Dog Parks and Pit Bulls

Our Reputation is on the Line...

Although Dog Parks can be an excellent place to socialize your young Pit Bull puppy, unfortunately, a Dog Park may not be the best place for your adult Pit Bull.  A game of friendly play can quickly escalate into a fight if the energy level is just too high.  All it takes is one scuffle between your loving and affectionate Pit Bull and another dog and sadly your dog is more than likely where the brunt of the blame will lie; regardless of who started it.  It’s amazing how quickly a fun game of play can turn into a sparing match.  Even the best behaved dog can become agitated and lash out before the owner has any idea what is happening.  At that point, it’s too late.

Some older dogs, no matter the breed, can become less than patient in their senior years and may not tolerate puppy play as well as they used to.  With dog parks being full of a wide variety of dogs of various ages and temperaments it is nearly impossible to tell a friendly, well mannered dog from the rest of the pack at first glance.  Although you may see some Pit Bulls in a dog park setting that do quite well, all it takes is one incident and your dog will be forever labeled as the resident trouble maker. 

With that being said, there is one point that needs to be emphasized:  Pit Bulls are not the only breed of dog to exhibit dog on dog aggression!  This is a completely normal behavior for dogs of all breeds and varies for each individual dog.  While some dogs are very tolerant of improper doggy manners, some are simply not willing to put up with it and will make their displeasure known.

It is important to understand that dog on dog aggression is not the same as human aggression!  Pit Bulls are not known for a tendency towards human aggression and any Pit Bull that demonstrates this type of behavior is not normal and may be suffering from a neurological disorder or other medical condition.  Unfortunately, if training does not remedy the problem, euthanasia may be the best option for the dog.  

A viable alterative for your dog would be to participate in a doggy play group.  This way your Pit Bull is in a controlled environment and you decided who s/he gets to play with.  If there is a tiff, it is much easier to control the situation if there are only a few dogs versus the dozens that could be in a park setting.  I know I would feel more comfortable breaking up a fight between two or three dogs in lieu of a massive pile of snarling and snapping teeth!                         

Although these general guidelines may seem a bit extreme, it is so much better to avoid a potentially bad situation when you can.  The last thing the loving Pit Bull breed needs is more bad press!  In our efforts to rehabilitate the breed’s reputation, prevention (and knowing your individual dog’s limitations) is truly the best solution.

If you see bully owners in the dog park who seem especially novice and/or overwhelmed by their dog's play style, do them a favor and kindly tell them about the Brew City Bully Club and our Dog Groups.  Owner and Pit will both thank you!