Anyways, we ended up having Zeus with us and having to leave Zax at the vet. I figured this would be a great time to try out the Bark Park at Pendleton King. I'd read about it, but hadn't taken the boys there. Zax is a jumper and a runner. We've done professional training with him, but it didn't help. He was basically an adult when we got him, and we've had a difficult time undoing his life before us. So, I'm very nervous about taking him to a dog park...the whole 'off-leash' thing doesn't sit well.
Zeus, however, has been with us since he was 6 weeks old...and it pretty trustworthy. Zeus had already been through a lot at the vet, and he was visibly concerned that we left Zax there :(
When we got to the park, we were the only ones there. We tried to get Zeus to play...ran around, threw a ball...but he just wanted to stay right next to one of us. When another dog showed up, Zeus went to greet the owners, but wouldn't play with the dog...even though the other dog was pretty persistent. And we couldn't get Zeus to drink from the faucet, even though he was obviously thirsty. At one point, Zeus came up to where we were sitting and just laid in the dirt...he was ready to go.
I tried taking him back to the Bark Park by myself two days later. He was excited when he realized where we were going. When we got there, there were 4 or 5 other families with dogs there. When I got closer, I saw that there was a jack russel mix and a papillion mix in the park...there is a separate side for dogs under 30lbs...but they were in with the big dogs. I was walking a 129lbs dog into the fence...and the jack russell was ready to walk right underneath him. I'm never worried about Zeus intentionally hurting a smaller animal or biting at it...I'm scared to death that he will get excited and trample it...kinda like a horse.
But, he was fine. He played and ran and got lots of lovins and treats from the other people in the park. I noticed that all the dogs had to be coaxed to drink from the faucet...
He helped a dog dig a hole...and then pushed the dog out of the way so he could lay in it :)
Yay for the Bark Park!!!
I'm still not sure about taking Zax...I know he would have snipped at the smaller dogs...but they weren't supposed to be in there anyway...
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