Safety tips for the dog park
By Mark Planco of Planco Veterinary Care
Before you venture to the dog park for the first time you should visit your veterinarian. Your dog should be examined to ensure he/she is healthy enough to go to a dog park. Your dog needs to be current on vaccinations and flea/tick and intestinal parasite preventives before running around with other dogs at the dog park. Before a dog park visit is also a great time to talk about your dog’s temperament and whether he’s ready to engage with other pets and people in an off-leash environment.
Know your commands. You need to be able to control your dog if a problematic situation arises. Make sure your dog knows some basic obedience commands—“come,” “sit,” “stay” and “leave it”—in order to get him out of trouble if the situation arises.
You want to find the dog park that’s just right for you and your dog. Ideally, it should have: adequate room for dogs to run, secure fences, a double gate for entry, a separate area for small dogs, a safe, sheltered area, a source of drinking water and posted rules of conduct. If you visit a park and it’s too congested or you see overly assertive or aggressive dogs or owners who aren’t watching their dogs, keep looking for a more appropriate dog park.
Be prepared. Take these essentials with you: bags for cleaning up messes, drinking water, in case the park doesn’t have a source, toys, unless your dog guards them, a leash and a cell phone, in case you need assistance.
Be watchful. When you first arrive, wait until no other dogs are at the gate. Once it’s clear, you can take your dog off the leash and let him run through the gate. Watch your dog, but also keep an eye out for overly excited or aggressive dogs near him. If your dog starts acting fearful or overwhelmed, use a basic command in an upbeat voice to call him back. Also, don’t hesitate to call animal control if a dog is acting inappropriately and the owner isn’t being attentive.
Know when to intervene. Playful dogs bounce around, wag their tails and have relaxed postures and facial expressions. Be watchful for signs of aggression—growling, a stiff posture, raised hackles and tail, a closed mouth or a stronger focus. Don’t yell if your dog and another dog start growling at each other, because that could trigger a fight. Instead, use a basic command to call your dog back to you and move to another spot. If a fight does break out, don’t grab your dog’s collar—you could get hurt. Instead, use a deterrent spray, an air horn or a water hose to break up the dog fight.
Dog parks aren’t for everyone but it is a great place to exercise your dog, socialize your dog and you may meet some nice people too.
Dr. Mark Planco’s compassion for animals has been a lifelong labor of love. He earned both his undergraduate and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees at the University of Florida. Dr. Planco has treated small and large animals since 1991, and has been in Palm Beach County since 1994. Dr. Planco is a member of the Palm Beach Veterinary Society, American Veterinary Medical Association and the Florida Veterinary Medical Association. Visit PlancoVetCare.com for further information or call 561-795-9507.
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Disclaimer: This column is not intended to provide information on which you should use to diagnose or treat a medical condition or delay seeking medical attention. This column is of no value with respect to any medical condition that needs prompt attention. If you have a question that needs an immediate answer, you should call your own veterinarian or emergency animal hospital, especially if you are confronting a medical emergency!
Furthermore, we urge you to always seek the advice of your own veterinarian, and you should not disregard, discount, or delay seeking the advice of your veterinarian because of any response posted in this column.