“Parking” with your Dog
Open up any recent training journal or log on to an online discussion board and you will find the subject of dog parks being hotly debated by people who make their living training dogs. There are knowledgeable, well-respected dog professionals all along the spectrum. The bottom line is that individual dog owners are going to have to make the decision about what is right for their dogs, so rather than re-hash the pros and cons, let’s explore some ways of making sure that Scooter’s experience at the park is a safe and positive one.
Let’s begin with a few caveats. First, dog parks are NOT for every dog. Although dogs need to play, they don’t need to play with other dogs. That is, after all, what they have YOU for! You may have a dog who doesn’t even want to play with other canines. As much as you might like to hang out with your dog-loving friends and their pooches, be objective about what would be enjoyable for your dog. Think about her specific personality, her breed, and her general activity level. Breeds that were originally developed to serve as guard dogs, for instance, are much less inclined to want to “hang with the dogs”. Breeds developed for hunting, on the other hand, were bred to work with and around other dogs and people. They are normally more social and more inclined to enjoy a spirited romp with other canines. Individual dogs will vary, but taking a look at a breed’s original purpose will provide a good place to start when evaluating Bonnie’s enthusiasm for the social scene of the dog park. Nearly all dogs will come home from the park exhausted, but make sure she is tired from physical activity and not from an increase in her stress level!
Second, although dog parks provide socialization, they are NOT the place to begin the socialization process (as in, teaching her how to be around other canines). This subtle difference is critical if you have a dog who has never been around other dogs (or never liked being around other dogs), and unfamiliar noses start clammering for a sniff of her butt! If Bubbles likes to meet and greet (and does so appropriately) when picking out her new chew toy, you’ve got a potential dog park superstar in the making. But if that’s not her thing, don’t try to force her to become a canine social butterfly – accept that some dogs are just not that into it!
Third, remember my go-to phrase for any and all doggie subjects, “It’s not the dogs, it’s the people!” Expect dogs to act like dogs. They are hard-wired to be prey animals; it’s instinct. Dog park problems are usually people problems. Were the people monitoring behavior or engrossed in their own conversation? Is there a dog at the park who is visibly uncomfortable? As the species with the bigger brain, humans bear the responsibility for making decisions about when play needs to be redirected or even if the park is an appropriate place for a specific dog. Knowing when to step in and diffuse a potentially explosive situation calls for split-second decision making. Compared to most of their human counterparts, our dogs are world-class athletes in the speed department and interactions can go from benign to disasterous in the blink of an eye. Never let down your guard. Dog parks are like junior high – the cliques (pack hierarchy) change often. It’s fascinating to watch the dynamics. Every time a dog enters or leaves the park, the deck just got shuffled!
Do Your Homework!
Before you even consider taking your dog to the park, scout it out several times. Usage rates vary. What days/time of day is the park the most crowded? Do the people seem to be engaged with the dogs? Is the park clean and well maintained? Is there a paid staff person monitoring the activity or it is the responsibility of the owners to make sure rules are being adhered to? Are those rules posted prominently and does it appear that users are respecting them? Is there water and shade available for both dogs and people? Is there plenty of room for the number of dogs using the park? Does the park limit the number of dogs a person can bring to assure adequate personal supervision?
Give it a test drive…
Pick out a time when the park seems to be the least crowded. There will be some “regulars” who come at the same time/day. Drop by (without Skippy) and introduce yourself and let them know you are thinking of bringing your dog. Ask how long they have been coming and if they have seen any problems. Allow their dogs to meet and greet you. Do the dogs seem to be enjoying themselves? Watch their play style and make an honest assessment of how well your dog will fit into this group.
When you get ready to take Skippy for the first time, stay low-key. Don’t ramp him up with lots of happy talk, “Wanna go to the park, Skippy? Wanna go have some fun?” Skippy probably doesn’t understand your words, but he does know that you sound excited and that raises the emotional bar for him as well. Well-designed parks will have a double-gate (air-lock) entry. Take Skippy through the first gate and remove his leash in this air-lock area. Dogs should wear a collar in the park, but harnesses, electronic or prong collars can be dangerous. Dogs typically gather at the gate when a newcomer is about to enter and the newcomer who should enter first is YOU! Walk quietly and confidently in and calmly encourage Skippy to follow you. If he seems to be overwhelmed or is getting mobbed at the gate, clip on his leash and turn around. You might need to try another time when there are fewer dogs. Maybe you can arrange a time when you and Skippy are the first to arrive!
Once Skippy is inside and seems to be comfortable checking things out, monitor all interactions. Dogs demonstrating the following behaviors are comfortable in the park and are enjoying themselves.
- Dogs who mirror another dog’s movements – reciprocal play bows, ground sniffing, running styles, etc.
- Dogs who pause the action to lower the arousal level before resuming play.
- Dogs who are respectful of another dog’s personal space.
- Dogs who employ role reversal in their play – for instance, taking turns being the chaser/chasee.
- Dogs who make adjustments for the difference in size/strength of a playmate.
Be vigilant about watching for changes in behaviors. The following list will help you avoid a potentially risky situation:
- Watch for increased arousal between dogs or an increase in the speed/ intensity of play.
- Pilo erection (hackles) – This can indicate stress or arousal, and is a red flag that should be carefully monitored.
- Snarling with teeth exposed – Though housemates often play safely while exhibiting this behavior, at the park it typically indicates that dogs have been playing too intensely for too long. Timeout!
- Hard physical contact – This is a violation of personal space and play should be interrupted and re-directed.
- Lots of rolling and tumbling – Usually this indicates that the “tumbler” is getting worn out and is having a hard time keeping up with the level of activity. Time to step in and terminate the hard-driving action.
- Uninterrupted engagement without regard to owner’s commands. Get your dog out of this situation quickly. Once a dog has aroused to this level, he is operating on pure adrenaline. This is a potentially explosive situation.
- Orientation to the head/neck area. This is a play-style of some dogs, but is inherently dangerous in a dog park scenario because of the unpredictability of the situation. You will see puppies playfully practicing this behavior within the litter as they are learn the wolf hunting sequence, but this is not a skill you want to see exhibited with unfamiliar dogs in a dog park.
- Targeting – one dog compulsively engages another dog and the targeted dog is unable to interrupt the obsessive attention. This is a very risky behavior and you should immediately remove your dog from this situation!
- No food for either species should be brought in the park.
- Young children should not be brought to a dog park. High-pitched voices and quick movements can cause canine play to ramp up out of control and is dangerous for kids and dogs.
So, what if your dog is not “dog park material”? There can still be an advantage to “using” the park. Dogs who might not do well inside the park can reap training benefits from outside the fence. When I was getting my certification, one of my mentors told of taking one of her dogs to the highest level of competitive obedience by “proofing” him on commands right outside the fence at a dog park. If a dog can be exposed to high distractions and still perform reliably, you know he is solidly trained. Competitive obedience is a fierce format with lots of unpredictable distractions, but her dog had gotten used to ignoring all of the activity going on inside the park and had learned to focus on her cues instead.