Rescue Shepherd's 'Scary' First Trip to Dog Park Is So Heartwarming
When you get a foster puppy, it’s often a roll of the dice as to what condition the canine might be in when it arrives. Some dogs come out of their shells with the smallest degree of tender loving care. Others take a little bit of time to learn proper doggie behavior. And yet—it stands to reason. There’s little way to know what kind of situation these animals may be coming from, and what their lives were like before they found their way into your home.
We had a giant white German Shepherd who thought she was a lap dog, but was also so scared of her food being taken away we had to feed her on a cookie tray, locked in her crate, so she wouldn’t try to gulp it in a single bite or attack anyone else who was near. A Retriever mix who came to us from a hoarding situation was an absolute dream on walks, but cowered in her crate every time we brought her inside. All of which is to say, you have to give your rescue dog a chance to acclimate to their new environment—and all the new experiences that come with it.
In a recent heartwarming video, a new foster puppy named Cactus tries out the wonders of the dog park for the very first time. And though at first it looks like the challenge may be too much for him, he quickly warms to the experience. Though the dog is clearly happy to be out running free in a place with so many interesting smells, the presence of other dogs was a bit intimidating. At first, he huddled in the corner, and many of the other dogs surrounded him, which was sure to be an overwhelming occurrence.
But, soon enough, he’s running and playing with the others. “I’m so happy I took him,” writes his foster, “but I was a little on edge the entire time! It made me feel better there were other puppies there and all of the dogs were friendly for the most part. Will definitely be taking him to more dog parks in the future.”
Dog Parks Aren’t For Every Dog
Dog parks can be wonderful experiences for your pet, but they also have plenty of pitfalls. Owners are often not as watchful of their puppy as they should be and incidents can occur through neglect or people just bringing animals to the park who don’t necessarily play well with others. My dog, who was very social and loved all the friends and fosters we would bring into our house, was not a big fan of dog parks—she didn’t know these people and she wasn’t sure she wanted to get to know them.
How to Safely Navigate a Dog Park
So the first step is figuring out if a dog park is the right choice for your pup. Do you have an extrovert or an introvert dog on your hands? The second thing to do is to understand your dog’s limits and their behavior. Can you trust them not to get nippy even if they are feeling overwhelmed? And the third thing to do is ask yourself if the other dog owners at the park are making these same calculations before they let Fido run free?
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