Dog Parks continued
Expect paw prints and some drool
Do not wear your nicest tennis whites! You are fairly sure to be
covered in happy dog saliva, mud or some type of dust. In the rough
and tumble of a dog park, being side-swiped by a running beagle or licked by a
golden retriever comes with the territory.
They can't help themselves. When someone with nice clothes
comes into the park, they're an automatic target for the big puppy with huge
muddy feet.
Wear comfortable, washable clothing in darker colors. Wear
washable, covered shoes (i.e. not sandals) in the summer and rubber boots in the
fall and winter. Some people simply have 'dog park' clothing that is
always several shades muddier than their regular wardrobe.
The new dog in the park
Third, if he's comfortable being in the park
you can bring him back when it's more crowded. One thing to remember, all of the
dogs in the park tend to converge all at once on any new dog. This is just part of
normal dog behavior. Just walk in calmly with your dog, let him off leash and the
"pack" will disperse after a few minutes of sniffing and nuzzling. Some
dogs react aggressively or fearfully when they are on leash and the other dogs are not, so
it's best to let them go as soon as you're inside the park.
Useful information gathering
One of the nice things about dog parks is the
interaction people have with each other. It's a good place to find out new
information, get some good ideas, find a referral to a groomer, see how your vet
measures up etc. It's also
really interesting to see how your dog interacts with other dogs. One of our dogs
decided this was all too much and spent an hour perched on top of a handy lap.
Another decided to completely ignore the other dogs and concentrate on finding his
ball in a sea of other dog's balls. Even if they weren't paying much attention to
the other dogs, they still obviously enjoyed the outing and have been back many times.
Persistence pays off
Fourth, some dogs take to parks immediately while others needs hours of time
over weeks or months before they relax and begin to enjoy themselves. Some
dogs will only play with their friends while others will play with anything that
moves.
Watch out for hurtling canines
Fifth, watch out for running, bumping dogs. A dog park is something of a
giant pinball machine. The running dogs are the balls and the people are
those things that go bong-bong-bong when the balls hit them. We've seen
our share of injuries including broken bones, adults being knocked into the air,
injured knees and bruising.
Dog parks are no place for small children, strollers, people
with food, cats, squirrels, moles and people who dislike or are afraid of dogs.
Please be kind
Finally, please clean up after your dog and, on occasion, other people's dogs. Unless parks are maintained reasonably by their users, they can eventually be
closed down. It's a small concession for a nice place to play.
If you and your dog really liked the park,
why not make it an outing with your friends and their dogs? Many dogs do feel more
comfortable with their buddies (at least initially) and it will be an enjoyable time for
you too.
Fun but no substitute for the walk
Dog parks serve a need in your dog's life but are no substitute for the long
walk or jog. Many parks are too small for serious running and walking and
the mixing of many dogs can be stressful rather than relaxing.
Think of your daily walk as the main meal and the dog park as
the dessert. So you will still need to keep up the daily walking regimen but a
visit to the dog park will be a fun detour.
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