Tips for Taking Your Dog to a Dog Park

Spending an afternoon at the dog park is great for providing your dog with exercise while allowing him to socialize with other dogs. While the experience can and should be fun, it can also be a challenge if your pup’s bad manners are allowed to go unchecked. Here are some basics for a fun, trouble-free time at the dog park.

Is My Dog a Good Fit for an Off-Leash Park?

Before you can even think about heading to an off-leash park, you need to make sure your dog will be safe in that environment. Well-trained, socialized dogs with no resource-guarding issues are ideal candidates for an off-leash experience at a dog park

Let’s start with this rule:  Don’t take puppies to the park. They can be hard to control. People find them cute, but older dogs often think they’re a pain. Plus, those who haven’t yet had all their shots can be exposed to diseases. Wait until your pup is 6 months old before you go. The dog park is not a place to learn socialization, but it’s a good place to be social once they’ve learned.

Here is a quick, short list that will guide you on when you should not go to the dog park.  Don’t go if your furry buddy:

• Isn’t vaccinated or doesn’t have flea and tick protection, or is not feeling well
• Isn’t spayed or neutered
• Is what the ASPCA calls a “dog dork.” These are dogs that just don’t know how to interact, no matter how hard they try. Other canines may find them just as annoying as puppies.

See how your dog behaves on leash.

Barking, pulling, whining, and lunging are all inappropriate ways to respond when your dog sees another dog on a leash. He must be non-reactive and calm when he sees or is approached by another dog.  When leashed dogs meet, there should be no jumping on each other or intensity, just calm sniffing.

Introduce your dog to other dogs on leash first.

If your dog and another dog are introduced leashed, you are right there and can step in if the other dog comes on too aggressively.

This will allow your dog to see you are in control and hopefully he’ll turn to you at the dog park instead of trying to resolve issues himself.  You don’t want to put him in harm’s way in the case that the other dog is aggressive or reactive.

Before the Park: Preparation is Key

Proper training is the single most important thing to have mastered before heading to the park.

An untrained dog can run into trouble at an off-leash dog park. There might be challenging behaviors like aggressive sniffing, humping, and toy stealing that will inevitably end up in fights. The scariest bad behavior of all is a dog who bolts off leash because dogs who aren’t trained properly tend to get very excited to be unleashed.  Once the leash drops, the dog will take off like a lit rocket, and this is not a good way to allow your dog to react.  You are inadvertently teaching him that bolting is okay. There is the obvious danger of him running into the street or parking lot, and also there is the probable chance that your dog could scare other dogs or people with his fast approach and high energy.

So how do you cope with an excited dog at the park?

Practice letting your dog off leash at home first.

When you take the leash off of your dog, he should be sitting calmly. Your dog should be able to stay and not move until you say it’s okay.  Once you have the sit/stay process mastered, you can move outside.

Take your dog to a fenced-in area that isn’t necessarily a dog park.

Take your pup to a place where that is fenced in and he can be off leash so that he can get accustomed to it.  It could be a playground or a tennis court. (But please be sure that your dog has already had a ‘bathroom break’ first.)

Make sure your dog is 100% reliable before visiting unfenced parks.

For fenced-in parks, a 50% recall reliability is probably sufficient enough, but for off-leash parks without a fence, you need 100% reliability to keep your dog safe. You can attain this with practice at home first, which is a calmer environment than outside.

Do’s and Don’ts While at the Park

When you get to the park, don’t let your dog run wild. Make sure you’re following the rules so that not only your dog, but every dog can enjoy the park.

Stay off your phone and pay attention. 

Once inside, it’s your job to keep an eye out for your dog and the other dogs. Dog parks not for human socialization, so always know where your four-legged friend is and what he’s doing. If you see trouble brewing, call him back right away. If your dog is being bullied by another dog, you need to intervene before a fight breaks out.

And let’s not forget, you need to pick up your dog’s poop, too!  Know when your dog has pooped so you can scoop, too. Many parks provide plastic bags, but it can’t hurt to take your own.

 Ensure that your dog knows basic commands.  

Always be the alpha in your relationship with your dog

It is important that your dog knows recall commands like “come” and also commands like “leave it”, so practice these before you go to the dog park.  Your dog may run into other animals at the park like squirrels, raccoons, gophers, etc., and you don’t want him near those animals, dead or alive.

Take charge.                  

Your dog needs to know that you’re the alpha animal all the time. That’s key when other canines are around, so teach your pal to come to you when called. Use a word or phrase he’s not likely to hear at the park and reward him with extra-special treats during training.

Make sure your dog isn’t resource guarding.  Resource guarding is when a dog controls access to food, objects, people and locations that are important to him through defensive body language or overtly aggressive display.  Resource guarding is a relatively common canine behavior and is influenced by a number of environmental and situational stimuli, including a dog’s natural instinct to survive. Toys and treats can make some dogs get aggressive or possessive, so if you want to bring a ball to the park make sure that your dog is playing fair. Also, be sure that he isn’t trying to steal another dog’s toys.  He will need to know how to share when he’s at the dog park.

Good commands to master here are “leave it” or “off” so your dog knows when to back away.

Make sure your dog has other opportunities to exercise.  

Do not use the dog park as a substitute for the walk! If you drive to the park, leave your car a block away and take your dog on a vigorous walk of at least 10 to 15 minutes to drain some of his energy. Never take an over-excited dog to the park.

Smaller dogs need their own space at the dog park.

Small dogs need special consideration.                

Try to find a dog park with a small dog section, or with specific small-dog playtimes. It’s so easy for a little guy to get overwhelmed, not to mention bowled over, by larger dogs. Keep your small dog on the ground rather than toting him around with you in the park. Being elevated can either give a dog a false sense of control because of the elevated position and close human backup, or entice other dogs to jump up at the dog being held to get a closer sniff.

Manage your dog’s water intake.

Be sure that your dog stays well hydrated as he will be active during his park visit.  Take a portable water bottle for dogs so that he can drink when he needs to, but watch his intake so that he doesn’t over drink.

After the Park

When playtime is over and it’s time to head home, you’ll want to:

Give rewards and praise before you leash up and leave.

Be sure to give your dog treats and praise him  when he comes to you as you get ready to leave. Delay your departure a bit while you praise him and reward him for his good behavior.  This will ensure that he doesn’t feel punished for coming when called by immediately leaving the park.

The Bottom Line

Training is key to making your trip to the dog park a success—and of course, practice makes perfect!

These dogs are playing; there is no aggression.

Read the signals. Not only should your dog play well with others if you plan to take him to the park, you need to be able to read canine behavior. Dogs at play have relaxed ears, wagging tails, and may “play bow” with their front end down to the ground and their butt up in the air. Upset hounds hold their tails at half-mast or between their legs. Their ears are pinned back, and their pupils shrink so you can see the whites of their eyes. A dog that’s ready to rumble will be tense, hold his head high, and lean forward. His ears will point up or forward, too. While growls are common in play, snarling with lips curled back isn’t. If you see these danger signs, redirect your dog with treats or a toy. You can also clap or make a loud noise to distract him from his subject of focus. Use treats and toys only when needed in a dog park, in case they spark trouble in regard to sharing.

Know what to do if a fight breaks out. Despite your best efforts, it can happen. Make sure you’re ready.

• Give it a moment. Most doggie duels end as quickly as they started.
• If they go at it for more than a few seconds, try to squirt them with a hose or water pistol, or use a long stick to push them apart. Don’t step in with your hands or body.
• If they’re still fighting, you and the other owner should approach the dogs from the rear. Gently grab their back legs at the top of the leg and lift them up like a wheelbarrow then start moving back and steadily pull them apart. Don’t reach for the collar. Your dog could bite you by reflex.

Use the”wheelbarrow method” to separate fighting dogs

• It’s important to note that if your dog is on leash and he gets into a fight with a dog off-leash, drop the leash before you or the dog become tangled in it. If two leashed dogs get into a fight, drop the leashes and use the wheelbarrow method.

Dogs don’t usually go straight for a fight, but will give each other warning signs first. The best outcome is for them to work out their troubles and retreat before getting too aggressive.

Dogs don’t naturally resolve their issues by immediately fighting. It is a last resort and often lasts only moments, until one animal gets the message and agrees to back off. Not every physical interaction between dogs is indicative of them fighting. Dog play can look just as intimidating, so it is important to watch the body language and be alert to any warning signs of fighting.  Please see my article on Understanding Your Dog’s Body Language for more information.

Another thing to remember is that not every dog enjoys being in a dog park, and not every dog park is appropriate for your dog, and this is why it’s important to know your dog’s temperament and moods.

If you are able to recognize healthy dog behavior, and others around you are able to as well, a dog park can be a truly lovely experience for you and your pup. All it takes is understanding dog park etiquette.  Knowing when to intervene, when to take a time out, and when to leave are crucial to a pleasant park experience.