10 Things Dog Owners Do Wrong at Dog Parks

It's been awhile since I have posted anything on my blog and this time it's nothing about anything nerdy. This is just something I have needed to get off my chest for awhile. This is also just some observations I have made while living on my own and living close to a dog park. Side note, I was a dog owner all through the 90s. I love dogs and I know that anything that dogs do is not necessarily their fault. The owner is 100% responsible for anything their dog does. The owner is responsible for teaching their dog good behavior and training it. That said, let's get on with today's topic.
 

       Letting Their Dog Excessively Bark

         This is absolutely one of the rudest things any dog owner can do. Especially if it’s at a dog park in a residential area surrounding condominiums. Absolutely nobody wants to hear your dogs constantly bark all the time. If you let your dog bark 3 or 4 times, that’s fine but if you purposely let your dog bark because you think it’s cute or you think it’s music to everyone’s ears then you are a complete and utter ass hole. Don’t be surprised if a local calls to complain about you and your dog.


Breaking the Rules Because They Know They Can Get Away With it

            Believe it or not, rules are in fact there for a reason. As a former park employee, I saw this all the time. So many people not following park rules and laws. I see people bring kids and dogs who are way too young to go to dog parks. I also see people just let their dogs excessively bark, as stated in #1, and sometimes on purpose to annoy surrounding neighbors because they know it bothers them. It’s not cute and it’s not funny either. Not only are you rude but you’re also very inconsiderate of your surrounding neighbors. If you follow the park and county rules, visiting the park will be more enjoyable for everyone and you’ll make your surrounding neighbors very happy. Your neighbors might even enjoy watching your dogs play if they were more quiet.

Not Picking Up Your Dog’s Shit

            Surely this is a rule for any dog park. Not only is it good manners to clean up after your dog but it’s also just more sanitary. This is common sense. There’s lot of diseases and parasites living in dog waste that other dogs can get when they touch, roll in, or eat it. So do everyone a favor and pick up your dog’s shit immediately!

        Spending All Your Time On Your Phone

            This is another thing I see dog owners doing a lot at dog parks. They care too much about their phones rather than taking care of their dog when it’s miss behaving. Your smartphone should not be a priority when you are watching your dog. Even worse, the dog just stands there staring or barking at the cellphone-absorbed human. Or they let their dog be aggressive towards other dogs and don’t do anything about because they’re too absorbed in their phones to care. It’s such a sad thing to see. A dog is very much like a child and it needs your attention most of the time. You are there for your dog not for your phone.

        Chatting or Hitting up Other Humans at the Park

            All too often, I see dog owners are too busy flirting and picking each other up or they’re too busy talking in general to make their dog stop barking. Again, your number one priority is paying attention to and taking care of your furry child. It’s no different than ignoring a screaming kid or kids brawling it out with each other cuz the parents are too busy talking to break it up. Just because the park is fenced in, doesn’t mean you can let your dog be a wild animal. If you want to chit chat, go to a restaurant or have a long chat with your dog park friends at home.

     Letting Your Dogs “Work it out” 

             Sure this is a fine rule to have when it comes to human children arguing but it’s different with dogs. Dogs cannot verbally talk back in human speech. If you see your dog picking on someone else’s dog, it’s your job to hold your dog back and tell him/her no. If your dog is being aggressive and it won’t stop, it’s also your job to know when to leave the park when it’s misbehaving. If another dog is bullying your dog, you should have a chat with its owner and have them make it stop. If the owner doesn’t care, report the incident to the dog park’s management team.
 

       Bringing a Female Dog that’s in Heat or Pregnant or a Puppy that’s too Young

        I don’t think I need to go into too much detail with this one as it's pretty self explanitory. Pretty sure most dog parks don’t allow this to begin with anyway. 

Not Exercising Their Dog Before Visiting the Park                            

            I see this all the time and I think it’s very sad that dog owners use the park as an excuse not to give their dog a walk or a run after their done with work for the day. Think about it, your dog has been waiting all day for you to be done with your busy schedule and it has so much energy it needs to burn. You might think that dog parks are for exercising your dog but you’re wrong. Dog parks are not the soul source of exercise or even socialization. Well behaved dogs are well exercised dogs and well trained dogs with good manners. So make sure you get your dogs willies out before taking it to the dog park.  

       
Overstaying Their Welcome

            I have seen frequent visitors stay at the dog park for hours and hours and never leave. These are the people who don’t exercise their dog before arriving. Their dogs bark probably because they are tired or bored and want to go home. However, the owner is too busy chatting with their dog park friends or they're too busy on their phones. Even if your dog is still having the time of its life, most dogs will get tired after 30 to 60 minutes of running around off-leash. If you notice your dog is tired or bored, please take it home and let it rest.

    
Going to the Park Every Day

            Sure it's fully within your right to visit the park as much as you want and that's entirely up to you. However, visiting too frequently can lead to some behavioral problems. The big issue with the dog park is, dogs are engaged in “over-arousal” play and for long periods of time. As stated previously, 30-60 minutes is more than enough time for your pooch to tire out if that's your goal. Look into other activities you can do with your dog through out the week. You could take it out for a hike, go for a run, day trip to the beach or the river, have a play date with your dog park friend at home, etc.

 

The Take Away

Be a good neighbor and be a good responsible dog owner. Read and study the park rules and county laws before entering. Don't encourage your dog's aggressive behavior. Most dogs will get tired after 30-60 minutes so do not over stay and do not over stimulate your dog. If you see a neighbor acting aggressive towards a local who just wants peace and quiet, report that dog owner to the dog park management team. From personal experience, if you see a neighbor is yelling at dog owners, it's because your dog is being too loud. Put yourself in that person's shoes, would you want to listen do a neighbor's dog bark excessively while you're trying to work or study? Probably not! So please try to be sympathetic. If another person's dog is being aggressive towards your dog and their owner is not doing anything about it, also report them to the management team. Remember, literally nobody thinks that your dog's barking is music to their ears. A dog park is also not a place to hit on people. You there to have a good time with your pooch!