Making the Most of a Visit to the Dog Park

There is more to a visit to a dog park than meets the eye. Most people take their dogs for socialization and fun; however there is a lot of education to be had before you even get there. Here are three suggestions to help you to maximize the benefits of a trip to your dog park:

Dog Park and Play Group Etiquette

Several times a week we offer small dog socials and puppy play groups at different locations in Manhattan. These trainer moderated groups are a wonderful way to allow dogs under 20 pounds (for the small dog socials) and pups under 5 1/2 months old (for the puppy play groups) an opportunity to socialize with other dogs and their people in a supervised, indoor environment. Playing with other, well socialized dogs is a superb way to allow a dog to burn off mental and physical energy as well as to improve upon and/or maintain social skills. As an added bonus, these sorts of play groups can be a lot of fun for people as well. Whether you take your dog to an indoor, trainer supervised play group or to a safely enclosed, clean dog park there are some rules of conduct that are sure to make the experience as valuable and safe as possible for all.

Perhaps most importantly, when exposing your dog to a group of other dogs (some of whom will be unfamiliar) you should be as confident as possible that your dog is not likely to behave aggressively. Aggression can be a tricky term to define, and any even trickier thing for pet parents to acknowledge as a problem in their own dogs. And of course, even the most well socialized dog may have it's moments here and there. What is important is to carefully consider your dog's general behavior and temperament and therefore suitability for a stimulating and constantly changing environment like a dog play group. To follow is a brief list of some of the things to consider about taking your dog to a play group:

-Are there particular types of dogs your dog is not tolerant of? For example, I just worked with a dog last week who consistently gets into scuffles with brachycephalic or pushed-faced dogs such as Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Boston Terriers. If you know there are particular dogs or types of dogs whom your own dog does not play well with, then excuse yourself and your dog from the group until you feel the mix is right.