Dog Park Rules That Every Pet Owner Should Know

BY | May 27 | COMMENTS PUBLISHED BY
Dog Park Rules That Every Pet Owner Should Know

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A dog park can be a good place for your

pet to socialize

with other pets, while you meet other pet parents. We bring you some rules that you should follow when you hit the dog park with your pet.

  • Dog parks have designated areas for pets based on their size for a reason. Make sure you take your little pooch to the small-sized pet section and your big Dane to the respective section. Regardless of how well your pet gets along with other dogs in other settings, you want to respect these rules. Even harmless rough-house playing can escalate into a serious issue otherwise, leaving your pet or other pets injured.
  • Donโ€™t carry your dogโ€™s favourite treats and toys to the dog park. Treats are not a good idea as they will draw the attention of other pets as well and make them jealous. Then again, carrying a bag of treats for other pets is not a great idea, as that may not be what other pet parents want for their pets. As far as toys are concerned, you want to keep them at home if your dog has is possessive and has trouble sharing it with other pets. Thereโ€™s a good chance that your dog gets aggressive if another pet comes close to its valuable toys.
  • Make sure your dog is up to date with all his rabies, influenza and other vaccinations and medications. If your dog has a case of ticks or fleas, it is best to stay off the dog park until he is cured. If you have a canine that is not neutered, then you want to keep a close watch on him, in case he displays aggressive behaviour. Taking your unsprayed dog to the park in heat could mean puppies.
  • Monitor your dog at the park. It can be easy to get distracted by your cellphone or while talking to other pet owners, but you want to stay focused on your pet. Sometimes, playful fights can turn into something serious within seconds. You want to pull your dog away in such situations so neither or the pets are injured. If your dog or other pets are displaying aggression or dominant behaviours like mounting, you want to immediately intervene, rather than allowing the dogs to sort things out by themselves. Make sure your dog is trained enough to respond to common commands, and to come back to you when called, so you wonโ€™t have to run around trying to catch your pet if one of these episodes do occur.

Make sure your dog gets exercise outside the dog park as well, so he is not over-stimulated when you take him to the park.

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