Taking your dog to the park seems like an incredibly great idea! Especially if your dog understands the commands “walk” “play” and “park” and his ears perk up and tail wags in excitement about the opportunity to head on out.
But that can all quickly change when you get there and the dog park is crowded, someone who isn’t usually there has a poorly socialized dog off-leash or you’re simply not prepared.
To ensure your dog listens to the actions you want them to perform, here are a few tips so you can have the best possible experience.
Check Vaccinations
For the health and safety of your pet and other dogs at the park, it’s important that you are up to date with all vaccinations. You should not take your dog to the park until you’ve verified they are protected against any potential illness or harm.
Pack Supplies
All dogs like to play with toys – whether it’s a tug toy or a ball, it’s important to bring one for your dog so in case he doesn’t want to share, or there are no others available, you have a backup. In addition to water to drink, of course, you should also pack some spare poop bags. While it makes sense that a park would supply some – there is a chance the station is out and it’s respectful and sanitary to pick up after your dog.
Training
Dog training starts a home. Obedience to your commands is essential to a human/dog relationship. When you’re outside of the home – going for a walk or taking time out to play at the dog park, your pup should still recognize and obey commands like sit, come, etc. It takes time to train a dog so be patient and practice often.
Stay Close By
No matter where you go, you should always only be a step away from your dog. At park in particular there is always the chance of a dog fight breaking out and you want to be sure to help break it up asap.
