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walk away in situations that make them uncomfortable.
If they are not able to move away effectively,
it can cause altercations between dogs.
Behavior: Pay attention to the environment
in the park before you take your dog inside. Be
aware of other dogs behaving inappropriately or
strangely. If you notice anything that seems like
it could be a problem, it might be best to avoid
the situation, or at least be extra aware while you
are there. Also, if your dog’s behavior changes
and they are displaying fearful, agitated, or even
aggressive behaviors, it might be best to leave the
dog park.
Security: You want to make sure that all
fences are secure and maintained. Also, be sure
that all gates are double gated to reduce the
chance of any dogs escaping.
Small dog areas: If your dog is under 20 lbs.
it would be wise to find a park that has a sepa-
rate small dog area. If your small pup enjoys
playing with bigger dogs, that’s great! However,
not all big dogs do well with little ones. Keep
in mind that some dogs and breeds have a tendency
for pray drive. It would be a good idea
to visually survey the park for potential issues
and ask owners if their dogs will be okay with
your little guy present.
Not all dog parks are going to meet the
needs for every dog or dog owner. If you
frequent one specific dog park, and consistently
run into problems, it might be time for
a change in routine. If you have easy access to
multiple dog parks, try out a few of them at
different times of the day to find the best one
for your dog. It is important that we listen to
our dogs. Just because a dog park seems great
to us as humans doesn’t mean your dog is
always going to feel the same. When you find
the right one, you will know it.
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