Dog Parks: Are they safe?

True story:  A couple in their 20’s got a puppy. When the puppy turned 4 months their vet told them to take the puppy to the dog park to “socialize” him.  They had never had a dog before so of course they listened to their vet and took the puppy to the local dog park.  The puppy was attacked by another dog, the puppies mom jumped in to break it up and got bit pretty bad.  They had to rush the puppy home and put him in his crate and then go to the hospital so the girl could get checked out.  I x-rayed her and she was very upset and worried about her puppy that was now home in a crate and hopefully ok.   Do you think this girl is now going to be nervous around other dogs with her new puppy? Do you think the puppy may be dog aggressive because of this first experience with other dogs?

Dog parks can be a fun place for dogs to socialize and play but they are not a great choice for all dogs nor do all dogs like them. I am not a dog trainer but I certainly would not recommend taking a new puppy around a bunch of other off leash dogs that you know nothing about. 

When you enter a dog park, you “Enter at Your Own Risk” therefore, if anything happens it is between you and the other dog owner to figure it out.  I consulted a few dog trainers and behaviorists to get their take on dog parks and here are some of their recommendations:

Arden Moore, Dog Behavior Consultant and founder of Four Legged Life says that she surveys  the scene before she makes the decision to bring her dogs into a dog park. Dog parks need to be spacious and have double-gate entry ways for safety. There needs to be separate sections for large and small dogs.

Reasons not to enter a dog park include: being “greeted” at the front gate by dogs lunging and rapidly barking with no owner in sight; noticing owners eating, reading or talking on cell phones and not paying attention to their dogs; and noticing dogs acting like bullies by growling and pouncing on submissive dogs. I also don’t enter if I see someone insist that they keep their dog on a leash while the other dogs run free. Such action often sparks a dog fight.

Dog parks should be regarded as reward places for dogs – not as places to unleash ill-tempered dogs who lack proper canine social skills.  These dogs need to work one-on-one with professional dog trainers until they can develop the social skills and temperaments to make them welcomed at public dog parks.  Final tip: never bring your dog’s favorite toy or ball to a dog park because another dog may take it and it can lead to resource guarding incidents.

Colleen Demling, Dog Trainer and Owner of Pawtopia Dog Training offers these tips:

• Most important!! Make sure your dog likes the dog park! Some dogs, like some people, would prefer to relax in their neighborhood instead of going to a crowded restaurant (or in your pup’s situation, a dog park) with a bunch of strangers!
• Make sure your dog is under voice control. This means that she must come to you when called and stop doing a behavior when told “No”. If you don’t have this basic control then you will have no way to help her if she gets into a dangerous situation.
• When you get to the parking lot take a few minutes to observe the dogs and people in the park. If you are uncomfortable for any reason…LEAVE
• Take your dog off leash before she enters the park. This will give her a greater ability to get away from trouble if it erupts but it will also help her to feel more comfortable.
• Move away from the gate as quickly as possible. The gate is the main area where dog fights start because dogs that are already in the park try to prevent new arrivals from entering.
• Don’t hang out with large groups of people. Lots of people go to the park to socialize. They sit around one table or stand in one area. As a result, the dogs cluster in this and there is a greater chance for a fight or disagreement (among the dogs AND the people). Plus, if you are busy chatting with a friend then you may miss the early warning signs of a pending dog fight.
• Heavily praise your dog every time she looks at you or comes up to you. This will encourage her to come to you more often and thus she will be more likely to listen when it is time to leave.
• Verbally reward your dog for all proper social interactions. Did she just allow a dog to sniff her? Good job! Did she more away from rough play? Good girl! Most dogs will look to their owner for guidance so make sure to show her which behavior you want!
• Be aware of any of the following changes in behavior of your dog or other dogs because they can be warning signs that a fight is going to start. If you see any of these signs quickly but calmly (being calm is key-if your dog is already nervous and then she sees that you are nervous it will make the situation 20 times worse!) get control of your dog so you can remove her from the situation.

A. Sudden change in flow of play

B. Change in vocalization

C. Hard eye contact or rigid body posture

D. Unevenly matched “play mates”

E. Excessive greeting postures or submission

F. Bully behavior

G. Pack/prey “play”

Thank you to Arden and Colleen for these helpful tips.  We hope that this helps you to keep your dog safe.   If you want another GREAT exercise option for you AND your dog, a bonding experience and a fun way to meet other dog owners–we Welcome You to try one of our Leash Your Fitness classes or events.  Our dogs would LOVE to meet your dog!!