Another Day at The Dog Park

I received and invitation in my in box announcing a new outdoor meet-up at a park that Fred and I had never been to. I decided to take Fred to the new dog park before the "event". I thought maybe, if I show him the park, let him get to know the sights and smells before we actually attend the organized meet-up, he would be a bit more comfortable. Fred had a difficult time at the last meet-up we attended. Click here for the post on that one. All good intentions, and he was great! There were all sorts of dogs running around, Huge dogs, little itty bitty dogs, a little butt sniff here a little butt sniff there, great, no big deal. It's actually really nice, there is a big area to walk on that is shaped like a big curvy oval with trees and benches, the walking path has gravel on it so it's not very muddy, and the inner part is grass where people can play Frisbee and fetch with their dogs. It probably takes about 45 minute or so to walk the whole track, which we did and a little more.

So, a couple of days ago we went to the "organized" event  for small dogs of all types, not just Boston’s like the last time. This was the group that had the indoor meet-up with all the barkers, (referring to the previous post again).

We pulled up and parked, and Fred was beside himself he was so excited, I had high hopes this time.

This is Fred being "beside himself"

There was an area fenced off just for small dogs, it's not very big, but it's fine.  Anyhoo...we walked into the enclosure, camera around my neck, with great confidence once again. I'm smiling and really hoping Fred could make friends and play, and I look down and Fred, and once again...he's drooling profusely, all foamy and stringing off his lips. YUCK!

What am I supposed to do Mama?

I didn't bring anything to wipe his face with, it was pretty gross. People started giving us a very wide berth, actually they looked terrified.

Anxious folks, check out the guy in the white... he's concerned. Freddy had thoughts of saying hi to them but decided against it.

I'm apologizing, trying to calm the masses, some people actually scooped their little dogs up into their arms.  I continue wandering about, smiling (trying anyway) acting like everythings just fine, I made a feeble attempt to throw a stick for Fred and he just stared at me with his drooling face, he actually looked like a walrus. At this point, I'm humiliated and embarrassed.

Then, this one nice lady came over to me and we chatted a bit about Fred and his "situation", and she shared with me a dental appointment that she had been to a while back. She had said that the dentist noticed that she, herself, had quite healthy salivary glands (there was a little more detail, but you get the gist of it). I'm sure that somewhere in there she was trying to make me feel better about my slobbering dog, bless her heart, but I was having a hard time engaging myself in this particular conversation. I waited for an awkward pause, and excused myself. 

I took Fred out of the enclosure, wiped off his face with my jacket and we walked on the big path for a while. Immediately he was fine just walking with me, no leash, sniffing around, reading the paper, the usual. 

On the outside, looking in. No drool.

So after a little while, I decided to go back into the enclosure to give it another shot. Right away, he started acting strange again. Out of sorts is the best way I can explain it, not wanting to really engage himself.

Note, guy in white coat, still concerned...

Hi, I'm Fred

He made a few feeble attempts to say hi to one little dog, but was rejected, he just stood there looking forlorn and lost in a way. 

Poor guy

Not too long after that, I called it quits.  Fred was glad to get out of there.

"Put the camera down and drive for cripes sake!"

"Boy, I'm glad that's over with! Take me home."

I'm not sure if I want to go to an organized meet-up anymore. The parks that we go to aren't really that close and Fred obviously hates it. I think I may have lost the window for Fred to be able to socialize in situations like that, I think maybe he's just a one on one type of a dog. Or maybe he just didn't like the enclosed area, it really wasn't that small, who knows. At least he didn't try to pee on anyone this time, I think that would've put the guy in the white shirt over the edge.

We will still go out and about to the parks and things. I guess my hopes of connecting with other dog people in that type of an organized situation are dashed. That's OK too.

It's just me and you Freddy!

To the dog park we go!

I have had this story in my mind for quite some time. I have experienced a bit of a "writers" block as to how to begin, so here goes..
I have been a member of  a Small Dog Meet Up Group since Fred was old enough to attend, I'd say around 6 months or so. He had to get his vaccinations and such before we could attend. Anyway, every other Sunday or so we would go, it was indoors, and there were plenty of fun things to play with and obstacles to climb, Fred seemed to enjoy it. At that time, Fred loved to be chased, he would go up to one of the small dogs and jump around and bow "dogs invitation to play" and take off running hoping for a good chase, it was pretty fun to watch. Every so often he would come and jump in my lap to make sure I was "OK" and then run off and play some more.  After a while, I grew weary of all the little dogs barking in their little high pitched non stop yapping. There was one dog that just stood in the middle of the play area and barked..non stop, indoors ugh. Every time we were there, so was this little dog, it was like he was directing traffic or something, who knows. The other people there would give the owner the stink eye, but nothing was ever done to stop the racket. It was like she was so proud of her "Little Barker". I couldn't take it any more, so we left. Our visits grew fewer and farther in between, until we finally stopped going all together, I think Fred started to get tired of the noise too because the last time we went, he really wasn't into it that much. For the next year and a half or so we pretty much stayed home and kept each other company.
Last February and e-mail popped into my inbox inviting us to a Small Dog Meet-up in a couple of weeks. I thought about it for a while, then started searching for Boston Terrier groups in my area and I found one! I was thrilled, I thought it would be so neat to meet other crazy Boston owners and talk about how great these little dogs were and so on a so forth. I noticed that there was a meet-up the following Saturday and promptly joined the Boston Terrier Meet-up group and RSVP'd for the outdoor meet-up. I was so excited, the weather looked like it would be decent. (45 degrees and partly sunny) I was really looking forward to watching Fred romp around and play with other little dogs that looked like him, how fun! I was already contemplating on what I was going to wear for cripes sake, this was a big deal for me, and Fred!
Well the day finally arrived, we packed up some poo poo bags, a bottle of water and a bowl, leash, collar, camera, we were all set. We pulled up into the parking lot, there were lots of dogs, large ones, small ones, all kinds, everywhere. Fred was really excited, he was squealing with excitement, I gathered my things and searched for the Bostons. Well apparently the meet-up group actually reserves a designated spot for a certain amount of time, so there was an enclosed area that had double gates for us to go through. I must have had a huge grin on my face, I could hardly contain myself, I was so happy to see these other dogs and their owners. We strolled into the enclosure and I walked over to a couple and said hello, I greeted their little dog and proceeded to take Fred off of his leash. He just stood there, unmoving. There was a little Boston that was playing a rousing game of fetch with his owner, a few other dogs that were chasing each other around, and Fred just stood there.

It was kinda funny to see a big burly biker dude playing fetch with his little dog. His dog is brown and white, a bit hard to see here, but boy, that little dog was fast!

 The kind gentleman that I was standing next to, stooped down and gave Fred a comforting pat, stood back up and before I knew it or could even react, Fred peed on the guys leg. OH GOD! I was mortified, he didn't know, and I had to point it out. I apologized profusely, and before I knew it another little Boston strode up to Fred and proceeded to "mount" him, Fred bonked his head on the metal fence post while that was going on, it was awful. I quickly walked Fred away from that to see if he would get comfortable just walking with me, he pooped, I scooped, then I looked down at him and he was drooling! Not just a little drool, this drool was coming from both sides of his mouth and hanging down in big fat strings, he looked like a walrus, I took a picture but you can't really see it. You can see how miserable he his, back all hunched up.

This poor little guy was a wreck, I felt awful for him. We walk back to the group, Fred's still drooling and now shivering just for good measure. There was a pregnant lady that we walked by who was stooped down talking to her little dog and Fred almost peed on her. That was it, I'd had enough, and obviously Fred was really done with this. So, long story short, it was a bust. I never really had a conversation with anyone.

Fred is showing me the way to freedom.

I have not given up though, I will try again. Next time I will wait for better weather, it was pretty cold and breezy that day.