Dog park behavior

I have a boxer mix that is 13-14 months old. We have been going to the dog park off and on a couple times a week. Piper loves people and other dogs. When she enters the park she usually will roll over and is very submissive to other dogs. By the end she is is running around chasing dogs and having fun. At points she can get a bit aggressive, lunging and getting an almost crazy look in her eyes. She doesn't bite really but is just down right aggressive in play and I have to stop her for a bit. She usually keys in on one dog and if I let her go she is right back being very aggressive in play with that dog. I have to leave at that point.

How do I control this or get her to cool her jets?

Age might change that.

Teaching the command "enough" and diverting her attention with a ball or squeaky toy should work and only let her play when she can control herself. You can't just wait for her to grow out of it as it becomes a learned behaviour and will be harder to correct.

Quite agree Trouble. I am so pleased that we don't have them here in the UK. People need to control their dog no matter what age. For me a dog is my companion not to go off and play willy nilly with others unless asked of the other owner and supervised. If you have more than two at home then they will play with each other or not, their choice, if you don't then supervision is the word and then control is the biggy. Not all dogs like to play with others prefering their owner to interact with them on their own. That doesn't mean that dogs shouldn't be socialised so that they are safe with other dogs and humans and other animals come to that. Oops getting on my soap box here. Too many years being a trainer and knowing what can happen.

Brilliant advice from Trouble &Brenda

Not all dogs want or need to be subjected to out of control dogs this. Behaviour should be nipped in the bud at young age

Totally agree with Trouble. My Ben is a perfect example of a dog who knew no boundaries. Appallingly badly treated for the first 3 years of his life, then spoiled rotten and/or allowed to get away with murder due to fear of him. We are just about getting to the stage where he is a delight to own and take out and about in polite society!

Ours did. Not that he was ever agressive. Most dogs (and people) he ignores unless he knows them. He'll gallop around with his friends and I see that as a good thing for a big, active dog. They get exercise that us two-legged creatures couldn't remotely match.

I agree dogs do need to romp around with others but they need to learn manners first.
You're right we can't usually match their exercise requirements, they do need to be able to run free when possible. I used to have a Boxer who broke his neck as a puppy and missed out on his all important socialisation skills, I used to run 10 miles a day with him on a long lead to exercise him adequately. When I had the Dobermanns I walked around 10 miles a day they must have covered 3 times that. These days I get to take it a bit easier but I'm still out for a couple of hours I just don't cover as much ground with my knackered knee.

Agreed. We also do about 10 miles a day and the dog, with all his back and forth tracking, sniffing, must to several times that.

I suppose we are lucky in that we can just go out the front gate and walk for an hour or so, no roads, so no lead. And his recall is pretty good.

Learn manners? Maybe we just got lucky. Ours has a very friendly disposition. Part of the package he came with I guess. The only time I've seen him less than friendly is if another dog gets too close to myself or my wife. No barking, no biting, no growling. He just places himself between us and the other dog. And gives it that intense collie stare. It's enough.

This is him just moments before he tore out my jugular........