So, my girlfriend moved up here from Richmond with her giant dog, a lab/mastiff mutt. This dog used to be able to freely run around the dog parks in Richmond, which have pretty lax rules. The dog used to be really athletic.

She got up here and decided to take the dog to the park over on Baron Cameron and now, every time she goes over there, she gets at least 3-4 yuppie shits yelling at her because the dog is, well, sniffing butts (isn't that what dogs do?)

...I just don't get it. Why the fuck do the upper-class shitheads in Reston piss and moan about stuff like this? Dogs smell poop, dogs smell other dogs' assholes. It's a fact of life.

HAH! nice. Never been to the dog park in reston. I've only been to the ones in Springfield and Vienna. I don't think we're ever going to the one in springfield again. Each time we've been there have been quite a lot of dogs. Our dog is a Chocolate Lab puppy so he's still a little iffy when there's a lot of dogs. Anyways, there's ALWAYS some owner there with a dog (or more) that is very aggressive and of course notices ours isn't so they team up on him. Rules are that if a dog shows the first sign of aggression they're supposed to leave. They wouldn't and they've been there each time we've gone. So from now on we go to the one in Vienna. Most of the people there are regulars and their dogs are much better behaved. And they don't freak out about butt sniffing or when they get a bit rough when they're obviously playing.

I guess the "getting rough/horseplay" issue is the thing that seems the most fuzzy to me. Three times now, when we've taken my girl's dog down there, we've had the local snots come up to us and begin to give us a lengthy discourse on why they don't want our big guy coming in contact with the other dogs.

"It can provoke the other dogs quickly and easily" is the most common excuse I hear. Now, honestly...I am a cat owner. It's her dog. But, at least from what I've seen, it seems that dogs like to playfight and sniff butts. No harm in that, at least as far as I can tell.

I found the fcps dog park guide online and I think we're going to try one of the more remote ones (maybe the Sterling DP) but it's damned inconvenient. I think this is reason #3450978394 why I hate living in Reston.

MY dogs love to sniff crotches at Reston dog park. Most of the soccer moms like it.

The soccer moms usually keep a lot of stuff up in there so that wouldn't surprise me. :D

You might want to try the Lake Audobon boat launch. This is a wildly (for Reston) popular place where people launch there dogs more then boats.I don't know about the sniffing habits acceptance of it there. Generally the dogs, water types are busy swimming there.

I don't take my older Beagle to the dog park any more because she dislikes attention from puppy types, and lets em know it

Once I had a over sexed Springer Spaniel but that's another story.

Perhaps your dog is really ugly.

You might want to try the Herndon Dog park (www.herndondogs.org). In general, they seem more laid back. I often hear stories similar to yours about the Reston dog park - they seem to have strict "park monitors" there.

The Reston dog park does totally suck. it's such a nasty, poop-laded area for a dog to socialize, and yes, there are DOG PARK MONITORS workin' the Reston park. They are quite rude people, and they are more than happy to tell you how to control your dog's behavior so that it suits them! FFV Cty Animal Control also "visits" this park frequently, don't they have some dead raccoons they should be scrapin' off the pavment somewhere? But don't hold out for a great local dog park any time soon -- the Vienna park has proved disappointing as well. My dog was totally mauled there by a German Shepherd while it's owner just stood and watched as if we all laying bets.

I don't know man. I tried to talk my dog one day who isn't a quiet dog, but he was being good when we got there and someone yelled at use because he started braking at another dog. Isn't that how dogs talk to each other I thought and I was going to be right next to him because I know he can get a little mean at times like all dogs can. I think it is because they think their better then everyone other then themselves because they got money.

Hey guys that all sucks I was looking for a dog park around here and I think I have to go to Vienna because sound the nicest out of them all.

Why does Alexandria have like 13 dog parks and Fairfax County, which is so much larger, has fewer? It really sucks. And people who are self appointed monitors at dog parks or anywhere suck, too.

Thought it was the dogs at dog parks who were so pissy.

Definitely try the Herndon Dog Park - Its called Chandon Park, and its on Palmer Drive in Herndon (900 Palmer Drive Herndon VA 20170).....

We took our dog to Reston Dog Park, apparently he was "too big" to play with other dogs in the reston park......

I love taking my dog to the herndon park. He's a 2 year old rottie, and loves to play and wrestle, and run......
The people there are much more relaxed, and the park is also nicer (alot bigger, trees, dirt instead of gravel)

Try it!

I used to attend the Reston Dog Park on a nearly Religious basis a couple of years ago. When I came into possession of my second, larger dog however, I ceased going because she soon outgrew the "Small Dog " side. She didn't like larger dogs (Not to mention that the "Big Dog" side can at times have upwards of 30 dogs, with some of them being far too rough and vicious).

I took my larger dog a few times during the colder months this past Winter (In the evening), mostly because there was a smaller crowd then, and seeing as she's an Alaskan Husky, she loves the Cold Weather/Snow. However, I always observe and talk to folks before I bring her in, just to get a feel for the current grouping there. When I used to go often, on the Small Dog side I knew all of the regulars, and they were cool folks (Real chill, and they understood Dog behavior). However, the Monitors could be jerks. One Monitor complained when my Husky began howling at her, and it was obvious that the only reason my dog was making noise at her, was because the lady was just standing there at the fence staring at my dog (Anyone who knows dogs will understand this territorial behavior).

I would say that if you have a smaller dog, like my JRT, then the small side is definitely a good area. Sometimes I run into fairly ignorant owners, but at least with a smaller dog you can control any scraps. On the larger side, you need to be extra vigilant.

Also, "A'rn", you have to be careful. You need to make certain that when your dog is playing rough with another, that the other dog has the body language which indicates their willingness to do the same. Some signs include: a bowing of the head to the ground with the bottom in the air, a wagging tail, back and forth action with equal give and take, etc. If the other dog has their tail between their legs, their ears flattened back against their head with apprehensive movements, etc., you need to break it up (Lol, sorry if I sound like a Monitor, I'm not).

BTW, just to give another example of ignorant owners, when I first brought my puppy Husky over to the park about a year ago, and she howled, some lady freaked out and looked at me with these wide eyes, asking: "OMG, is she a WOLF, does she have Wolf in her!?" Lol I replied: "Well, the more the merrier".

My favorite is when someone's dog tries to hump mine, then he turns around and bites them. People try and tell me he's being aggressive. I offer to hump them and see what happens.

I agree with the OP. The poeple at Reston are a bunch of rude, yuppie, pricks.

Humpers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My favorite is when someone's dog tries to hump
> mine, then he turns around and bites them. People
> try and tell me he's being aggressive. I offer to
> hump them and see what happens.


You're not kidding. My JRT is a dominant dog, not a bully, but she has that calm & confident Alpha attitude. Whenever another dog tries to do what you just described, my dog reacts the same as yours. Then some other dog owner will say "Ooooh, a little grumpy we are today aren't we?", or "Wow, she's in a bad mood". I hate trying to educate them on the facts of it, LOL, your reply is a perfect one.

Some lady once had a dog that had an attitude, well it turned out that its owner had a snippy attitude as well (Go figure). Her dog lunged at mine, and my JRT was just bobbing and weaving, and dodging the other dog like she was a lil' Sugar Ray lol. I broke it up, and the lady said something about her dog not taking garbage from other dogs. I explained to her that my dog doesn't back down from anything, so she said "Well, MINE Doesn't either, she never quits". I just had to laugh, like this lady is going to get into some retarded pi$$ing match over this? The next day I brought my dog and she saw a dog that looked similar to the lady's, well, I've never seen mine snarl so loud and snap at a dog in such a preemptive manner before. When she realized it was a different dog though (In about 10 seconds), she warmed up to it, but damn if she didn't remember that encounter.

Lol one time she was surrounded by a pack of dogs, and she growled but they kept harassing her, so she took the biggest one of the group and lunged at it, pinning it to the ground with her paws, and as soon as the pack scattered she let the dog back up.

I have no problem with my dogs standing up for themselves, as I've never had any aggression problems with them. Some people don't recognize the difference though, and they can be dangerous with the wrong dog in their hands.

As a dogpark regular at the Reston Dog Park, I think it is pretty humorous to have one visit (or even a few) that so many people have such horrible experiences. We have been going there for three years and definitely have had some aggressive dogs as well as inconsiderate owners, but we keep going because our dog loves to play!

We went today and there were a LOT of big dogs (ours is ~35 pounds). She did not play a lot but we stayed a good 30 minutes so she could see the others play. When there was a scuffle, the parents were right on it and the owner left.

The park monitor lady is a bizarre BUT she is a volunteer! Her people skills are just AWFUL BUT she is a volunteer. Recently, she has been really rude to people without license tags -- guess why? Because she is abiding by the rules established by the County! Today, the Gainesville resident there today playing soccer, brought his unlicensed bulldog to the park. I wanted to say something, but I preferred to not say anything today. Did mention the license requirement to the two folks with their 10-wk old puppies. Mentioned the $250 fine also...hope that makes a difference for them!!

If you want to try good times: come early in the morning when there are few dogs, they like to play and they are not out of control!

I have heard so many people complaining about the other people who go to this dog park - I've never personally had a bad experience, but I also haven't been there since my dog grew up and likes to play rough. She's part pit and I know some people are going to start crying if she starts up.

Mike - makes sense to let the dogs bark, since that's what they do, but it's a rule to curb the barking because the neighborhood across the street has many complainants regarding the excessive barking and disturbance from the park. Before the park was built they were circulating a petition to try to stop the project, but obviously lost out. They still complain though and there's this lunatic who will come over and confront the dog owners in person if it goes on for awhile.

Also have to agree with DoggieLvr.. best to go when there's only a couple others in, but those times are few and far between.