Dahlia's the fun police -- oh no!

[crysania4]

I've been reading Pat Miller's book called Play with your Dog and they describe play styles in there. Dahlia is pretty clearly a chaser and a cheerleader (playing on the outside of a group who is more physically engaged and barking). But more than a cheerleader, I'm afraid Dahlia might be the "fun police."

I noticed, back when we went to the dog park (and it's been awhile, mostly because it's across town and we meet a lot of dogs right in our neighorhood), that when dogs started playing really rough, Dahlia would rush over and bark at them until they stopped.

See?


So the question is -- should I stop this? She does sometimes do this when it's a bully and a more timid dog by herding the bully away. But is this something I should put an end to? And how?

Comments

[recreatexme.livejournal.com]

I would just leave it alone. Frankie used to play in a group that had a fun police officer - an american eskimo who would stand there and bark when the dogs were play fighting. It doesn't hurt anyone, we'd just ask him to shush after awhile (piercing bark!).

[crysania4.livejournal.com]

She luckily doesn't have a piercing bark and she doesn't bark constantly, just until they do what she wants. Apparently this is something I'll have to get used to as it's a herding dog trait. Damn control freaks!

[swingkitten9.livejournal.com]

Ozzie does the saaaaame thing. The dogs who are having fun don't mind too much, so I don't worry.

[crysania4.livejournal.com]

My concern is always if the dogs DO mind, but I guess I can keep an eye on it to make sure they're ok with it. So far there haven't been any problems and she may have ultimately prevented some problems when it involved a timid dog and a bully (we did get thanked one time and she was nicknamed "Dahlia the Defender").

I guess it's a herding breed thing, control freaks that they are! lol

[swingkitten9.livejournal.com]

But THEY ARE NOT ORGANIZED.

[ukissme-ukillme.livejournal.com]

kimbo does the same thing. SAME. THING.

[crysania4.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to see she's not alone! I've never seen another dog do it at the dog park and I'm always worried that people are going to be pissed off at me if I let her do it.

[crysania4.livejournal.com]

Oh wait! Now that I think of it, there was an Aussie at the park once who tried the same thing Dahlia did. In fact, she broke up the same two dogs that Dahlia did later. lol

[ichbinkelsey.livejournal.com]

I would leave it, just so long as you're aware it makes your dog a HUGE NERD!

[crysania4.livejournal.com]

LOL. She belongs to me, so what do you expect? I'm a TOTAL nerd.

[emlorio.livejournal.com]

I dont think it's necessarily a herding dog thing, more a personality trait. There is a beagle in our class that does it. I wouldn't correct it unless it gets out of hand...

[crysania4.livejournal.com]

Well, I think herding dogs are more known for it, since they tend to have a need to control movement, but I've heard of other dogs doing it too.

At our dog park, I've seen one other dog do this and it was an Aussie.

[shunhuggedme.livejournal.com]

My Mo does the SAME thing!

If other dogs are running too fast, barking, or playing - he runs right over to them and barks at them running in circles until they stop. It's hilarious because he's 15 lbs and runs up to GIANT dogs - and for some reason, they always stop!

Mo will NOT play with other dogs, just police them. It's bizzare! I usually just call him back after he gets started before he gets too worked up and it's fine - he's never tried to bite anyone or start anything :p He actually has a shirt that says Dog Park Police, heh.

[crysania4.livejournal.com]

Dahlia seems good until it's really rough play. Dogs running will get chased. She LOVES chase. It's the one game she WILL play and so when the dogs at the park get running, she's right there behind them.

I haven't seen her get TOO worked up yet (it's Dahlia -- CAN she get worked up? lol). If she did, I'd definitely put a stop to it!

[gnomenapper.livejournal.com]

Let me know what you figure out! Our yellow lab Farley was the fun police, but when he died Odin has taken over the role. It's kind of nice because if Loki and June start to play too rough Odin gets all over them. The only problem is Loki doesn't take kindly to this and sometimes will snap right back,... and then Odin snaps back.. and it escalates.
Oi