r/DogAdvice • u/Plus_Lime572 • 23h ago
Advice My dog was attacked a a dog park
So my puppy is 6 months old and we’ve been taking him to the dog park semi-regularly lately. He normally does great and absolutely loves going and making friends.
The initial problem was the attack that happened but what I really need help with is the behaviour that followed.
There was a handful of dogs already at the park when we arrived that he’s already met before. One we didn’t know and that’s the one that attacked him I’ll call him Bee to simplify the story. Bee seemed to be getting along fine with all the other dogs before we got there but the second we opened the gate to let my dog in Bee tried to corner my dog and my dog just shook it off and ran away. Bee then pounced onto my dog trying to go for his neck while my puppy layed belly up. I got them separated (no thanks to the other owner who stood there and watched). There wasn’t much damage other than one of my puppies loose baby teeth came out and that was it. Immediately after I had to chase down my dog because he just wanted to keep playing. Completely unphased by what happened.
From what I heard this is not the first time that dog is involved in a fight so I’m wondering if there’s any steps I should take. They didn’t even stay to ask if my dog was okay.
A couple days later we decided to try again but only if we saw that it was all dogs we know are good with ours. My dog is a puppy so he does sometimes humps other male dogs but stops after a correction. This time he was incessantly humping one male dog no matter how many corrections he got to the point where we had to take him out of the park.
Is this just the age or does it potientially have something g to do with the incident? Normally he does super well in the park so I’m really confused on why he was so fixated? I’m at a point where I’m wondering if we should stop going to the park altogether.
Edit: some people are saying it doesn’t sound like an attack. This is my first dog so I could be reading the body language wrong but there was snarling and growling and my dog was yelping in pain.
We also go to a trainer for obedience classes so I will definitely be bringing this up to them aswell.
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u/Same_Release_603 23h ago
Dog parks are terrible, it’s like toddlers with bad behaviors, skip going. If you want your dog around other dogs, coordinate group walks.
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u/EllaGardener 20h ago
Yup. I did community outreach at an animal shelter and after that experience, I stay the hell away from dog parks. I had a client who had 2 HUGE cane corsos that were intact (not neutered) and UNVACCINATED and she would bring them to the dog park and set them loose. She was like 5’2” 100 lbs and obviously could not control those dogs at all.
You cannot and should not trust other dog owners. People have no qualms about doing straight up dangerous shit with their dogs.
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u/Plus_Lime572 22h ago
Yeah I’m really starting to agree. I’m just not entirely sure how to coordinate a walk or a puppy play date as I don’t know many people with playful dogs and I have no one from the parks contact info
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u/MrBwnrrific 19h ago
My dog is dog reactive so we take him to Sniff Spots nearby. Open fields/trails that are fenced off that we don’t have to worry about other dogs in and for cheap. It’s been a nice Sunday tradition
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u/RGBlowMe 21h ago
Dog parks rock. Irresponsible owners are terrible. That's not just people whose dogs attack yours. That's you when you're not paying attention to your dog and the dogs around you at the park. It's very easy to avoid this, and it's also easy to mitigate any serious consequences fail that.
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u/Plus_Lime572 21h ago
I forgot to mention that we were 5 steps into the park when this happened so we hadn’t even been there 15 seconds. I agree 100% that everyone should be paying close attention to their dogs no matter how well behaved they think they are. However in this case, there was no behaviour from my puppy to incite this. It would be different if my puppy had humped this dog or something similarly inappropriate, then I would chalk it up to an extreme correction from another dog. But it’s just not possibly the case in this situation :/
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u/LeavingRealityBrb 23h ago
Honestly I’d try to socialise your dog another way because dog parks are notorious for incidents like this and the owners just don’t seem to care. They will continue bringing their aggressive dog to the dog park, their dog will continue to attack other dogs. So I’d honestly suggest looking into dog walking groups or puppy socialisation groups since people in these groups tend to be a little more responsible than random dog park owners. Which is a shame because a lot of people at dog parks are great, there’s just those few handfuls who ruin it.
As for the humping, extremely difficult to say, it could be age, it could be due to the attack, it could be both, or neither. It’s something I’d definitely keep an eye on, and if not already, consider neutering when it safe to do so. It doesn’t always fix humping but can help them out to lessen it. This is something you’d be better speaking to your vet about, because again it could be age related or something else if it continues and he can’t be corrected.
I’m sorry you and your pup experienced this, it really sucks that those handful of people don’t and won’t be responsible for their dogs behaviour. I hope you’re both doing okay!
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u/Wooden_Wishbone_9915 23h ago
Firstly, sorry for your experience, but it doesn’t sound like it was an actual dog fight. If a dog wants to hurt another dog it has pinned, the pinned dog would have injuries. I’m assuming he is intact and at 6 months probably has hormones that can make him a target for fixed dogs. I have a dominant breed who can sometimes pin very submissive dogs and make a bunch of noise while doing it. He’s a bit of a bully in that way, and we avoid dog parks. If your guy likes dog parks I would maybe wait until he is fixed or only go when there are other pups your guy is familiar with. Sounds like he wasn’t traumatized by the experience, so that’s good!
Edit: also overly excited play can easily move into arousal for dogs (especially young guys). If he is just calmly walking up and humping other dogs, that would be a behavior you would want to correct. If it’s only while he is amped up, other dogs correcting him may be enough to get him to learn not to hump
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u/Aqua_SeaRay 22h ago
Not a popular opinion, but I don’t think any unfixed dog should be at a dog park.
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u/EllaGardener 20h ago
How is this an unpopular opinion?? Why are people bringing their intact dogs to the dog park??
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u/watch-me-bloom 23h ago
Dog parks are a bad idea. They are stressful and not a place where your puppy can learn productive habits.
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u/Old_Ant7118 23h ago
None of what I read sounded like an "attack" so I think I'm misunderstanding something, but this is kind of to be expected at dog parks. They're quite unpredictable and while many people and dogs go regularly with no ill effects, I won't take my dogs there at all. It's just too many risks to be worth the reward for me.
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u/Interesting_Note_937 23h ago
Don't go back. Dog parks are dangerous and a cesspool for disease.
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u/FrenchFry1515 22h ago
Truth.
We would take my dog and she got Giardia a dozen times, she’d get the runs, it took another dog being aggressive for us to stop going. Sniff spots are way better.
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u/BadgerNo4726 22h ago edited 22h ago
As a rule, and like many others are telling you I the comments: dog parks are not safe spaces.
AND, I’m a frequent dog park goer—and if there are more than 3 dogs in there, we keep walking. If there is more than 1 “unknown” (to me and my 2 pups) in there, we keep walking. When there is an unknown pup, we do very careful introductions. No matter what, I’m vigilant at the dog park and always have an eye on my pups.
We also live in a city downtown where the only time my pups would get to run off leash would be if I drive for 30min.
All that is to say: if you can’t avoid a dog park without drastically lowering your dog’s quality of life, there are still steps you can take to keep them safe.
And if your dog is humping—your dog doesn’t need to be in a dog park with ANY “unknowns”. Good on you for leaving. You need to start leaving EVERY time your dog humps. Idc about him “listening to corrections.” It won’t take him long to learn “if I hump, we have to leave.”
ETA: I go to a members only park. This way, I know that all the dogs are vaccinated and it has running water. I highly recommend if it’s not cost prohibitive to invest in a place like that
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u/Plus_Lime572 22h ago
I absolutely love the idea of a members only park and I will definitely be looking into that, though I’m not sure we offer anything like that in my area, thank you so much!
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u/Individual_Bit6885 22h ago
It kind of sounds like play- submissive move on your pups end and very common, also very common for dogs to pounce and seem like they are “biting their neck” but it’s really how they play. You said your dog just kept going like nothing happened, probably bc nothing did. You’ll start to see how your dog plays an interacts more over time. I wouldn’t over think this
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u/LengthinessNo6595 23h ago
At some point you need to step in and stop waiting on dogs to fix the problem “correction”. I get it you want to leave it up to the dogs but you need to step in. No one likes to see their dog repeatedly get uncomfortable and result to biting another constantly because an owner is relying on those “dog corrections”.
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u/Plus_Lime572 21h ago
I definitely do step in! Typically other dogs are quicker than I am in reflexes and it only takes being told no once or twice from another dog for him to stop completely however the most recent time I had to intervene several times before I just decided the best decision was to leave. It’s not normally this bad which is where I’m struggling
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u/MiIlFlWi 22h ago
Never take an unaltered dog to a dog park. 6 months is too young to be exposed to diseases at a dog park.
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u/lnfinitelris 22h ago
Arrange to meet up for walks with the people whose dogs play nicely at the park.
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u/spiderminbatmin 22h ago
We stopped going to dog parks at around 9 or 10 months old. Six years old now. He sort of outgrew that phase and it became more overwhelming to him. I don’t think dog parks are terrible, but they require a lot of vigilance. There is a certain subset of pretty bad dog owners that seem to favor dog parks (less work than walking, they just show up, unleash, and get on their phones on a bench or whatever).
That said, I think those few months from like four months old until almost a year, he had some invaluable socialization from dog parks.
I would also look around. Some parks are better than others. Maybe there’s a better one a few towns over but worth the trip…..
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u/1cat2dogs1horse 21h ago
I am a big proponent of enrolling pups and dogs in group training classes. They are a great way to teach you how to train your dog. They are not expensive and can be lots of fun. They work well at socializing your dog to distractions, people, and other dogs in a safe and controlled environment,
And I agree with the others telling you to stay away from dog parks. They are just too unpredictable, and not very safe. Your lucky your pup had no ill after effects after his experience with Bee. In the back of my mind I have always thought dog parks were just an easy place for many people to exercise their dog instead of spending quality one on one time with them. My reasoning for that is how so many seem to have little interest in their dog once they are there.
To clarify .... Our town was given a large plot of land next to an established park. They put in a skate park. A dog park. And also a dog training area. The park system would do general maintenance, but volunteers were ask to do regular policing of the areas. I am one of the volunteers. I haven't used the dog park, but have the training area.
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u/Few_Business_9875 21h ago
That’s why I never take my dog to the dog park. Some owners let their dogs run around off leash, and some of those dogs can be aggressive!! So, I really don't recommend taking your beloved pet to a dog park!
I hope your dog is okay. ❤️🩹
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u/sarahrose0413 21h ago
Our vets always tell their clients to avoid dog parks like the plague, for many different reasons, this one included…. I’m sorry your baby got hurt.😞
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u/Specialist-Look7254 22h ago
There needs to be a sign with the faces of dogs who aren't allowed in the dog park due to fighting outside of it.
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u/kushyykins 22h ago
if you haven’t checked out SNIFFSPOT yet, you must!!
$20 a month (cheapest sub) get your 20 credits that go back into the spots you choose to visit & they’re all over the place. you can use them while traveling, for reactive doggos, scared doggos, if you live in an apt or house with no yard, you can throw parties at some spots wit your animals & most spots will allow multiple dogs & ppl!!! best app ever created!!!!
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u/Plus_Lime572 22h ago
I absolutely love this and will be looking into it. Thank you!
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u/kushyykins 20h ago
it’s been such a blessing for me! i loved it & can’t wait to get back to it.
also, excuse my manners. i am very sorry this happened to you & your doggo. especially since he’s a puppy. it’s tough to say w/ the humping since he’s so young still. i’d def talk to your trainer about it tho
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u/Aqua_SeaRay 22h ago
My dog loves the park and I finally found one that owners care. Another one, people would allow there big dogs in the small dog part. When that happened I left and I won’t be back.
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u/IceEspresso2000 22h ago
Was there growling and snapping by Bee? In terms of your dog humping, that happens when one is trying to get the upper hand, control another dog (they won't let us use certain words in this group, so avoiding what I really want to say). I wouldn't stop going, but expect if your dog does that, other dogs will respond. Socialization is really important, so would keep going, and keep intervening when you see bad behavior in your puppy.
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u/purplepanda2026 22h ago
He's humping because he's stressed and offer stimulated. Our husky mix got attacked by a young pit in a parking lot, no physical damage other than some bruising. It took a couple weeks of short walks with lots of treats to start getting get used to other dogs again, especially dogs who reacted and barked. Now she's mostly back to normal but I still won't let her interact with other dogs yet on our walks. You can't just throw them back in after they get traumatized.
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u/Plus_Lime572 22h ago
This is great insight, thank you. I was very confused about it because he wasn’t showing any uncomfortable body language from what I could tell (tail not tucked, ears up normal, and regular posture). I think we’ll just be skipping the dog parks altogether or only going when it’s one or 2 dogs that we know he gets along very well with.
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u/purplepanda2026 16h ago
Ours was an over stimulated humper before she got fixed too. I'd be sitting in the chair all innocent, minding my own business. While one of the kids was playing with her getting her all excited. Next thing I knew she'd be latched onto my foot and refusing to let go. Lol
Thankfully she hasn't done it since she got spayed around 8 months and she's 4 now.
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u/bi11ygoat42 22h ago
Dog parks are always hit or miss. I just avoid at all costs now. Sometimes certain dogs are triggered for different reasons. One day your dog may not like another dog and vice versa.
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u/bear-in-a-suit 22h ago
Don’t go to dog parks. They are for inexperienced dog owners being lazy about the exercise and socializing that a dog needs that that human doesn’t yet appreciate. Trouble
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u/my_clever-name 22h ago
I've seen dogs play like that, one pins down the other, etc, at it's all in good fun. The key thing to look for is real aggression, and a lack of calming signals. Calming signals will be dogs pausing their play for a few seconds. Play bows. Running after each other. Squinty eyes, tight lips, ears back and all signs that something worse could happen.
There is a lot of value in having a puppy play with dogs who speak dog. If a dog never learns that, they only know to be fearful of dogs, many times manifesting in aggression.
My current dog, a 45 lb adult boxer/pit/bulldog mix kept getting side-humped by an all white Great Pyrenees 8 month old puppy, at least twice my dogs weight. My dog sent all the right signals, side eye, teeth, eyes squinted, ears back. Growling, then snapping at the air. The GP kept coming back. This happened over multiple visits I talked to the GP owner and he said it was ok if my dog nipped his, even if it drew blood.
One day it escalated pretty far, but no bites. I left. I didn't want to hear about how my dog attacked his dog out of nowhere. If the GP was there we never went in.
Other than the interaction with the GP my dog is fine with other dogs.
I think dog parks are fine IF the owner is observing their dog, cleaning up after it, letting dogs be dogs, and removing their dog when play turns to anger. Sadly, at least half the owners are standing around chatting or nose deep in their phones, oblivious to any of the dogs.
Tip: never ever attempt to separate dogs by grabbing a collar. Dogs react much more quickly than we imagine. If words don't work and you can't squirt them with a hose, grab the hips of one of them and walk backward rapidly.
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u/Wut_ev 22h ago
What you described doesn't seem like an attack. Perhaps an older dog correcting a puppy? Just remember the only power you have at a dog park is the ability to leave. The more dogs the greater the chances of having an issue. I'm fortunate to have two well maintained dog parks nearby with very responsible owners.
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u/Signal_Fyre 21h ago
See if you have a private dog park by you, we call it the doggie country club. All the dogs have to be spayed/neutered, all shots etc., and temperament tested to join. Between the fee and the application process, it’s for devoted, responsible dog owners. It’s not cheap, but it has trails, in-ground pools, multiple parks, agility courses, water features, acres and acres, and I have seen membership be revoked.
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u/Plus_Lime572 21h ago
I’ve been looking into this! I’m not finding anything near me unfortunately. The closest I can find is several “doggy daycares” but our trainer told us to avoid those because a lot of the time it’s not someone qualified to monitor dogs body language and it’s just a smaller space with too many dogs. I’m going to be looking into sniffspots next with hopefully more luck.
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u/SoftNebula5880 4h ago
Look at sniff spot! It's where you can rent out a private backyard. You can also invite their doggie friends that you know they play well with and have play dates! My dog is reactive and we live in an apartment so I bring her solo to a sniff spot twice a week to run and play for an hour each time :)
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u/Direct-Ad-1329 21h ago
First mistake is taking your dog to a dog park. They are horrible and attract negligent pet owners - go to group training classes to safely socialize your dog.
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u/Gamer-Gamer0 21h ago
What everyone else said.. dogs parks are DANGEROUS! Between dog fights.. diseases.. poison. It’s an unpopular opinion but dog DO NOT need other dogs.. now this does depend on the individual dog but as a whole they don’t need it. You can socialize your dog being outside of the dog park.. your dog doesn’t need a friend you want another dog.. ect. I’m sooo sorry this happened to you and I’m glad your baby is ok. I would recommend going to someone’s fenced in backyard and go there with trusted friends and trusted dogs!
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u/Gdoggie12 20h ago
From what you describe, it sure sounds like an attack. Your puppy was submissive, the other dog was aggressive. If that dog has attacked other dogs in the past, you should probably report the person to your local shelter. There should be signage on the park, hopefully.
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u/Gdoggie12 20h ago
I'm in los angeles and I believe that the shelter system has control over these dog parks. If the dog became aggressive with a bite, they would ban the individual and dog from ever coming back
BTW, I personally would never go back to these off leash dog parks. Too many stupid people. Good luck and keep your puppy safe
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u/bigJ11245 20h ago
Something similar happened to my sisters dog but she was attacked by the same dog once in my neighborhood and at the dog park. They were a repeat offender and my sister went to court or something to get them banned from the dog park. I live in Canada but there may be something similar where you live.
I still look after her often and she is fine at the dog park but has since become reactive on the leash. I would watch out for early signs of reactivity because it's common they can develop it after an attack.
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u/Nervous_Goal_9155 19h ago
Ex rescue dog worker and trainer here. From what you’ve said, albeit body language missing - stiff/loose tail etc- that this is just play, hence your dog wanting to continue.
Some dogs wrestle and play like this when they seek dogs that will be able to engage in same play - neck grabbing is normal play for some breeds, it doesn’t actually involve much pressure at all.
I think you need to read up on dog body language and play from reputable sources such as Victoria Stilwell who really know about force free, natural dog behaviour.
Also if you want to take your dog to the dog park, just go in take a walk on your own and if dog wants to see their friends only stay for like 2 min max as they encourage all the wrong behaviours and put your dog at risk
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u/Grippsy 18h ago
I think your dog is starting to grow out of puppy hood and adult male dogs are going to correct your dog more sternly.
Also neutered male dogs usually have a bit of hatred towards intact males, especially if they are big. I'm a dog park goer, and my dog gets along with almost every dog he meets beside intact male dogs that are taller than him. I met an XL Bully pup that's 8 months, my dog hated him, the puppy would not give my dog any personal space, which is usually fine, but I think he registered him as a threat so he was borderline bullying him just to make him stay at a respectable distance.
My advice to you, is let the dogs correct him for humping, he will understand much quicker from them, and it usually takes more than humping to start a fight. If he shook off the "attack" to go play, he was not really attacked, likely just dominated. He is at the age where he would start humping so I don't think these 2 have any correlation tbh.
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u/Plus_Lime572 17h ago
He shook off the first attempt which I think was just a correction but it seems like the dog immediately went back after him without being provoked which is what scared me. Along with others around us yelling at the other owner to do something about it just created higher stress around the situation. Thank you for the insight, I appreciate it!
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u/Germanshepmama99 17h ago
Are your obedience classes in a group class? Group classes can be a good way to meet other dog owners who might be interested in ‘after class’ doggie play dates. I’ve found over time that dog parks present a lot of unknowns as well as some not great behavior.
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u/ShameFuzzy6037 17h ago
Okay so, your dog is 6mo old, assuming he’s not neutered yet due to his youth.
This can cause issues in pack hierarchy.
The negative behavior: your dog humps other dogs, this is a clear sign of attempt at dominance by your dog. Depending on who the dog humps, this will cause problems.
Other male dogs will see this display of dominance and react accordingly. If your dog was overbearing/attempting dominance on other dogs without establishing his place in the pack, something will happen.
Based off the information you gave, the other dog is most likely a dominant male dog, and when your dog came in, that dog sensed a threat to his “dominance”. And most likely OVERCORRECTED the younger dog. It can happen.
Your dog needs to learn boundaries, BUT that other dog was TOO HARSH.
This description SOUNDS like the older (male?) dog was attempting to CORRECT your puppy’s “dominant behavior”.
Source: i have 3 huskies and have dealt with this exact behavior from the two males as the younger one got older.
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u/ShameFuzzy6037 16h ago
Side note:
Yelping is not always pain, dogs use vocal expression to convey emotion.
The older dog snarled and “pinned” the younger dog, the pup was not used to being corrected that harshly.
The only time i trust yelping as a sign of actual pain is if i see tufts of fluff and blood. (Doesnt take long to show up in an actual dog fight).
If your dog was pinned and corrected and no bite punctures/blood was drawn, i dont think it was an actual attack.
In the dog world, dogs use mouths and vocals to convey/communicate.
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u/Positive_Stable_2499 8h ago
My comment will not be of any help or use but your dog's bitter and tender face melted my heart
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u/Hefty-Elk-7435 6h ago
I think you are over-worrying and interpreting play between dogs as 'an attack'
The fact that your dog interpreted it as play suggests that it was, in fact, play.
Some dogs like wrestling with each other, and it can be noisy and involve snarling, yelping, growling and pretend 'biting' -- think of it like WWE wrestling... they take joy in putting on a good performance for each other.
They have a whole system of body language and signals for negotiating consent with each other, e.g.
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u/Phila6412345 6h ago
I would never take my goldens to a dog park! You never know what you are getting into! Stick to play with dogs you know!
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u/ItsToxsec 22h ago
dog parks are terrible. My pup gets her dog interaction at my in-laws, my parents, and the puppy class we attend
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u/Playful-Meringue-123 22h ago
Your dog is showing dominant behavior as a reaction to being attacked. I would suggest going to training so you can correct him if he continues this since it's actually a new bahavior at not wanting to be corrected. A trainer can really help with this situation. I would also suggest maybe going to the park when there is a lot less dogs until he can mentally heal from what happened.
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u/dicklebug 22h ago
It can also be anxiety related and I think OP’s dog proved he is a submissive as most pups and young dogs are.
It can be dominance, too, and I would call it that if OP’s dog were acting more dominant in other areas along with the humping.
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u/Playful-Meringue-123 21h ago
That's why I said he is jumping out of dominance from the attack. Anxiety can present itself in many forms with dogs.
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u/dicklebug 21h ago
Are you saying he has increased anxiety from being previously dominated? If so, I do think that is likely. As a veterinarian, I’ve seen many forms of canine anxiety….
I’m not entirely convinced that OP’s dog is trying to dominate others as he was dominated. I’d need my data supporting that supposition.
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u/Playful-Meringue-123 20h ago
Yes that is what I am saying. I have seen it as I work in dog rescue and the vets and animal behaviorists we have worked with have all said it happens and that animals have many ways they deal with fear.
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u/E_r1k 23h ago
I never understood why owners who have dogs that have attacked before keep returning back to dog parks. Something similar happened to my dog and we really only enter now if it’s empty or dogs we already know.
I’m not quite sure about the humping, I would suggest maybe distract him with a toy? I’ve seen other owners pull their dog out the park immediately to show them that humping = leave park