Dog parks

Question
I have a mixed breed, we aquired from a dog rescue, we got him at 4months old, he was found with his mother and other pups wandering in a rural area.  He is now 2 yrs old. Mostly an inside dog.  He has shown signs of fear most of the time we have had him, that is diminishing but he is still startled occasionally by noises and is afraid of some strangers.  The lady we board him with thinks he is 1/2 Lab, and 1/4 Blue Heeler and 1/4 pit.  The dog boarder says he is mostly good when he boards but has had an occasional problem getting along with other dogs, but improves all the time, she did not have any problems with him the last time he was there.  My youngest son just left home and it is just my husband and I, I think the dog gets lonely and woudl like to socialize him more. What do you think about dog parks, or do you have any suggestions for socializing with both dogs and people.  
We took obedience classe when we first got him and are currently in a class.

Answer
I do not think that taking your dog to a dog park is a good idea, Sue. You've already said he is fearful and unpredictable as far as whether or not he will get along with another dog. I think the best solution is to get him out in public, on a leash, *around* other dogs, but not necessarily letting him interact with them. He needs to learn to feel safe and secure in the presence of other dogs before he can learn to interact with them. It's good that you're doing obedience with him. This is another excellent way to socialize him. Remember, "socializing" does not have to mean being touched or interacted with by strangers or strange dogs. Just being around neutral people and dogs will help.

Can I ask why you think the dog is lonely?

One solution would be to find out from the boarder which dogs he seems to like and get along with all the time, and see if you can make friends with the owners of those dogs and schedule 'play dates' for them at each others houses or at a neutral location where they can be allowed to run around off leash together. It's not so important that he gets along with and wants to play with every dog he sees, as long as he does not just automatically show aggression towards other dogs without reason. If you can single out a few dogs that you know he gets along with okay, then there is no problem at all with only allowing him to play with and socialize with those dogs.

I recommend that you read the following article. It should help you understand HIS behavior better, as well as help you pick a few appropriate playmates for him:

www.positiveway.us/Downloads/HeJustWantsToSayHi.pdf

Kristen