Keeping Your Dog Safe When Going to the Dog Park

Going to the dog park can be a fun and relaxing experience for you and your dog. It is a great way for them to release energy, run and play without the fear of ruining anything in the house, and socializes them with other people and dogs. However, before you go there are a few things you should keep in mind.

Make sure your dogs shots are all up to date
Unfortunately not all dog owners take proper care of their dogs, and some may bring their pet to the dog park without their proper vaccinations. The only thing you can do to keep your dog from picking up an unwanted illness is to keep their vaccinations up to date. It may not prevent them from picking up some illness either minor or serious - but at least you are decreasing the odds of that happening. If this is a major concern of yours there are other options that you may consider such as doggie daycare or gated dog parks, where there is a fee to bring your dog. However, even though there is a fee you also know that the dogs that are brought there are completely up to date with their vaccinations.

Bring drinking water and a dish
Always bring your own water for your dog to drink while at the dog park. There may be water available and it may be fine for them to drink, but you never know if it is completely safe. The worry is not about the water itself, but the bacteria and cleanliness of the dish that it is in. Also, as mentioned before you do not know if the other dogs at the dog park are not sick and if they have had their proper vaccinations. By bringing your own water and a dish, you are decreasing the chance that they will come home with an illness from the dog park.

Know your dogs' limits
When you go to the dog park there is no telling how many people and dogs are going to be there when you arrive. If your dog is shy, bring them to an area of the park where there are only a couple other dogs rather than a large pack. When you go into the dog park take a look at the other dogs and what they are doing. Bring them to an area where you know they will be comfortable, eventually they will move into an area with more or fewer dogs on their own. What you are trying to do is avoid overwhelming your dog when you arrive.

Keep an eye on your dog
You may trust your dog to be well-behaved, but you have no idea what the other dog's personalities and temperaments are. Never leave your dog unsupervised in the dog park and always know where they are and what they are doing. I have seen many instances where dogs have started to show signs of aggression and the owners are no where to be found, and if the other owner is not around you have to deal with the situation on your own. I have also been in the situation where a dog has been aggressive toward my dog, and I immediately separated them before it escalated. The owner came over later and told me "I am sorry but my dog is still young and she doesn't know how to behave quite yet." If I hadn't caught things early, and the other owner wasn't around the situation could have been much worse.

Socialize your dog
Unless your dog is a puppy, the dog park is not the place to start the socialization process! Going back to the situation before, the dog that was aggressive toward mine was at least 60 lbs, around 6 months old, and completely unsocialized. In this case the owner should have brought their dog to obedience classes to work on socialization skills in a supervised environment. If you are unsure of how socialized your dog is and you go to the dog park - keep them on leash. Wait until you are sure that your dog is socialized before you let them loose with other dogs.

By keeping these tips in mind you will be keeping your dog as safe as it can be while around other dogs at the dog park. You may not be able to prevent everything bad that can happen to your dog, but you can take steps to decrease the risk to your dog's safety. Remember that you are responsible for the behavior and care of your dog. As long as you follow these steps, you and your pet can have a relaxing and fun time at the dog park.