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Training In The Park Can Be Frustrating
Our weather has finally improved. While further west they were getting a late season snow storm, we had 80 degrees yesterday.
Of course the warm weather means the parks are filling up. We decided to run Thunder on some land marks after work on Tuesday. The temperatures were not that high and it was over cast. A good time to work on a couple of triples.
We got to the park and found an area next to a soccer field that was not being used. There is a large hill on one side, a wide strip of grass and then a soccer field, (which was empty) on the other side. Perfect. We wanted to throw one mark on the hill and the other two would be on the grassy area. We started setting up our winger.
Two kids showed up in soccer uniforms and stared to kick a couple of soccer balls around. We thought there might be a game so we asked them. They said they were only practicing. The fields at this park are all clearly labeled: “This field is for games only. No practice allowed. Games by permit only.” OK fine, were weren’t using the field anyway so no problem. There should be room for all. We finished setting up.
When we got ready to run Thunder, I asked if they could go to the other side of the field since we were going to run the dog down the strip of grass next to the field. They gave me a funny look, but moved. I thanked them and we threw the triple. Unfortunately, the kids did not stay on the other side of the field. The kids decided they just had to leave their soccer balls and run up and down the hill while Thunder was trying to mark the triple.
His handler sent him anyway. He picked up the first bumper which was thrown from the line to the right and closer to him. He tried to pick the bumper on the hill up next.
Between the kids running up and down the hill and kicking those balls around, poor Thunder lost track of the mark. He got up on the hill, but pulled up short. His handler tried to handle him, but the kids were moving around so much that he couldn’t follow the casts. After a long hunt up and over the hill and back again, he finally got it.
He still had one mark to get. I was out in the field and getting very frustrated with those kids. I finally said to them: “You are not helping the dog. Could you please go to the other side of the field until we finish this?”
That did it, they went and got daddy who walked up to my husband with a piece of paper and said that they had a permit to use the field and could we move. We don’t like to make trouble, (even though we were not on the field and neither were the kids), so when Thunder finished the triple, we packed up our winger and bumpers. No more marks today.
Across from where we were parked was another grassy area where we could run a couple of blinds. We were determined to get some sort of training in. We placed the blinds and Thunder did a nice job on them. (Those pictures another time.)
It took some time to set and run the blinds and while we were doing that, more people showed up to use the field. As we were packing everything up, I heard Permit Dad say to one of the new arrivals: “Do you have a game?” The new arrival responded that they did. Permit Dad had to pack up his kids and move. So much for his fake permit. He didn’t have any more right to be there than we did. Nice way to teach kids respect and sharing and not to lie to get what you want.
Our training session was frustrating but I did get some satisfaction watching them pack and move. (*evil grin*)
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We have annoying kids in our parks now too! These kids were chasing poor Yuki, stealing and teasing Aladdin with his chuck it, and asking if they could use my phone to play games. It is frustrating. 🙁 But I’m glad to have the nice weather back!
I’ve also been trying to go when the other dog parents go, the ones who are not afraid to correct these kids. They are more assertive than I am, so it’s great back up! 😛
That is the trouble with the good weather you get all sorts who use the park only when the weather is good. We have had kids trying to hit the dogs with sticks before while their parents are not paying attention and no worries they get told off by the peeps and don’t get her started on the cyclists and the mothers who let their kids use the park as a toilet. Ho hum. Have a terrific Thursday.
Best wishes Molly
Why, oh why, can’t we all get along? Guess permit dad thought humans playing outranked canines working. Sigh. Wish you lived nearby. You could train in our fields to your hearts content with no interruption other than, perhaps, a curious horse watching.
Stop by Talking Dogs and pick up the blogging award I’ve bestowed upon you 🙂
Karma on those folks. I don’t like it when parks aren’t used how they are supposed to be either. Have a good day!
that must be frustrating when you are limited to training areas…i was waiting for thunder to come back with the ball. i think mine would have.
Thanks for mentioning…we must be west of you as we got the snow yesterday and last night…oh yay! We don’t have mini-humans but the ones from others can be awful creatures at times. Sometimes they tease the dogs or just behave poorly around us when we are out, so we can sure understand your satisfaction when they had to pack and go! We have some we really like but some of the rotten ones just don’t respect mom or us dogs.
Unexpected distractions like those kids could be seen as a great training opportunity I guess, but getting Thunder to ignore kids running with balls is a lot to ask…It does get hard to find good training sites when the weather is nice…What exactly is that winger? What’s it look like up close? It doesn’t look like the normal training bumper…There’s a gift for you on my blog today….
It’s a sad old world some days. Parents lying was one of my great frustrations as a teacher. Of course that behavior is passed on to the next generation because it works…we knew when a parent was lying at the child’s behest but had no choice but to give them whatever they wanted. It made me feel terrible because teachers place great importance on character education. My observation was that this is growing more and more common.
well…they did have a permit. We have a park here that has a soccer field and when the soccer kids are out, dogs are not permitted there……when there are no kids, the dogs can do what they want there.
No they didn’t. The guy made it up. The people who arrived when we were leaving had the permit. There is no practicing on the field so I knew all along he made it up. Plus we were not on the field.
You would think the parents would instead maybe explain to the kids they should show their elders respect-urr! Sure doesn’t help society when parents teach their kids to lie and be disrespectful!
Hot buttons. Hot buttons popping up everywhere. I SO don’t understand parents who teach their children to cheat and lie to get what they want. Very evil thoughts toward those parents. I probably read too many Not Always Right stories, too. GAH.
I’m not even going to comment on the parent, it is just another example of children being taught that they are more important than someone else. Ooops, I guess I commented anyway. And yes, I would have been very smug when the parent had to move.
At least Thunder did get a little bit of training in. Glad you’re getting some nice weather too. 🙂
Ohhh kids and their parents.
I had one off snapping on me the other day because I told their little girl not to touch Doggy, he doesn’t like to be petted, he’s never bitten anyone, but at times he barks when they insist too much, he barked at this girl and she started to cry, I thought I would never hear the end of it .
I always get sad when I hear about a parent telling lies in front of his children. I wonder if the children get punished or encouraged to lie. Either way life is not going to be easy for them.
Ever since a pretty bad episode of “I wanna pet the doggie!!!!!!!” I live in dread of meeting children at the park. Silas is not good with people who move fast toward him, big or little. An adult will usually see that he’s getting uncomfortable, or listen to me when I tell them he’s shy, but all bets are off with most kids.
Fortunately by the time school is out for the summer, it’s so blisteringly hot that the kids are all either swimming or plunked down in front of a TV somewhere.
I love the “evil grin” that’s what he gets for telling a lie, they don’t get to use the field either ;P
I can’t believe that the kids were that close to your dog!
What kind of collar is that? I have seen many of them on hunting dogs.
We use Dogtra ecollars. We have two that work off of one receiver.
It’s frustrating, having to share space with others but one thing it does, is teach your dog to focus on what he’s doing and work through distractions.