🐾 How to Handle Aggressive Dogs at the Dog Park – Real Advice from Dog Owners
Visiting the dog park can be a joyful activity for both you and your furry friend—but aggressive encounters can quickly […]
Located in scenic Webster Township, Michigan, Paw Run private dog park offers dog owners a secure, pet-friendly destination for off-leash fun and exercise. The park is known for its wheelchair accessible parking and focus on safe canine interactions. As a membership-based park, Paw Run requires all potential canine members to go through a temperament assessment before being granted access. This approach is intended to create a safe, enjoyable environment for both dogs and their owners seeking pet-friendly trails and social opportunities.
While Paw Run prides itself on safety, it is important to note that the park enforces breed restrictions, prohibiting certain breeds from membership regardless of individual temperament. This policy has been contentious among local dog owners. Nevertheless, if your dog qualifies and passes their entrance assessment, Paw Run offers a peaceful location for off-leash play and socialization in Webster Township. Parking is available on site, making it a convenient option for local pet owners looking for dog-friendly spaces in the area.
According to their website, this facility does not allow certain breeds to become members (e.g. pitbulls). I won’t support a business that promotes outdated and fearmongering biases. Temperament and behavior testing? Absolutely acceptable. Blocking all dogs of a breed just shows they don’t know enough about dogs to be running a dog park.
Alex Curtis…you are full of it. In the 21 years of Paw Run, no potential member dog has ever attacked one of our dogs. Your dog was the first. Your was at fault and drew blood on our dog. Fiona has literally done over 100 temperament tests in the last 5 years with no issues. Seems you should take responsibility
One of the thigs I often tell people when they’re thinking about getting a dog is know the breed. Each breed was developed to perform certain tasks and has certain characteristics. For example, I would never get a Golden Retriever and expect it to be a guard dog. On the other hand, Australian Shepherds are ‘Alert watchdogs and fairly effective protection dogs’ (per thesprucepets.com). So if I were a betting person I’d say the odds are much better that your Aussie mix was the aggressor vs the Golden. You may also want to look up the definitions of ‘accountability’ and ‘entitlement’
One last comment – wouldn’t you stalk away if your dog had just been attacked and was bleeding?
Instances like this are why Google should instate a zero-star rating or at the very least an advisory. My girlfriend and I set up an appointment to do the temperament test, which was easy enough. Upon arrival the owner came to meet us in the parking lot with her dog (I assume) to greet us. Our dogs were on leash, as it’s a parking lot and one would think that’s the logical thing to do. Her dog was not, and immediately went after our 9-year old Aussie mix – barking, snarling and biting. This obviously startled her and they were separated. The owner took zero blame, said her dog was bitten, and that we were not going to go forward and stormed off.
If you are going through the lengths as a private park owner to restrict certain breeds and do a temperament test perhaps your own dog shouldn’t be aggressive. I’ve spoken with other people who belong there afterwards and they have told me they’ve seen this happen multiple times with other dogs on property. Beyond disappointing and I’d advise anyone to proceed with caution before choosing this park.
After moving to the area, I was excited to find a local dog park where my pup could play and socialize. But when I came across this park’s website, I was honestly heartbroken and angry to see that they ban specific dog breeds.
It’s upsetting that in 2025, businesses like this are still pushing outdated, fear-based stereotypes instead of facts. Breed discrimination doesn’t make anyone safer — it just punishes responsible dog owners and wonderful, loving dogs based solely on how they look. Anyone who truly understands dogs knows that aggression is not about the breed — it’s about the training, socialization, and the responsibility of the owner.
To see people paying money to support a place that judges dogs without knowing them is incredibly disappointing. This kind of policy spreads ignorance, not safety. I truly hope the company rethinks this harmful approach and starts valuing all dogs for who they are — not what breed they happen to be.