# Puppy Growling and barking At the Dog 🐩 Park



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Your puppy should not be at a dog park at his age if he is still intact. In my area no adolescent or adult intact males are welcome in off leash dog parks. It does not sound like your puppy has earned the privilege of a dog park whether welcome or not.


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

This is a dog park that is fenced in. Not an off-leash park.


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## TeamHellhound (Feb 5, 2021)

bbahrenburg said:


> This is a dog park that is fenced in. Not an off-leash park.


 You mean that all dogs are required to be leashed? That sounds like a recipe for even more trouble than an off leash park.


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

It’s a typical dog park. There are many fenced in dog parks through out the state.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

Dog parks aren't great for a lot of dogs. 

I am more pro dog park than many people on this forumbut you do have to be very careful. My local park is often empty and I don't attend if it has more than 2-3 other dogs, and I am very careful about leaving if certain dogs are there. 

It's pretty common for dogs who attend dog parks long term to be really 'rude' by dog standards, and there are often a lot of bullying dogs at bigger parks. It's also common for dogs to hit maturity and no longer enjoy dog parks. 

When I lived in the city, I only went to the dog park if there was incredibly nasty weather so there were only 1-2 other dogs there. 

Many pups will put up with bullying for a long time, then snap and bully back or overreact when they hit adolescence. I don't think it's a male thing, I see this with fixed and unfixed dogs of both genders at our park. 

It just takes one bad experience to make a dog less social. My own dog was bit in the nose by a dog at a park (while trying to get away from the other dog) and has been wary of black labs and pit mixes ever since. 

So - it's possible your dog is already not a great fit, and it would be best if you stopped going. 

It's also possible you are misreading normal play. My dog barks loudly and growls and shows teeth in play, but it's normal. Not sure how familiar you are with dog body language, but you should be seeing a lot of give and take, with Dog 1 approaching/biting, then moving back and Dog 2 approaching/biting. If it's all one dog initiating/pestering, it's likely not good play. Or if the dog runs directly at another dog it doesn't know, or.... There are videos on YouTube that show what good and bad play look like. 

My suggestion would be assess if it's really aggression, see if it's towards predictable dogs (my own dog can't stand a few dogs at our local park) and if so, leave when you see them. 

Otherwise? I'd look for other forms of dog entertainment. Many dogs (most dogs?) really aren't suitable for dog parks, especially the more crowded ones.


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

These are the rules for my city. I’ve been to several dog parks across our state but have never been to an official one with posted rules that didn’t state the animals needed to be altered. 








Sorry, but any dog that is growling and barking excessively is a nuisance, and I’m an experienced dog owner.


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## TK9NY (Jan 6, 2017)

Not a huge fan of dog parks. I've only ever taken Dublin a few times, and only with dogs we know personally. All it takes is one dog, or one human, to turn a fun trip into a trip to the emergency vet. Not worth the risk, IMO. 

Barking and growling can be signs of play - or could be warning signs. You have to know canine body language and the differences between good and bad social interactions (Ie differences between bullying, play behavior, defensive behavior, dominant behavior, etc) in order to determine which is which. 

If you don't know these, you should not be bringing your dog to ANY dog park. Period. 

And no, it is not something i ould suggest you ignore in hopes it just goes away. Again - even if he's not being aggressive he may be coming across to some dogs as pushy or dominant and that CAN trigger some dogs into responding in kind. Which CAN turn into a full on fight. 

Rule of thumb: When in doubt, get the heck out. That goes for your own dog or any dog (or person) entering the park. 

If you want to know wether your dog is actually behaving aggressively, or beginning to show signs of any other worrying behavior problems, then you would need to consult a behavior specialist who can observe your dog in person. There is only so much we can do, or suggest, from online. We can't view your dog or his behavior at the park. What sounds to us like play may not be.


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## TeamHellhound (Feb 5, 2021)

bbahrenburg said:


> This is a dog park that is fenced in. Not an off-leash park.





bbahrenburg said:


> It’s a typical dog park. There are many fenced in dog parks through out the state.


I'm just confused because you said it's not an off leash dog park, but a typical fenced in dog park *is* for off leash dogs.

I don't really like dog parks because of the reasons others have mentioned.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Hi,

Expansion and clarification will help with answers. First, do you happen to have any video of these occurrences?



bbahrenburg said:


> I have a 9 month old male, puppy. Lately, after playing with a Doodle he has learned to growl and bark and it has become a concern with myself and other dog owners. It appears to be excessive.


You have a 9 month old standard pup who has learned to growl and bark after playing with another dog, a doodle of some sort.
Is he imitating the doodle?
Did the doodle do something that elicited this response?
Were they both engaging in the behavior at the same time?
What makes the behavior excessive?

At first thought, it sounds like at least a part of this is that he's in the teenage phase. Teenagers behave differently than youngsters.



bbahrenburg said:


> He learned at an early age to play with the bigger more aggressive 🐕 dogs. He handed himself well with no posturing or growling issues. It does appear to be an alpha issue.


How old was he when he learned to play with bigger more "aggressive" dogs? How old were those dogs?
It's quite possible that when he "learned" he was still too young to do anything but defer to older and/or bigger dogs, which is proper behavior for a younger dog.
Please describe the "aggression".
"Alpha" dominance is a debunked idea. It was based on a faulty study done in the late 1930's, IIRC.



bbahrenburg said:


> He has run into issues with bigger and more aggressive dogs. They were dogs having not been neutered and neither has mine. I’m thinking high testosterone levels with younger more dominating dogs.


What are the issues he has run into with those bigger "aggressive" dogs?
Where are the other owners during these occurrences and how do they handle their own dogs?
Testosterone isn't the only hormone to affect behavior. Overall temperament, which seems to have at least some genetic components, is another factor.

I'm also not clear on your description of the dog park. The dog park we have gone to has a large dog, several acre fenced area where the dogs are off leash within and a small dog, smaller fenced area where the dogs are off leash within. 

Small dog side in view, large dog side starts to the right.









This thread's topic is perception and understanding of aggression. True aggression has an element of intent to cause harm with little or no reason.
(9) Why do so many people think their puppies are aggressive? | Poodle Forum


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

It's really hard to say what's going on without seeing the interaction. At that age Galen had developed a bad habit of enthusiastically lunging, leaping, and barking at potential playmates. Cowabunga, dude! The targets of his enthusiasm (and their owners) tended to be alarmed by his energy and would often react negatively. I can see their point. I once approached Galen and my husband when I they were out together. Galen responded with his usual antics. The lunging, barking, snapping black dog coming at me was actually a bit intimidating...and he was my dog!


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Pick and choose who he his friends are, have 1 on 1 playdates with pet parents that you approve of. 

"Does your puppy want to have a playdate with my puppy?"

Just like that. Then, exchange numbers.


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

For Want of Poodle said:


> Dog parks aren't great for a lot of dogs.
> 
> I am more pro dog park than many people on this forumbut you do have to be very careful. My local park is often empty and I don't attend if it has more than 2-3 other dogs, and I am very careful about leaving if certain dogs are there.
> 
> ...


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

This one is a tough one


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

It is a tough one. Bigger more aggressive dogs have turned on him. I now see that he is afraid. He goes into a fear mode which essentially is anger in humans. Fight or flight. He has great playmates there too. It’s not all bad. He likes to run and go after balls. He needs to run and play. It looks like when he growls, I’ll have to reassure him and let him know that he is growling and that everything's ok. Any seasoned pooch owner‘s are fine. The unseasoned (so to speak) owners view it differently. I have to appease them too. We’ll grow through it together and I think he’ll be fine. He doesn’t bite or lunge.

i thank you all for giving me the many ideas and for me putting things into perspective and now know how to help my little pup. He’s nine mths.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I don’t take my dogs to dog parks. Too many things can go wrong. My older minipoo was chased as prey by a Rottweiler. I was lucky other more experienced fur moms were there to help me get her…. And importantly help me make sure she wasn’t psychologically damaged from the experience. The person who took the Rottweiler to the park wasn’t the owner, didn’t care and had no control over her son’s dog. It started out as a fun chase game until the prey drive kicked in the Rottweiler. We left the area with a small group of these people with their dogs on leash and allowed the dogs to sniff and play a little to make sure my dog was comfortable with other dogs. One of the women’s husband was a vet and she said some dogs developed serious fear issues over trauma like this. Her husband has quite a few in his practice. 




bbahrenburg said:


> Bigger more aggressive dogs have turned on him. I now see that he is afraid. He goes into a fear mode which essentially is anger in humans. Fight or flight.


I’m sorry but your dog is not okay if he’s afraid and you may be making it worse allowing him to be continuously exposed. Being a teenage unaltered male makes him a target for some dogs which adds to the problem. His puppy card is up, he is now a teenager(adult and the dog rules have changed. I’m not saying to neuter him …. I’m saying keep him away from these situations. Unaltered male dogs are not allowed at dog parks for a reason. 

You’re his fur mom, your job is to protect him and do what is right. Look for other ways to exercise him. Dogs don’t need to play with other dogs … their relationship is with their humans. You can arrange 1 on 1 play dates in fenced yards, train your dog (brain work eats up a lot of energy) you can toss a ball or play flirt pole. if you have carpeted stairs in your house you can play games where your dog runs up the stairs and then down while performing tricks for treats. Lots of ways to exercise a dog without putting them in harms way.


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

Once he starts to run and play he’s fine. I don’t want to overdramatize the situation. There have been two male pups in two parks where I’ve had an issue. Both being a teen and unuttered. The rest are fine. He’s not a target dog. I’ve encountered them. A sad situation.in the parks here unaltered dogs are allowed. His breed shouldn’t be neutered until 18 mths. I appreciate your understanding and assistance with his condition. If it worsens, I’ll have no choice. For now I’ll be his fur dad and work with his psyche. It’s a thin line to be protective and overly protective. I’m not giving up on this one yet. I know to many owners that have been successful. There are a number of seasoned owners that have their dogs their. FYI, one of those pup incidents was a pup that has issues with many owners. We talurate that situation because his owner is on keemo. We have communicated and don’t cross paths. If she shows, we leave keeping him out of harms way. I’ll keep you posted with my success or not. Thanks again.


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

Starla said:


> These are the rules for my city. I’ve been to several dog parks across our state but have never been to an official one with posted rules that didn’t state the animals needed to be altered.
> View attachment 491132
> 
> Sorry, but any dog that is growling and barking excessively is a nuisance, and I’m an experienced dog owner.


As am I. He’s not a nuisance dog. He plays well with many other breeds. in your park the neutering is a requirement. That IS NOT the case here. But, I do have a concern with his fear mode that needs to be worked with. I appreciate your input.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

I suggest seeing if you can coordinate with friends to arrive at the same time, or look into other walking options. When Annie was that age we did a lot of exercising in a huge abandoned field with her on a 50 ft long line attached to a harness, playing ball. If she was having a good day, I let her drag the long line and just grabbed it if she ignored me. 

Conservation area hikes are also great. 

We kept dog park visits to once a week or less, at off peak times in bad weather as that was when we lived in the city. I also tried to limit dog park visits to half an hour or so - Annie would happily stay for 2 hours but I found as she got tired, she and other dogs were more likely to be stupid.

There is a group at my local small town dog park that shows up and hangs out for a couple of hours. If we show up at the beginning of that time, it's pretty good, but if we show up at the end, dogs are less careful and often overtired. 

Agree standard poodles need to run, and it can be a huge challenge to get them that exercise. 

Don't be afraid to intervene - I step in if Annie is being bothered, but also if she is bothering other dogs. 

A favourite tactic is for me to run away from dogs who have too tense body language, calling them. The dogs will usually follow me, and suddenly are playing nicely again. It also helps if people in the park keep moving and walking, rather than all congregating at one end of the park chatting. 

I avoid allowing Annie to hang out at the gate, as that's where I see most squabbles happen. If I see someone entering we don't know well, I call her over to me and we wait until they are through the gate and through the milling dogs.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Running is mindless exercise. Some physical running or swimming is needed to keep the dog in great physical condition, but it doesn't really meet a dog's needs by itself. All three of our recent dogs have gotten much of their exercise through brain games. Training and trialing in obedience and rally, teaching tricks and the like are more effective as ways to get them to be chill in the house when off duty. I know of people with a GSP who was very high energy and crazy whose people used to run him while they rode a bike for miles every day. The dog was always on, so the running didn't do much to settle the dog. They started taking him to a place where dogs do obedience behaviors on fitness equipment. It is hard physical exercise, but also makes the dog think about what they are being asked to do. The dog finally became a pleasant house dog once he was asked to think while being active with structure rather than just running.

Skylar I agree with you about us being the stewards of our dogs' safety. The trust our dogs place with us has to be earned and if we fail then our dogs will be harder to keep a good relationship with.

FWOP your strategies about having the dog park be a fun and safe place are excellent.


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

TK9NY said:


> Not a huge fan of dog parks. I've only ever taken Dublin a few times, and only with dogs we know personally. All it takes is one dog, or one human, to turn a fun trip into a trip to the emergency vet. Not worth the risk, IMO.
> 
> Barking and growling can be signs of play - or could be warning signs. You have to know canine body language and the differences between good and bad social interactions (Ie differences between bullying, play behavior, defensive behavior, dominant behavior, etc) in order to determine which is which.
> 
> ...


Great sugg


For Want of Poodle said:


> I suggest seeing if you can coordinate with friends to arrive at the same time, or look into other walking options. When Annie was that age we did a lot of exercising in a huge abandoned field with her on a 50 ft long line attached to a harness, playing ball. If she was having a good day, I let her drag the long line and just grabbed it if she ignored me.
> 
> Conservation area hikes are also great.
> 
> ...


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## bbahrenburg (Dec 21, 2021)

Today was a success. Ceaser Ramano . If your mellow chances are it’ll transcend to your family member.Today, I stopped Bo a few times on the way to the gate. I had him sit and I gave him affection and we moved on continuing this pattern until he began to settle down. It was fear. I had to replace his fear with me being the fur dad offering reassurance . We stopped inside the first gate and I sat him down again and comforted him. We had a couple brief tidbits of anxiety but he got through it. These were the right owners and dogs to reinforce his training. We’ll continue to progress with this type of training until our goals are met.

Thank you all for your input!


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