Photo by Lacey Rabalais
Ah, the sun is shining and the birds are chirping, what better way to celebrate than by taking your pooch for a romp at the dog park? But before you and your canine enter the park and let the excitement take over, be sure to keep a few things in mind.
  1. Bring a Healthy Dog
Bringing a sick dog to the park puts all the other dogs in danger. Diseases such as kennel cough are highly contagious, causing a day at the dog park to turn very wrong. Plus, if your dog is ill it would make more sense to take them to the vet rather than the park. So remember, only take a healthy dog out to play.
  1. Be Responsible
Just because you let your dog off leash does not mean that he/she has the right to go wild. Be responsible for you dog’s behavior. For example, if your dog decides to go completely bonkers at another dog or gets a little too rambucious for comfort, do not simply shrug off their naughty behaviour. Imagine, if you small child was up in another child’s face at the playground, would you ignore it? Of course not. So be aware of how your dog is behaving and intervene if necessary to remind them of their manners.
  1. Clean Up After Your Dog
Not only should you pick up after your dog because it’s the polite thing to do, but it also helps to further prevent the spread of disease. Moreover some parks may fine you or ban you for leaving a pile of your dog’s business behind.
  1. Follow the Rules
Most often a list of rules is posted outside of all dog parks before entering. Make sure to read these rules and follow them carefully. Common requests include having a dog that is spayed or neutered and using caution when entering with children. Ignoring these rules can lead to accidents that could have been prevented, so respect the park, the people and the pooches.

It is important to be as “pawsh” as possible when enjoying an afternoon at the dog park so that everyone has a good time. Want to see if your dog park etiquette is up to snuff? Check out this clever quiz featured by Animal Planet to find out. Etiquette equals awesome! 
by Kristina and Mr. Tobie of SeeFitDo