13 Dog Park Rules You Need to Know

A dog park is a place where families can enjoy time with their pet but also a place where your dog can interact with other dogs and enjoy themselves. The park has responsibilities for all dog owners to follow to ensure a safe visit to the park. The dog park is not for everyone’s dog, so don’t be discouraged if it’s not a place your dog wants to or should visit!

I have never been to a dog park but, now that I know the rules, I plan to take my dog soon! I’m hoping for the best outcome when I do go the park since my dog likes to act macho even though he is only ten pounds.

There are common rules for dog parks those that are off-leash and leashed parks. These include:

1. Up-to-date vaccinations – Dogs who are kept current with their vaccinations are less likely to spread or catch diseases, so make sure your dog is vaccinated!

2. Collar with ID Tags – Make sure your dog is wearing a collar with ID tag at all times.

3. Clean up after your pet – Put dog poop in a bag and throw it away. No one wants to get dog poop on their shoes!

4. Fill in holes – Fill in any holes your dog may dig to maintain the dog park and ensure the safety of all patrons.

5. No grooming – Loose hair can make a mess of the park, so save the brushing for the grooming salon!

6. Make sure your dog is old enough – Since puppies do not have all the vaccinations (and just for safety reasons), they should stay away until they are at least four monthso ld.

7. No food – Food can cause aggressive behavior between dogs (and chances are you don’t want to have a dog jump on you and steal your sandwich), so leave your lunch at home.

8. No small children – Not all dogs are good with children and having kids around can cause aggressive behavior, so leave your toddler at home!

9. Keep your pet under control – Make sure you have control of your dog at all times! Allowing your dog to be aggressive is a BIG no.

As for off-leash parks, some rules include:

10. Maintain voice control at all times – If your dog won’t come when he or she is called, it’s best to not let him or her off the leash. You need to be able to control your dog!

11. Have a leash with you at all times – ALWAYS have your leash with you in case you need to leash your dog and remove him or her from the park for safety reasons.

12. Keep your dog in view at all times – To avoid trouble, make sure you are watching your dog so you can act quickly should he or she not get along with another dog at the park.

13. Always keep dogs on leashes unless you are in a designated “off-leash” areas – Always keep your dog on a leash outside the designated off-leash area.

These rules are important for the safety and cleanliness of the park for owners and their pets. The dog park is an awesome place where animals can roam and play as long as everyone is responsible and follows the rules!

Have you had to chance to check out a local dog park? How was it? Did you follow the rules or didn’t know there were so many to follow? Leave a comment and let us know about your experience!