By now, very few municipalities do not have a designated area for dogs, also called a “dog park” or “sgambatoio”. However, the regulations intended to ensure complete safety for our dog and for any other dogs present are often unclear. In addition, owners themselves sometimes fail, deliberately or unknowingly, to respect the rules essential for peaceful coexistence. Therefore, in this article, we will try to clarify what should and should not be done in dog parks.
What are dog parks for?
Dog parks are a convenient solution that allows our four-legged friends to run and play freely, alone or with other dogs, in a fenced space exclusively dedicated to them. In fact, the rules and urban layout of city centers often do not allow dog owners to let their animals off leash, forcing them to remain confined to it. Physical activity is extremely important for dogs too, both for body and mind. This is the only way they can stay fit and release excess energy, preventing problems such as stress, anxiety and depression.
An alternative may be the large rural areas, although it is not always possible to anticipate or avoid potential dangers there, such as stray dogs, poisoned bait and, naturally, the risk posed by moving cars. The purpose of dog parks, therefore, is precisely to give dogs the opportunity to exercise, play and socialize with other animals—extremely important aspects of our four-legged friends’ lives. All this without causing anxiety or concern for the owner.
Unfortunately, however, the regulations are not always followed, and some owners may not know how to prevent or respond to certain “high-risk” situations.
What to do
Before allowing our dog to enter the dog park, we must first check whether there are already other dogs inside. If so, we should approach the owners and ask about their loyal companions’ temperaments. Are they sociable? Do they welcome the presence of other dogs? Have they shown aggression in the past? Based on these few simple questions, we can already understand whether it is appropriate to enter or whether we should wait our turn.
Once we are sure we can enter without problems, we should unclip the leash. A dog park is meant for fun and unrestricted movement, so the leash should absolutely not be used. In this regard, we must also point out that, in the presence of other dogs, our friend may feel trapped, with no way out. This feeling encourages “squabbles” and tension.
That said, we can start having fun with our four-legged friend. One aspect owners often forget is that for Fido there is nothing fun about standing around alone doing nothing. If there are no other dogs to play with, we must take part ourselves, bringing all their favorite toys—balls, frisbees and ropes—and stimulating them so the experience becomes genuinely enjoyable. Lazily throwing a ball several meters away while waiting for the dog to bring it back is not fun at all. Instead, we should encourage the dog to play enthusiastically, teaching it to retrieve, perhaps using treats as rewards. If there are other dogs in the area, we must pay attention during play, as we could trigger possessive behavior among those present, even if the “coexistence” seems to work for the first few minutes.
Regarding coexistence, if ours is a puppy or a small dog and there are other dogs in the area—especially larger ones—we should avoid picking it up. This behavior can turn our small friend into a living target for dogs with a stronger predatory instinct, which could easily reach it even at some height. Although, in the presence of potential danger, we often instinctively want to protect Fido in our arms, we should avoid doing so. Moreover, in most cases, picking it up merely gives it a touch of boldness that it might not have once placed on the ground. These are the typical dogs that provoke other dogs by barking incessantly when they are out of reach, but once the others approach, run to hide. Holding them, therefore, would only encourage them to provoke others, triggering entirely avoidable fights.
It may happen that an owner does not realize that the female dog is in heat or does not understand what her presence in a dog park could trigger. Besides exposing her to the risk of unwanted pregnancies, it could also generate aggression in any males present and even in those arriving in the following hours, who would still detect the scents left by our female dog. Therefore, during “those days,” it would be advisable to limit her to simple walks around town.
Another important consideration concerns supervision: releasing Fido in the dog park and then staring fixedly at the smartphone or walking away to chat makes no sense.
The last point, but certainly no less important, is cleanliness. We should always bring a scoop and bags and pick up the “business” our dog leaves in the dog park.
Once we have paid attention to these fundamental points, all that remains is to have fun with our beloved Fido.