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Ace and I took a road trip and spent two days at my grandparents’ town during days 22-23 of my 30-day challenge. Taking Ace somewhere new in the car is always good for him. He didn’t cry this trip. He is actually getting better in the car in general, whether it’s a trip to the dog park or a five-hour drive down the interstate. I made sure to let Ace get out at all of the fast food and gas station stops.

We went for a walk at a park and along a river. Ace pulled pretty bad through the woods and in a field because of all the new smells. I will make it a point to practice heeling in the grass and trees more often. He was pretty much out of control, even with his Gentle Leader on.

Here he is showing off his jumping skills in my grandpa’s back yard.

Click here to see all my 30-day challenge posts.

A pit bull mauled a 9-week-old boxer puppy last week at a local dog park in Fargo, shaking the pup and refusing to let go. It’s a scene that has happened or could happen in all dog parks: one dog attacks another dog.

Aggressive behavior at the dog park cannot be avoided completely. Going to the dog park is always a risk. Dog whisperer Cesar Millan and author Jon Katz  say dog parks are disasters waiting to happen. There are just too many unbalanced, nervous, excited dogs together. A few months back, I wrote a post on 10 things to consider at the dog park. But most of that post included tips only you can control. What happens when someone doesn’t follow the dog park rules? The dog parks in Fargo are managed by the park district. None of the rules are enforced. Even if a dog attacks another dog, animal control does nothing. Law enforcement only gets involved if a human is the victim.

Keeping all this in mind, here are seven things to consider at dog parks for your own dog’s safety, since you cannot control it if some idiot brings his aggressive dog into the park.

1. Find out what law enforcement will actually enforce in your area.
Maybe your police department has its act together a little better than Fargo’s finest. Find out what the laws are and how they are enforced. Don’t be afraid to report questionable dogs and owners.

2. Keep your dog in the appropriate area for her size.
Most dog parks are divided into at least two sections, based on the size of the dogs. I am guilty. On quiet days when there are only a few dogs at the park, we will all bring our dogs to one side. I do always ask the little dog owners if it’s OK first, but it’s not OK. In the attack I mentioned earlier, the adult dog mauled a puppy that shouldn’t have been on the big dog side in the first place. Certain dogs see small animals as prey. My mutt chases squirrels and rabbits all the time, for example. Really, could you blame a lab mix for mistaking a Chihuahua for a rodent?

3. If a dog is questionable, be safe and leave the park.
If there is a dog I don’t trust, or a human who is irresponsible, I make the choice to leave the park with my dog. It’s not worth it to stay and risk a bite or a fight.

4. Do what you can to control your own dog.
I don’t do this often enough, but it is a good idea to walk my dog before we go to the dog park. If you walk your dog for a half-hour before you go to the park, she can get rid of pent up energy. The dogs that enter the dog park in an excited state of mind are the ones most likely to be challenged by a dominant dog. Practice entering and exiting the park with your dog under control and practice the recall so your dog will come in all situations.

5. Know what you will do if a fight does occur.
Most of the time when dogs appear to be fighting, they are just playing roughly or working out who is the dominant one. It usually sounds worse than it is and neither dog gets hurt. But when one dog attacks another dog and it escalates, what will you do? Dog trainer Jeff Millman over at Watch and Train suggests making a loud noise by hitting a garbage can or yelling to distract the dogs. He also said to try throwing toys at the dogs, spraying them with water or covering their heads with jackets. Another option is to pull the dogs apart, but know there is a high chance the dogs will bite you.

6. Have veterinary emergency information handy.
Program your dog’s vet number into your phone. Know the hours of the vet’s office and where the local animal ER is located. You never know when an emergency will occur.

7. Remember all animals are unpredictable.
I wish I could trust Ace 100 percent. I don’t think he would ever bite another dog because he is very submissive, but how do I know he wouldn’t? I don’t. Animals don’t just bite out of aggression. They bite if they are scared or excited, too. Like I said, Ace is normally a submissive dog, but there are a few dogs he will bark and growl at. Behavior like this is often what stirs up a fight.

Have you seen any fights at the dog park? What did you do? Do you think dog parks are safe?

(Image is of my parents’ dog, Sophie, and my uncle’s dog, Radar.)

Ace and I watched part of a softball tournament on day 21 of our 30-day challenge to visit 30 new places. There were plenty of distractions, with kids everywhere, dogs, scooters and bikes, balls flying, cheering and concessions. During this challenge, I have noticed that Ace behaves much better when we are moving. He was fine when we ran by a few games. He began to pull when we slowed to a walk. When I wanted to stop for a few minutes, he had a hard time sitting quietly. He stayed in a sit position, but cried. And the tail was always going.

Ace often cries when he’s excited. He does it if I ignore him or scold him. I never give him what he wants when he acts like this, but he still does it. Does anyone have any ideas for stopping this behavior? I’m hoping this challenge will help!

Click here to see all my 30-day challenge posts.