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Doggy Park Etiquette
Copyright Merit Puppy Training.
May not be reprinted or used without
permission Dog Parks are becoming popular as more space is designated for dogs, now we need protocol to ensure safety and health for all those that attend the off leash parks, and those that live around them. The frequency of dog bites, dogfights, and the smell of feces clinging to our shoes will continue ultimately giving Dog Parks a bad rap. Good manners + common sense = Dog Park Etiquette. 1) Scoop the poop, reduce the risk of a bacterial breeding ground that dogs play in, and our neighbors walk through. Carry a bag when you’re out with your dog, and keep your dog off the neighbors’ property. 2) Obey the leash laws, keep your dog on leash until you have entered the play area, take off any training collars leaving only a well fitting buckle collar, and keep your leash with you. 3) Don’t allow dogs in the play area to ‘rush’ at the entrance way of a new dog entering the park; some dogs don’t like strangers in their face. 4) Absolutely NO aggressive dogs, un-socialized dogs, any dog with a ‘history’ of fighting and biting, or uncontrollable barking. 5) Carry your dog’s rabies certificate with you, dogs can easily lose their tags while playing with other dogs. 6) Do not wait until it is time to go home to call your dog. Call your dog and praise him for coming, then let him go play again. 7) Don’t let your dog harass another dog, if you own a ‘bully’ type dog please look out for the ‘other’ guy. Don’t ruin the play experience for another dog. 8) Be honest when assessing your dog’s ability to interact appropriately with dogs, and people, we depend on you knowing your dog very well. 9) Be willing to admit your dog is not ‘dog park’ material, you’re not alone. 10) Know when your dog has had enough and leave the park on a happy note. Like children dogs can get grouchy when tired or over-heated. Given so many variables no one can predict with 100% accuracy that a dog in any given situation will not bite or fight. If you have doubts about your dog err on the side of caution and forget the dog park. Dogs are dogs; it doesn’t mean they will get on with all dogs, that’s as silly as saying, “I’m human so I should get along with all humans.” Dogs running loose even within the safety of a fenced park are at some risk. The potential for ‘pack’ mentality to kick in when dogs are running free without owner intervention is possible. The astute dog owner will use their training skills to scan the park and interrupt inappropriate behavior with the ‘first’ sign of any problem. This means keep your eye on your dog. There are times when letting dogs work things out for themselves is possible, the dog park is not always the best choice. Prerequisite for dogs attending off leash areas should be a string of commands that your dog can follow to balance his playtime with training. Don’t let your dog forget you’re there, be creative and implement fun training sessions during playtime, remind him that you’re fun too. Make a habit of calling your dog and teach him to leave his buddies to ‘check-in’ with you periodically. This technique will boost your recall potential and improve the relationship you have with your dog at the park, it may also help educate other dog owners and prompt them to question why you keep calling your dog. The recall is so important it should be used during your dog’s playtime to ensure safety for your dog and others. Suppose a few canines get into a rumble, if you have a good recall you increase your chances of getting your dog out of a sticky situation, it’s not a guarantee that your dog will not get into a fight or hurt a dog or person, it’s a safety net, and ‘good park manners’. Recently at one of the parks a few dogs became involved in some rough play with one canine that was clearly uncomfortable with the interaction, only ONE owner intervened by calling his dog OUT of the situation; the owner’s timing was impeccable, the dog immediately turned her attention away from the rumble and joyfully ran to her owner and sat. During the course of my 2 ½ hour observation this owner called his dog many times and was the ONLY person I saw attending to his dog via the recall system. When it was time to go he called his dog and attached the leash to her buckle collar and they left. In contrast I watched one woman call her young dog several times to no avail, finally the dog slinked forward after circling around, she managed to corner her puppy and attach the prong collar and leash, this dog was never called during playtime, it’s apparent the owner has taught her puppy that coming when called means playtime ends; this owner had no safety net.
Naïve dog owners with
untrained or un-socialized dogs in a park environment especially within a
neighborhood create havoc. It’s important to know how to read canine body
language and gauge comfort levels. Understanding canine gestures can help
get you to know the dogs at the park and learn to distinguish ‘nice’ play
and ‘not so nice’ play. Dog owners need to pay closer attention and watch
for inappropriate behavior towards other dogs, and people. The growing
popularity of Dog Parks is great for responsible dog owners with good
manners, hopefully they can help create opportunities for all dog owners
to network and incorporate guidelines that will encourage education, and
help the inexperienced handler take more responsibility in shaping their
dog’s behavior and training, while learning the importance of a good
recall before letting their dog off leash. We want to keep our Dog Parks,
so take responsibility for your dogs’ behavior, and respect the property
of your neighbors, especially the non-doggy owning population. |