Pawsitive Playtime: The Ins and Outs of Dog Park Safety

Concerned Fido is becoming bored of the same walks? Interested in letting your pup really stretch their legs somewhere they can carelessly romp around off leash? Dog parks are a great way to exercise your dog and provide endless opportunities for training your canine companions. But are they safe? The answer to that question is a very frustrating “It depends.” Follow these time-tested guidelines to ensuring your pooch stays safe at the dog park!

Train Basic Commands Before Visiting the Dog Park

Before venturing out to any dog park, it’s crucial to ensure your pup already has a solid foundation in obedience. To help create a safe environment for everyone at the park, make sure Fido reliably obeys basic commands, such as “sit,” “down,” “come,” “leave it,” and “stay.” Even when exercising at a fenced-in location, a solid recall is suggested in case of any potential unsafe conditions you may encounter. Furthermore, make sure you practice these commands both at home and somewhere with distractions. If something chaotic happens at a dog park, you want to know your dog will still come to you instead of getting mixed up in any doggy drama. In addition to training at home, Rover can greatly benefit from attending obedience classes or working privately with a dog trainer.

Ensure Your Dog Is Healthy

Secondly, it’s important to make sure your dog is healthy before taking them anywhere. If your pooch doesn’t already visit the veterinarian for an annual checkup, it’s time to schedule an appointment! Health-related topics to keep in mind when considering dog park safety include:

Fido’s Fitness

If you plan on adding some additional exercise to your canine companion’s life by visiting a dog park, it’s important to take into consideration your pooch’s current fitness level. Just like you and me, your pup shouldn’t be going from a couch-potato lifestyle to an Olympian’s exercise routine. If Fido has some pounds to lose, introduce your dog to any lifestyle changes with fun but short periods of activity and work your way up to longer outings.

Vaccination History

Just like shopping malls and event venues for people, dog parks can be breeding grounds for many illnesses for our beloved pets. Before taking your pooch anywhere heavily pup-ulated, make sure they are up to date on all necessary vaccinations. The four main vaccines for dogs are rabies, parvovirus, distemper, and hepatitis. Additional vaccines also recommended for dogs likely to interact with other canines outside the household include canine influenza and Bordetella, also known as kennel cough.

Parasite Prevention

When spending large amounts of time outdoors and with other dogs, it’s important to be mindful of any potential tiny freeloaders who could hitch a ride with your pup. Flea and tick infestations can be tough to remedy if not addressed immediately, and these pesky parasites can also lead to a variety of health issues for Rover. Whether you’re taking a natural approach or using flea and tick preventative from your vet, make sure you have a plan in place to keep your dog safe from blood suckers!  

Stay Up to Date on Current Canine Health Concerns

Additionally, when planning to take your pet out in the public, it’s important to make sure you’re staying updated regarding any trending illnesses that are affecting dogs. For example, in 2023, there has been a media frenzy surrounding a multi-state outbreak of a mysterious, infectious respiratory disease believed by some to be caused by a new bacterium or virus. Currently, the resource Veterinary Partner states there is very limited information on whether this is a new disease or simply severe cases of common respiratory illnesses in dogs. Nonetheless, watch for any news articles that discuss current health issues in pets or chat with your veterinarian to learn more about what they’re seeing affecting local furry family members.

Day-to-Day Wellness

If your pooch is fully vaccinated, active, and protected from parasites, then you’re ready to go, right? Almost. Just like people, our pups will have good days and bad. Be conscious of any signs your dog may not be feeling their best, such as any digestive upset or extra stiffness that could be caused by old age, cold weather, or other exercise. On these days, it may be better to take a relaxing sniffari instead of visiting the dog park.

Come Prepared

Today’s the day! Your pooch is feeling great and ready for an exciting afternoon at the dog park. Before loading up the car, make sure you have the following essentials:

• Leash and Collar: Even if you plan on letting Fido free roam in an enclosed area, it’s important to always have his collar on and a leash handy.

• Poop Bags: While many dog parks offer waste stations, it’s always important to have backup bags, just in case.

• Fresh Water and a Water Bowl: Again, many dog parks provide drinking water for furry visitors, but some do not. Bring fresh water and a compact, collapsible bowl to ensure your pup doesn’t become dehydrated.

• Treats: Because dog parks are great areas to practice obedience training and reinforce good behavior, bring treats to help reward your pup.

• Toys: Tug and fetch toys can be great options for encouraging social play. However, monitor dogs while playing with these toys and remove them if play becomes too tough or any dogs become aggressive. Also, if your dog has a favorite toy, it’s best to leave it at home to prevent the development of any resource guarding.

• First Aid Kit and Vet Records: Like most outings, it’s a good idea to have a first aid kit and a copy of your dog’s vet records in the car in case of any emergencies.

Be Respectful of Dog Park Rules

Upon arriving at the dog park, make sure you take time to familiarize yourself with any posted rules. In addition to vaccine requirements, many dog parks may specify whether or not toys or treats are permitted inside off-leash areas. Additionally, to ensure dog safety, many parks will have separate enclosed areas for smaller dogs and larger dogs. Next, be mindful of what is considered an approved off-leash area and keep your pooch leashed where required. Allowing off-leash dogs to rush others who are on leash can cause stress and even lead to behavioral issues in extreme cases. Lastly, clean up after your pet to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the shared space.

The Experience Begins Outside the Dog Park

Now that you’re well versed on the dog park rules, let’s get your excited wigglebutt out of the car! Before letting your pup free to unleash their zoomie monster, do some polite walking around outside of the fenced areas. Work on their attention and practice some commands to ensure they’re not overly excited, in addition to being willing to still listen to you. Watch for any leash frustration, over-arousal, or any aggressive behavior directed towards the fenced-in areas. If your dog appears to be too excited and not interested in anything you say, it may be better for you to stick to a leashed walk and obedience training today, and trying the off-leash area another time.

Dog Park Safety Requires Vigilant Owners

Once your pooch is off leash and happily galloping around with other dogs, you may think your work is finally finished. While it may be fun to socialize with the other pup parents, it’s important to stay attentive at the park. Dogs can very easily become over aroused, have problematic play styles, or frankly just get on each other’s nerves. Make sure that packs of dogs aren’t forming and be watchful that no dogs are becoming bullied – especially new dogs trying to enter the park. Problems can especially occur if there are a large number of intact males, or if someone unknowingly brings a female dog in heat.

To ensure everyone’s safety, watch both your dog and the others at the park and try to understand what their body languages are communicating. According to The Association of Professional Dog Trainers, happy, playful dogs will exhibit signs of bouncy, exaggerate gestures, will take turns reversing roles, will demonstrate “play bows,” and have loose, wiggly bodies. Conversely, anxious and fearful dogs will exhibit a fast-wagging, low tail, ears pinned back to their head, hiding, a tucked tail, and whining or even submissive urination. Finally, step in and interrupt play if there is any snarling, bearing of teeth, raised hair at the hackles, excessive mounting, or pinning any dogs to the ground.

Know When It’s Time to Leave

Even if everyone seems to be getting along well at the dog park, conduct check-ins with your pup regularly. Recall your dog at random, even in the middle of play, and reward the good behavior. This reinforces that your furry friend is still expected to obey commands despite the exciting distractions. If your dog is repeatedly choosing to be disobedient, leash them and instead work outside the fence on more training. Additionally, remove them from the park if your dog starts bullying another, is being bullied, or exhibits any problematic behavior. Furthermore, a tired dog may no longer want to be disturbed and can become irritated by others quickly. If your pooch is disengaging from play or trying to lay down away from others, it’s time to go home.  

A vigorous game of bitey face or disheveled landscaping at the park could cause a number of injuries. Once you’ve returned home, inspect your pooch to check for any possible scrapes, broken nails, or embedded thorns. As the day goes on, watch your dog for any excessive licking in areas, like paws, to alert you to possible issues you may have missed. Make sure any wounds are cleaned to prevent infection or further health issues.

Alternatives to Visiting a Dog Park

Sometimes, dog parks just aren’t the best option for exercising your pooch. First, there’s the possibility of encountering dogs who exhibit aggressive behavior, which can affect your pup’s health and wellbeing. Additionally, being attacked by an aggressive dog can create new behavioral problems you’ll need to work through with your furry friend. Second, you could see owners who aren’t policing their own dogs, making their poor conduct everyone else’s problem. Finally, your canine companion simply might not enjoy being around many other dogs. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of other options to explore. To keep your beloved pet active, consider some of the below alternatives:

• Enroll in obedience or rally obedience classes for fun, bonding, and socialization.

• Discover a variety of dog sports, such as dock diving and canicross.

• Take Fido shopping and practice their social skills at one of these great dog-friendly stores.

• Invite your pooch to join you on your next outdoor adventure, such as hiking, paddleboarding, or kayaking.

Wishing You a Safe and Tail-Wagging Good Time!

As mentioned above, your local dog park may not be the greatest option for you and your pooch. In fact, dog parks are even commonly considered controversial when chatting with some trainers and veterinary professionals. While not for everyone, dog parks can provide benefits to our beloved furry family members if used responsibly. By knowing your pup, planning ahead, incorporating training, and being vigilant, your pooch can have a fun and exhausting time.