I guess I am never going to be a fan of dog parks for one reason: stupid, clueless owners.  Tonight we took Peaches over our neighborhood dog park.  There were two mini-schnauzers and a standard schnauzer, all belonging to a woman who obviously did not have good control of the large dog.  I was not getting a good feeling about this dog.  The body language was all wrong, and it seemed overbearing with any new dog that came into the park, including poor Peaches.  I was watching her closely when the larger dog approached.  Nothing happened with her but when the dog came over to me, and I tried to be friendly, it growled at me.  Then it snapped at my husband.  Once the larger dog did that, one of the mini-schnauzers thought it was okay to be aggressive and came after Peaches.  No damage was done, fortunately, but we were not pleased.  I told the woman that her dogs were not good dog park dogs and she should not bring them there if she can't control them.  She ignored me and never apologized or put her dogs on the leash (or left the park, as she should have done after the incident).  We were the ones who left the park.  

I came home and made a sign to hang outside the park tomorrow telling people who know their dogs might be aggressive to please not take them inside the dog park.  Of course, this woman and others like her will never surmise that this admonition applies to her and her fuzzy darlings.  I wish people would observe proper dog park etiquette.  If they did, there would be far fewer problems.  That includes picking up after their dogs.  There are some people who do not pick up at all, so you're tiptoeing around piles of poop.  I think someone also needs to replace the divets left by all the terriers and other dogs that dig holes.  The terrain at our park is becoming so pitted and denuded of vegetation it's beginning to resemble the surface of the moon.  You really have to watch your step because many are hidden in the grass that's growing high as a standard schnauzer's eye due to budget restraints.  It's good way to sprain and ankle or worse.