An Important Message from Puptown
el...@puptown.org
Dear Friends of Puptown:
We have had two recent incidents in which dogs have been injured by other dogs. In both instances, the owner of the aggressive dog failed to offer assistance and instead, left the park. These incidents prompt us to offer some guidelines to promote safety and owner responsibility. Every dog and every person deserves to have an enjoyable experience at Puptown!
If your dog is the aggressor
· Immediately rein him in.
· Inquire for the well-being of the other dog and encourage the owner to take a moment to check for injuries in the event that they are not immediately apparent.
· Exchange information.
· Even if there have been no injuries, it is best to leave the park out of courtesy for others, and to prevent another incident.
· Accept responsibility for any necessary veterinary care.
· If your dog has a pattern of aggression, don't bring him to the park. Consult a trainer to improve your dog's behavior.
If your dog has been injured
· Immediately attend to your dog-take the time to check him over. Bite wounds may not be apparent until later, especially if your dog has thick fur.
· Remain calm. Don't play the blame game.
· Ask the other owner to remain in the park, or ask someone else to approach them for you while you are checking on your dog.
· Exchange information.
· If the injury warrants a vet visit, go as soon as possible.
If you are a bystander
· Prevent your dog from adding to the excitement. Dogs have a natural instinct to insert themselves into a scuffle.
· Offer to help-approach the owner of the aggressive dog for contact information so that the other owner may attend to his injured dog.
· Does the owner of the injured dog need a ride to the vet, or to home? If your dog behaves well with another dog in the car, offer to give them a lift if you have a car.
Prevention
· Dogs tend to bunch at the gate when greeting other dogs, sometimes resulting in a territorial response. Prevent your dog from crowding the gate. Ask the other owner to wait until you remove your dog from the entrance.
· If you are entering the park and are confronted by a pack, don't let your dog into the park until others have removed their dogs from the gate. Sometimes the dog entering the park may feel threatened and lash out upon entry.
· If you know your dog has a tendency to pick on particular breeds or a specific dog, be courteous and come back another time.
· When the park gets crowded, some dogs get overly rambunctious. Even if your dog is just playing, other dogs may become defensive and act out. Smaller dogs, or frail dogs, can be injured if your guy is jumping all over them. If so, try giving him a time-out. If that doesn't work, it's best to leave the park.
· If a fight breaks out between people, don't hesitate to call the police.
Breaking up a dog fight
· Avoid hitting the dogs. Hitting could make the situation worse and could cause the attack to be redirected toward you.
· Enlist another person and separate the dogs by grabbing their hind legs and walking them backward (like wheelbarrows). Secure the dogs away from each other before releasing them.
· Spray the aggressor with water.
Understand dog behavior!
Learn how to read canine body posture. The following link provides excellent information and illustrations to help you understand what dogs are saying.
http://www.fordog.org/Articles/Reading_Canine_Body_Postures.pdf
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Have fun at Puptown--and be safe!
Sincerely,
Puptown Dog Owners Group