So many things about dog ownership are polarizing, and people are passionate about their opinions. Of course they are! We love our dogs. We want the best for them. Even if it’s someone else’s dog, we hate the thought that it’s not being properly cared for, or that it’s being put in danger. Dog parks are one of these very polarizing concepts.
Before we proceed, I think in different countries dog parks are quite different. For the purposes of this post, I’m talking about a fenced area that has been set aside specifically for dogs to run off-leash. Dogs can interact with other dogs or get a chance to play fetch with their human or just get their zoomies out. Many people with active dogs rely upon them, especially if they don’t have a yard, or a large enough yard. I’ve seen one guy who takes his whippet to my local dog park, and that dog just runs laps round and round the whole thing until she’s tired. Since my local dog park is bigger than just about anyone’s fenced yards, I’m sure it’s wonderful for her to be able to do that.
For a lot of dog owners, I think they take it for granted that the dog park is just something you do with your dog. But a lot of trainers and other professionals really look negatively on them. And that’s not without good reason. There have been some horrific incidents at dog parks, for sure. Even if your dog doesn’t get mauled, there’s always a chance they could pick up something like fleas, worms, Bordetella… There are definitely risks.
Should you take your dog to the dog park? Well…It depends on the park. It depends on your dog. And it depends on you!
So helpful, right? Haha. Don’t worry, we’re gonna talk about it.
But First: A Situation Where it Really Doesn’t Depend
Please, please, please, when you first bring your baby puppy home, do not even think about bringing them to the dog park. It’s not even an option. It really kills me when I see this happening. My breeder calls them “parvo parks.” In fact, my preference would be to never let your puppy touch the ground anywhere but your own backyard (and maybe not even there if it’s a new-to-you house, the previous owners had dogs, and you don’t know whether they were up on their vaccinations.) When you have a fragile baby creature in your care, it’s good to be a little bit paranoid. I used to think that parvo was not a big issue in my area. Aren’t most dogs vaccinated? But then I fostered for a local rescue. They get an appalling number of parvo puppies who are close to death.
Please just wait. Your puppy will be 16 weeks old waaaaay too soon for your taste. I promise. Yes, by all means, you can take your puppy with you places. Just carry them, keep them off the ground, and don’t let people touch them without sanitizing the heck out of their grubby little hands.
Oh no! But what about socializing my puppy with other dogs?? Well, very little of socialisation actually requires playing with or meeting other dogs. In fact, it’s better for your dog to learn early on that other dogs are totally fine, but they will not have the opportunity to meet every dog they see. And they certainly won’t have the ability to play with every dog they see.
There is one very important thing that your puppy needs to learn from other dogs. And that is bite inhibition. You cannot train your puppy how hard is too hard to bite, because you’re trying to teach that teeth and human skin never mix. So this is a skill that they need other dogs to teach. But that’s still no reason to take them to the dog park. You can take them to a puppy class that requires proof of vaccination. Really though, as long as your puppy had enough time with their littermates, there’s no rush to get them around other puppies. Delia didn’t have puppy playdates until around 5 months old. Much more important: find adult dogs with excellent social skills. A mixture of ones who want to play with puppies, and ones who will politely and appropriately tell the puppy to get lost. Both are valuable.
I attribute Delia’s excellent bite inhibition to my 12 year old golden retriever. The few times she has accidentally bitten me in play, she had a remarkably soft bite for a cattle dog, and that’s not something corgi puppies come home with, let me tell you! When I watch her playing with other dogs, I can see that she uses barely any force.
Even if you don’t put your puppy on the ground, the very environment of the dog park is incredibly overstimulating in most cases. You don’t know what they might witness there and how it might affect them. Social animals learn to some extent just by watching. You want to make sure that at this impressionable age, they’re only witnessing very appropriate dog-dog interactions as much as possible. And you just can’t guarantee that at the dog park.
So yeah. No baby puppies in dog parks. I don’t want to see it anymore. What age is acceptable? We’ll get to my thoughts on that. But this was a no-grey-area-zone.
The Park
I take Delia to a dog park several times a week. And I have only seen very few things I could even term conflicts there. The worst fight I’ve ever seen there did not result in any blood being drawn, so it really wasn’t much of a fight at all. I certainly don’t attribute this to the humans—even those of us who feel like we’re educated and really understand dog body language are probably only at preschool levels of fluency at best, especially when there’s some distance between us and the dogs. So much of dog body language is extremely subtle, and we’re looking out for the really big, flashing neon signs, and even those, we often recognise too late. And some dogs never give those kinds of signs at all. And then when we do catch these things, we so often react poorly, because adrenaline gets involved, and emotions get involved. Not only are snarling dogs pretty darn scary, but we also have all that social baggage tied up to our dog’s behaviour. If you check yourself when your dog is reacting or misbehaving, you’ll often find that you’re very worried about how this reflects on you. I know that’s the case for me. So no, by and large, it’s definitely not the people who are to thank for the overall peaceful atmosphere.
And I can’t really attribute this to the dogs, because even though I’ve seen some absolutely beautiful social behaviours on display, even a dog with all the social tools in his toolbox is going to eventually react if flight isn’t an option and some clueless dog is being inappropriate and just won’t leave him alone. And I definitely see a lot of inappropriate dogs there, whether they’re hypersocial, domineering, fearful, or WAY too excited. So no, it’s not entirely about the dogs either.
I attribute it to the size and layout of the park itself.
It’s huge. Even if it were just the main field, it would be a pretty good size. But there are also not one but two different small dog/shy dog/puppy areas, and another HUGE field which has a wide gate that can be left open to connect into the main area, or closed off. There are several entrances so that there never needs to be bottle-necking. And all the interesting things are away from the entrances, so there’s no draw for dogs to congregate there.
And there is a lot of stuff to do. There is a HUGE sand area, there are several stations for water, which also have kiddie pools right now since it’s summertime. There are boulders that dogs can climb on (or pee on. Or climb and pee on.) There are many, many resident tennis balls so that you don’t have to bring your own from home that the dog might be possessive over. And there are never conflicts about these balls because (A) they smell like every dog that has ever been there, so clearly it’s not yours. It belongs to everybody. And also (B) There are just so many of them. If two dogs go for the same ball at the same time, guaranteed there is another one just a couple feet away. Tennis balls are by no means a scarce resource.
Why is the size and having things to do so important? Because by and large, most dogs will avoid conflict if they have that option. There are a few dogs who do seem to enjoy a good scrap, but we’ll get to that. For the vast majority, if they don’t like another dog, they will keep their distance. But these very small, very crowded parks (which I know are the only ones some people have access to) don’t allow that to happen. It’s easy for a dog to become cornered there and forced to ask for space by reacting. Because that snarly, lungy, scary looking stuff is all usually distance-increasing behaviour. That’s why so many dogs are reactive on leash—where they’re often being dragged closer to the frightening stimulus with no chance for escape—but totally fine off-leash. So, if they have plenty of space, there’s no need for those distance-increasing behaviours. They’ll just increase the distance…because that’s available to them as an option.
It’s also not good when there’s nothing to do but interact with other dogs. The same way a group of small children can remain relatively peaceable when they have lots of activities to do, but will go all Lord of the Flies if they’re placed in a boring environment with only each other. Like the back seat of a car.
I’ve watched Delia get super frustrated by something another dog did, start to react, and then run to go splash in the water or roll around in the sand instead. It’s also much easier to get your dog to come away from a potential conflict that you see. As that tension starts to build, you say, “Wow, hey, check out this fun pool!! And a TENNIS BALL?! Oh boy, you’ve gotta come check this out. What if we go throw the tennis ball into the pool?” And your dog will be like “Yes, let’s do it!” In a small park, probably your only option would be to leave. And high on adrenaline from that potential scrap, which they weren’t able to release by sprinting around or rolling in the sand or jumping in a pool, they might end up taking that frustration out on a dog that’s trying to come in as you’re trying to leave, through what might be the only gate. Bad, bad situation.
If all you have access to is one of these small dog parks, I would avoid it. If you don’t have a yard and you want your dog to be able to run and play, I would either put them on a long-line at a people park, or even better, work on building a solid recall and find somewhere that would be safe for off-leash exercise. Either of these options is going to probably be more fun for the dog. Some of these dog parks are like stuffing a bunch of strangers into an elevator and telling them it’s a cocktail party. No thanks!
The Dog
Let’s say you wanted to show your appreciation for a dear friend by taking them to dinner. You know they don’t like sushi. But there’s a sushi restaurant that you really like, so you decide that’s where you’re taking them anyway. Would that make any sense at all? This was supposed to be something nice you were doing for your friend. If they don’t like it, that defeats the whole purpose.
That’s the best analogy that I can think of for the way so many people drag their dogs to the dog park, even though the dog does not want to be there. The dog park is something you do for the benefit of your dog. If your dog doesn’t enjoy it, then you have to ask who it’s really for.
Not all dogs are dog park dogs, and I would argue that most of the time, it has absolutely nothing to do with training. I do not enjoy a noisy, bar-like atmosphere with loud music when I go out to eat. I find it severely overstimulating. I can’t really enjoy my food when my other senses are being bombarded. And I really don’t believe there is any way you could condition me to have a different emotional response to that, because the experience of being overstimulated does not feel primarily emotional to me. It really feels like we’re talking about the very wiring of my brain. But even if you could, would that be ethical? Would it be kind? Or can we just accept that everybody is different and enjoys different things?
For some dogs, dog parks are like that super overstimulating restaurant environment. I would say that herding breeds are a prime example.
Let me tell you about an example of a dog who found that whole environment to be stressful, overstimulating, and chaotic. She was a pretty little female border collie. Delia went over to meet her, and they started to play a little. But there was a group of huskies who were just tearing around the dog park together at top speed, having a grand ol’ husky time. Every time they would zip by, she would stop playing and look very uncomfortable. Each time it happened, I could see her tension building and building and building. I don’t think her humans noticed it, though.
She finally stopped playing altogether and went to stand by her humans. The huskies zipped by. She looked up at her humans, “Is anybody going to take care of these out-of-control dogs?” But they were talking to each other, because they hadn’t noticed her discomfort and because a group of huskies having a good time running together at the dog park is not something we as humans are very concerned about. But to this border collie, it was upsetting.
And then suddenly out of what would have been the border collie’s peripheral vision, a large man started to walk in the direction of where she and her humans were standing. She immediately sprang into action, sprinted towards him, and barked a very threatening, “stay away” bark. Her humans ran to grab her, profusely apologising and explaining that sometimes she has a problem with men, but had been getting better about it. The man was very understanding, no harm done. But these people, bless them, put her on a leash and made her sit next to them as they continued to stand in the middle of the dog park. The poor thing was a ball of tension and really needed to just go home and decompress. The couple consulted each other about what they should do. She was technically small enough for the small/shy dog area. But there were no other dogs there, and, the lady said, “I really want her to play with other dogs.”
And there lies the issue. These people were very well-meaning and I’m sure they were good dog owners. The way they handled the incident where she reacted to the man was very good. They just matter-of-factly grabbed her harness and put her on the leash; they didn’t scold her or scream or make a big fuss. But after that, they really should have left. The way she reacted to that man from so far away really showed that her emotional cup had been drained, and she could no longer cope with things she might not otherwise react to. Having her at the dog park was not about her, though. It was about “I really want her to play with other dogs.”
If your dog comes home from the dog park and is super exhausted, or they come home super restless, or they react to things they wouldn’t normally react so strongly to (the equivalent of snapping at someone because you’ve had one of those days where it was just one thing after another), you really need to assess why you’re taking them there. If they don’t enjoy playing with other dogs, they don’t have to! And if they do enjoy it, but the dog park environment is too much, start arranging playdates with specific dogs they get along well with.
For some dogs, it’s not simply overstimulating, it’s downright terrifying, and you might see those distance-increasing behaviours we talked about earlier whenever they are approached by another dog. While most “aggressive” behaviour is just asking for space, there are also those dogs who do get a dopamine explosion out of a good scrap. Then there are dogs who are so hypersocial and inappropriate that they will push other dogs to a point of reaction. There was a pointer one time who was just running up on other dogs and grabbing them by their harnesses as an extremely inappropriate play behaviour. It was not appreciated by the other dogs, and unfortunately we could not figure out which checked-out person he belonged to. Thankfully, Delia and another corgi took it upon themselves to herd him away from dogs he was being inappropriate with. He was so hyped up and bird brained, the big goof, that he didn’t even seem to notice or care that they were doing that. I would actually say that most of these dogs are overstimulated as well. They’re like a kid who just can’t handle the excitement of being at an amusement park, and they might need to be removed for a bit to calm down. These are all examples of dogs I would strongly urge you not to take to the dog park. Or, in the case of the last one, maybe practice calmness around the dog park. Starting from a good distance away and getting closer and closer. Although, for most dog owners and most dogs, I just don’t think it’s worth it to do that. There are so many other fun things you can arrange for your dog that might actually be better than the dog park.
Another Note: Is Your Dog Too Old or Too Young?
You wouldn’t throw poor great grandma into a trampoline park, would you? Older dogs can have aching joints, and may react out of pain if another dog slams into them or jumps on them. Declining eyesight and hearing might make it difficult for them to navigate a noisy, stimulating environment. They might be more prone to injury. They might just find the whole experience exhausting. Maybe the most heart-breaking, I know for my old boy, he would cry in frustration when he was playing with my foster dog Eleanor, because he couldn’t run after her when she was trying to initiate chasing games.
I hate to even think about this, but when you have an elderly dog, it’s all about grasping at those last bits of sand and cherishing every moment you have together. I can guarantee you that if your old guy or girl could talk, they’d let you know that at this stage in their life, they really value nothing more than quality time with their human. So skip the dog park. Take a nice, gentle, meandering walk and then go have a nap together. Gaze into those sweet old eyes, kiss that greying face, and soak up all the love.
What about young dogs? At this point, I know you wouldn’t take an unvaccinated puppy to the dog park, right? Good. So they’ve got all their vaccines, and now it’s time to go? Well…no. First of all, puppies are impressionable. You don’t want unknown dogs to be teaching them who-knows-what. You want to be able to select their friends carefully. So start with arranging playdates with dogs you know will be appropriate, like we talked about earlier. You also need to be aware of fear periods. It’s just not worth the risk of having a bad experience during a fear phase and having your puppy be traumatised.
There are some prerequisites for the dog park, in my opinion. Before you think of taking your pup to the dog park, you should have spent a lot of time building a reinforcement history for things like attending to you, coming when you call them, coming over to check in with you regularly. You should have a “leave it” and “drop it” cue. And you should have a strong relationship with your dog, where you have established yourself as the most relevant thing to them in any environment, because you meet their needs, you understand them, and you are the source of all good things. All of this is going to come at different ages for different dogs, but you really need this foundation. Only after you’ve built a solid relationship and reinforcement history can you then consider the other factors related to whether your dog is a dog park dog or not. I can call Delia from across the park and she’ll come running straight to me. There was one point where she was in a teenage boundary-testing phase and she stopped responding when I called her. We didn’t go to the dog park for a couple weeks while I worked on getting her recall solid again.
Also keep in mind that some dogs enjoy the dog park as adolescents, but once they reach maturity, they no longer benefit from it. For now, Delia still enjoys the dog park, and gets along well with the other dogs there. She is extremely deferential to the more dominant dogs, kisses, nuzzles, and loves on the puppies, and enjoys playing with dogs who will chase or wrestle her. But as she gets closer to maturity, I see her wanting to play a little less, and more fun-police tendencies are starting to emerge. I’m watching always for it to transition to a point where she no longer has a good time—or where she’s being so much of a bossy-pants that the other dogs can’t have a good time. At that point, I’m not going to take her anymore.
If your dog is not a dog park dog, but you don’t know how else to exercise them, see the suggestions I gave at the end of the previous heading.
The Human!
And that brings me to the final one. I want to do a silly post sometime like “10 people you meet at the dog park” or something like that. Because the people-watching there is pretty fantastic. But we’re not here to talk about the other humans in the dog park. We’re here to talk about you.
You need to pay attention the entire time. It’s not a day-care. You should be walking around, staying near your dog, and always aware of what is happening so you can catch problems before they even break out. Don’t plunk yourself down on a bench. Please do not bring a lunch (I wish they didn’t even have picnic tables, because the amount of people who bring in an entire hot takeout meal and then are shocked when they’re swarmed by all the dogs in the park is ridiculous.) Leave your phone in the car if you’re going to be tempted to get distracted on it. Don’t get so engrossed in conversation with another dog owner that you lose sight of your dog.
A suitable dog-park human is one who is always vigilant, versed in dog body language and appropriate play, and has the mindset that this is an activity for human and dog to do together, not a break for the human.
If you just want to let your dog run around while you relax, the dog park isn’t the place. I’m fortunate that I have access to a yard, and I’ll go out there and sit and read a book while my dogs play. They think it’s so great that I’m out there with them that they’ll stay out longer than they will if I’m inside. But I know not everyone has access to that. So if it’s truly your only option, just be sure to go at times when nobody else is there.
And that about wraps up my thoughts on dog parks. One big ol’ “it depends.”
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