Dog Owner's Guide

Suburbia is supposed to be heaven for dogs, from its doting nuclear families to its fetch-including lawns.

But there's one thing desperately missing in some areas - safe, enclosed, dedicated spaces for dogs to run and romp.

Dog parks, though, are kind of like roller derbies: They're great if you're experienced, but they can be a nightmare for novices. And, as with most things dog, when problems happen, it's usually the humans who are to blame.

Here are some tips for making your dog-park experience safe and enjoyable:

Know your dog. "Not all dogs are suitable for dog parks, and a lot of people just don't get that," said Cheryl Smith, author of Visiting the Dog Park: Having Fun, Staying Safe (Dogwise.com, $11.95).

For example, very shy, easily cowed dogs might find a dog park extremely stressful. And nothing can wreck the vibe faster than dominant dogs whose owners have let them indulge in bullying.

Understand canine body language. Sadly, many people who frequent dog parks have a tin ear - or is that eye? - for the obvious signs that dogs send to one another through their eye contact, tail carriage and overall body tension.

"A lot of times you'll hear, 'Oh, they'll work it out,'" Smith said. Yes, they might - with all the attendant collateral damage.

Similarly, some owners grow alarmed over the acrobatic, vocal nature of dog play, which often includes some fancy toothwork. More experienced owners will know that the attendant play bows and fluidly wagging tails mean all's in good fun.

Pay attention! The dog park is not the place for you to jabber on the cell phone. It's not the place to balance your checkbook. And although it certainly has its social component, that should never overtake your primary responsibility: to monitor your dog.

Like children, dogs get away with whatever you let them. Dogs who show inappropriate behavior - growling at approaching dogs, humping anything with a fur coat and a pulse, "ganging up" at the entry gate - need timeouts.

Take care with small dogs. Some dog runs have dedicated areas for toy breeds and puppies, out of range of Great Dane-size fumblings.

Carefully consider timing with youngsters: Be sure they have completed their puppy vaccinations, and never bring them when they are going through a "fear period," when they are extremely impressionable.

And size doesn't always mean sturdiness: Some breeds, such as greyhounds, might be on the large side, but they are also finer-boned and relatively fragile when faced with the body slams of a 100-pound Lab.

Follow the rules. They are there for a reason. For example, many parks prohibit food, and some even nix toys. That's because those objects of desire can trigger squabbles. And even if the sign doesn't mention small children, don't bring kids younger than 10 or 12.

Don't overload. "Dog parks have a definite carrying capacity," Smith said. "If you only have an acre fenced, there probably should only be five or six dogs in there." Avoid peak times, such as balmy weekend days and early evening weekdays, right after people get off work.

And if you are a newcomer, stop to survey the situation. "Unless you know all the people and dogs in the park, stand outside and watch," Smith said. You'll soon see whether this is a mannered, orderly bunch, and if not, who the troublemakers are.

Understand the idiot factor. You can't choose your relatives, and most dogs can't choose their owners. Jerks happen, in dog parks as in life.

And you don't have to tolerate them. "One thing a dog park needs is for the group who lobbied for it in the first place to continue to be involved," Smith said. That way, gentle but organized peer pressure can identify problem children, and explain to their owners that more training and socialization are needed before the dog is welcome back.

Before Clinton Portis opens his mouth again to make light of dog fighting, maybe he should know something about what he's defending.

Two dogs, bred to be hyperaggressive toward other dogs, nip and bite each other until one gets a firm hold. With its jaws firmly clamped, it will shake its head violently, ripping the other dog's flesh and tissue apart. This can go on for as long as two hours, the fight only ending when one dog is either dead or has quit. There's little difference, because a dog that quits is useless to its owner and is as good as dead, anyway.

The "winner," meanwhile, doesn't escape unscathed. Gaping, bloody wounds, shredded muzzles and broken front legs are just a few of the usual battle scars.

"This isn't like when you're at the dog park and a couple of Labrador retrievers get into a quick tiff over a stick," John Goodwin, of the Humane Society of the United States, said during a telephone interview Wednesday. "This is something organized, with dogs that are bred for this specific purpose, that just tear each other to pieces."

According to Portis, though, there's "no reason" to go after Michael Vick for dog fighting. They're Vick's dogs and Vick's property, the Washington Redskins running back said. The man should be able to do what he wants.

Portis' comments were as offensive as dog fighting itself. They're the epitome of the permissive arrogance that turns people off to pro athletes. Spinning it, the way agent Drew Rosenhaus tried to do Wednesday, only makes it worse.

Let's leave Vick aside for the moment. Authorities are still trying to figure out exactly what happened at his former home in Virginia, and he's entitled to the benefit of the doubt until the investigation is finished.

But Portis is a different story.

During a TV interview Monday, Portis said if Vick winds up being punished, authorities would be "putting him behind bars for no reason — over a dog fight." He added that dog fighting is everywhere, as if that somehow made it OK.

"I know a lot of back roads that got a dog fight if you want to go see it," he said.

There are a lot of things that are available in a lot of places. It doesn't legitimize them or make them any more palatable.

There's a reason dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states and a felony in 48 of them. It's a blood sport, and it's a death sentence for thousands of dogs each year. In Los Angeles alone, more than 2,800 pit bulls and pit bull mixes were euthanized last year, according to LA Animal Services. Even dogs that are "rescued" during raids often wind up being killed because they've been bred to be so aggressive.

Dog fighting is barbaric, reprehensible and cruel.

Some excuse it by saying it's similar to boxing. There's one big difference: Anyone who steps in a ring has made a conscious choice to do it.

"We're talking about live animals here," Goodwin said. "If we're going to have animals in our home as our family members, we have an obligation to treat them right. I don't know if I can get that across, though, to someone who doesn't have a problem with dogs fighting each other to the death."

As soon as his comments got some air time, Portis backpedaled at warp speed. In a statement Monday night, he said he would never condone dog fighting. Sure, just erase everything he said a couple of hours earlier.

The Redskins apologized on his behalf Tuesday. On Wednesday, it was Rosenhaus' turn.

"I like the fact that Clinton stood up for another athlete, but I want to clarify that he in no way, shape or form condones dog fighting or any type of illegal activity," Rosenhaus said. "I spent the last day or so with Clinton trying to get that message out."

Here's a thought: Maybe that time would have been better spent making sure Portis doesn't say something stupid in the first place.

There's no excuse for what Portis said, and he and Rosenhaus are making it worse by trying to find one. Some things are simply indefensible, and anything that spills blood in a vicious, violent manner falls under that category.

This isn't a hard concept to grasp. Senseless brutality is senseless brutality. Whether it's against a dog or a person is beside the point.

A DNA test out this summer can tell owners if their mutt's a dachhuahua (dachshund + chihuahua), a Labradoodle (Labrador retriever + poodle), a dorgi (dachshund + corgi) or a pugle (pug + beagle).

As the cost of DNA analysis plummets, the new test is the second to promise owners an answer to the most frequently asked question in the vet's office: "What is my dog?" With up to 50% of all dogs in America mixed breeds, it's a big question, and one that is often impossible to answer just by looking.

"We think it's going to primarily appeal to mixed-breed owners who are just plain curious," says Daisy Okas of the American Kennel Club. "People come up to our booth at shows all the time asking."

The test, called the Wisdom Panel MX Mixed Breed Analysis, requires a blood sample and is done in a veterinarian's office. The results come back in two to three weeks. It's based on DNA samples from 3,200 dogs, covering 134 breeds. Expected to cost about $130, it's a product of Mars Veterinary, a subsidiary of food giant Mars Inc. (Visit www.whatsmydog.com.)

It joins the Canine Heritage Breed Test, a do-it-yourself kit from MMI Genomics. Owners swab the inside of their dog's cheek, then mail it to the company. This test covers 38 breeds, costs $71.95 and takes four to six weeks.

Genetics are a big deal in the world of purebred animals. The American Kennel Club has long offered DNA testing to confirm parentage — at $40 a test — using a cheek swab. The club keeps a DNA library of over 100,000 dogs on file, allowing breeders to investigate pedigree claims.

Most professionals see the tests as providing a fun fact. "Does it really matter? In reality, no. But some people want to know," says Bonnie Beaver, former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Neither of the commercial tests probably would stand up in court, she said. With numerous cities and counties banning breeds considered dangerous, it's unclear how courts will rule if an owner makes a claim that a dog isn't, for example, a pit bull based on these tests, says Beaver, a professor of Small Animal Medicine at Texas A&M University in College Station.