Crate Training

The Champaign Park District opened a new outdoor dog park on June 13, 2009, providing the community with a new area where dog owners can exercise their pets off leash. But before you rush out to the new park, experts suggest you consider carefully whether it's you or your dog who really craves the party atmosphere of an off-leash park.

Whether or not to make use of a local dog park may be a difficult decision for pet owners, Pat Miller, owner of Peaceable Paws Training Center in Hagerstown, Md., says in an article in Whole-Dog-Journal.com. Some pet owners know their dogs live and breathe for their dog park visits, others have watched their pets be traumatized or even killed by the lack of supervision in off-leash areas. Just like people, dogs have unique personalities. While some dogs have excellent social skills and enjoy meeting lots of dogs, others find it stressful or overwhelming, or simply don't have the skill it takes to diffuse tension and avoid conflicts.

Miller says that it is vital for dog owners to understand the etiquette of dog parks and commit to being active members of their dog park community in order to create a safe and comfortable atmosphere. Dog parks are excellent community builders because recurrent dog park users become familiar with faces and names of other regular users creating friendships not only between pet owners but between pets as well. Pet owners who are invested in their park also become gatekeepers who are able to educate new users, work together for park improvements, and report negligence or abuse of the park to authorities.

However, there are a few items a pet owner should give strong consideration to before visiting a dog park for the first time. For example:

Review your dog's temperament. Is she friendly and happy to be around other dogs and strange people or is she nervous, aggressive, or fearful of social interactions? If she's the latter, fenced dog parks are not a good fit.
Does he understand and follow basic commands like "come," "sit," and "leave it?"
Is your dog respectful of other dogs and people or does he constantly mouth, bark, jump, or pee on others? If he has trouble keeping his body under control, he's probably not a good fit at the dog park.
Has your dog been vaccinated and spayed or neutered? Is your dog healthy? Socialization is a key way to transfer illnesses from one dog to another, so you want to make sure that everyone sharing the park is invested in preventing illness.

There are also a few etiquette rules a dog owner should follow:

Know the rules of your dog park before you become a dog park user.
Never take food or small children into the dog park. Food causes distraction and competition among dogs, and small children can be injured by dogs (or vice versa), if they are not supervised correctly.
Be careful about bringing toys to the dog park. Like food, toys also can cause issues with guarding or competition. Dogs don't necessarily understand the concept of sharing.
Young puppies are safer at home until fully immunized and spayed or neutered.
Supervise your dog. Don't sit in the corner and read a newspaper or become so involved in conversations that you fail to monitor your dog. The park provides a great opportunity for you to actively engage in play with your dog! Don't assume that your dog is having a positive experience and getting sufficient exercise just because he is surrounded by other dogs.

It's also important to be aware that entering a dog park is usually the most stressful time of the visit. Dogs already at the park are interested to meet the new dogs coming in, while arriving dogs are highly aroused and excited. When entering the park, owners inside the fence should concentrate on moving their dogs away from the gates to allow new animals some entry space. Miller recommends new arrivals unleash their pets as soon as possible on entry, as being on a leash surrounded by dogs that are off leash can be very stressful and may cause conflict.

From time to time there are conflicts at dog parks. Sometimes the conflicts are between dogs and sometimes they are between owners. Most conflicts arise between dogs when etiquette rules are not followed, the park is overcrowded, or owners allow the arousal level between dogs to get too high and out-of-control.

To minimize conflicts, use direct, honest, and polite communication with other owners and maintain control over your dog. Work with other owners to spot troublesome behaviors, but do not discipline someone else's dog. Keep in mind that even in the most considerate and conscientious dog park community, problems can arise, as dogs have moods just like people do. Therefore, owners should always be prepared to remove their dog(s) from the park, if the situation requires it.

And don't forget to always pick up after your dog to keep the play area clean. Most dog parks supply eco-friendly dog poop bags, so be sure to use them or carry in your own.

After making these considerations, if you decide that your dog isn't well suited for a dog park, you're not alone. There are lots of dog-friendly areas around town where your dog will be thrilled to take a long on-leash walk with his favorite person.

..........Dana Williams

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