So you want to take your Golden Retriever to the dog park? In many cases this is a GREAT idea and we’ve done it many times but there are quite a few misunderstandings about what a dog park is, how it should be used and how to behave. Well…. It’s more about how YOU should behave; not your puppy since you are the leader but I digress… Here are some of my thoughts and advice on Dog Parks:
Dog Park Pro’s
- Great exercise
- Great socialization opportunities
- A chance to let your pup off leash.
- If there is a clean swimming area it’s a great playground for water dogs.
- Most dogs LOVE it!
Dog Park Con’s
- You have zero control over the health and vaccinations of the other dogs
- Parasites are more likely to be there
- Possible dog fights
- Irresponsible owners (more on this later)
- Poorly or unmaintained ponds can be dangerous for your fur-baby’s health
Things for Bring
- Water and bowl
- Even parks with water are sometimes not functioning or don’t have a good way for the dog to get the water into their mouths from the faucet.
- Spray bottle of water to get their attention if needed
- Toys (maybe)
- Be careful here. A thrown ball may incite a riot if you are careless. A stuffed toy may bet ripped to pieces between all the dogs or could start a fight. Also just accept right now that you may not come home with that toy. Dogs have no concept of ownership. To them, anything you bring is for them to play with.
- A good and happy attitude
- poop bags. The park may have some but it’s good practice to have some of your own just in case or if the bag station is too far away when the event happens. In any case, CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR DOG!!. Not doing so is not only nasty and rude, it is a health hazard for the other dogs.
Things to leave at home
- Books. You are there to supervise and have fun with your dog, not let them run wild.
- Puppies and any other dog that is not yet fully vaccinated. Again, dog parks are filled with dogs that you know nothing about. It is absolutely critical that your dog be healthy and fully vaccinated and treated for fleas and heart worms before going to the park. Think of it like the subway in New York city; how many people have been in that seat and touched those surfaces? Do you know them and do you if they were clean and safe? Dog parks, like subways have their uses and should be taken advantage of but sensible prep is wise.
- Any of your unaltered female dogs that are in heat. If she just finished her heat in the past few weeks, bathe her thoroughly first. The boys cannot help their reaction if she smells too good….
Dog Park Do’s
- Observe the activity in the park and the park itself before you enter. If you see way too many dogs or if you see dogs fighting or if the park just looks unclean, now might be a good time to go get your fur-baby a Puppy-Whip (yes, that’s a thing) at Starbucks instead.
- As you enter, try to wait for any crowd of dogs at the gate to disperse. Dogs that know the park may try to get out and it’s best to ease your puppy into the park without a huge crowd around them.
- If your dog is not fully socialized, start off by keeping them on leash and introduce them to some other dogs with plenty of praise and encouragement. Once you are comfortable that they will get along fine, then turn them loose and let them play!
- Do watch your dog. This is not doggy daycare; YOU are responsible for your dog.
- If he or she poos, for goodness sake PICK IT UP! This is not only the right thing to do but any good park REQUIRES it.
- Watch for potential dog fights. Dog fights are not really common and Golden Retrievers are especially friendly but they can happen. Even if your Golden is the nicest dog in the world (we are pretty sure ours are the nicest), there is no way to tell if other’s dogs are that nice and socialized.
Harley and River at play It is normal for dogs to play rough, growl and bark, even Golden Retrievers. It is not normal to wrinkle up their nose and bare their teeth in anger. Know your dog and the behavior of other dogs. Playful dogs should have tail up and wagging. Ears should be loose and there should be lots of “play bowing” (hips up, front down). Remember that a dog’s mouth is like our hands and will be used when playing so light biting is normal.
If you see a dog with ears pinned back or tense and forward and snarling, be on the ready. If they do in fact get in a fight, give it a second; most fights end in bout that long. Try calling your pooch back to you. If the fight goes longer that a second or 2, the be ready with some water to throw or squirt on them. If the fight goes on longer than a few seconds, you AND the other owner should coordinate your moves and move in behind your perspective dogs. Carefully grab them by the upper part of the back legs and pull them apart. Do NOT grab them by the midsection or shoulders or collar, this will almost certainly mean you get bit; maybe by your own dog. I speak from experience here folks, your own dog will not know it’s you at that point and almost certainly will bite you in the heat of the moment if you let them. Once you have them separated, keep them separated, calm them and now might be a good time to exit the park and attend to your pooch.
- Play with your golden and encourage them to meet other dogs. This is a prime place for socialization.
- Do be nice to and if you like, have nice conversation with other humans but be sure to maintain supervision of your dog.
- Make sure your Golden Retriever has a collar, dog tag with your info and a properly registe
red microchip. While it is very unlikely your dog will get loose from the park, it is more likely than in your home. Remember that at the dog park, everyone has access to the gate. - Accept that there WILL be dog owners that have not read this article. There will be times when dogs are unsupervised and ill behaved repeatedly. In my experience this is a direct reflection on their owners and to the extent possible you should just pity them and try to enjoy your day.
- If your Golden is male and still intact, watch him closely. If someone brings a female in heat or freshly off her heat he may react badly. It’s not his fault; it’s a natural imperative but he still needs to be controlled to prevent hard feeling with the other owner or even dog fights. Unless she is in estrus, she will not be interested and may fight him to get left alone.
If you see a dog with ears pinned back or tense and forward and snarling, be on the ready. If they do in fact get in a fight, give it a second; most fights end in bout that long. Try calling your pooch back to you. If the fight goes longer that a second or 2, the be ready with some water to throw or squirt on them. If the fight goes on longer than a few seconds, you AND the other owner should coordinate your moves and move in behind your perspective dogs. Carefully grab them by the upper part of the back legs and pull them apart. Do NOT grab them by the midsection or shoulders or collar, this will almost certainly mean you get bit; maybe by your own dog. I speak from experience here folks, your own dog will not know it’s you at that point and almost certainly will bite you in the heat of the moment if you let them. Once you have them separated, keep them separated, calm them and now might be a good time to exit the park and attend to your pooch.
red microchip. While it is very unlikely your dog will get loose from the park, it is more likely than in your home. Remember that at the dog park, everyone has access to the gate.Dog Park Do Nots
- Don’t criticize other owners if it can be avoided. You don’t know them and there is little gained by telling them their dog is ill behaved or that they missed picking up their dog’s poo. If they become a consistent problem, you may want to ask them politely to control their dog but the best bet may be to report them to the park owners and move on. You and your fur-baby are there to enjoy the park and enjoy life, not be tense and unhappy. Happiness if often infectious; feel free to spread it around!
- Do NOT leave your golden’s poo on the ground. We’ve talked about this but I can’t say this enough. PICK IT UP!
- Don’t spend all your time looking at your phone. Again, you are there to be with, play with and enjoy your dog; your phone can wait.
- Don’t try to pet other dogs unless the owners are around and give you permission. Some owners are very particular about this and you have no idea how that dog will react to your hands.
- If you bring another human then both of you should enjoy your dog. Don’t spend your time tied up in intense conversation and ignore your pooch.
Not All Dog Parks are Equal
Offering up a few acres with some kind of fence around it is not a true dog park that that’s exactly what some few do. Check out the park and/or it’s reviews online before going. There is nothing worse than heading to a park that is covered in poo landmines, all dirt with no shade has a swimming pond with zero circulation and somewhat green or no easy access to good clean water for drinking. Thankfully the horrible parks are few in number but we’ve stumbled across a few. Here are some things to watch for:
- Is there at least some grass
- Small gravel can be OK for cooler climates but we are in central Texas; it gets HOT here. Hot rocks can be painful and injure doggie feet.
- Is there sufficient shade? The dogs will almost certainly play hard and if it’s a warm day they will need a place to cool off.
- Is it maintained on a regular basis?
- Is the fence high enough and in good enough shape to keep all the dogs in?
- Are dogs segregated by size?
- This is not a requirement but we’ve found this to be nice and in some cases safer for both sizes of dogs.
- Does the entry/exit have double gates (helpful to keep the escape artists inside).
- Is there ample parking close by?
- Is there clean water that humans can drink?
- Is there multiple clean dog watering stations?
- Do they provide poop bags and trash cans (that are not full)?
- Are dog park rules clearly posted?
Summary
Dog parks can be tons of fun and can be really good for your fur-baby but some common sense should be brought along and not all parks are created equal. Make sure the park is a safe place for your Golden Retriever just like you would if you took your small child to a city park. Make sure your dogs are healthy, fully vaccinated and protected from fleas. Pay attention to and have fun with your dog and be mindful that the other humans and dogs are there to have fun as well. It bears one more reminder since this drives me nutz: for goodness sake clean up after them.
Links
5 Steps to Prep Your Dog for the Dog Park
Dog parks: good or Bad for Dogs and Their Owners? | petMD
Dog Park Etiquette in 10 Easy Steps
About the author.
Bryan Curry loves all dogs in general, especially Golden Retrievers. He has had dogs for all but 6 months of his long life and all have lived happy and much longer than average lives. Bryan and his wife Terri are co-owners of Texas TLC Goldens; a small responsible breeder producing high quality Golden Retriever puppies.