The Dos and Don’ts for a Safe Time at the Dog Park
1. Not picking up after a dog.
it’s simply good manners to scoop up after your dog does her business. It’s gross to walk into a park that has poo everywhere and worse, it’s really bad for your dog.
2. Not exercising a dog before taking her into a park.
This might sound counterintuitive. I mean, we go to dog parks to exercise our dogs, right? Wrong. Dog parks are a supplement to a dog’s daily activity, not the soul source of exercise or socialization.
3. Bringing dogs with rude greeting skills.
Allowing your dog to go charging up to a dog that has just entered the park is rude. The new dog is possibly on edge, examining its environment and level of safety, so your dog running full speed to that new dog could be asking for an instant fight. Allowing your dog to mount another dog in a dominance display is also rude.
4. Leaving prong collars and harnesses on dogs while playing.
Never leave on special training devices while in dog parks. A simple nylon or leather collar that can be quickly removed is safe.
5. The dog park is not a training ground.
When you hit the dog park it’s for fun. Your dog is very excited as for them there is a lot going on. It is not the time or place to train. Training your pet should always be one on one for true success.
6. Keeping dogs on leashes inside an off-leash area.
Dogs on leash can feel more insecure because they know they can’t escape if they need to, so they can actually trigger fights that might not otherwise have happened. IF YOUR DOG HAS TO BE ON A LEASH THAN DON’T GO TO AN OFF-LEASH PARK!
7. Bringing a female in heat or pregnant female.
All hell can break out among a group of dogs and can start instant fights, and really a danger dog dogs and people in the park. I would like to think this is a NO brainer.
8. Bringing puppies less than 12 weeks old or dogs with incomplete vaccinations.
There are so many diseases and parasites in a dog parks, Puppies under 12 weeks or that haven’t been fully immunized against common diseases need to be kept well away from dog parks.
9. Small dogs in same play area as large dogs.
Some dog parks don’t have separate play areas, and if that’s the case where you are, be careful about bringing your small dog to such a park. Small dogs can often be viewed as prey by large dogs
10. Picking up and carrying a small dog.
This is common mistake owners of small dogs make. It is extremely understandable to want to pick up your small dog if a situation starts to escalate. But from a dog’s point of view, when things go upwards quickly it’s because that thing is fleeing, which means “chase!” The act of small dogs being lifted up triggers a dogs into prey drive and exciting them into jumping on you to get at the small dog.
11. Allowing dogs to bully other dogs.
You might think it’s cute when your dog is bouncing all over another dog, but it’s not. This action needs to be stopped and take your dog to a different area or leave the area completely.
12. Chatting with others rather than supervising the dogs.
A person’s number one priority at a dog park is a dog, not conversation with others.
13. Spending more time looking at a smartphone or sitting in your vehicle.
I see to many people looking at there smartphones not their dogs. As for those people who drop the dog off and go site in their vehicle in the parking lot that must stop!
14. Feeding your dog food and treats.
Feeding your dog food and treats will get all the other dogs wanting some and actually trigger fights. For you, sitting at a table or bench eating is equally as bad and again gets dogs all worked up and fights will breakout most likely.
15. Bringing small children to the park.
For the one reason alone that there are diseases and parasites in dog parks and children are more susceptible to those kinds of things. Also they may think every dog there is nice and loving like their own, which is not the case. They can be knocked over and injured so when I see children walking freely around playing with any dog that comes by this is not good for a lot of reasons. If taking children please keep them close by and you and your children should wash hands and face as soon as possible when you leave, FOR SURE!
A few more important things:
There are people and groups that work very hard with local and city agencies to establish our dogs parks. Believe me when I say that the cities would much rather utilize said land for taxable revenue income. Let’s thank and support these hard working people for the work they do for us and our pets and help support them by following the park rules.
Good Stewards and Helping out
The biggest thing you can do to support our Dog Parks and promote more popping up is to pick up your dog’s poop and any personal trash. Picking up someone else’s dog poop or trash is not a crime and is helpful. It you have extra poop bags, there is likely a place there that you can drop them off for those who forgot theirs. Dogs will poop within just a few minutes after arriving as the may have to go or marking the area. Yes, there are people that will look the otherway when their dog poops and play the, “I did not know.” Call these people out and hand them a bag. I have seen trails closed due to poop or those crazy people who will bag it but leave it on the ground and think they are heros and they are not at all.
Know your Local Animal Laws: In most cases you have little recourse when dogs are off – leash. Simply said; NO blame if there is an injury between dogs. If something crazy happens get witnesses and I would call the police if needed.
Dog Parks and Open Space are a privilege not a right so help protect these lands. – Eli Enki
