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Dog Parks — Petiquette — Pros and Cons
— by Lynne Gifford
Dog parks have become a large part of American society. People want to take their dogs out and let them run uninhibited. They enjoy watching their dogs have “friends” and most people love to watch their dogs play. But almost every day I hear of an “incident” at the local dog park. Why is this so? I think a key element in problems at dog parks is the fact that there are a lot of pet owners who are uneducated in the area of canine behavior and body language. Some are completely irresponsible with their dogs, or oblivious to anything going on around them. This leads to problems.
I hear constant stories of owners with small dogs who decided that the “big dog” side of the dog park was really meant to be an “all dog” side of the dog park and they took their dog to the big dog side. Completely clueless to the idea that there may be large dogs that view their little fluffy as “prey”, and oblivious to the fact that their small dog is probably terrified of being surrounded by so many larger animals and therefore emitting canine signals equivalent to “bluffing”, these owners stand around drinking their coffee and talking with other pet owners. Suddenly, their dog starts to run out of fear and causes a chain reaction that is likely to get their dog hurt. And THEY start screaming at the OTHER owners because somehow it’s always the fault of the large dog owner. In reality, if they had learned to read body language better, and kept their dog safe on the correct side of the dog park, all would have turned out well for another fun day at the dog park.
I saw another accident waiting to happen at a local dog park where I used to go sit and read a few years ago. An owner decided to “drop off” his pit bull for a day of fun at the park…UNSUPERVISED! While the dog played well with some dogs, he was pushy with others. And he had nobody there to control him.
I had one of my best demo dogs attacked on two separate occasions at a dog park by bully dogs whose owners stood there and watched while I tried to separate the fights. Needless to say, I have never again advocated public dog parks for socializing dogs. I have created my own dog park situation, supervised, with trained owners, and all dogs are required to have their vaccinations before entering with my “freeplay classes”. That being said, I tell those that still insist that they want to go to a local dog park, to enter at their own risk.
If you MUST go to a dog park, at least follow a few simple rules to make the most of it.
- keep moving! When owners stand still it creates “territory” areas for their dogs. Many dogs become possessive of these areas and their owners and will challenge other dogs that come into the area. This is eliminated if you keep moving.
- try to keep your dog OFF of the entrance gates as other dogs enter the play area. Many fights are created by the excitement at the gates. If you see someone coming in, and your dog has run up to the gate to say hello, either call him back or go and get him.
- have a leash with you. I have seen incidents at dog parks grow worse because owners do not have a leash to separate dogs as needed.
- don’t bring food or toys into the park area. Even if your dog is not possessive of these valued items, another dog may be.
- Don’t allow your dog to guard the water bucket. Some dogs will guard anything, and I’ve seen fights result over one dogs perceived possession of the water bucket.
- keep big dogs on the big dog side, and little dogs on the little side. Even if you think your dog is friendly with larger or smaller dogs, don’t put either your dog, or others at risk.
- Do not bring small children into the dog park. While it may be fun to watch the dogs play, a group of large dogs can erupt into a full play fest pretty quickly and small children are likely to get knocked over or jumped on, and some unfamiliar dogs may not like children, or perceive them as prey. Plus, if you have a dog at the dog park, your attention needs to be focused on the dog, and not your child.
- Learn to read canine body language. A dog that keeps putting his head on every other dogs shoulders, or runs around trying to mount all the other dogs is a risk factor. It’s a good idea to pay close attention to what the dogs are saying, they don’t ALWAYS just want to play. Just because your dog has been friendly with other dogs at a park before, does not mean that he will always love ALL dogs in the future.
- Keep your cool! Just because a dog growls or even lightly snaps does not mean that a full war is going to break out. By the same token, learn to read when a dog is warning your dog to back off, and enforce that rule for your dog. If YOUR dog growls, try to diffuse it by drawing their attention calmly away and try to figure out what prompted it. Speak to a trainer if you need to.
- be aware of how the spay/neuter status on your dog can affect the dogs around him/her. Do NOT bring a female in heat to the dog park, and be aware that an intact male is more likely to fight with other intact males.
Hopefully by following the above rules, you’ll be one of the lucky ones that can have continued success with your dog at the dog park. It IS a fun place to be if everyone gets along!
Another idea though might be to find an experienced trainer in your area that offers “freeplay” or Large Field Socialization classes. While you still enter at your own risk, at least it cuts risk of unvaccinated dogs in the area, and wild dogs running loose with no supervision. I will be posting some locations that offer this in the very near future so watch for updates!
Recommended:
Lancaster, CA — freeplay classes, Blazing Trails K9 Academy — trainer supervised, owners allowed with defined rules and liability release, vaccinations and temperament test required.
Need help with YOUR dog?
t: (661) 478-3326
e: trainer@blazingtrailsk9academy.com