Why you might want to think twice about visiting the dog park

Almost every morning at 6am brothers Chester and Teddy head to their local off-leash dog park on Sydney’s North Shore, accompanied by their owner Sandra Walters.

The sproodle (springer spaniel and poodle) pair have a morning ritual that involves waking up and immediately piling into the car, a routine that began when they were early-rising puppies.

“We take them to the dog park every day to let them run and get some exercise,” says Walters, who also enjoys the exercise before a day of working from home. “They have a lot of energy; they’re only two and a half.”

Spending time at the dog park can be great for socialising and exercising your pet, as long as you can abide by a few simple rules.Credit: Getty Images

Walters welcomes the routine because of the socialisation between both dogs and owners.

“We have dog park friends, but we often only know the dog’s names,” she says.

“You end up chatting [with other owners] because the dogs are friendly, and you’re at the same place at the same time. I like the local community.”

Australia has among the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, with dogs being the most popular choice for a furry companion. Estimates put the number of pet dogs nationally at more than 6.3 million. That’s a lot of dogs – and a lot of poo.

Sandra Walters and her two dogs, Chester and Teddy, at their local off-leash dog park.Credit: Sam Mooy

The most universal rule of the off-leash dog park is picking up after your dog. Walters is lucky the other dog park-goers at her park are very responsible. While she knows incidents more serious than unbagged dog poo can happen, she hasn’t encountered many.

Eazy Dog Training owner Anniina Gowen didn’t have the same positive experience with her previous dog after it was attacked numerous times at a dog park.

However, as a dog trainer of 15 years’ experience, Gowen understands the benefits some find at the dog park.

“They can be useful for young puppies when you’re not comfortable letting them off-leash, but you have to be very aware of the risks and how to manage them,” Gowen says.

Dog trainer Anniina Gowen’s two border collies, Sansa and Leeloo.Credit: Courtesy of Anniia Gowen.

Before you play

Gowen says that one of the first things she teaches owners is that the dog park probably isn’t populated with only well-mannered, friendly dogs.

“Before you step into a fenced dog park, always observe the dogs a bit. Can you see polite meetings? Nice play? Is there a bully?”

Gowen says she spent a lot of time socialising her rough-playing border collies, Sansa and Leeloo, as pups so they could play well with other dogs.

“It’s a common misunderstanding that if my dogs have some issues with other dogs, it could be reactive, even anxious, fearful. The way to fix it is through exposure to other dogs,” she says.

Dog park do’s and don’ts

Do

• Ensure your dog is registered and fully vaccinated and consider desexing your dog.
• Bring bags with you and always clean up after your dog.
• Train a reliable recall; if you are unsure, keep your dog leashed.
• Supervise your dog’s behaviour and body language with others.
• Leave the park if your dog is not comfortable. Consider a different park, or take them on a long walk instead.
• Keep your dog leashed until you are inside the off-leash area.

Don’t

• Don’t bring an unpredictable or antisocial dog to the park.
• Don’t attend the dog park if your dog has been sick in the past 48 hours.
• Don’t feed another person’s dog; limit the food and toys you bring.
• Don’t discipline a dog that isn’t yours. If you are unhappy about other dogs in the park, leave.
• Discourage your dog from drinking the communal water to avoid sickness.

Sit. Stay. Come.

A fenced-in dog park can put owners at ease, but Gowen still recommends training a strong recall for your pooch – for your convenience and as a safety measure.

“It can be dangerous if your dog approaches another dog who doesn’t enjoy it, and you cannot re-call your dog away,” she says. “There could be other things like wildlife in the area, or even things they’re not allowed to eat.”

Recall training tips:

• Try to make recall a game. Gowen’s dogs love playing tug-of-war and fetch, so she incorporated this into training.
• Use the highest quality rewards. This could be a delicious treat, or their favourite toy.
• Don’t fall for the false sense of security. Often puppies’ training will regress as “teenagers”, when they feel confident.

Recall training is best started early, but Gowen says that the first full year of the dog’s life should be focused on reinforcing, particularly throughout the mischievous phase at about six to nine months of age.

Stay alert

The dog park is great for socialising (for both pups and people), but that doesn’t mean owners should clock off completely. It’s essential to remain alert to the behaviours of your dog and others.

Gowen says that owners should be able to recognise the difference between playing and fighting.

“Play is only play when it’s mutual,” she says. “So both dogs should be going back and forth, basically asking for more. There should be nice moments of freezing. It shouldn’t be just one dog pinning another down.”

If you’re in doubt about “play”, a good way to test it is to hold your dog and see if the other comes over, indicating it wants to continue playing, or whether it runs off in retreat.

If a fight does occur, Gowen says the No. 1 tip is to safely remove your dog as quickly as possible, block the dog’s view and assess the health of your dog.

“Don’t focus on the other owner. You want to get out of there – get to safety with your dog.”

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