If your dog needs a change of scenery, consider taking him or her to the dog park, where they can play, exercise, and socialize with other dogs and people. These activities can benefit your dog both physically and mentally. But that doesn't mean the dog should be free to roam the park without your supervision. Here are a few tips to keep your pet safe at the dog park.
1. Attention!
You should keep an eye on your dog in the park and not be distracted. Pay close attention to the dogs and their body language. If necessary, interrupt play to calm their behavior and remove your dog if they are scared or being bullied by others. In addition, it can be helpful to leave toys at home to prevent your pet from guarding his toys.
2. Know when to pause a game.
How do you know when to pause a game? Any game that appears to be questionable should be stopped as it could lead to a fight. Questionable behaviors include stalking, possessiveness over a toy (such as aggressive tug of war), and wrestling, if more than two dogs are involved or if one dog is always at the bottom. Aggressive behavior such as neck biting, excessive barking, clamping down on another dog and nipping at other dogs is not appropriate for the dog park and should be stopped immediately.
3. Don't Forget Disease!
Other safety concerns for the dog park are the spread of infectious diseases and parasites. It is important that dogs who go to parks are given medication that prevents heartworms, fleas and intestinal parasites. Dogs also need regular vaccinations so it is best to leave puppies at home until they have had all their vaccinations. It is also advisable for dogs that have contact with other dogs to be vaccinated against kennel cough, a contagious respiratory disease.
