Dog Park Etiquette
Our very own Mr. Henry passed this article on to me, but not just because it’s an interesting article, he happens to be the handsome pup in the picture. Henry, a 1-year-old West Highland White Terrier, was captured as he cools off at Capehart Dog Park in San Diego. Way to go Mr. Henry!
The article, on off- leash dog park etiquette, has some great tips on being a responsible pet parent. All dog parks have official rules, like cleaning up after your pet and making sure their vacinations are current, but there are also some unwritten rules. The following are some things to keep in mind.
Five things you should never bring to the off-leash dog park:
Food: This applies to both the human and canine variety. Whether it’s Fido’s favorite treat or a quick lunch for you, bringing food into the dog park is one of the best ways to go from zero to anarchy in a matter of seconds. And don’t think you can hide those morsels in your pocket–with a sense of smell that is 100,000 times greater than that of a human, they’ll find it every time. After all, they don’t have bomb-sniffing humans, do they?
Your own toys: Of course, bringing your dog’s personal toys to the dog park is fine–as long as neither of you wants to see them again. The beauty of the dog park is the communal atmosphere, so expect to see plenty of sharing, but don’t expect to see Rover politely return Fluffy’s ball when it’s time for her to go home.
Small kids: A dog park may seem like an ideal place to let your two-legged charges run loose as well, but even the friendliest medium- to large-sized dog can knock a toddler to the ground with so much as an enthusiastic greeting, causing inevitable conflict between parent and pet owner. Kid parks outnumber dog parks by at least 100 to 1, so for everyone’s safety and peace of mind, keep at least one hand on your tots when they’re in canine territory.
A leash: Though a must in most situations, a leash should never enter the dog park attached to a dog. Rather than keeping your pooch safe, being tethered to a leash can make your furry friend a sitting duck, unable to get away from dominant or aggressive dogs. Last year in San Diego, a Chihuahua/Yorkie mix was killed at Dusty Rhodes Dog Park when its leash kept it from evading an aggressive Husky. While the leash was obviously not to blame for the incident, it left the small dog open to attack.
An attitude: Your love for Lassie may be unconditional, but that doesn’t mean she can do no wrong. Always keep an eye on your pup and be ready to intervene if playtime gets out of hand.
By following the rules–both written and implied–the dog park can be a great place for everyone who is lucky enough to be owned by a dog. Let the butt-sniffing begin!
THank you, i hope more people who attend dog parks currently take a look at this article, because it brings up some important facts to surface. Especially for children in dog parks, even though i watch my puppy carefully, you can never be too sure.
Thanks for the great article! I agree with Cata Houla, that I too hope that people who attend dog parks look at this article and also look at the rules for their dog park.
Being on the board of our local dog park, beleive me, we see it all!
Thanks again, great article!
People needs to be more respectful towards others at a park.
here are a few things that I don’t get. People bringing in yummy chipotle burritos into the park and getting mad that my dog is jumping on them… sorry, not my dogs fault that it can smell that delicious burrito!
Dont give my dogs treats unless you are willing to have them stuck to you.
And as far as having loose things around that are human things. Please secure them.
My dog got into purses a few times taking things out because the people thought it was okay placing their bag under a bench!
But seriously, people need to read this! or there needs to be one of these in GIANT print at each dog park.
I agree with all of you! I bet every dog who has a dog park near them and has been to a dog park has seen at least one of those things happening. I have… a person brought lunch a nearby dog park and i took my CKCS, Candi there and Candi was jumping on that person…now that wasn’t my fault that they had food with them and it was off leash also. I’ve seen little kids there that have gotten knocked over by big dogs. I also agree with the leash situation…An off leash dog park means that your dog needs to be off leash but opposite i can understand.
and don’t forget the #1 rule for all Dog Parks… YOU are responsible for picking up your dog’s #2!!!!!!! I seen it too many times at a chic-chic dog park in a very upscale suburb–the humans are standing around having their social hour, totally ignoring what their pups are doing… one of the worse offfenders? A vet from a very prestigious local animal hospital and her two darling pointers…
Humans should also remember not to loiter near the gate. If you stand around by the gate, your dog might hang out there too. With all the excitement and comings and goings - this is the place where ‘altercations’ are most likely to break out.
We’ve found that when the humans move, the dog’s keep moving too and this defuses a lot of unneccessary stress.
I think it’s great to remind people about off leash etiquette. However, I disagree, at least in part, about not bringing food. If my dog does a super excellent recall away from other dogs then I want to be able to reward them thoroughly. Obviously you don’t want to be feeding your dog amongst a pack of other dogs or wearing your treats in an open bag, but it’s about common sense. And sorry, but if you can’t call your dog away from someone else who happens to be giving their dog a treat, well…
If you own a small dog, do not bring it to the dog park if it isn’t socialized. And definitely do not pick it up when it runs to you for protection.
I have seen countless cases of aggressive, loud, nervous, unsocialized small dogs that instigate altercations with larger dogs and then run back to their owners who quickly scoop them up and comfort them. This attention is reinforcing and encouraging the unstable behaviors in the little dogs. It teaches them they will get attention when they instigate fights and then run into the owner’s arms. Let Fifi deal with the big dogs when she nips at them and they’ll put her in her place more effectively than you ever will.
I have taken the time to train and socialize my dog and I do not appreciate that we both have to deal with these types of unstable small dogs in the park. If you don’t want to train your small dog, keep it as an accessory to match your favorite purse and shoes and stay away from the responsible owners and our dogs.
while I can understand how entering a dog park with a leash attatched to your dog, can err on the dangerous side in select, unusual situations…it is usually a requirement of most dog parks to enter with your dog attatched to a leash. It is also usually a written rule anyway that dogs who show signs of aggression or dominance are not admitted into the parks anyhow. therefore, I do not agree 100% on the “entering without your dog attatched to a leash” advice. The rest of the article, though, is indeed sound and sage advice for any dogpark goer!
Hey Rhon, Remo’s Mum,
If I see someone who does not pick up after their dog, I “assume” they do not have a bag. I offer them a bag (ask them if they need a bag as I stuff it in their hand) and am even helpful enough to direct them to the poo just in case they lost sight of it.
Thank you for this!!! I wish more people would obey the “no people food” and “no dog treats” rule at my dog park!! I have a wonderful, wonderful beagle, but as a beagle, her nose can sniff out any little morsel of food- human or canine, that enters through the fence whether it’s in your hand, your pocket, or a sealed container! It’s not her being poorly trained because she will come back to me as soon as I call her; it’s her instinct to follow her nose, especially to food! One day, a mom even was letting her toddler daughter run around the dog park eating graham crackers, with a pack of dogs chasing her trying to get the crackers!! I was apalled, and worried about the little girl’s safety! I ended up holding my own dog by the collar until the crackers were gone to keep her away from the pack because of a fear a brawl might break out over those graham crackers! So please, keep the food out of dog parks, and especially, out of your kids hands while at the dog parks!
I wish more people were on Dogster from our area, we have 3 dog parks to choose from and of the 3 only one has been all around pleasant, and its the one that is free go figure. At one park you have a couple of owner that use the dog park as a training facility for their dogs (treats included), the fact that her pups are there on a training retreat is always bothersome to us. You also get the owners that allow bad behavior and are also behaving badly, we were getting such a bad taste in our mouths for dog parks, but we know the importance of socialization, but from our Mya getting attacked by a dog then her being kicked by its owner, to several aggressive dogs always forcing Mya into a corner we were ready to give up, but found a 3rd dog park a little out of the way, but so much more pleasant, and the last time we were there, there was a husky resuce there with 7 huskies for her to play with. Thank you for posting this, I hope the right people read it.
Thank you for all those pointers! I feel like telling people this is a DOG park, not a playground! Too often small children play in the wading pools, chase shy dogs, and run around barefoot. (Don’t their parents rea;ize what our dogs do on every square inch of the ground there??) I don’t take my dog to the kid’s playground, please extend the same courtesy. Also, it’s hard enough to keep an eye on your dog at all times, let alone a toddler.
Since I’m venting….humping is not playing, it’s a form of dominance, and has caused many scuffles. Please pull your dog off if this occurs. Thanks again.
Got to be honest, if someone brings in food we throw the dog’s balls towards them, so they’ll catch the scent and go visit the offenders. God help the family that actually tried to set down a picnic blanket for their family, and was swarmed by many drooling, hungry dogs!
One lady gave her dog a large, meaty bone @ the park one day, and was ticked ’cause all the dogs came to visit, and eventually stole it.
We got our second dog from the shelter and were training this adult dog to come to its name with treats. One afternoon when we went to the dog park I forgot I had some treats in a plastic bag in my pocket and one dog jumped on me. Well, I then remember I brought the treats and attempted to hand to my husband to manage the treats. Well, the dog’s owner blasted me for attempting to give her dog a treat to which I responded apologetically that I forgot I had the treats. She then yelled at me for her dog jumping on me (to which I never cared nor complained).
I admit that I was in the wrong but somehow I think her dogs behaved better than she did. Approaching offenders with manners probably goes further than yelling at them.
The rules are great and our parks list them yet we have many offenders bringing children, lunches, and not cleaning up.
These are really helpful tips that every dog owner should pay attention to. Time at the park is supposed to be fun for both dogs and humans (at least that’s what I’ve always thought). I came across a really cute book the other day that reinforces this. Dog Park Diary: the Social Round of Goody Beagle is a really humorous look at what goes on at the dog park, as told from the dog’s point of view, but it also shows through the stories and photos just how important a visit to the park is for the dogs.
i took my 20 lb mutt (heritage undetermined) to the dog park yesterday for some socialization. normally she loves other dogs, very friendly, unobtrusive, just a sweet girl. a standard poodle came over to play and willow snarled and leaped for the poodle’s throat. i was astonished at this unfamiliar behavior. i wonder if i should forget the dog park or attempt again. any advice?
Great article! They seem like common sense things, but not what I thought about when I planned a visit to our local dog park. These really should be written rules! And I wish I read this article last summer before I took Luna to the dog park the first time. We walked in with her on her leash and she almost became a Chihuahua killed in Spokane dog park story. She is okay, but we had the dickens scared out of us.
Further things about toys. If your dog like to play ball or frisbee with you make sure you are not tossing these items into groups of dogs or people at the park. Move away from where people are to have your own game. If you see others playing fetch or frisbee with their dogs, respect the game and re-call your dog away from where they are playing.
About leashes, that is a good general guideline, but I know in my case, with 2 dogs which compete in agility, I need them to behave appropiately in all situations on and off leash regardless of what may be occuring around them. One of my dogs a sensitive to small children and I always put him on leash when there are children in the park. We practice our settling quietly with the flurry of doggy play going on around us. I am constantly aware of my dogs and what is going on. If other dogs start to approach my leashed dog, I step between them.
What I find very funny is the food rule. While I agree with it in principle, does anyone find it odd that dogs who attend sports classes or advanced obedience classes are around multiple people and dogs which treats galore and yet do not bother other people for food. My local HS has a gathering each month of dog owners. They set tables with bowls filled with food treats and of course desert pastries for the dog owners. I have yet to see a dog jumping to a table to steal food, or dogs wander over to strangers for a bite. The Dog park though is a different story. Last year a mother gave their 3yo a hotdog….you can guess what that led too. The good news is that my dogs will not bother others for food, including small children. This is because of training. I suspect the food issue is primarily because the vast majority of average dog owners do not spend time training beyond sit, stay, come, and down.
Thank you for the pointers! Sadly we don’t have a local dog park
but I am planning a vacation with my Corgi Lilli to the closest dog friendly city with an off leash dog park, and now I know what to do!
Thanks again!
~*~Emily~*~
These are very interesting and helpful advices.Although we have no dog parks here at Cyprus,I take my dogs to an old open field where many other owners take their dogs too,so I can use the advices.
The advice about the leash is very important.When I take Totos at that place on his leash the other dogs growl to him.A few days ago I let him ran offleashed and we had no problems.
I fully agree with 90% of the comments. We have a dog beach that I frequent with my 3 dogs. All Boxers, well behaved and socialized. What I love most is that people come and bring no water, so their dogs come and drink ours, which I offer freely, then tell them they have to bring water. Also, it is 95 degrees here in Florida, so I don’t go as much now as when it cools down some. I bring with me, water, towels, an umbrella, which is only half in the ground for the dogs to get under, and now I have a cabana for the dogs also. They get hot too. Of course, I usually have up to 10 dogs at once under the umbrella and in the cabana. Me, I love the sun, so I don’t go under them.
Also, I love when humans place their blankets and belongings down, and a dog goes up and pees, and they get mad. Hey, get it! This is a DOG BEACH, not a human beach. If you want to lie down and get a tan, go to a human beach, because as soon as you lie down, you’ll have a dog on top of you. Especially my big one…. Oh the altercations! It’s especially bad when the snow birds get here for the winter and their dogs aren’t socialized. It’s a zoo. But I take it in stride, and try to help people with their dogs. My three are very gentle, and friendly. And listen well to me. I have a deaf dog, and he’s even better behaved than a lot of hearing ones. So, if anyone is coming to Florida, come to the beach, but please bring water, shade, and socialize your dog before, so their won’t be any problems. And remember, get your tan at a human beach. I will spend hours there, but I am well prepared, taking a beach cart full of coolers, blankets, umbrella, cabana, and lord knows what else I bring. It’s a task, but well worth seeing my boys romp and swim in the Gulf. There are up to 100 dogs on a weekend during snow bird season, as we Floridians call it. There is no fence, but all the space for your dog to swim and play.
I think what is the most irritating is when I see people bring their dog into the dog park and actually walk the dog in the fenced in area and never take them off the leash!!!! I have seen people (especially older women) pull up in the car, get out with the dog on a leash, walk in, and walk right back out because they dogs were chasing each other, or growling and barking (playfully). I feel so bad for the poor dog ! I wonder if the owner would like that kind of treatment if the shoe was on the other foot?
The second most irritating is ungoverned small children running loose in the park, playing roughly with the dogs, especially the smaller breeds. I have many times have had to take my Pomeranians out of some grubby little 6 year old’s death grip. One child even picked up my Bandit when he was a puppy ( 4 months old at the time) and dropped him!! Thank goodness he fell on the grass. But needless to say, I was very upset.
What a great list of things. I go to a doggie Park near my home and I love it. Most dogs and their owners are nice and responsible, but there are a few. Always key an eye on your dog pet owners. The dog park is really not the place for an especially small child. They run and get the dogs excited and they could get hurt. A lot of the times their parents don;t even care that they run around. Another thing is SMOKING.. Please can we have some fresh air? My mom said she read one place that cigarette butts are poison for dogs if they eat them. I know anyone at a dog park would never intentionally want to harm a pup.. Please finish your smoke before you enter the dog park.
I could go on for days but will try to make this brief. No one should be allowed to purchase a dog without 1. visiting a dogpark. 2. watching undercover films taken @ puppy mills.
3. volunteering @ a dog shelter for about a month straight.
Too many people are too uneducated (clueless) about dogs to own one.
A dog park is for DOGS! It is not a place to bring all the kids and socialize. You ARE responsible for picking up after your dog, I am not. We had dog playground clean up on a Sunday morning, with everyone helping it took less than an hour. We picked up trash, broken toys, poop, etc. We were very proud of how our park looked, however, I went back in less than 2 hours later and found a dozen fresh piles of poo. Why do a few responsible dog owners have to make up for all the irresponsible ones??? I get so disgusted I get to the point I refuse to help anymore. We have several volunteers @ our park who talk to new owners and their dogs, we review rules, which are clearly posted right outside the entrance, show them where the poo bags are and remind people to pick up after their dogs, occasionally settle differences, etc. However many nights when I’d like to enjoy the park with my dog I’m more like the playground police and have to run after people and remind them of the rules most of them are well aware of (and just walked right by) Sadly my dog suffers because some nights I just can’t bring myself to deal with some of these clowns. Also, how can you expect to watch, control your dog when you bring 3 dogs, 4 kids, a stroller, come on now!
Please do not tell me you will control your dog when you are sitting on a bench 50 ft away and I’m standing right by your dog watching him bite a scared puppy on the back! Your dog is a bully and needs to stop his aggressive behavior! If you don’t stop it, I will. But like I said, some nights I just can’t deal with you or your dog and I stay home.
Use some common sense!!!
We have found Dog Parks to a Great Place or a Nightmare depending on which one you go to, and or what kind of Dogs/Humans are there at the time. We have 2 Aussie’s who are very friendly to Dogs and Humans. They love to chase and be chased at the Dog Park. Unfortunately our older one has been attacked twice by aggressive dogs with owners who give excuses like, “there dogs, let them work it out” kind of stuff. Another lady said to us her Dog always reacts like that to dogs with long hair! I also agree with another poster, constantly knocking my 6 month old pup to the ground and humping him isn’t “Playing”. Sometimes it’s worth the peace of mind to drive a little further to a Dog Park with a more mellow crowd, and smarter humans.
A quick piece of advice that I learned the hard way. When you have 2 or 3 dogs playing chase turn your back and bend your knees when they come your way! I didn’t one day figuring they would vere off at the last minute and my own Dog ran right into my knees, wow that hurt! I can only imagine if some toddler were standing there, he would have been knocked down very hard.
Hard lesson learned, huh, Teri? Bent knees are a must when the dogs play chase, they see their target, not you!
Most parks and dogs are fine, it’s the owners that challenge your visits. Try different times or days until you find the right combination that fits you and your dog. Would love to see Cesar do a series of shows from various dog parks. He could do a whole season training owners!
Great article!!! Thanks for the tips.
We had an initial bad experience with the dog park in our neighborhood. When we took our then 5-month old border collie there one afternoon, she was attacked and trapped by two large brown dogs of indeterminate breed and bad attitude whose owner did nothing but laugh at the situation. My husband waded in and rescued our terrified puppy.
About a month ago (our pup is 10-months old now), we tried another dog park on the outskirts of the city which provided a much better experience. Our dog was naturally reluctant at first, but quickly found a friend near her age and size and all was well.
I know some parks segregate dogs by size and/or age in different areas. From our experience, I think that’s a good idea.