dog park etiquette

With people adopting pets more than ever, dog parks have become a hot commodity. In major cities like New York, some people are spending big bucks for exclusive dog park memberships.

You may have noticed that your own local park is more crowded than usual, and you may have noticed that not all pet owners and their pups are on the same page with park behavior.

In this guide we’ll go over tips on how to be a stand-up dog park participant.

Scoop the poop

I mean, this goes without saying — but please pick up after your dog. Imagine this scenario: You let your dog poop, you don’t pick up the poop, another dog — or their pet owner — tramples through it…and…well, we’ll let your imagination do the rest. Dog poop contains countless bacteria and parasites that could cause other dogs to get sick if they come in contact with it. You can avoid all of this calamity by bringing plenty of poop bags and picking up your dog’s droppings. (And you’ll avoid the stink eye from other pet owners too.)

Keep an eye on your pup

Everyone thinks their dog is amazing — and your dog IS amazing — but that doesn’t mean your fluffy pal is always a well-behaved dog at the park. Maybe your super chill dog at home suddenly exhibits aggressive behavior when around other dogs. Or maybe they get a little…let’s call it “over-excited.” Either way, other pet owners might not love your dog getting up in their dog’s business, and they’ll expect you to have a handle on them. And the same goes for you and your pet — you have the right to speak up if your dog is receiving unwanted attention too. Just be calm, understanding, and respectful. Dog parks work great when everyone is paying attention the entire time.

Make sure your pup is vaccinated AND fixed

Because dog parks are a place for pups to congregate, it’s absolutely vital that participants are inoculated and fixed. This will help prevent the spreading of common diseases (like kennel cough) between dogs and accidental puppies in a few months.

Bring the leash

Though it’s usually ok for your dog to run free like the wind at a dog park, that doesn’t mean they should be off-leash while walking to and from the park. Many cities and states have some form of leash law that requires dogs to be under control when in public. But regardless of laws — it’s not only good etiquette to have your dog on-leash when in public, it’s much safer too. Please remember, even if your dog is well behaved off-leash, others will mimic your behavior and think it’s OK for their “less perfect" pup to be off-leash.

The next time you visit the dog park, remember these simple yet important codes of behavior and have fun!