Dog Park Etiquette: What To Know Before You Go

Here are a few common rules at dog parks. Make sure you bring everything you need to abide by the rules (waste bags, a leash, etc.) and make sure your dog knows some basic training commands before going to the park to ensure that you can control him.

Owners must clean up after their dogs to prevent transmission of parasites, reduce odor, and promote general cleanliness.

Dog owners must be in the park, within view, and be able to maintain voice control of their dogs at all times. This encourages dog owners to seek some level of training for their dog and promotes appropriate dog behavior through strict supervision.

Dogs with a known individual history of dangerous behavior are not permitted in the park. This discourages aggressive behavior. No dog should be excluded based solely on breed.

Dogs must be removed from the dog park at the first sign of dangerous behavior toward people or other dogs in the park. Responsible dog owners must teach their dogs that such behaviors are unacceptable.

Dog owners must have a leash in hand at all times. This enables the dog owner to remove a dog from the park for any inappropriate behavior.

Small children should not be brought into the dog park. Small children can be harmed inadvertently by a playful dog. Chasing may be viewed as a threat to a dog, and running away from and high-pitched screaming may trigger hunting instincts in a dog. A responsible dog owner needs to devote their full attention to watching their dog.

Dogs should be leashed while entering and exiting the dog park. It is important for safety and legal reasons to obey leash laws whenever your dog is not in the boundaries of the dog park.

Fill any hole your dog digs. Dogs and people in the dog park may be injured if they step into a hole. Designated digging areas within the dog park may help preserve the landscape and train dogs to dig only in specified areas.

Puppies and dogs must be properly inoculated, healthy, and parasite-free. This protects all dogs and promotes responsible veterinary care. For puppies less than 4 months of age without full vaccination protection, socialization with friends’ or neighbors’ dogs with known vaccination histories and temperament may be safer.

Dogs must be licensed. This promotes rabies vaccination of dogs and their licensing as required by law.

Limit three dogs per visit. It would be difficult for one adult to monitor more than three dogs.

Do not bring food into the dog park. Fights may occur over food, and dogs may get sick if they eat foods that are not part of their usual diet.