Visiting a dog park can be the high point of your dog's week, and I don't want any negative statements from my last post, Dog Park Play, to scare anyone off going to one. My friends and I went to the dog park at Callahan State Park today, and everyone had an absolutely wonderful time. Little Lexi is without a doubt the social butterfly of the group. Here she is with one of the many new friends she played with today, and you can easily tell her new pal is having a blast, as well!
These two handsome guys made a big hit with everyone, but Lexi was the playmate of choice. (By the way, the German Shepard isn't sticking his tongue out at anybody. Dogs lick their noses all the time, and if you watch for it you'll see it frequently. They do when they are excited and happy, and they do it when theyre nervous or startled.)
She greets the Shepard politely, but he seems more intrigued by her resemblance to a sheep than he is interested in playing with her.
The German Shepard's companion, on the other hand, is a whole different story! This good looking dog (who could almost be a mixture of Greyhound, Shepard, and Pointer), took a liking to Lexi right away - and the feeling was mutual!
They started playing right away, completely oblivious to the presence of other dogs like Carolyn's Murphy, who is in the foreground.
Like her brother, Socrates, and like most terriers, Lexi has no clue that she is a small dog. She, too, likes to play with the big boys. And it was quite obvious that these two were just PLAYING at fighting. Neither dog was at all frightened or anxious. They were both having tons of fun! (Look closely and you'll see some more tongue action here!)
These two are having a great time hanging out together, no question about it. This kind of fun is what going to the dog park is all about!
The dog park can be a carnival of fun for a Frisky Fido. Most dogs love nothing more than romping and chasing and wrestling with other dogs. Socrates and Lexi certainly love visiting the dog park area of Callahan State Park. Like most terriers, Sox has no idea that he isn't a huge and mighty dog.
Socrates lives to run. He loves to be chased, and will entice other dogs to chase him by grabbing a stick or a ball. As long as he is running, he's loving it.
Socrates like hanging with the big boys.
A thousand generations of selective breeding have resulted in Socrates's love of the chase. The Wheaten terrier in him has made him a herder as well as a hunter. Wheaten terriers were the poor man's "jack-of-all-trades" kind of dog. They earned their keep by herding sheep, hunting vermin, and guarding against intruders.
Today, these traits can can cause problems when other breeds don't want to be hunted or herded. For the most part, the dogs work it out between themselves. Occasionally, however, a timid or less socialized dog will find all the play overwhelming. He or she could end up running for their lives instead of running for fun. When that happens, it's time for the humans to step in and call off the hounds, so to speak. If even one dog is stressed or frightened, the dog park is no longer a haven for dogs. For the frightened dog, its more like hell on earth. It is always our responsibility as owners (or dog walkers!) to intervene in these situations. Not to do so is just rude, crude, and socially unacceptable.
The moral of this story? You can't blame a dog for being a dog, but you can blame a humane for being inhumane.
