Annie and I went to the dog park again today, just before noon. As I expected, there were far fewer dogs — only four or five when we arrived.
All the dogs were approximately Annie’s size and only approached her one or two at a time. For the most part, her tail stayed between her legs, either from fear or to show submission. Either way, she didn’t seem very happy.
She did show more interest in exploring the park today, and ventured farther away from me.
The last twenty minutes or so, there was only one other dog there, a little minpin or something like that, only about one-third to one-half Annie’s size. That she could deal with! Her tail finally came up and she and the little dog ran a few wind sprints across the park. (I’d swear the little dog was faster.) They explored the park together for a while, making certain there were no holes in the fence, etc.
When I decided it was time to leave, I actually had to spend a few minutes convincing Annie to join me at the gate. Could be “fun” if she decides one day she’s not going to go, because that field is at least an acre in size. On the other hand, it will mean she’s actually having fun, and that’s the whole point.