Good Manners for Dogs & Owners in Off-Leash Parks

Taking your pup to an off-leash dog park is an excellent way to burn off some excess energy, socialize with other dogs and their owners, and unwind from a stressful day. For high-energy dogs, it is a vital daily ritual that helps lessen the chances of troublesome behavior. However, careful steps must be taken to ensure the safety of your dog in the park, and to help build a positive community atmosphere among your fellow dog owners. ̶0;Off-leash̶1; is not a synonym for ̶0;unsupervised.̶1;

  1. Know Your Dog

    • It is critical that you understand your dog̵7;s personality, temperament and limits. For example, is your dog OK in large crowds? Some dogs, even those who are well socialized, become stressed and fearful when too many dogs are present in a small park environment. Work to understand your dog̵7;s feelings on rough play, dog sizes, park population and to learn his unique body language cues that indicate he is ready to leave. Knowing when your dog is at his limit helps you pick the right times to visit the park and to avoid his getting involved in a tussle with other pups. Your dog and his actions are your responsibility.

    Learn About Dogs

    • If you are planning to enter an open environment with multiple dogs, be sure to learn a bit about canine body language and the ways in which dogs like to play. Many inexperienced dog owners spend their dog park time yelling at dogs for doing things that are quite normal for dogs, like rough play or growling, and in the process create an environment dense with anxiety and stress that the dogs can easily sense. Knowing the difference between good dog-on-dog behavior and bad dog-on-dog behavior will make your park experience much more enjoyable and safe.

    Pay Attention

    • An off-leash dog park is not a place for you to read a book or talk on the phone while your dog plays unsupervised. You should be watching your dog at all times to ensure he is behaving well. Nothing will earn you the disdain of fellow park-goers faster than ignoring your dog while he jumps all over owners, starts fights, crowds the entrance gate or hassles dogs who do not want his company. Even if your dog is well behaved, you should be engaged with him to ensure his safety and the safety of other dogs. The park is an excellent place to bond with your dog, so use it.

    Leave It as You Found It

    • Your local dog park is a community space shared by people with a common love of dogs. Show the park and fellow visitors respect by leaving it as you found it. Do not allow your dog to leave with toys that belong to the park. Pick up your dog̵7;s poop with a plastic bag and place it in the trash. Refill water containers if available, and participate in the upkeep of the park by picking up trash and donating the occasional ball or toy. An off-leash park is a precious resource for dog owners and should be treated as such.

    Be Courteous

    • The dog park is a social space. Be courteous to other park visitors by treating their dogs with respect and ensuring your dog displays his best manners. If another dog is bothering your pup or you, talk with his owner politely. Understand that accidents happen at the dog park -- you might get muddy, your dog might end up in a fracas, or a dog might crash into you on the run. In fact, if you spend a significant amount of time at any dog park, those things are more likely to happen than not. Be kind to the dogs in the park when accidents occur, be respectful to the owners, and work to keep your park a positive and happy place for dogs to hang out.