Dog Park Etiquette

Dog parks are complicated. In some ways they can be beneficial for dog play, socialization, and enrichment, but in other ways they can prove to be an unnatural setting for dogs, one full of deregulation and stress. There are many things that can go wrong at dog parks, all of which are the responsibility of the dog’s human companions. This article seeks to recognize and address some of the more common issues seen at dog parks.
 
 
 
Poor leash etiquette
 
Dogs at dog parks should not be restrained to leashes unless they are entering or exiting the park. Forcing a leashed dog to engage with other unleashed dogs is unfair to the dog and causes stress and tension which risks leading to leash reactivity in the future. One of the common issues I see, is people restraining their dog companions while the dog tries to engage in play with another dog. Doing so often promotes rougher playstyles and encourages frustration in the dogs. Often the dogs will redirect onto the leash because of their inability to properly release their energy. These dogs want to engage in play but are getting mixed signals about what is allowed. I've seen otherwise friendly dogs become too rowdy and unpredictable to allow for proper socialization because of these factors. If a dog isn't able to safely be off leash at the park, it's better for everyone involved for the dog to simply not be at the park.
 
 
 
Not cleaning up waste
 
Doing so not only creates an unsanitary environment for dogs and humans but can contribute to a rise in illnesses.
 
 
 
Bringing sick or injured dogs to the dog park
 
Sick dogs promote illness in other dogs and injured dogs risk further injury.
 
 
 
Unfriendly, scared, unconfident, or reactive dogs
 
If a dog is not completely comfortable in a dog park environment they should not be there. Bringing uncomfortable dogs to such a setting, forcing them to be there, can traumatize them, or even other dogs. Unfriendly or reactive dogs create an antisocial environment and scared or unconfident dogs risk becoming more withdrawn or reactive as a result of poor advocacy on the part of their human companions. 
There are many examples of this, but I have personally encountered dogs that were territorial, and would challenge my space by running up to me and barking and growling. Because of their lack of confidence, these dogs created a tense environment at the dog park. Further there have been plenty of instances where dogs would cower behind their human companions for protection while other, usually friendly and good intentioned dogs, try to engage in play or socialization. I have even seen fights break out because two reactive dogs, who otherwise would have been okay, are forced into the too close proximity of a dog park.
 
 
 
Not paying attention to one’s dog companion
 
Similarly to above, whether a dog is the stressor or the stressed, the human with them needs to be paying attention. I've seen fearful dogs get unintentionally bullied by other dogs while their human companion does nothing. Or, the converse, in that there have been times where dogs are being the bully, pestering other dogs in one form or another and, because of lack of attentiveness, their human companion does not step in. This has also even led to dog fights that otherwise could have been preventable. As stated, many things can go wrong at a dog park and it is the responsibility of a dog’s human to mitigate these concerns. No matter how comfortable and confident one is with and in their dog companion, surprises happen and one must be ready to either advocate for their dog companion’s safety or protect another dog from harm brought on by their dog companion. 
 
 
 
Shock and prong collars and other punishment based training methods
 
This leads into a bigger conversation about the ethics and effectiveness of aversive training, but forcing shock or prong collars causes undue and unfair stress and doesn’t educate dogs on proper socialization or behavior. Further, punishment based training continues to be ineffective and implementing such training at a dog park increases a dog’s stress which can lead to reactivity and other unsafe behaviors. Dogs can respond to the emotions and moods of other dogs and using punishment based actions can and does have an effect on the dogs, and even the humans, around them. Such aversive training methods can create a hostile environment.
 
 
 
Allowing dogs into incorrectly sized areas
 
Big dog areas are for big dogs and small dog areas are for small dogs. Allowing dogs of multiple sizes to interact can cause injuries as well as human and dog stress and frustration. One time at a local dog park, a gentleman brought in his appropriately sized dog into the large dog side of the park only for that dog to try to instigate play with a dog much too small for that section. The smaller dog yelled and screamed in terror, resulting in the companion of the larger dog to panic and remove her from the park altogether. Such a situation is unfair to both dog parties and could have been easily avoided by following the guidelines posted about which side of the park certain dogs should occupy. Further, though nothing ultimately came of it, the bigger dog did bowl over the small dog a bit which could have resulted in an injury. It's best to avoid such risks.
 
 
 
Bringing in food
 
Doing so creates a distraction for dogs and can lead to stress and competition amongst dogs. Eating also proves a distraction and disallows one to focus completely on their dog companion. It should also go without saying that food that is unsafe for dogs definitely does not belong at a dog park. Not only have I seen dogs overwhelm humans who are trying to give food to a certain dog or two, I've seen dogs get into near fights over food. 
 
 
 
Some closing thoughts
 
Dog parks can be a fantastic environment for dogs to play, socialize, and enrich themselves, however; such an unnatural and deregulated setting can promote undue stress. Here, education is key. In every way, humans should be knowledgeable of the animals in their care, but especially in a setting such as a dog park where many variables exist and many incidents can occur. Dog parks can be great, but they require care and finesse, and humans owe it to both their dog companions and the companions of others to promote best practices while in such a setting. Even if it's just a one dog to one dog issue, proper maintenance and courtesy should be shown. If a dog cannot get along with or at least ignore every dog at the dog park, it's best to avoid the parks altogether until that dog is ready. 
 
 
 
Further, if one is unconfident in their ability to maintain proper dog park etiquette, training outside, at an appropriate distance for the dog’s learning, is recommended. Doing so allows a calmer, more controlled introduction to such an environment. Additionally, this type of training can increase a dog’s ability to focus in stressful or busy environments.
 
 
 

Article written by DemonDog (May 2025)

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