Comments on: Please don’t confuse dominance with aggression http://airportdogpark.com/2008/01/12/please-dont-confuse-dominance-with-aggression/ A community blog for patrons of the airport dog park in Minneapolis Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:33:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: snarlycat http://airportdogpark.com/2008/01/12/please-dont-confuse-dominance-with-aggression/comment-page-1/#comment-215 snarlycat Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:10:35 +0000 http://airportdogpark.com/?p=150#comment-215 Thank you Devon for that post. I still haven't had the nerve to go back to the dogpark since my dogs actual "fight", with 3 other dogs drawing blood on top of her, but it's nice to read stories like this. Before this fight my dog was the girl at the park who liked to play with all types of dogs, and I guess she still is I just have to get her back there. Exactly like you said though bringing her there since she was a puppy taught her to be submissive when needed but also to be able to play with all types and sizes while figuring stuff out on her own. I am planning on getting back to the park as soon as I feel comfortable letting my dog play..... just as dogs should. Unfortunately I think I will intervene too much so I want to wait a bit longer to take her back. I've never wanted to be that overbearing mother so this email helps me remember that dogs will be dogs! Thank you Devon for that post. I still haven’t had the nerve to go back to the dogpark since my dogs actual “fight”, with 3 other dogs drawing blood on top of her, but it’s nice to read stories like this. Before this fight my dog was the girl at the park who liked to play with all types of dogs, and I guess she still is I just have to get her back there. Exactly like you said though bringing her there since she was a puppy taught her to be submissive when needed but also to be able to play with all types and sizes while figuring stuff out on her own. I am planning on getting back to the park as soon as I feel comfortable letting my dog play….. just as dogs should. Unfortunately I think I will intervene too much so I want to wait a bit longer to take her back. I’ve never wanted to be that overbearing mother so this email helps me remember that dogs will be dogs!

]]> By: carolann http://airportdogpark.com/2008/01/12/please-dont-confuse-dominance-with-aggression/comment-page-1/#comment-214 carolann Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:33:51 +0000 http://airportdogpark.com/?p=150#comment-214 01/14/08 I continue to be dismayed at the condition of the dogpark this winter. Many owners are not picking up after their dogs . If MAC wanted to they could revoke our "right" to bring our dogs there. I will pick up plastic bags of poop people leave , however, since most of the poop is frozen I cannot pry it loose. Also my dog has developed a " taste " for frozen poopcicles . Let's all band together and confront anyone allowing their dog to defecate and not picking it up. also I am want to find other like minded people who are interested in doing a second annual dog park "Day of Cleanup" perhaps in April. Contact me at 612-722-9168 01/14/08
I continue to be dismayed at the condition of the dogpark this winter. Many owners are not picking up after their dogs . If MAC wanted to they could revoke our “right” to bring our dogs there. I will pick up plastic bags of poop people leave , however, since most of the poop is frozen I cannot pry it loose.
Also my dog has developed a ” taste ” for frozen poopcicles .
Let’s all band together and confront anyone allowing their dog to defecate and not picking it up.

also I am want to find other like minded people who are interested in doing a second annual dog park “Day of Cleanup” perhaps in April.
Contact me at 612-722-9168

]]> By: belindaloo http://airportdogpark.com/2008/01/12/please-dont-confuse-dominance-with-aggression/comment-page-1/#comment-213 belindaloo Sun, 13 Jan 2008 09:15:42 +0000 http://airportdogpark.com/?p=150#comment-213 Well put, Devon... I've worked long and hard at socializing my uncastrated male westie and learned to speak dog myself in the process. Sounds like you have, too. This is the key problem I see with city dogs loose anywhere - the dogs themselves don't know how to speak "dog" and many owners just throw them in the deep end. Of course there will be mixed reactions and that will be multiplied by how many illerate dogs are in the mix. For instance, when possible I will take my dog off-leash when meeting another dog, especially a male dog. Hopefully the other owner will do the same and they sometimes do and it's a great thing to behold their little rituals of strutting and sniffing (males together) or sniffing and playing (male-female). If I kept him on-leash the tension would be tripled and there would be dominant stares, growls and perhaps even lunging. Many owners assume their dog is not friendly with other dogs while walking on-leash and it is simply that their defenses have to stay intact because they are limited within their natural fight or flight response. They cannot flee, so they feel they have to stand their ground. Hopefully the other owner, given some time, will reconsider your food-for-thought and have a better understanding to build upon with his dog. Thanks for sharing this incident with us! Blessings, Belinda Well put, Devon…
I’ve worked long and hard at socializing my uncastrated male westie and learned to speak dog myself in the process. Sounds like you have, too.
This is the key problem I see with city dogs loose anywhere – the dogs themselves don’t know how to speak “dog” and many owners just throw them in the deep end. Of course there will be mixed reactions and that will be multiplied by how many illerate dogs are in the mix.
For instance, when possible I will take my dog off-leash when meeting another dog, especially a male dog. Hopefully the other owner will do the same and they sometimes do and it’s a great thing to behold their little rituals of strutting and sniffing (males together) or sniffing and playing (male-female). If I kept him on-leash the tension would be tripled and there would be dominant stares, growls and perhaps even lunging.
Many owners assume their dog is not friendly with other dogs while walking on-leash and it is simply that their defenses have to stay intact because they are limited within their natural fight or flight response. They cannot flee, so they feel they have to stand their ground.
Hopefully the other owner, given some time, will reconsider your food-for-thought and have a better understanding to build upon with his dog.
Thanks for sharing this incident with us!
Blessings, Belinda

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