The sweet sound of playful yelps. The thump of paws trampling the ground on an open field.
For many dog owners, a trip to the dog park with their best friend sounds like heaven.
But taking a trip to the dog park isn’t as easy as unleashing an eager pup and letting him roam free. For new quarantine dog owners and seasoned canine handlers alike, the rules of engagement can extend far beyond the bulleted list hanging from the dog park fence.
Emma Harvey, of Gahanna, for instance, said she doesn’t mind when other dogs bark at Max, her 10-month-old husky mix — some dogs are just vocal when they play. But Harvey said she’ll remove Max the moment the another dog’s teeth are bared.
“My dog is very alpha,” Harvey said, adding that aggression in other dogs makes Max assert his dominance.
Most dog parks have rules against aggressive behavior. In the rules for Columbus’ five city-run dog parks, it states that handlers must leash and remove their dogs “at the first sign of aggressive behavior.” Still, some owners don’t address their dog’s behavior before it escalates.
Jordan Brown, of Downtown Columbus, takes his 5-month old corgi, Ash, to dog parks to train. Although he’s nailed down commands such as “sit” and “get in,” Brown said Ash hasn’t quite picked up on dogs’ cues to be left alone.
“Ash didn’t realize a German shepherd was territorial over toys,” Brown said. He ended up taking Ash away from the other dog, who was beginning to snarl and bare his teeth.
A dog’s inability to share toys with playmates is a behavior known as resource guarding. Common warning signs a dog feels his possession — which can include food, a bed or even a human — is under threat, according to the American Kennel Club, include body stiffening, showing the whites of the eyes, low growling and baring teeth. Left ignored or untreated, resource guarding can cause a dog to lunge, bite or start a dog fight.
It’s why dog parks — including many in Columbus — have rules against food of any kind. And Godown Park in Columbus bans toys from home for the same reason.
Getting between a pup and his ball is not the only way for dogs to get hurt at the park. Dogs can also get hurt by punching above their weight class — playing with dogs much bigger than they are. Some dog parks, such as the one at Scioto Audubon Metro Park near Downtown, have separate areas for small and large dogs.
John McCabe, who lives Downtown, recently rescued a 4-month-old beagle, Abigail Van Buren. Although he takes the puppy into small-dog areas, he said he used to take his former partner’s beagle to play with the big dogs.
“He was too aggressive for the small dogs, and he humped the big dogs,” McCabe said.
Eventually, however, McCabe said that dog was “put in his place” by a bigger dog pinning him down. After that, he played just fine with dogs twice or three times his size.
Whether running with Chihuahuas or playing tug-of-war with Great Danes, dogs go to dog parks to play with dogs — not children. That is why some dog parks, including Columbus parks, have age restrictions on human guests.
Excited children can be loud, which might startle or stress dogs. More important, young children might not know to look out for signs a dog is anxious, afraid or territorial. And for dogs who haven’t been socialized with children — or who simply don’t like them — a child pulling on their ears or chasing after them might trigger an attack.
Although Columbus’ city-run parks have no outright ban on children, children younger than 13 must be supervised by an adult, and all dog handlers must be at least 18. Godown Park does not allow children younger than 9.
The Animal Humane Society recommends owners who bring children keep them close and prevent them from wandering out into the middle of a dog field where they can get knocked over.
Even when following all the rules, dog owners might find their dog acting out, behaving aggressively or being afraid. Just as humans don’t like every human, dog’s won’t like every dog.
Harvey said she has to pay special attention to Max when there are many different breeds out.
“He’s really particular,” Harvey said, “about who he plays with.”
sszilagy@gannett.com
@sarahszilagy
