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Dog-park dynamics call for owners' common sense

Take along common sense when traveling to dog park
Sunday, March 22, 2009

Q: A recent trip to the dog park turned out to be a disaster. My dog
has to go on the "big dog" side and I'm very cautious before allowing
her to enter. I went in, removed my dog's leash and the dogs (three
or so) began to play.

Suddenly a woman yelled to me that her dog, which I had not seen
earlier, was coming at us and was "nasty." Her dog attacked, then bit
my dog on the ear. I was terrified. The lady got to her dog, leashed it
and I immediately took my dog to the vet where she was treated and
released.

While the owner was apologetic and reimbursed me for the vet bill, I
was still upset that she knowingly brought this dog to the park. I don't
know why anyone would take a dog with known aggression issues to
a park. Why don't people use common sense?

I assumed any owner there would be as responsible as I, but was
wrong. Dog parks are wonderful for well-socialized dogs. It's no
place for "nasty" dogs. -- Carol, Harrisburg A: Amen. Brings back
memories of last summer when an ill-mannered Newf attacked and
bit Barney in the lake during a water seminar. A group water event
was the last place that dog should have been.

As in your case, the owner was contrite, but her desire to have her
dog be part of the event overrode her common sense. The dog had
a history of breaking loose from its owner, ignoring basic commands,
and stealing other dogs' retrieve articles. An accident waiting to happen.

In both situations, it took a near tragedy for the owners to realize their
best friend posed a danger to others.

Call me a worry wart, but what you described is why I've never taken
the Newfs to a dog park -- the dynamics in a pack of unacquainted
loose dogs is too unpredictable. The most sociable dog in the world
can feel bad vibes toward another dog and vice versa. Owners getting
mixed up in the "pack" can really stir the pot.

Fortunately, few such incidents occur at most parks. Now in its fifth
year of operation, the popular Lower Allen Twp. dog park in
Cumberland County receives an average of three such reports a year.
Thus far, no dog has been seriously injured.

Park coordinator Wendy Hayden says it's up to owners to make
responsible decisions and report vicious dogs. Visitors to the park
must preregister their pooches, show proof of vaccinations and dog
license and sign a waiver.

Beyond that, we can only rely on the good judgment of owners as
to "who plays well with others."

We are hoping to warn pet owners of a little known hazard that took
the life of our puppy last fall.

Our puppy died last fall at University of Pennsylvania Vet Hospital.
We finally got autopsy results today and the culprit was puffball
mushroom spores, which he had inhaled.

The genus in this area is leucosporidium and they are everywhere.
We had many in our yard and kept him away from eating them, but
it was actually the inhalation of the spores that caused his death.
This has not been reported as yet in veterinary literature and U-Penn
is planning on researching this disease and writing a study for
veterinary literature. The disease in humans is called lycoperdinosis.

If this info can save other pets, perhaps his death won't be in vain. --
Dr. Samina Wahhab, Center Valley

Send questions or comments to ksteinrock@comcast.net or P.O.
Box 306, Grantham, PA 17027. Please include hometown and
phone number.

http://www.pennlive.com/columns/patriotnews/steinrock/index.ssf?/base/columnists/123757890594320.xml&coll=1

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group - 3/24/09