Doggy park do’s and don’ts
/The dog park is a place of wonderful doggy freedom and fun. What’s better than watching your fluff ball run and play with abandon along with their fluffy friends? There is a lot to be said for the positive influences and play dogs can have at an off-leash park. It’s a great opportunity for socialization, our pals get to run their crazy out after maybe being inside for the day (can anyone say zoomies?), and we get our own exercise in walking through the park with them.
That being said, to make sure it’s fun for everyone, us humans should try to keep a few things in mind when releasing our furry friend to the masses at an off-leash park.
1. Basics
It is highly recommended your dog be vaccinated and healthy if you’re going to take them to a park. There are a lot of aspects in an off-leash park you will have no control over, so protecting your dog as much as you are able is a good start. If you have a puppy, you want to wait until they’ve had all of their puppy shots before exposing them to other dogs. It’s also highly recommended your dog be spayed or neutered before the go to the park, especially if they are over about six months of age. This will reduce the risk of aggression/fighting with other dogs, and avoid any risk of unwanted/unexpected pregnancies.
If you’re bringing a puppy to the park, you need to keep an extra close eye on them. Puppies learn a lot in their early months, and are much more prone to traumatization from negative experiences at an early age. You want to make sure all your puppy’s interactions are positive to reduce the risk of reactive/defensive behaviour in the future.
2. Start slow
For new dog owners, an off-leash park might be overwhelming. There are a lot of dogs everywhere, there’s probably a lot of open space, and depending on your dog, their first instinct may just be to bolt to the farthest corner they can find. This can encourage negative behaviour and lessen the strength of your recall command if you have to yell repeatedly at your pooch to try and get them to return. It is highly recommended you have a strong recall bond with your dog before you go to an off-leash park. Some parks also have smaller enclosed areas where you can work on that recall with your dog while in a distracting environment. You can also use these pens for small group play-dates with other dogs.
3. Don’t keep your dog on-leash at an off-leash park
There are cases where you may want to use your leash for a period of time (to lead your dog away from something/another dog, to lead them out of the park, or for short ‘time-out’ breaks), but for the most part you need to be able to let your dog roam. Leashed dogs may become reactive/aggressive to off-leash dogs approaching them, and vice versa.
4. Watch your dog at all times
It only takes a second for play to get out of hand, and it happens. Just as you don’t get along with everyone you meet, neither will your dog. Keep an eye on your pooch and their playmates, and make sure you can safely intervene before play gets out of hand. Remember, NEVER reach into the midst of dogs who have gotten out of hand – you might lose yours. Watch for stress cues from your dog, like a tucked tail, excessive yawning, unusual snapping/baring of teeth, growling, raised hackles, etc. Call your dog to you, and lead them away from the situation.
If you’re new to dogs, signs of healthy play include a perky tail, frequent ‘bowing’ (when a dog lowers their front legs/chest to the ground), mild growling, and role reversal playing (chaser becomes the chased, and vice versa).
There are fine lines which can be hard to spot, but if you feel uncomfortable with the situation, call your dog and move on. Try to keep in mind a dogs idea of play is going to be different than yours, and make sure you know the difference if an off-leash park is somewhere you plan to take your dog to.
5. Leave your toys at home
Even if your dog has no problems sharing their favourite ball, other dogs may be reactive or possessive of toys. This doesn’t mean they are a bad dog, it’s probably something their owner is working on, but it will make their park visit much less enjoyable. If you really want to play fetch with fido, be considerate of others. Don’t throw toys for someone else’s dog, or when other dogs are in your area. Avoid peak times so you have more space to play. And prepare to lose whatever toy you bring, because it’s bound to happen at some point.
6. NEVER feed someone else’s dog without asking
Food aggression is also a common trait in dogs, and you never know what sort of allergies or intolerances another dog may have. Beef and chicken allergies are more common than you think. But more importantly, most people don’t want their dog begging for treats, especially from other people. It only encourages behaviour the dogs owner probably doesn’t appreciate. It might be cute for you, but for the owner it’s probably not. Give affection instead, something you can all appreciate.
7. Pick up after your pup
There is nothing worse than going to the park for some play-time and ending up with a dog covered in poop. Nobody wants that. On top of that, animal poop will attract other animals. Picking up after your dog is part and parcel of the deal. Nobody likes doing it, but it’s what you signed up for when you got a dog.
