fight or flee

We used to love the dog park.  Lola is always the littlest dog with the biggest attitude and there really was never any question who was alpha – even running with the big dogs at the park.  The other dogs’ parents seem very responsible and actively oversee their canine behavior.  There have been scraps, but typically a human steps in and diffuses the potential dog fight.

Lola doesn’t like being sniffed by the bigger dogs, and she has made herself clear by growling and snapping at the offending intruder.  Sometimes that mere act of self-defense escalates into a scary sounding exchange, at which point, I swoop Lola up in my arms, away from the larger dogs.  Lola always seemed unfazed … until a couple weeks ago.

Lola and I went to the dog park with Ace and his daddy, neighbor Jack.  It’s a two gate entry system where you come through into a holding pen and unleash your dog before opening the inside gate to the park.  All the inside dogs run to welcome the newly arrived pooches, in this case, Lola and Ace.

There was only one dog inside on this day.  His owner stood watching from a distance as I slowly opened the inside gate.  Somehow, Lola felt threatened and began to growl and snap at the dog on the other side of the gate.  Ace was still on his leash behind us.  All of a sudden, that other dog’s mouth was around Lola’s little torso.  I don’t remember if I pulled the other dog away from her, but it eventually backed away and Lola ran back inside the holding pen.  She wanted no part of that venue, for sure.  Jack and Ace went inside and I tried to coax Lola to come, but no luck.

The dog’s owner – a burly looking man in overalls – just stood there.  He never came to attend to his dog; I never heard him call.  Later, Jack mentioned he didn’t say much to him either.

I leashed Lola again and we walked outside the dog park and I noticed that “Mr. Greenjeans” and his dog were leaving.  We went back inside, but Lola was a reluctant visitor.  Eventually, she peed everywhere, but seemed to hang back, closer to the gate.

Last weekend, I observed the same reluctant behavior in Lola.  Today, she hopped into the car and pawed the window as we got closer to the park.  Lols  couldn’t wait to get out of the car.  I leased her and she lept from my lap to the pavement, bolted for the grassy birm and pulled me towards the street. 

As we crossed over, Lola  stopped and sniffed the air. A man with two yellow labs came up behind and passed us.  Lola didn’t pay much attention to them, but I seemed to have to coax her towards the dog park.  Half way there, she stopped and sniffed again, then did an about face and headed back to the car. 

There was no hesitation on her part.  Lola meant business and the dog park was not in the cards today.

I’m really bummed.  The dog park’s the only place I’ve been able to let her off leash, but no more.  Lola’s safety is more important than anything and I trust her instinct.  How could I ever put this precious little munchkin in harm’s way and risk never waking up to this image again?

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