Dog Parks: Good or Bad?

If you own a dog, you have probably heard something about dog parks. Some dog owners couldn’t imagine their life without going to the dog park. Others couldn’t imagine ever stepping foot in a dog park (again). Why are there so many contrasting opinions on dog parks? And what is the right or wrong answer? Well, It’s a bit more complicated than just being right or wrong. What’s more important is that you, as a dog owner, are familiar with your dog, their personality, and their likes and dislikes. 

The Good:
One big reason dog parks came up so quickly is because they were an easy way to exercise and, more importantly, socialize your dog. Socialization is, in fact, extremely important. Typically, you want to do most of your socialization while your dog is still a puppy, but not everyone gets that option. It is vital that puppies and dogs are able to familiarize themselves with a variety of people and dogs. Dogs are bad at generalizing, so anything different or new is scary. This is why many people like to use dog parks to expose their dogs to a variety of people and other dogs. The more exposure, the more comfortable they will feel and the less likely they are to become reactive, right? Not necessarily, we will discuss this part in a moment. 

Another reason people love dog parks, is because their dogs love dog parks. A lot of dogs do enjoy having play time with friends of their own species. Something we need to question is whether our dogs are truly enjoying their environment or if they are overstimulated, and that is often difficult to distinguish. 

The Bad: 
In my opinion, the biggest downside to dog parks is that they generally encourage and reinforce your dog for behaviors you do not want them to practice. You will often hear dog park goers complain that their dog is so happy to be at the park that they won’t leave. While this may be a sign that your dog is enjoying his/herself at the park, it also means your dog is more focused on the other dogs than they are on you. From a trainer’s standpoint, that is a problem. This is just one of many examples.

Does more exposure to dogs (or people) mean your dog is more comfortable and less likely to become reactive? That depends on such a huge number of variables, it is really hard to say. One thing that is important to take into consideration here is your dog’s personality. Just like people, dogs can have personalities and preferences. Some dogs are just not fond of interacting with other people and/or dogs. Some dogs are what we might call “antisocial”; alternatively, some dogs do not enjoy being touched or being in close contact with unfamiliar people. If this is a part of their personality, there is only so much you can do to modify it. When talking about dog parks specifically, we have to be really sure our dogs are enjoying their interactions throughout the park.

Finally, most adult dogs are just not going to get along with every other dog they meet. It is very normal for adult dogs to be what we call “dog selective”. This means they may have a few doggie best friends, are likely okay with passerbys, but they are not really looking to make new doggie friends. This is perfectly okay and there is no need to force your dog into interactions s/he has no interest in participating in. 

What this all really means:
There IS a way to use dog parks appropriately. Dog parks can be great for proofing already known cues with distraction. They can be a good, predictable place to work on socialization with dogs who are uncertain (you can always start in the parking lot, far away from others if needed). There is also nothing wrong with letting your dog run and play with other dogs as long as they thoroughly enjoy it, just be aware of the behavioral repercussions this could have later. It is important to note there are many different kinds of “dog parks” we are mostly referring to large off-leash parks. Some communities and apartment complexes also have smaller fenced “dog park” areas that are to be used because most of the residents do not have a yard. While some of the same principles may apply, there is generally not as much of a chance for problems to happen in smaller communities and easier to find a time when it is empty. Either way, it is often your only option for walking 

Conclusion:
Personally, I would rather take my dog to a state park or other public place with dogs on leash.