Why doesn't my dog play at the dog park anymore?
Pat Lehner
2025-05-31 00:00:21
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: 10
To the owner’s surprise, they even showed their teeth at a few dogs recently. Not necessarily. Assuming any physical causes have been ruled out, they may just be a normal dog, showing normal signs of maturity. While dogs are a social species, and most puppies and adolescent dogs tend to enjoy play with other dogs, most adult dogs tend to be a bit more selective. They may prefer fewer and/or well-known play partners, and they may have more interest in chasing a ball or going for a sniff walk than rough-housing at the dog park. The dog park isn’t for all dogs, and that’s OK and normal.
Stanley Hessel
2025-05-30 22:50:00
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: 7
He's never had any problems with the dogs he's played with there. HOWEVER, someone in our apartment recently got a lab puppy that is very in his face when they're together at the dog park. The puppy doesn't leave him alone, and is getting pretty big so he can really jump up to his face now. Usually he grabs his ball, growls at the puppy, and trots away when he gets too close. He grows and barks, but he has never nipped because he won't put the ball down when the puppy is nearby. Today they were at the park together and this was happening, which was nothing new. He was nipping/biting at him and completely bowled him over running after him, barking and growling the whole time. He bit/nipped the puppy a few times, but I don't know if it was that hard because the puppy never yelped.
Josephine Jast
2025-05-30 22:28:23
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: 6
Roughly between the ages of 2-3, dogs become socially mature. And, as a result, we fully expect some changes in their behavior. Typically, we should expect our adult dogs to: Play less in general, Be more selective about who they will play with, Be less tolerant of what they consider rude behavior. Why should dogs be expected to play with every other dog who shows up or to put up with rude behavior? We know that it’s unrealistic to expect them to. Dogs who are hurting often respond with what looks like aggressive behaviors. Telling other dogs to move away is a reasonable response if getting bumped or jumped on hurts. Undiagnosed pain is often the source of behavior problems. If your dog is healthy and not afraid, it’s absolutely okay for her to simply not want to play as much.
Cecil Wolf
2025-05-30 21:40:55
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: 11
A dog’s reluctance to join in the fun at the dog park might stem from a number of reasons, including: Socialization issues: If during puppyhood, a dog didn’t have the opportunity to have positive experiences with a variety of sights, sounds, people, animals and situations, it’s possible that he’ll feel overwhelmed by group dog play at the dog park or dog beach. The dog park setup: Parks that are too small for the number of dogs present or don’t have separate areas for big and little dogs may make a dog less likely to enjoy his time there. Overcrowded parks and mixing dogs of all sizes can lead to frightening interactions, particularly if you have a little dog that’s forced to hold his own against the big guys. The attendees: Dog parks filled with pushy, inappropriate or aggressive dogs aren’t fun for the average dog who just wants to run a few laps or do some light roughhousing. Aging out: While dog-dog play is an important developmental step for puppies, many dogs grow out of the need for physical games with friends. Undiagnosed pain: Your dog might be wary of high-intensity playtime because of aches and pains. Dog park play can be strenuous, and if your dog is coping with an injury or age-related pain, he’ll be less likely to want to mix it up with buddies.
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