10 Etiquette and Safety Tips to Make the Most Out of Your Dog Park Trip
As most dog owners eventually find out, dogs were meant to play with other dogs. That generally leads to venturing to a dog park with your pack to see how well your dog socializes with others.
What is a dog park?
A dog park can be defined as a play area for designated off-leash dog play. Dog parks can be entirely fenced in or semi-fenced in doggy play areas you can find near parks in the suburbs, between two apartment buildings downtown or attached to your favorite neighborhood bar.
A key distinction between doggy daycare and a dog park is that playtime between all the dogs is unsupervised outside of you and the owner(s) of the dog your best furriend ends up playing with.
What are some benefits to checking out dog parks?
Here’s a few benefits of taking your dog to a dog park:
- Making friends is key: If your dog lives alone and does not attend daycare, dog parks can offer a great opportunity to meet and play with other dogs ensuring your dog can be furriendly while out in public.
- Dog parks offer great exercise: If you have a high-energy breed, a good source of exercise is letting them run around with the dog park pack!
- Dog parks offer furriendly humans too: Socializing at dog parks isn’t just for dogs. Meeting other dog owners at dog parks is a great way to get tips about neighborhood walks, veterinarian tips, and other useful bits of information you may not know about if you’re new to an area or a new dog owner.
10 Dog Park Tips for the Best Experience Possible
So yes, dog parks may offer some real benefits to you and your dog but it is important to remember that there are things to keep in mind when you go to a dog park:
- Not all dogs are meant to go to dog parks.
It is perfectly reasonable to pass on dog parks. Again, they are unsupervised communal play areas. You’re reliant on everyone in the park to have reasonably well-trained dogs who will avoid playing too rough and be responsive to commands.
If you’re unsure of whether your dog should go to a dog park, feel free to hold off on taking them. Socialization can be done in a number of ways. - Do some research on the dog park you want to go to.
First things first, before even going to a dog park, do a quick search online and see what people say. Everything from Google reviews to Bring Fido will give you a quick rundown on details about the park and features ranging from whether it is fully fenced to having a watering hole. - Fencing matters.
If you plan on attending a dog park, you should know if it is fully fenced and how well it is fenced.
Unless your dog attends daycare and will come back on command with 100% certainty, you’ll likely need to find a well-fenced park for your first few sessions.
Check to see if there are gaps in fences at the park and if it is a quality fence. As Husky owners, we can attest to how curiosity may lead to a few escape attempts. Double gates are usually a good sign the dog park is well-designed. - Bringing a smaller pooch? Consider parks with separate areas for large and small dogs.
Mixing a Pomsky and a Saint Bernard may sound like a cute idea in theory but in practice, when you have lots of dogs running around, you should try to look for parks that give you the option of keeping your dog with other dogs their size. - Cleanliness matters.
You wouldn’t want to run around in a park where there’s a lot of trash lying around and neither would your dog. Dog parks where owners don’t pick up after their dogs or where trash cans are overturned should be avoided as there may be other hidden surprises you won’t want to find out about. - A shared water bowl may be nice and it may be unsafe.
If you have a dog that goes to doggy daycare and is vaccinated/taking medicine to prevent getting parasites, a communal water bowl may be the pawfect thing to cure your dog’s thirst. At the same time, and another reason to avoid bringing puppies younger than six months is to understand that bacteria, parasites, and viruses can be transmitted through water.
Bringing your own water is a smart thing to do as it also ensures you have water in case the park doesn’t. - There is such a thing as too many furriends.
Yes, just like a subway car, there can be too many dogs at a dog park.
Though all of the owners may be diligently supervising their pack member, having a lot of large dogs in some spaces can lead to unwarranted outbursts that may escalate out of control. If you think it is too crowded, take a walk. - Follow the rules.
Each dog park can have its own rules and in a number of cities, vaccination records may be required to attend.
Though having a copy of your dog’s vaccination records may seem like a burden, having a copy on your phone via a photo is an easy way to have that information available. - Leave the toys and treats at home.
You may want to throw the ball with your favorite catcher and if they’re willing to share, that may not be such a bad idea. Realistically though, balls and other types of doggy toys can lead to fights amongst the dogs in the park.
Another handy thing to avoid bringing is treats as they may help keep your dog in line but will also make you the most popular human in the dog park. So popular that you may end up at the bottom of a dog-pile. - Pay attention to the other owners.
Yes, you may be diligently watching your dog and all the other dogs in the park to ensure they’re playing well but make sure that you take a look at the humans too.
Seeing a lot of disinterested owners staring at their phones indicates that you may be the only supervisor for 20 dogs and in the event of an unexpected issue, ranging from a dog fight to an injury, you will need assistance. The occasionally distracted owner is fine, a whole dog park of inattentive owners could be an issue.
Summary
Dog parks offer your dog the chance to play and in some cases, give you the opportunity to socialize with other owners. Whether you’re attending a park in the middle of the city or across from your house, dog parks are best when you try to follow the written and unwritten rules of play.
Enjoy!