Tips for a Good Trip to the Dog Park

Do you take your pet to dog parks? If yes, then you are among a lot of dog owners who love taking their dogs to these parks. Dog parks are a good venue where your dog is free to run around unleashed and mingle with her fellow canines. This is essential for them because dogs are known to be pack animals that enjoy the company of other dogs. Like humans, your pets need to socialize with their own kind as well. The dog park also offers an opportunity to do some dog training while you're there.

In dog parks, you let your dog run and play around off leash but this does not mean that you don’t have to watch over her. As the owner, you have the responsibility of maintaining your authority over your dog. You have to keep training your dog to be obedient even if you let her loose at times. Don’t just sit on the sides and wait until your pet gets tired of the park and is ready to go home.

Although the park may be a great place for dogs to socialize, there is still a possibility for your dog to get into trouble. If you don’t keep an eye on her, you will never know if your dog gets into any bad situation. So to prevent such things from happening to your dog -- and to keep your control over her even if she’s enjoying the park too much -- you can try the following measures every time you decide to go to the dog park.

Take some time to practice a few basic commands such as “sit” or “stay” before you let her out of her leash to play. Make sure you reward her fairly just before you let her loose. By doing these, your dog will be able to understand that she still has to obey you even if she is having so much fun at the park.
Even in relaxing and happy places such as the dog park, it is still inevitable that some dogs will be aggressive, especially those with a dominant personality. This could lead to injurious confrontations between your dog and other dogs. What you can do to minimize this aggression is to pet your dog once in a while during play. Call her by name and have her come to you. Play with her a bit and set her in a good and playful mood before you allow her to continue mingling with other dogs.
Always keep close watch over your dog so that if she gets into an overwhelming situation, you can easily pull her out of it. Watch out for warning signs such as intense staring, snarling, nipping, mounting or any other aggressive body language from your dog or from another. Dominant dogs tend to threaten those submissive ones, so if you find your dog lying on her back, with her tail tucked in and begins to pee, it means that she is in a tough situation and is already stressed out and fearful. This is the time when you have to intervene and make sure to get her out immediately.

Nevertheless, trips to the dog park are usually a good experience not just for your dog, but also for you being able to see your dear pet enjoy the company of her fellow canines. Apart from the benefits of socialization and moments of dog training, it also gives your dog a very good exercise.

Tips for a Good Trip to the Dog Park

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