[Missjoy]

So I'm frustrated/annoyed/guilty and I just wanted to share my story. I'm very aware that many people don't like dogs and I have a pet peeve of people who let their dogs off leash in non-off-leash areas. So I take Maggie to a specific off leash park for two reasons, so I know it's okay for her to be off leash and so there are other dogs to play with (if I just let her off at the trails around here she would follow her nose and not stick around, but with other dogs she just wants to play).

So it's about a 20 minute drive to the dog park that I like, and possibly the closest one. We only really go as a special outing. We went today being a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Long and short of it, there was a family in the park having a picnic. Fine. I met up with two other dog owners, a lab and a visla and they were playing like crazy. Well, one of them catches the scent of the food and they are off (surprisingly, not the hound, but Maggie followed). Well the picnicker have the food all over the ground, chicken, bbq, other treats. We go running off after our dogs because the group is yelling at us that our dogs are eating their lunch. Maggie gets a chicken leg, no one is trying to pick the food up or keep the dogs away. They just yell at us that we shoud leash our dogs because they are eating their lunch.

Now, I could be wrong. But it woudl have to be a **very** well trained hound that would come when I called when there was chicken lying on the ground. So I grabbed Maggie and leashed her. If it ended there I would have just been annoyed and felt that they were in the wrong.

Well, this other man starts yelling back at them and makes some remarks that are racist (it was a Muslim family), not quite name calling but obviously things he wouldn't have said otherwise. Remarks about them thinking that dogs are dirty and asking if they lived around there (it's an affluent neighbourhood, as I said, I don't live there). At that point they are yelling back and forth and I just take Maggie and go. As I'm driving away I can see the family is videotaping the guy who was yelling at them as he's getting into his car.

Sorry to be so long winded, obviously the guy was wrong to make the remarks that he did, but any opinions about the picnic at the dog park? I'm feeling so upset! :huh: :angry:

 

[Marcia]

I had a similar experience years ago - a woman came into the dog park with a fussy little poodle, spread out a blanket, and took out a picnic. Of course, every dog in the place ran over. She not only didn't want to share her food, but she didn't want her dog to play with the others either. After yelling at everyone for awhile, she left in a huff never to be seen again. I did feel bad for the poodle, she didn't get to play and be a dog. The thing was wearing nail polish. There are lots of picnic areas everywhere, but very few off leash dog parks. I feel it's unreasonable to picnic in a dog park and expect no interference.

 

[Betsy Iole]

If it truly is a designated dog park--and not just an informal, "mutually understood" park where people take their dogs--then setting up a picnic is just asking for trouble. If it's *not* an officially designated dog park, then dogs should not interfere with others using the park. Either way, the guy was out of line, as you mentioned. I've seen a *lot* of fights at dog parks, both human and canine; dog owners are not at their best in these settings, unfortunately.

 

[jallen9696]

I am sorry you had such a bad experience at the park. I don't see why people would want to picnic in a dog park...but the behavior of the gentleman you described was horrible. :angry: I try to stay away from potential situations like that, but sometimes you can't help it. We used to take our babies up to the park, but it was seldom used by other folks...since we fenced in the backyard we have not gone back! It was kind of spooky anyway! Hope your next experience is far better!

 

[Rubydoo]

It sounds like the people didn't know it was just a dog park with off-leash dogs.

Even B4 we got Ruby, I didn't have a clue what a dog park was. I thought it meant that dogs ARE allowed in the park...nor did I know it could mean that dogs run around off leash. This might have been the same situation.

And I'd never take food away from ANY dog. So I don't blame the people for not trying to get the food away from the dogs which were eating it.

Janice

 

[Missjoy]

Oh I agree, I wouldn't take food away from a dog either. But I mean they weren't even trying to pick up the food that was sitting out.

I feel very guilty that we ruined their picnic, and I'm very mad at what was said, especially since I try to be such a good dog owner.

 

[Baxter Basset]

I recently read an article on Muslims and they do believe that dogs are unclean and don't allow them in their homes or anything. I believe it's part of their religious beliefs. Based on that, it's hard to believe that they would be sitting on the ground in a dog park having a picnic, unless they were unaware that dogs were permitted to roam free there. Just a thought.

Judy

 

[corvuss]

Missjoy,

I think you have nothing to feel bad about. You did nothing wrong, the picnickers made the mistake here. It's impossible to say for sure, but I guess they didn't know any better than to picnic in a dog park.

Now the guy with the racist remarks, he was obviously wrong, very wrong. :angry:

As for Muslims believing dogs are dirty, it all depends on interpretation and individual beliefs. Just as with Christianity or Judaism, people practice their faith in a way that suits them. Islam covers a wide spectrum of beliefs and acceptable behaviors, as most religions do.
I hope this makes sense, and doesn't offend anyone. I chose my words with utmost care, peace everybody.