3 Dog Park Rules Every Dog Owner Should Know

All across the country, more and more designated property areas are being built specifically for dogs. This is a wonderful trend that should be taking place in every city across the United States. For example, California has dog parks in Runyon Park and Laurel Canyon that became so popular, they were soon overcrowded and new dog parks had to be created. Now across the state in places like San Diego, Long Beach, Palm Springs, and Santa Monica, provide areas that are designated for dog owners to bring their pets to socialize and play with other dogs.

These dog parks are like heaven to our pets. For those of you fortunate enough to have a dog park located near you, you undoubtedly understand how happy these dogs are when running around having fun with the rest of the animals. They get to roam off leash, meet and play with other friendly canines, and even make new friends.

It is almost as if dogs become somewhat human in terms of socialization when they get to be active at a dog park.  Dogs get together in groups and form packs, like socialized “clicks” if you will, as people often do.  You can even see the smile on their faces as they run from dog to dog meeting each other and forming friendships.

3 Tips For The Dog Owners

Considering how much fun taking your dog to a dog park can be, there are a few mistakes that some dog owners make when visiting these areas.  People often forget to properly balance their dog’s emotional needs while visiting the park.

1. One of the biggest mistakes most people make is to completely depend on the dog park for fulfilling their dogs needs. In other words, because these areas are so enjoyable for the dogs, many owners start to neglect affection when they are away from the park.  Somehow they think that the one or two hours spent at the dog park negates the animal from needing other simulation when away from the park. Doing so may cause your pet to become increasingly detached from you. This will cause behavior problems and distress at home.

2. Another mistake dog owners tend to make is letting their dogs run loose in the park and not looking over them closely enough to avoid problems.  The main issue that I am referring to is that of aggression and dominance over other dogs in the area.  Because all of the animals will be excitable and full of high energy, it is quite easy to misread your dog and miss the fact that he may be dominating another dog or puppy.  While you may consider his actions playful, sometimes they are quite the opposite, and he may be in the process of starting a dogfight.

3. A third issue which you may want to consider when visiting the dog park with your pet is to include yourself in the activity.  All too many people come to the park and let their dogs run free while sitting idly aside watching all the fun.  You must interact, watch your dog and be careful of other more dominant dogs taking over.  Place boundaries and keep your animal behaved. These are things that you cannot do when sitting on the bench reading a book or magazine.  Think of your dog as a child, you would never take your child to the park and totally ignore his actions until it’s time to go home.