Dog Park Etiquette: 3 Things to Do Before You Unleash

When you grab your car keys and your pup’s leash, they know what time it is: IT’S DOG PARK TIME! Your dog (it’s like they’re half kangaroo) jumps into the car and is rearing to go. Watching their little bum shake as their tail wags one hundred miles an hour warms your heart. You’re such a happy and proud puppy parent!

Everyone at the park knows who your dog is by their colorful and hip personalized dog collar, and you’re grateful for that. The last thing you want is for your dog to be recognized by his bad manners! But, there’s still some small part of you that’s worried your dog might be thought of as one of the misbehaved pups in the park. There was that one time they chased down another park goer’s tennis ball; it took you a few minutes too long to coax them to drop it.

If you’re worried about your dog being tagged as a miscreant, here are three things to do before unleashing your pup at the dog park.

Have Your “Doggie Bag” Ready!

When running around and playing with your dog, you won’t want to find that you’ve stepped in a dog’s droppings. Other park goers will quickly find out who isn’t picking up after their dog, and if you don’t make a habit of picking up, soon enough you and your pup will be the least popular in the park. Make sure you bring dog waste bags with to the park to clean up your pup’s mess. To score extra bonus points, offer extras to anyone who may have accidentally left theirs at home!

Remove Choke/Prong Collars

Upon unleashing your pup at the park, they’re likely going to run off to join their group of friends for a roll in the grass and playful wrestling match. If your dog is wearing a choke or prong collar, engaging in dog park activities could hurt them and their playmates. Mother Nature Network writes that “having metal contraptions where another dog is roughly shoving its mouth is inviting broken teeth, broken jaws, broken paws and legs, and potentially a huge dog fight if another panicked dog can’t detach itself from your dog’s neck.”

Not only is it horrible to have your dog (or another) get injured during what was supposed to be innocent play, you can be held liable for indirectly injuring the other dog. If your dog wears a choke or prong collar when out in public, change them into their nylon personalized collar once you hit the dog park; it’ll make for more relaxed play time!

Pup Should Have Excellent Recall Skills

No one at the dog park appreciates a dog who doesn’t mind their owner. WholeDog Journal says that “your dog should be responsive to basic cues—at least ‘come when called,’ ‘sit’ and ‘leave it/off,’ so you can control him if necessary and prevent him from harassing others.”

Dog lovers generally understand and are more patient when a dog gets overly excited and jumps up in a greeting. However, too much of it can soon turn into an irritant. Off-leash dog parks are only as fun as the pups are trained. If all of the dogs are well-mannered, everyone can relax and have a good time!

Are you ready for your next dog park visit? Get the goodies you need at Hot Dog Collars.