A local dog park is an excellent place for many reasons; however, not all dogs will thrive in this environment. If you’re planning on bringing your pup with you when visiting friends or going on a hike, then make sure they are socialized at home first! Consider these tips before taking your pet somewhere where there may be other canines without supervision- it’ll save both parties from unwanted interactions later down the line.

Common Dog Park Rules

Park rules will vary from one place to another. These rules should be posted conspicuously near park entrances; if not, ask about them before bringing your dog to the neighborhood park. Below are some of the most common rules.

• No dogs may be left unattended.
• Dogs need to be adequately trained.
• Dog owners should keep their pets on a leash when visiting the park.
• Direct supervision is required at all times.
• Any aggressive behavior towards other dogs or people is unacceptable.
• Dog owners must clean up after their dogs.
• Don’t let your pet eat anything inside the dog park.
• Dogs over the age of six months must be spayed or neutered.
• People shouldn’t smoke while walking around a dog park.
• All dogs (including puppies) must be current on vaccinations.

What is Appropriate Dog Park Behavior?

Not all dogs are suitable for dog parks, and some aggressive canines may cause trouble if left alone in an uncontrolled environment. Socializing them in a safe space is wise. Consider the following tips before venturing out to the local dog park.

Be Calm and Friendly

No one wants to hang around a bully or obnoxious pup. Train your pet to be friendly and calm in all situations. Pet owners, park goers, and the general public will appreciate the time and attention you give to training your dog in this manner.

Not Attack Other Dogs

If your dog provokes easily, is fearful, or aggressive, the dog park is not an appropriate socializing venue. A threatening pup needs to stay home for the safety of other pets, owners, yourself, and your furry friend.

Possess Good Manners

It should go without saying; however, some pet owners think it’s cute when their pup hops into a stranger’s lap or jumps on children. This behavior is not appealing, and some people can be easily upset by this happening.

Responsive to Basic Instructions

Your dog should be able to respond to basic cues to prevent an out-of-control situation, such as coming when called, being told to sit, or being asked to leave it. If they cannot obey these basic commands, the park will need to wait until proper training occurs.

Limit Dog’s Barking

For the comfort of other park users and neighboring homes of the facility, barking should be kept at a reasonable level. Barks of joy are normal and acceptable but should still be infrequent. Once aggressive, non-stop barking begins, you should leave.

Dog Owners Should Only Bring Healthy Pets

Just as you would not send a sick child to school, only healthy dogs should be at the park. You would not want your pup to cause other puppies to get sick. Allow your pup to rest, recoup, and before you know it he will be back to his usual self.

Watch Your Pup

It may be tempting to let your dog run the park, but he’s your first responsibility while you’re at the facility. Put your phone away and keep your eyes on your pet for his safety and enjoyment. Talking to another person is a distraction if you cannot maintain visibility on your pet.. Pay attention, and react quickly!

Things To Pay Attention To

Consider these points when you plan an outing to the park. Knowing the personality and how they will react to certain situations is essential for your pet’s safety and others who will be there. The more you are aware of how your four-legged friend will respond will help you to respond accordingly.

Be Aware of Hormones

Dogs who aren’t neutered or spayed are more likely to get into trouble. Canines that aren’t fixed are usually not even allowed at dog parks.

Your Pup’s Body Language

Dogs’ ears are sensitive. Pups stay alert by having their ears perk up when excited. When content, their tails will wag, and their bodies relax. Hackles may rise if a dog is feeling aggressive. Be aware of these noticeable cues when approaching other pets or animals,, and be sure to give space.

Listen to Other Pawrents

Even though sometimes we think our dogs are good, other parents might not appreciate some of your best friend’s behaviors. Things like jumping or biting are great examples of not welcome actions. If a pet parent has expressed that your pup has done something they aren’t fond of, respect them and respond positively.

Interacting with Other Dogs

Dogs should always be supervised when playing with other furry pals. When meeting other pet owners, ask them questions about their dog. Be careful when meeting new pups because some are aggressive towards others. Sometimes it is difficult for pets to get along with other animals. Respect the owner’s wishes if they want to spend time alone with their canine.

Know Your Dog’s Personality

Dog parks can be great places for dogs to meet others, but there are some things you should consider before taking your pet.

• You may want to take your dog to a small local park before going to a bigger one. You’ll want to see how your canine reacts to other dogs.
• Avoid large groups of people when you bring your dog to a park.
• If your dog seems anxious about meeting new dogs, try a slow introduction.
• If your pet starts getting overly excited, you may want to leave the park. If he gets too excited, he may start acting aggressively toward other dogs.
• Leave the park and return another day if your furry friend gets scared or nervous.

How to Stay Safe

Dogs should be kept safe when visiting dog parks. You don’t have to hover around them the entire time, but here are some universal ground rules to get you started.

• Don’t let puppies who are too young to get vaccinated go to the dog park.
• Refrain from taking older pets to dog parks if they have trouble moving around.
• Keep your first visit short and sweet.
• Dogs are loyal pets who deserve to be treated well. When you take your dog out to play, spend quality time together.
• Dogs should always wear a leash when being walked around public areas.

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A fenced area where dogs can socialize safely unleashed can be incredibly beneficial to pups and their pack leaders, but unfortunately many people aren’t lucky enough to have one nearby.

Do you live in a community without a dog park? Well, why not change that? Here’s a guide to getting one started.

Find Like-Minded Pack Leaders

You can’t do it alone, so find some help. You want to locate people who are as passionate about the project as you are. You may be surprised how easy they are to find. After all, we all love our dogs! You can talk to friends and family, post a notice at local dog-related businesses, or even take out an ad in a local publication or post one online on a local message board.

Get Together

Okay, now you have six to 10 people who want to help. Together, you’ll form a park association, drum up support, meet with city officials, make presentations, and eventually help set park policies. First you should meet to brainstorm your ideas and form a plan of action.

Write a Mission Statement

Why is this park needed? Make sure to focus on the benefits to residents, their dogs, as well as the community. Even non-dog owners will benefit from a local canine population that is better socialized and exercised more frequently since the pups will more likely to be well-behaved.

Find a Location

When considering sites, look at the surrounding area. How will the park affect its neighbors? Are there any nearby safety hazards? Once you’ve found a good spot, meet with the neighbors to hear their concerns. This gives you an opportunity to address them before taking it to city hall — or, if you run into too much opposition or an unexpected issue, you can find an alternate location.

Create a Budget

Do the legwork and determine the exact cost of making your dream a reality. Set-up costs can include grass, fencing, lighting, water fountains (for pups and humans), poop removal stations, seating for dog owners, and, of course, the labor involved. You’ll also face regular maintenance costs once the dog park is up and running, such as lawn care, garbage removal, water use, and electricity.

Find Funding

You may find that your city is excited and able to fully or partially fund the dog park. If you don’t receive immediate support from your city, you can come to them with other funding sources ready, since this shows the community’s commitment to the project and makes it easier for them to fit in the city’s bottom line. Consider gathering donations from the community, particularly to cover the initial costs, and you can also find local companies who would be willing to sponsor it, often in exchange for advertising in the park.

Get the Word Out

Plan a public meeting. Ask people to sign a petition or write a letter of support. Gather email addresses, so you can keep them up-to-date on progress and enlist their help again if you hit a road bump later. Take your campaign to the local media: TV stations, newspapers, and other publications, and don’t forget the power of social media. If you can get a little coverage, it can make a big difference for the amount of support you have from residents, local businesses, and your city.

Are you starting a campaign for a dog park in your area? We’d love to hear your story. Share it with us in the comments!

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I follow your advice on being a strong pack leader at the dog park. On the rare occasions that I take my dogs to the dog park, I notice humans not applying dog training discipline if their dogs get in a dog fight or potential dog fight.

If I apply dog training discipline to one of my dogs, but the other human doesn’t, that makes it look like it was totally my fault. I’ve never said anything to the other person, but it seems unfair that my dog gets a training correction or consequence, and the other dog doesn’t.

That’s one reason why I don’t go to the dog park often, and when I do, I monitor my dogs closely to prevent problems. We try to find responsible dog owners with their dogs to hang around with. A few weeks ago, I prevented a dog fight by doing a body block and faced the offending dog and firmly said, “Hey!” and the other dog backed off. That owner only scolded her dog as we walked away.

Would you correct/discipline both dogs if the other owner is being passive or ineffective at that moment, or just deal with your own dog?

Patricia L. Williams
Seattle, WA.

Read Below for Cesar’s Advice

Dear Patricia,

You are doing everything a responsible dog owner can do! Of course, it would be great if both owners whose dogs are involved in a dog fight participated in understanding what the rules are at the park, but your dog is getting the benefit of having a consistent pack leader. If the other dog isn’t getting the dog training discipline he needs, it will only harm that dog–not yours! Your dog will feel secure that you will take care of any situation.

When you discipline a dog, you help him get back to a calm-submissive, balanced state. Unfortunately, the other owners are not going to accomplish that for their dog.

One suggestion I have is to create a sign and put it in your bedroom as a goal for humanity: “I wish all dog owners understood balance.” And that’s it. We can at least pray for that change to happen.

Just know that you are doing the right thing! I am very proud of you. And remember that by dog training and disciplining your dog, you are serving as a role model to other dog owners. Just because the other dog owner involved in the dog fight didn’t discipline their dog, it doesn’t mean that other people are not watching you. If out of a hundred people your actions can influence one, you are doing your job!

Stay calm and assertive,
Cesar Millan

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