Hi there, (great site!), I have two cattle dog puppies, both about 15 weeks old...we live on acreage and my partner and I work during the day so they just play with eachother all day. I have taken them to an off-leash dog park twice now, and on Monday they went pretty alright, but today I left almost in tears. The 2 of them were a bit snappy at the other dogs....they didn't bite anyone, but they seemed a bit aggressive...however i'm not great at determining the difference between dog play and aggressiveness. Anyways I was kind of hoping that a bigger dog would snap back and put them in their place. Instead, I had 2 dog owners tell me that I needed to yell at my dogs and pin them down on the ground to show them whose boss. That if i don't get control of them that they could bite another dog and then be deemed an aggressive dog and have to wear a muzzle and I wouldn't be able to go to the dog park anymore...I told them this was only their 2nd exposure to other dogs, and that they are very well behaved at home, they just seem to be a bit "excited" with other dogs. The puppies would still come to me when I called them, but would often dart off at a dog and, according to these dogs owners they were trying to herd the other dog and almost nipped it heals...thats what they're bread for. I do not deny they were chasing it, and I know that cattle dogs will often try to herd things, but if they had wanted to nip the dogs heels, they would have. and they didn't. they just chased it and as soon as it turned around they turned and ran away. they also kind of jump back and forth while barking at a stationary dog.

I guess I just need to know how much of this is normal behavior that they'll grow out of with continued training and dog park visits...or if none of it is and I have 2 dogs with behavior issues that will need to wear muzzels! I spend time training them each day and they are responding very well to it. I am just nervous to go back to the dog park and get in trouble from the other owners! ( I know puppy preschool is an option, but is it the only option??)

Thanks in advance for any help :)