Dog parks are presented as the default social outlet for a pet dog. For a genuinely sociable, well-socialised, confident adult dog, a good one can be great.
For a large number of dogs, they are the single worst environment they regularly visit.
Who they suit
- Confident, sociable adult dogs who genuinely enjoy other dogs
- Dogs with good recall
- Dogs who can disengage from play and settle
- Dogs whose owners will actively supervise
Who they do not suit
- Puppies under about six months. One frightening experience during the sensitive period can shape years of behaviour. Controlled playdates with known, appropriate adult dogs are far better
- Adolescent dogs who are still learning boundaries and whose recall is unravelling
- Reactive or fearful dogs. There is no version of a dog park that helps a reactive dog, and the common advice that they need more exposure to other dogs is the opposite of what they need
- Dogs with poor recall
- Bitches in season, obviously, and entire males, who frequently attract trouble
- Small dogs in mixed-size parks, where predatory drift is a real risk
- Older dogs, who are often pestered by adolescents
- Dogs who resource guard
- Dogs who are not fully vaccinated
And the honest one: a dog who has stopped enjoying it. Many dogs who loved the park at one gradually stop at three, and the signals are easy to miss.
Reading whether your dog is having a good time
Enjoying it: loose bouncy movement, play bows, frequent role reversals, self-handicapping by the bigger dog, natural pauses, and a dog who chooses to return to the play.
Not enjoying it: tail tucked, trying to leave, hiding behind you or under a bench, repeatedly moving away from another dog who follows, freezing, lip licking and yawning, or a dog who spends the visit at the fence line.
The consent test: hold the more enthusiastic dog briefly. If the other comes back for more, it is mutual. If they take the opportunity to leave, it was not.
The etiquette
Before you go in:
- Watch from outside for a few minutes. If the dogs inside look tense or there is a bully working the group, do not go in
- Toilet your dog beforehand
- Take the lead off inside the airlock, not before. A dog on lead among loose dogs is at a disadvantage and often becomes defensive
- No food, toys or chews inside. This is the single most common cause of fights
Inside:
- Watch your dog. Actively. Not your phone. Most incidents are visible thirty seconds before they happen
- Move around. Keep walking rather than clustering with other owners in one spot, which concentrates dogs and tension
- Interrupt play regularly. Call your dog out of the group every few minutes, reward, and release. This keeps arousal manageable and keeps your recall alive
- Do not let your dog mob a new arrival at the gate. This is where a lot of fights start
- Pick up. Every time
- If your dog is being a nuisance, take them out. The dog humping, chasing, body-slamming or pinning is your responsibility, not the other owner’s problem
- If your dog is being harassed, leave. Do not wait for the other owner to intervene
Do not bring a puppy to socialise, bring a reactive dog to “get used to it”, or use the park as a substitute for exercise and training.
Warning signs to act on
- A dog repeatedly pinning or standing over another
- Chasing where the chased dog is trying to escape rather than playing
- A group ganging up on one dog
- Stiffness, freezing, a hard stare
- Escalating noise with no pauses
- An owner who is not watching
Leave. There is no obligation to stay, and no social awkwardness is worth an injury or a permanent behavioural setback.
If a fight starts
- Do not reach in with your hands. The overwhelming majority of bites to owners happen this way
- Use a barrier, a bag, a chair, or water
- Two people can each take a back end and pull apart, moving backwards and sideways
- Afterwards, check both dogs thoroughly — puncture wounds hide under fur and abscess
- Exchange details, and see a vet for any bite through the skin
Better alternatives for most dogs
Sniffing walks. Twenty minutes of sniffing tires a dog more than half an hour of running and leaves them calmer.
A secure private field, which can be hired by the hour in many areas. Increasingly popular, and transformative for reactive dogs.
Playdates with one or two known, compatible dogs.
Training classes and dog sports, which provide structured social contact.
Scentwork and puzzle feeders at home.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — it helps keep this site free. We only recommend products we would use with our own dogs.
Snuffle Mat for Dogs
On the days you skip the park, this does more for a dog’s wellbeing than an hour of chaotic play with strangers — and it lowers arousal instead of raising it.
Dog Training Lead 30ft Long Line
A long line in an open field gives a dog freedom to run and sniff without the social pressure of a park, and it keeps recall work going.
The thing worth saying
Dogs do not need to meet lots of other dogs to be happy. What they need is exercise, mental work, a predictable routine, and company they actually enjoy.
Plenty of perfectly well-adjusted dogs go their whole lives without playing with a strange dog, and they are not missing anything. If the park is stressful for your dog, or for you, you are allowed to simply not go.
