Dog Park Tips and Traps

As a dog owner, I love to take my dogs to the dog park where they can run around off leash and play with other dogs. It also gives them the opportunity to not only socialise with other dogs, but with other humans as well. Another great way to teach your pup how to socialise is through a good puppy school.

It’s so important though to make sure you follow some simple steps to make sure your experience and your dog’s experience at the dog park is a good one.

Some common traps include:

• Having your dog not come when called
• Not paying attention to your dog or their body language
• Other dogs picking on your dog, or the other way around
• your dog has a bad experience that can cause other unwanted behaviours
• Considering the park a ‘doggy daycare’ and using it to let your dog run around without supervision
• Not having regard to the other dogs around

The above are some simple traps that many complain of and I’ve witnessed it at some parks also. When taking your dog to the dog park, its really important you consider the environment, how your dog might behave, how other dogs might behave, the size of the other dogs around and immunisations. You can enrol your furry best friend to puppy training classes in Sydney to ensure that they are always in the best behaviour.

Some tips when going to the dog park:

Make sure your dog is fully trained. Ensure they can come when called and follow your cues. If you can’t control your dog, you won’t be able to help them much if they get themselves into trouble. Puppy to Dog School offers dog training in Sydney that will help you make sure that your dog can adjust in all sorts of scenarios.

Pay attention to your dog at all times. The dog park isn’t just about you having a chat and a coffee with other dog owners in the neighbourhood. Its also about providing a safe environment to socialise your dog and let them play in a safe enclosed environment. They are like children, if you let them roam unsupervised, they are likely to get themselves in trouble. If you feel your dog is looking overly anxious or aggressive, its time to remove them from the situation.

Look at the size of the dogs in the park. If you have a very small dog and there are other big dogs around, perhaps now is not the best time to let your dog roam. Wait until they leave or ask the owners if their dog is aggressive.

Don’t carry your small dog around inside the park. It might give them a false sense of security and other bigger dogs might assume they’re big/tall enough to be picked on.

Don’t have your dog on the leash when you’re in the park if all the other dogs are running loose. They’ll feel held back and it might cause anxiety in your dog.

At the end of the day, you are responsible for your dog, anything that happens to them, other dogs, or other owners will eventually fall on your head. So, watch out, keep your eyes peeled and have fun.

If you’re concerned about your dog’s behaviour at parks or are concerned whether its the right time to take them, Contact Us to arrange an appointment.