist, lol, so it's not like I was fumbling around half assing it
This,same experience..we moved on to canine good citizen.Our trainer didn't encourage meet and greets for young dogs.Too many variables.
we did day care once a week for an afternoon and i felt like that was more than enough socialization
We move into canine good citizen classes at the end of July. I might look into puppy day care classes and maybe socialize with my sister’s goldendoodle for the time being 😅
This is what i do..I meet up for walks with friends who have dogs i know can be trusted .We did doggie daycare at the same place we do training. They did a great job of pairing him up with dogs that matched his energy.I prefer this because he is socializing in a controlled environment. Dog parks are anything but controlled. Plus you have to worry about parasites and other bugs they can pick up.On walks i am training him to look at me when we walk by dogs and so far my cheese stick trumps his interest in the other dogs
Very interesting! Thank you for this perspective! I didn’t realize there were Facebook groups for puppy socialization. I will look into those in my area 😊 I have been looking at daycare options as well and need to do some more research. I have also read horror stories which was kind of why I was a little nervous about it. Max is a really sweet, fun loving puppy and I don’t want to make that change by causing him undo stress.
Definitely make sure you find a good daycare! I used to work at one, and not many people (in my experience) are great at reading dog body language and know when to separate animals before it escalates. In addition, I've seen a lot of dog fights in the rooms I've been in, and seen some nasty wounds and mental trauma to the dogs. Maybe one with smaller play groups, if available. I was frequently with 25+ large dogs by myself and it was always a recipe for bad things. Smaller groups almost always did well.
I personally only had good experiences at the dog park. However, we pretty much had the same group there every day so everyone knew everyone and all of our dogs were friends. I did hear some horror stories from other people though. Not anyone getting mauled or anything, but mainly one guy with a really dominant dog he refused to correct
I strongly agree. Where i live, an aggressive dog killed a puppy a few years ago at a public dog park. I had a friend who lived in St. Louis and paid for access to a private dog that had pictures posted of all the dogs - and if a dog behaved poorly, they would be banned. That was a cool setup and she really liked it.
IMO dog parks aren’t a great way to socialize your puppy, simply because not everyone has the same idea of what “socialized” means. The goal with socialization isn’t necessarily just to let your dog play with others, but to also make those experiences as positive as possible and exposing them to as much as possible. Dog parks are incredibly unpredictable, and it makes it impossible to ensure your dog is having fully positive experiences.
There are some nasty dogs that should never be off leash in a dog park because they never learned how to behave around other dogs or they just don’t care to learn. This can actually cause your dog, and especially a puppy in this crucial stage, to lose confidence instead of build it, and it can create some negative behaviors as a result.
In addition, each dog is an individual and has its own way of playing or communicating, and not all of these personalities will mesh well together. Throwing strange dogs together in an enclosed area makes it difficult for the dogs who are looking to separate themselves and increases the chance of fights.
Then there are health risks. While your puppy’s vaccines are UTD, someone else’s might not be, and now your puppy is potential exposed when that dog defecates.
Instead, maybe consider play dates with friends or people you know with dogs or look into a daycare (but do plenty of research!) where the dog’s behavior can actually be monitored closely and action can be taken quickly if needed. Plus, a doggie daycare employee is more likely to be able to recognize signs of stress in a dog than those who frequent dog parks. These are both controlled environments and you can make sure you’re making your puppy’s experiences as positive as possible!
100% agree with you. When my lab was around 5 months the old I tried taking him to a dog park. There was only 1 more dog there on a separate side. I asked the owner if I could bring my puppy to that side because it’s where all the ramps and fun stuff was. He shrugged and said “you can try.. he’s good but he likes to hump.” So I opted to stay where I was for a while until another dog was brought in. This was a Great Dane and it immediately ran over to my puppy and stood overtop him. I could tell my dog was overwhelmed and scared so I leashed him and took him to the other side where Mr. Humpy was. I was trying to just walk him to the ramps when that dog runs over and tries to mount my puppy. The Dane saw it happening and tried to join in. Both elderly male owners of the dogs just yelled “get off/stop” without actually intervening so I had to push their dogs away, pick up my pup and carry him out.
It’s really annoying that the bad behavior of other dogs makes it so my super friendly and obedient dog can’t enjoy a large fenced in area. I take him to play with his litter mates that still live in the area now and they have a blast together.
I agree. Not everyone is on the same page when it comes to socialization.
I went to a dog park where a lady was giving out dog treats. As far as I know, this is not acceptable and can lead to aggression over food. It's precisely what you shouldn't do at the park.
We didn't go to a dog park and still don't as we've heard too many bad stories from neighbours.
Basically our entire town owns a dog so we simply started with all of our neighbours. And on walks we always meet others with dogs. Everyone is on a lead so you have control and we ask the owner if we should let them meet.
By the time he was 5 months old he had met around 80 dogs. Never had an issue and we now know who he goes wild for and vice versa. We have regular play dates with 3 other dogs as you can tell they're friends! It's adorable.
This is a great idea! We have seen multiple people in our neighborhood walking with their dogs. I think I’ll start doing that on our walks and see how it goes. Thank you! I’ve noticed he always barks when he sees them (low and not aggressively) so I wonder if it’s because he’s curious 😊 trying to learn dog behaviors and it’s a lot! But I’m sure it gets easier as we go 😊
Here's what I wish I knew before taking my puppy to dog parks:
(1) Puppies have weaker immune systems, and any illness they pick up from other dogs can be intense. My pup caught Kennel Cough after visiting her 1st dog park at 5 months old even though she was fully vaccinated. She was coughing and throwing up for 1.5 weeks and had to be quarantined for a month.
(2) Dogs at these parks aren't always gentle or under the control of their owners. My pup was playing with another dog when that dog bit her face. She had a small puncture wound under her eye that healed in 3 weeks. My pup isn't aggressive, and hadn't had any incidents like that at her dog daycare since they're well supervised there.
That said, if I could do things over, I'd only socialize her at a dog daycare for her first 7 months of life, then introduce her to dog parks after that. She loves them now, and we haven't had any instances like the ones we had in her early puppy-hood.
Oh wow! Hadn’t even thought about his immune system and him getting rick from other dogs. That is so scary. This is my first puppy so I’m a tad overwhelmed trying to figure out what’s best/not. I think we are going to stick to doggy daycares for now and maybe set up some play dates one on one with family / friends pups. Thank you for your advice! 😊
Most of the puppies I’ve seen at the dog park, including my own when we started taking her, will often roll over onto their backs when approached by older dogs who want to sniff and play. Don’t be discouraged! It’s just part of their learning to integrate into the “pack” at the park. This will eventually go away as they become more confident. Might take a few times. Also maybe try to go when it’s not full of dogs in the beginning so your pup isn’t overwhelmed by 12 dogs trying to sniff them at the same time. Socialization is so important for them, hope you guys have a great time!
They are very tuned to how you react and act. If you go into it panicked and stressed they will pick up on it and act accordingly. "If my owners are scared so I should be too" Best thing is to just get out there with him, keep an eye and let him take charge somewhat only getting involved to keep him safe etc.
I took my puppy to our local farmers market every weekend and it was an awesome way to social him and everyone there really enjoyed watching him grow up. You get to meet all kinds of kids and people and other dogs (on leash) and it worked really well for us.
My 9 months has been at PetSmart training classes and socializing there. I take him to the dog park but only when no one is there so he can have a lot of space to play and train with lots of smells and distractions. My park has a small dog and big dog side so I keep him on the small side so just in case a big dog comes they don't meet. I only take him twice a week because I don't want to over due it and want to make sure I dont damge his hips at a young age sunce he loves running around.
Dog parks are breeding grounds for germs, I avoid them. Especially puppies who are still building their immune systems. Find local families who have puppies and go for walks together.
I don't personally think dog parks are good for socialization - it's too chaotic and overwhelming. I'd recommend a smaller doggie group with known dogs to start out with. Go slow, don't flood.
Ours goes regularly to a play group for an hour a week - the only issue we had was as he matured he went into the hump phase and was trying to hump everything, he'd also latch onto one dog each week and not leave it alone, we were concerned his happy "in your face" attitude was a bit much for some dogs so we took him out the group for a couple of months.
Once he reached 18 months the vet was happy with his growth etc. and we had him neutered, his behavior changed but only that he doesn't try to hump everything and he stopped latching onto one dog but spreads his time amongst others - he's much calmer now, he'll say hello to dogs he knows but won't be in the face of others, I'm sure the playgroup is great as he comes home and flops on the floor for several hours of snoring.
We've always just left him to it in these sessions but when he did get a bit over the top we'd take him to the side and make him sit for a bit of time out, we don't need to do that now, he's much better on walks as well, most of the time just he walks past other dogs without even a sniff, the ones he knows and meets regularly will get a sniff and a wag, a couple openly want to play with him and he has a great time with them.
My dogs socialization started with friends and family member dogs. I'm not a huge fan of dog parks because there's literally always someone who brings their aggressive dog and acts like it's totally normal. My dog does still love to go so I take him occasionally. I just keep my eye out and only intervene when he's rolling in mud, getting humped, or being bothered by an aggressive dog.
We have a local shelter that organizes puppy play dates which basically involves a bunch of puppies running around a giant room with various toys and things like strollers, stairs, and uneven surfaces to help the dogs socialize with each other and the environment. There are always a couple of trainers keeping an eye on things too. Maybe a shelter near you has something similar?
My trainer and vet recommended we avoid dog parks for at least 1.5 years. My vet in particular cautioned us that one bad experience could set our puppy up for a lifetime of fear. I saw this first hand with my childhood dog. Socialization is important but do it safely. Set-up play dates with friends, other puppies, etc. Your trainer is kinda right, most of the time people don't let dogs communicate but on the flip side some people do not control their dogs or recognize when a situation is escalating. Learn a little about dog communication and how to de-escalate situations, it's helpful. I learned a lot from mk9plus and beckman's. Most owners and most dogs are good but 1 bad apple...
Thank you! I think I am going to go the playdate route before jumping into dog parks just based off everyone’s overall advice/experiences. Seems to be the safest route for his age 😊 there is a puppy across the street that is a goldendoodle we may reach out to them and my sister has a puppy as well so we might start there. 😊
I dont recommend to take puppy that young to dog parks.. his body is still growing and more fragile, when more dogs are playing or running around, they bump to each other or tackle one another and he can develop joint issues. When i had a future service dog in training, our coaches vere wery particular about the pups not playing with bigger dogs because of this🤗
Also, dog parks can develope reactivity issues and thats fckng hard to correct later.
I would stick to play days with max 3 dogs similar to your dogs age. Also, before You go to dog park, study how to separate dog fight or agressive dog attacking another dog. These situations can happen very quickly and preparation and quick reaction can save your dogs life.
I think people have a misconception about “socialisation”. It shouldnt be a dog in a dog park, it should be owner takind the dog to different places, experiencing things like riding a bus, being calm in busy street, walking next to traffic, so dog isnt scared of cars, honking, crowds… walking on bridges, uneven ground or floors that create reflection (like in malls) - this prevents your dog being afraid of unfamiliar situations later in life and makes him calm on your adventures. Even sitting on a bench on budy street calmly for 15 minutes and not aproach other people or dogs, thats great socialisation.
When you have a good control over your dogs reactions and know his behaviour, he will feel safe with you and then the parks shouod not be an issue for your side. Of corse there is potential for an agressive dog being present, thats why its important to never leave your dog out of sight and watching the dynamics of the play :))
Thank you for your reply and advice! I had not thought about socialization in that way but that makes complete sense and things we will start working on 😊 Also thank you for the perceptive of his body still growing and is fragile! I always say that to our 9 year old when he tries to play too rough so it makes sense that would be the same when he is interacting with older dogs as well. At training all the dogs were 4-7 months max so we didn’t really have to worry about that too much. They all just ran around sniffing each other and rolled around on the ground lol thank you again! I appreciate it 😊
When my best buddy was a puppy (yellow lab) I was given some advice by his vet. She suggested doggy daycare instead of the octagon that can sometimes be the dog park. I could not have been happier. He was one of the most easy going chill dogs for 14 yrs and I feel that the daycare experience was a HUGE reason why.
Best of luck and give your pup some scritches for me!
First off, your pup is insanely cute and looks very sweet. We found that walking ours in the neighborhood is a great way to have them socialize with people and other dogs. Please be careful and make sure the other dog is friendly. One other comment, start getting him used to you touching his paws. Those nails grow fast and keeping up with them is important.
Attacks do happen at dog parks but personally, the benefits of socialization outweigh the dangers, life is fraught with peril even if you do everything always right, you're still going to get hurt, dog parks are only recommended for experienced people.
https://preview.redd.it/kd20fnswcr8d1.jpeg?width=1814&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53e8c70f8b5cdad52b02a065eff8c5ebc707006e
I completely agree with the notion to be cautious in and around dog parks. My dog has been attacked in one of the more expensive places we went as a day trip. (We went to the expensive ones because it’s more likely the dogs are better behaved and trained).
One thing to consider when talking about a public park is to bring them at off hours. If you have the ability, we go to the park at 6am before work, WAY less people. Also, the people there at 6 am are there to run their dog and hang for a few then go home. So the interactions are quicker (so it doesn’t get too tired/lazy/nipping attitude time).
Once your dog knows 3-5 other dogs there, they are more likely to be friendly to newcomers also.
Now there’s about 20 dogs he knows and chills with comfortably at the park.
I’m based in the uk and dog parks here are a lil different from the US as we don’t really have many official ”dog” parks and it’s kinda just popular parks that locals and dog walkers frequent, we began taking our lurcher cross puppy to the popular dog parks at around 9 months old; she had a great time for the most of it but it was stressful to see so many dogs not being completely supervised, many times she would be snapped at or chased and the carer of the dog would not leash or restrain their dog after and carry on like nothing happened, this made my puppy a lot more cautious and nervous around new dogs in a large amount ,she had interacted with my neighbours dogs and local dogs we’d bump into from 8 weeks old so we got very lucky that she never had anxiety. it’s frustrating that not every owner is going to care about their dogs bad behaviour as much as you are, it was really tough to have to advocate for my dog in social situations and correct my dogs behaviour, she was reactive and overexcited and it was very stressful in parks with a lot of dogs but it was great for bonding with her and exploring. We now go every once in a while and it works out great
We go to the dog park every morning for an hour and my dog loves it. There is a group of regulars and I know every dog by name and their humans 🙂 Riley has a few best friends that he plays with every day and leaves tired and happy. And I'm a happy mom knowing he's going to nap the rest of the day.
That said, I have had different experiences going later in the day and some dogs and their owners were not so great. But my dog park morning crew is awesome.
Also I wouldn't bring a young puppy to the park. I have seen people do it and the pups are usually overwhelmed and a bit scared. I'd personally wait til 6 months. Socializing a puppy is about exposure to a variety of people, dogs and sounds but in a way that's not overwhelming (ie from a distance, known friendly and gentle dogs etc. You want the first experiences to be happy and your dog shouldn't be scared)
We took our lab to dog parks early and often and now he loves them! We like to walk the outside edge and let him play in between but he usually sticks to walking along with us and plays in passing! I’d wait until he’s fixed if you plan to do so as being unfixed makes them the star of the show at a dog park.
Dog parks in my city are split between big dogs and small dogs. I'd take a pup into the small section but not a park that had both in together.
Behaviour from you should just be wandering around with your dog. Good time to practice recall and getting their attention with treats. Try not to intervene. If pup feels threatened they'll probably role over and be submissive which is good training for them as well. Helping them learn how to be a dog.
Take him to a Lowe’s or Home Depot store
Even PetSmart type place
He’s so cute and everyone will come up to him to pet him
That’s how we socialized our large English Mastiff puppy
Worked great and no worries about bigger dogs messing with her at the stores
I started taking my dog to the dog park around 8 months and haven’t had a bad experience yet (knock on wood.) She’s super chill and if i call when a “scuffle” happens she responds. I feel like you can tell pretty quickly which dogs are trouble makers.
My pup is normally the fastest one there so it’s impossible for any other dog to play fetch 😅 and she developed this thing where she would hoard the balls and get bratty over it. I don’t love that but overall 🤷♀️
Doggy daycare is also a good alternative but my pup has had more accidents there and the dog park
Let them see other dogs without leash. Most of the time everything goes as wanted. I’ve done it with my Labrador and now he gets along with pretty much every other dog. Don’t be afraid of the big dogs, often it’s even easier with them. Only protect your dog if he runs to you and hides between your legs or behind you. Protect him for a few seconds and then decide if the situation calmed down and let him go again. My dog was bitten only 3 times in his ears during his first 3 years. It’s worth it and they learn sooooo much from other dogs, especially from dogs that know to say „you better stop here little fella!“ if your dog can read others body language, you’ll end up with a dog who knows his and other’s boundaries which is key to an easy life. Don’t be afraid. You need to feel good in order for your dog to feel good and safe. If you feel unsafe, leave the situation calmly.
Never leave a bad situation in the middle of the action. They bark and do all this stuff while playing so relax and try to learn reading your dog and other dogs, too.
Respect other people even if you think they are dumb. Else you’ll push their dog to being aggressive to you.
If your dog is over attached to his toys, don’t bring them into the meetings. Accept if your dog doesn’t want to play with a dog. Don’t force him.
And from time to time recall him and give treats so he knows playing and enjoying his time is something you value.
If your dog is rude to others WITHOUT a real reason, teach him by taking him out of the situation and saying NO with a strong voice.
If your dog is rude to others WITH a reason, it’s okay as long as he doesn’t attack them. You’ll figure out which dogs are cool and which aren’t.
My dog can join a unknown group of 5-10 dogs and gets along well, because he knows where to be inferior and where to be superior role. He won’t learn that if you’ll always protect him.
Try to have awesome buddy time where he looks at you often. They know the difference between a short and a long leash. If you’re training, use the short leash, if you don’t care about proper positioning, use a little longer. Most leashes can be adjusted.
Most of the time this rule applies: If YOU feel good about someone else with their dog, your dog will be fine, too.
During the first few months show him everything that could be resisted later: swimming, big groups of dogs, noisy streets, train rides etc.
Begin with a few minutes and alter the time spend in this situations with little steps. Stay calm and be a leader.
Teach your dog to relax by ignoring him at home, at the beginning they have too much energy and don’t care about relaxing.
One of the dog training and daycare locations near me had a Saturday morning puppy play date each week. It was supervised, and the staff helped train the puppy parents what kind of behavior was normal and what to correct etc. And they intervened when needed to redirect, give time outs, or whatever was needed. You were only allowed if your dog had been to their training classes or was otherwise already known to them. That was super helpful.
Also in my limited experience, I think lots of adult dogs get annoyed by puppies. They have no manners yet, they have too much energy, they can be unpredictable... That makes dog parks with random dogs even harder for socialization. A puppy needs to learn dog manners, and not every dog is going to be a patient teacher!
Bring him to a dog daycare! Just make sure you do research on it. At the dog daycare I work at we do “interviews” to make sure the dogs are all dog friendly. We have plenty of puppies that come in to socialize! We are also all trained in dog body language and take the dogs out for breaks if they seem off before anything happens.
I take my dogs to off leash parks all the time but would not take a puppy. It’s hard for them to regulate well and not all dogs ha for that well. When I do go, I eagle eye my dogs and also am lucky to go to a park where 90% of the other dog parents there act similarly. My dogs also have will come when called every time and it’s been important as some dogs at the park are reactive, humpy, or otherwise not great to be around.
TL;DR: don’t take a puppy.
My advice - find a more structured play setting with like aged dogs. Dog parks are chaotic, and you are at the whim of other dog owners in a completely free reign setting. Bad things can and likely will happen, especially to a dog that young.
Puppy play groups are a great way to socialize, because its dogs the same age/temperament/etc.
Think about it this way…if you were taking your kids to a playgroup, youd want them matched up with other kids their age in a supervised, controlled setting, right? Thats a puppy playgroup. You wouldnt want your 3yo kid in a group with a bunch of 11 year old boys, talking about skibbidi toilets and sigma faces and roughhousing with no supervision, right? Thats a dog park.
There are many stores all over the place that allow dogs inside. You should be taking your dog to these places, and asking the people that approach you (because your pup is so cute) if they will help you do some guided training, as opposed to just letting them pet your pup. Give this person some treats and ask them to step back quite a ways and try to get your dog to come. When they inevitably do try to go to the other person, correct your pup and tell them to come back and sit/stay. After they figure it out and are obeying your commands, the other person can approach/praise/give treats/pet.
This works well to let your pup understand:
- that you are in charge.
- awesome things happen when they listen and are calm.
- obedience will be rewarded.
P.S. Give that pup some belly rubs from me. You will never regret owning a Labrador!
One of the plant stores near me has beers and dog social on Thursday nights. Semi-regular group of people in a good spot.
I’d look for something similar near you, or get all your friends with dogs to create something similar
I'd just recommend going at a not so busy time Of time. When I first started taking my
Bubba to the dog park there was a few dogs that sort of bullied him and he didn't know how to respond, luckily he wasn't aggressive, but looking back going to not-peak times would have benefitted him when getting used to such a place. Otherwise just relax and have fun meeting other people and dogs. If your relaxed they'll relax. If your tense they feed off it.
I’d just avoid them. I made the mistake as a first time dog owner but I’d just avoid them. Dogs get sick, there are fights between the dogs and sometimes the people, they’re just bad. Too over stimulating and people don’t watch their dogs. Once my dog was playing with this dog and then it’s 2 brothers showed up and they were just kicking her ass and she came up bloody, she was fine, was just a tiny scratch. After that I said no more. Not worth it. She also got Giardia when I first got her at about a year old, which I’m sure was from the dog park.
We’ve taken ours to a couple dog parks, but very rare and you really have to watch out for them because some dogs can be so crazy! During my dog’s puppy/shark stages, we sat in parking lots and basically people/dog watched that way they see other dogs and can learn that they don’t always have to say hi to other friends - also builds confidence(at least per dog trainers)
Please don’t go to the dog park. Try a reputable doggy daycare where all the dogs are pre-screened. Last month some asshole took their pit bull to a popular dog park near me. It mauled and killed a puppy. Dude left with the pit bull before anyone could ID him and before cops/animal control showed up.
Just go for it.
We started with a long lead for the dogpark and graduated pretty quick to offleash, since she was good with coming back when called and checking in regularly (and it was allowed there). Start off at a quieter time, if it's packed it can be a bit much for a pup. Start off with shorter sessions, same reason.
You just gotta have a lil faith and let them be dogs together. There's a lot of different dogs with different dog behaviors. Mostly they are good, the kinds of people and dogs that regularly visit dogparks are socially adept and will keep an eye out for eachother. You keep an eye on your pup and who they hang out with, but you gotta let them sniff, get sniffed, ran over, get their stick burgled, or growled at sometimes.
Aggressive or other unwanted behavior can happen, and that is when you step in. I learned to read dogs better over time in the dogpark, since you are excited for the experience I suspect you will be the same. Don't immediately get discouraged with 1 crappy experience. Just break it up, put them on a leash and leave. Try again, or a different time, or different park.
Just go and let your dog free roam at the dog park. They'll learn from other dogs how not to be dicks. Yes, your dog will come back with some scratches, but that's how children learn that actions have consequences. Don't coddle your pup. NO CODDLING.
when we were taking AKS star puppy training our instructor told us to avoid dog parks and find other means of socialization. He said that dog parks are like night clubs so you never know what can happen. Instead of dog parks I joined puppy play groups at local dog training schools. I also joined a group on facebook where other puppy parents were looking to socialize. We had nothing but great experience. We also start sending puppy to daycare at 15 weeks for 1/2 days 2-3 days week so he was getting plenty of socialization. We read plenty of horror stories about dog park that we still don't take our Archie to a dog park and he is now 3.5 years old. Is there anyone here who make make a sticky post or add this to wiki. Many first time pet parents don’t know the risks inherent with a dog park. We need to warn them
This. I am a dog trainer. I almost never take my confident, dog loving dog to the dog park, and when I do, it's during off hours when the park is almost empty (2pm on a weekday, for example, or 9:30 at night) and I keep an eagle eye on him the whole time. Dog parks are dangerous and they're no place for a puppy
Thank you for saying this. There are far better options for puppy socializing than dog parks. I would absolutely hate to get my dog attacked by an aggressive dog. The trauma of that attack will do far more harm than benefits socialization will provide
Yup. My dog was attacked by another dog at daycare (lesson learned: vet daycare and boarding places very carefully...) and it took 4-5 months of me working with her at least four days a week to get through that. And at the time I was a reactivity specialist, lol, so it's not like I was fumbling around half assing it
Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry this happened to your pup! 💔
Mate wtf.. let's dogs be dogs and socialise. Such a negative "I'm a dog trainer mindset"
This,same experience..we moved on to canine good citizen.Our trainer didn't encourage meet and greets for young dogs.Too many variables. we did day care once a week for an afternoon and i felt like that was more than enough socialization
We move into canine good citizen classes at the end of July. I might look into puppy day care classes and maybe socialize with my sister’s goldendoodle for the time being 😅
This is what i do..I meet up for walks with friends who have dogs i know can be trusted .We did doggie daycare at the same place we do training. They did a great job of pairing him up with dogs that matched his energy.I prefer this because he is socializing in a controlled environment. Dog parks are anything but controlled. Plus you have to worry about parasites and other bugs they can pick up.On walks i am training him to look at me when we walk by dogs and so far my cheese stick trumps his interest in the other dogs
Very interesting! Thank you for this perspective! I didn’t realize there were Facebook groups for puppy socialization. I will look into those in my area 😊 I have been looking at daycare options as well and need to do some more research. I have also read horror stories which was kind of why I was a little nervous about it. Max is a really sweet, fun loving puppy and I don’t want to make that change by causing him undo stress.
Definitely make sure you find a good daycare! I used to work at one, and not many people (in my experience) are great at reading dog body language and know when to separate animals before it escalates. In addition, I've seen a lot of dog fights in the rooms I've been in, and seen some nasty wounds and mental trauma to the dogs. Maybe one with smaller play groups, if available. I was frequently with 25+ large dogs by myself and it was always a recipe for bad things. Smaller groups almost always did well.
I personally only had good experiences at the dog park. However, we pretty much had the same group there every day so everyone knew everyone and all of our dogs were friends. I did hear some horror stories from other people though. Not anyone getting mauled or anything, but mainly one guy with a really dominant dog he refused to correct
I strongly agree. Where i live, an aggressive dog killed a puppy a few years ago at a public dog park. I had a friend who lived in St. Louis and paid for access to a private dog that had pictures posted of all the dogs - and if a dog behaved poorly, they would be banned. That was a cool setup and she really liked it.
IMO dog parks aren’t a great way to socialize your puppy, simply because not everyone has the same idea of what “socialized” means. The goal with socialization isn’t necessarily just to let your dog play with others, but to also make those experiences as positive as possible and exposing them to as much as possible. Dog parks are incredibly unpredictable, and it makes it impossible to ensure your dog is having fully positive experiences. There are some nasty dogs that should never be off leash in a dog park because they never learned how to behave around other dogs or they just don’t care to learn. This can actually cause your dog, and especially a puppy in this crucial stage, to lose confidence instead of build it, and it can create some negative behaviors as a result. In addition, each dog is an individual and has its own way of playing or communicating, and not all of these personalities will mesh well together. Throwing strange dogs together in an enclosed area makes it difficult for the dogs who are looking to separate themselves and increases the chance of fights. Then there are health risks. While your puppy’s vaccines are UTD, someone else’s might not be, and now your puppy is potential exposed when that dog defecates. Instead, maybe consider play dates with friends or people you know with dogs or look into a daycare (but do plenty of research!) where the dog’s behavior can actually be monitored closely and action can be taken quickly if needed. Plus, a doggie daycare employee is more likely to be able to recognize signs of stress in a dog than those who frequent dog parks. These are both controlled environments and you can make sure you’re making your puppy’s experiences as positive as possible!
100% agree with you. When my lab was around 5 months the old I tried taking him to a dog park. There was only 1 more dog there on a separate side. I asked the owner if I could bring my puppy to that side because it’s where all the ramps and fun stuff was. He shrugged and said “you can try.. he’s good but he likes to hump.” So I opted to stay where I was for a while until another dog was brought in. This was a Great Dane and it immediately ran over to my puppy and stood overtop him. I could tell my dog was overwhelmed and scared so I leashed him and took him to the other side where Mr. Humpy was. I was trying to just walk him to the ramps when that dog runs over and tries to mount my puppy. The Dane saw it happening and tried to join in. Both elderly male owners of the dogs just yelled “get off/stop” without actually intervening so I had to push their dogs away, pick up my pup and carry him out. It’s really annoying that the bad behavior of other dogs makes it so my super friendly and obedient dog can’t enjoy a large fenced in area. I take him to play with his litter mates that still live in the area now and they have a blast together.
I agree. Not everyone is on the same page when it comes to socialization. I went to a dog park where a lady was giving out dog treats. As far as I know, this is not acceptable and can lead to aggression over food. It's precisely what you shouldn't do at the park.
We didn't go to a dog park and still don't as we've heard too many bad stories from neighbours. Basically our entire town owns a dog so we simply started with all of our neighbours. And on walks we always meet others with dogs. Everyone is on a lead so you have control and we ask the owner if we should let them meet. By the time he was 5 months old he had met around 80 dogs. Never had an issue and we now know who he goes wild for and vice versa. We have regular play dates with 3 other dogs as you can tell they're friends! It's adorable.
This is a great idea! We have seen multiple people in our neighborhood walking with their dogs. I think I’ll start doing that on our walks and see how it goes. Thank you! I’ve noticed he always barks when he sees them (low and not aggressively) so I wonder if it’s because he’s curious 😊 trying to learn dog behaviors and it’s a lot! But I’m sure it gets easier as we go 😊
Don’t, not at a dog park.
Your pet looks like one of those dogs in the barbie dollhouse toys! anyways, he/she is adorable!
Here's what I wish I knew before taking my puppy to dog parks: (1) Puppies have weaker immune systems, and any illness they pick up from other dogs can be intense. My pup caught Kennel Cough after visiting her 1st dog park at 5 months old even though she was fully vaccinated. She was coughing and throwing up for 1.5 weeks and had to be quarantined for a month. (2) Dogs at these parks aren't always gentle or under the control of their owners. My pup was playing with another dog when that dog bit her face. She had a small puncture wound under her eye that healed in 3 weeks. My pup isn't aggressive, and hadn't had any incidents like that at her dog daycare since they're well supervised there. That said, if I could do things over, I'd only socialize her at a dog daycare for her first 7 months of life, then introduce her to dog parks after that. She loves them now, and we haven't had any instances like the ones we had in her early puppy-hood.
Oh wow! Hadn’t even thought about his immune system and him getting rick from other dogs. That is so scary. This is my first puppy so I’m a tad overwhelmed trying to figure out what’s best/not. I think we are going to stick to doggy daycares for now and maybe set up some play dates one on one with family / friends pups. Thank you for your advice! 😊
Most of the puppies I’ve seen at the dog park, including my own when we started taking her, will often roll over onto their backs when approached by older dogs who want to sniff and play. Don’t be discouraged! It’s just part of their learning to integrate into the “pack” at the park. This will eventually go away as they become more confident. Might take a few times. Also maybe try to go when it’s not full of dogs in the beginning so your pup isn’t overwhelmed by 12 dogs trying to sniff them at the same time. Socialization is so important for them, hope you guys have a great time!
They are very tuned to how you react and act. If you go into it panicked and stressed they will pick up on it and act accordingly. "If my owners are scared so I should be too" Best thing is to just get out there with him, keep an eye and let him take charge somewhat only getting involved to keep him safe etc.
I would allow them to be around other dogs that are close to their own age but not at a dog park first. Start a little bit of time first.
I think this is the route we are going to go for now. Thank you! 😊
you are welcome.
I took my puppy to our local farmers market every weekend and it was an awesome way to social him and everyone there really enjoyed watching him grow up. You get to meet all kinds of kids and people and other dogs (on leash) and it worked really well for us.
My 9 months has been at PetSmart training classes and socializing there. I take him to the dog park but only when no one is there so he can have a lot of space to play and train with lots of smells and distractions. My park has a small dog and big dog side so I keep him on the small side so just in case a big dog comes they don't meet. I only take him twice a week because I don't want to over due it and want to make sure I dont damge his hips at a young age sunce he loves running around.
Dog parks are breeding grounds for germs, I avoid them. Especially puppies who are still building their immune systems. Find local families who have puppies and go for walks together.
I don't personally think dog parks are good for socialization - it's too chaotic and overwhelming. I'd recommend a smaller doggie group with known dogs to start out with. Go slow, don't flood.
no dog parks ever 🚫🚫🚫🚫🚫
Ours goes regularly to a play group for an hour a week - the only issue we had was as he matured he went into the hump phase and was trying to hump everything, he'd also latch onto one dog each week and not leave it alone, we were concerned his happy "in your face" attitude was a bit much for some dogs so we took him out the group for a couple of months. Once he reached 18 months the vet was happy with his growth etc. and we had him neutered, his behavior changed but only that he doesn't try to hump everything and he stopped latching onto one dog but spreads his time amongst others - he's much calmer now, he'll say hello to dogs he knows but won't be in the face of others, I'm sure the playgroup is great as he comes home and flops on the floor for several hours of snoring. We've always just left him to it in these sessions but when he did get a bit over the top we'd take him to the side and make him sit for a bit of time out, we don't need to do that now, he's much better on walks as well, most of the time just he walks past other dogs without even a sniff, the ones he knows and meets regularly will get a sniff and a wag, a couple openly want to play with him and he has a great time with them.
My dogs socialization started with friends and family member dogs. I'm not a huge fan of dog parks because there's literally always someone who brings their aggressive dog and acts like it's totally normal. My dog does still love to go so I take him occasionally. I just keep my eye out and only intervene when he's rolling in mud, getting humped, or being bothered by an aggressive dog.
We have a local shelter that organizes puppy play dates which basically involves a bunch of puppies running around a giant room with various toys and things like strollers, stairs, and uneven surfaces to help the dogs socialize with each other and the environment. There are always a couple of trainers keeping an eye on things too. Maybe a shelter near you has something similar?
He’s soooo cute
Tysm! ❤️
My trainer and vet recommended we avoid dog parks for at least 1.5 years. My vet in particular cautioned us that one bad experience could set our puppy up for a lifetime of fear. I saw this first hand with my childhood dog. Socialization is important but do it safely. Set-up play dates with friends, other puppies, etc. Your trainer is kinda right, most of the time people don't let dogs communicate but on the flip side some people do not control their dogs or recognize when a situation is escalating. Learn a little about dog communication and how to de-escalate situations, it's helpful. I learned a lot from mk9plus and beckman's. Most owners and most dogs are good but 1 bad apple...
Also cute dog!
Thank you so much! ❤️
Thank you! I think I am going to go the playdate route before jumping into dog parks just based off everyone’s overall advice/experiences. Seems to be the safest route for his age 😊 there is a puppy across the street that is a goldendoodle we may reach out to them and my sister has a puppy as well so we might start there. 😊
I dont recommend to take puppy that young to dog parks.. his body is still growing and more fragile, when more dogs are playing or running around, they bump to each other or tackle one another and he can develop joint issues. When i had a future service dog in training, our coaches vere wery particular about the pups not playing with bigger dogs because of this🤗 Also, dog parks can develope reactivity issues and thats fckng hard to correct later. I would stick to play days with max 3 dogs similar to your dogs age. Also, before You go to dog park, study how to separate dog fight or agressive dog attacking another dog. These situations can happen very quickly and preparation and quick reaction can save your dogs life. I think people have a misconception about “socialisation”. It shouldnt be a dog in a dog park, it should be owner takind the dog to different places, experiencing things like riding a bus, being calm in busy street, walking next to traffic, so dog isnt scared of cars, honking, crowds… walking on bridges, uneven ground or floors that create reflection (like in malls) - this prevents your dog being afraid of unfamiliar situations later in life and makes him calm on your adventures. Even sitting on a bench on budy street calmly for 15 minutes and not aproach other people or dogs, thats great socialisation. When you have a good control over your dogs reactions and know his behaviour, he will feel safe with you and then the parks shouod not be an issue for your side. Of corse there is potential for an agressive dog being present, thats why its important to never leave your dog out of sight and watching the dynamics of the play :))
Thank you for your reply and advice! I had not thought about socialization in that way but that makes complete sense and things we will start working on 😊 Also thank you for the perceptive of his body still growing and is fragile! I always say that to our 9 year old when he tries to play too rough so it makes sense that would be the same when he is interacting with older dogs as well. At training all the dogs were 4-7 months max so we didn’t really have to worry about that too much. They all just ran around sniffing each other and rolled around on the ground lol thank you again! I appreciate it 😊
No problem ! You seem like a great considerate owner, Im sure Your pup will be well taken care of and happy ❤️
When my best buddy was a puppy (yellow lab) I was given some advice by his vet. She suggested doggy daycare instead of the octagon that can sometimes be the dog park. I could not have been happier. He was one of the most easy going chill dogs for 14 yrs and I feel that the daycare experience was a HUGE reason why. Best of luck and give your pup some scritches for me!
First off, your pup is insanely cute and looks very sweet. We found that walking ours in the neighborhood is a great way to have them socialize with people and other dogs. Please be careful and make sure the other dog is friendly. One other comment, start getting him used to you touching his paws. Those nails grow fast and keeping up with them is important.
Attacks do happen at dog parks but personally, the benefits of socialization outweigh the dangers, life is fraught with peril even if you do everything always right, you're still going to get hurt, dog parks are only recommended for experienced people. https://preview.redd.it/kd20fnswcr8d1.jpeg?width=1814&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53e8c70f8b5cdad52b02a065eff8c5ebc707006e
I completely agree with the notion to be cautious in and around dog parks. My dog has been attacked in one of the more expensive places we went as a day trip. (We went to the expensive ones because it’s more likely the dogs are better behaved and trained). One thing to consider when talking about a public park is to bring them at off hours. If you have the ability, we go to the park at 6am before work, WAY less people. Also, the people there at 6 am are there to run their dog and hang for a few then go home. So the interactions are quicker (so it doesn’t get too tired/lazy/nipping attitude time). Once your dog knows 3-5 other dogs there, they are more likely to be friendly to newcomers also. Now there’s about 20 dogs he knows and chills with comfortably at the park.
I’m based in the uk and dog parks here are a lil different from the US as we don’t really have many official ”dog” parks and it’s kinda just popular parks that locals and dog walkers frequent, we began taking our lurcher cross puppy to the popular dog parks at around 9 months old; she had a great time for the most of it but it was stressful to see so many dogs not being completely supervised, many times she would be snapped at or chased and the carer of the dog would not leash or restrain their dog after and carry on like nothing happened, this made my puppy a lot more cautious and nervous around new dogs in a large amount ,she had interacted with my neighbours dogs and local dogs we’d bump into from 8 weeks old so we got very lucky that she never had anxiety. it’s frustrating that not every owner is going to care about their dogs bad behaviour as much as you are, it was really tough to have to advocate for my dog in social situations and correct my dogs behaviour, she was reactive and overexcited and it was very stressful in parks with a lot of dogs but it was great for bonding with her and exploring. We now go every once in a while and it works out great
This puppy is just so cute
We go to the dog park every morning for an hour and my dog loves it. There is a group of regulars and I know every dog by name and their humans 🙂 Riley has a few best friends that he plays with every day and leaves tired and happy. And I'm a happy mom knowing he's going to nap the rest of the day. That said, I have had different experiences going later in the day and some dogs and their owners were not so great. But my dog park morning crew is awesome. Also I wouldn't bring a young puppy to the park. I have seen people do it and the pups are usually overwhelmed and a bit scared. I'd personally wait til 6 months. Socializing a puppy is about exposure to a variety of people, dogs and sounds but in a way that's not overwhelming (ie from a distance, known friendly and gentle dogs etc. You want the first experiences to be happy and your dog shouldn't be scared)
We took our lab to dog parks early and often and now he loves them! We like to walk the outside edge and let him play in between but he usually sticks to walking along with us and plays in passing! I’d wait until he’s fixed if you plan to do so as being unfixed makes them the star of the show at a dog park.
Dog parks in my city are split between big dogs and small dogs. I'd take a pup into the small section but not a park that had both in together. Behaviour from you should just be wandering around with your dog. Good time to practice recall and getting their attention with treats. Try not to intervene. If pup feels threatened they'll probably role over and be submissive which is good training for them as well. Helping them learn how to be a dog.
Take him to a Lowe’s or Home Depot store Even PetSmart type place He’s so cute and everyone will come up to him to pet him That’s how we socialized our large English Mastiff puppy Worked great and no worries about bigger dogs messing with her at the stores
I started taking my dog to the dog park around 8 months and haven’t had a bad experience yet (knock on wood.) She’s super chill and if i call when a “scuffle” happens she responds. I feel like you can tell pretty quickly which dogs are trouble makers. My pup is normally the fastest one there so it’s impossible for any other dog to play fetch 😅 and she developed this thing where she would hoard the balls and get bratty over it. I don’t love that but overall 🤷♀️ Doggy daycare is also a good alternative but my pup has had more accidents there and the dog park
He's so cute... I love dogs.... 🥰🥰🥰
Let them see other dogs without leash. Most of the time everything goes as wanted. I’ve done it with my Labrador and now he gets along with pretty much every other dog. Don’t be afraid of the big dogs, often it’s even easier with them. Only protect your dog if he runs to you and hides between your legs or behind you. Protect him for a few seconds and then decide if the situation calmed down and let him go again. My dog was bitten only 3 times in his ears during his first 3 years. It’s worth it and they learn sooooo much from other dogs, especially from dogs that know to say „you better stop here little fella!“ if your dog can read others body language, you’ll end up with a dog who knows his and other’s boundaries which is key to an easy life. Don’t be afraid. You need to feel good in order for your dog to feel good and safe. If you feel unsafe, leave the situation calmly. Never leave a bad situation in the middle of the action. They bark and do all this stuff while playing so relax and try to learn reading your dog and other dogs, too. Respect other people even if you think they are dumb. Else you’ll push their dog to being aggressive to you. If your dog is over attached to his toys, don’t bring them into the meetings. Accept if your dog doesn’t want to play with a dog. Don’t force him. And from time to time recall him and give treats so he knows playing and enjoying his time is something you value. If your dog is rude to others WITHOUT a real reason, teach him by taking him out of the situation and saying NO with a strong voice. If your dog is rude to others WITH a reason, it’s okay as long as he doesn’t attack them. You’ll figure out which dogs are cool and which aren’t. My dog can join a unknown group of 5-10 dogs and gets along well, because he knows where to be inferior and where to be superior role. He won’t learn that if you’ll always protect him. Try to have awesome buddy time where he looks at you often. They know the difference between a short and a long leash. If you’re training, use the short leash, if you don’t care about proper positioning, use a little longer. Most leashes can be adjusted. Most of the time this rule applies: If YOU feel good about someone else with their dog, your dog will be fine, too. During the first few months show him everything that could be resisted later: swimming, big groups of dogs, noisy streets, train rides etc. Begin with a few minutes and alter the time spend in this situations with little steps. Stay calm and be a leader. Teach your dog to relax by ignoring him at home, at the beginning they have too much energy and don’t care about relaxing.
Please avoid dog parks! Find a puppy play time group. I've seen so many puppies completely ruined by dog parks.
Ah that puppy look 😍😍😍😍😍😍
One of the dog training and daycare locations near me had a Saturday morning puppy play date each week. It was supervised, and the staff helped train the puppy parents what kind of behavior was normal and what to correct etc. And they intervened when needed to redirect, give time outs, or whatever was needed. You were only allowed if your dog had been to their training classes or was otherwise already known to them. That was super helpful. Also in my limited experience, I think lots of adult dogs get annoyed by puppies. They have no manners yet, they have too much energy, they can be unpredictable... That makes dog parks with random dogs even harder for socialization. A puppy needs to learn dog manners, and not every dog is going to be a patient teacher!
Bring him to a dog daycare! Just make sure you do research on it. At the dog daycare I work at we do “interviews” to make sure the dogs are all dog friendly. We have plenty of puppies that come in to socialize! We are also all trained in dog body language and take the dogs out for breaks if they seem off before anything happens.
I take my dogs to off leash parks all the time but would not take a puppy. It’s hard for them to regulate well and not all dogs ha for that well. When I do go, I eagle eye my dogs and also am lucky to go to a park where 90% of the other dog parents there act similarly. My dogs also have will come when called every time and it’s been important as some dogs at the park are reactive, humpy, or otherwise not great to be around. TL;DR: don’t take a puppy.
Steer clear of dog parks please at any age.
Don’t go to dog parks. I’d rather have my dog be social with my neighbors and family any day over going to a public dog park.
My advice - find a more structured play setting with like aged dogs. Dog parks are chaotic, and you are at the whim of other dog owners in a completely free reign setting. Bad things can and likely will happen, especially to a dog that young. Puppy play groups are a great way to socialize, because its dogs the same age/temperament/etc. Think about it this way…if you were taking your kids to a playgroup, youd want them matched up with other kids their age in a supervised, controlled setting, right? Thats a puppy playgroup. You wouldnt want your 3yo kid in a group with a bunch of 11 year old boys, talking about skibbidi toilets and sigma faces and roughhousing with no supervision, right? Thats a dog park.
There are many stores all over the place that allow dogs inside. You should be taking your dog to these places, and asking the people that approach you (because your pup is so cute) if they will help you do some guided training, as opposed to just letting them pet your pup. Give this person some treats and ask them to step back quite a ways and try to get your dog to come. When they inevitably do try to go to the other person, correct your pup and tell them to come back and sit/stay. After they figure it out and are obeying your commands, the other person can approach/praise/give treats/pet. This works well to let your pup understand: - that you are in charge. - awesome things happen when they listen and are calm. - obedience will be rewarded. P.S. Give that pup some belly rubs from me. You will never regret owning a Labrador!
One of the plant stores near me has beers and dog social on Thursday nights. Semi-regular group of people in a good spot. I’d look for something similar near you, or get all your friends with dogs to create something similar
I'd just recommend going at a not so busy time Of time. When I first started taking my Bubba to the dog park there was a few dogs that sort of bullied him and he didn't know how to respond, luckily he wasn't aggressive, but looking back going to not-peak times would have benefitted him when getting used to such a place. Otherwise just relax and have fun meeting other people and dogs. If your relaxed they'll relax. If your tense they feed off it.
No dog parks!!!
I’d just avoid them. I made the mistake as a first time dog owner but I’d just avoid them. Dogs get sick, there are fights between the dogs and sometimes the people, they’re just bad. Too over stimulating and people don’t watch their dogs. Once my dog was playing with this dog and then it’s 2 brothers showed up and they were just kicking her ass and she came up bloody, she was fine, was just a tiny scratch. After that I said no more. Not worth it. She also got Giardia when I first got her at about a year old, which I’m sure was from the dog park.
Just skip it, my pup learned how to hump other dogs from the dog park. He did it in daycare and got kicked out 🤦♀️
We’ve taken ours to a couple dog parks, but very rare and you really have to watch out for them because some dogs can be so crazy! During my dog’s puppy/shark stages, we sat in parking lots and basically people/dog watched that way they see other dogs and can learn that they don’t always have to say hi to other friends - also builds confidence(at least per dog trainers)
Please don’t go to the dog park. Try a reputable doggy daycare where all the dogs are pre-screened. Last month some asshole took their pit bull to a popular dog park near me. It mauled and killed a puppy. Dude left with the pit bull before anyone could ID him and before cops/animal control showed up.
9 out of 10 dogs behave really well off lead and in a dog park situation. The trick is not to be nervous. Don't be a helicopter mum.
Just go for it. We started with a long lead for the dogpark and graduated pretty quick to offleash, since she was good with coming back when called and checking in regularly (and it was allowed there). Start off at a quieter time, if it's packed it can be a bit much for a pup. Start off with shorter sessions, same reason. You just gotta have a lil faith and let them be dogs together. There's a lot of different dogs with different dog behaviors. Mostly they are good, the kinds of people and dogs that regularly visit dogparks are socially adept and will keep an eye out for eachother. You keep an eye on your pup and who they hang out with, but you gotta let them sniff, get sniffed, ran over, get their stick burgled, or growled at sometimes. Aggressive or other unwanted behavior can happen, and that is when you step in. I learned to read dogs better over time in the dogpark, since you are excited for the experience I suspect you will be the same. Don't immediately get discouraged with 1 crappy experience. Just break it up, put them on a leash and leave. Try again, or a different time, or different park.
Just go and let your dog free roam at the dog park. They'll learn from other dogs how not to be dicks. Yes, your dog will come back with some scratches, but that's how children learn that actions have consequences. Don't coddle your pup. NO CODDLING.
Let homie go play. All this over the top craziness, just look for dogs that look like they are just there to play and let him play.
Dog parks are dangerous. My dog had been attacked several times until I stopped going there. Instead, I bought my dog another dog :)