The (Unwritten) Dog Park Rules We All Wish You Would Follow

As someone that enjoys going to the local dog park almost as much as my dog, there are quite a few written and unwritten rules that we wish other patrons would follow. We glare, whisper, and comment, but people do not seem to understand our frustrations. These rules are common sense--well we think so at least, but I guess to everyone else, they are not.

1. Do not bring human/dog food into the park.
I can understand forgetting and bringing a few dog treats into the park, but to the people that bring entire picnics into the park, they are asking for trouble. Most (if not all) dogs are motivated by food and are not below stealing food from an unsuspecting visitor. THIS IS A DOG PARK, not a family park where you can have a picnic.

2. Keep your children right next to you or at home
Most puppies and some older dogs do not understand how to interact with small children. They often see them as other puppies due to their size and will try to wrestle with them. This does not mean that the puppy is aggressive, it means the puppy is a puppy. Dogs will run and chase each other and if your young child is in the way, they will not necessarily notice and you kid might get run over. There is a reason that dogs must be leashed in a children's park--for safety reasons. This exact reasons is why there are dog parks. If your child is not tall enough to push a dog off of them or able to understand dog behavior, they are too young to be even six feet from their parents in a dog park. Remember, THIS IS A DOG PARK, not a children's park. Keep the kids off of the dog's play toys.

3. Do not bring anything with you that you would be afraid that would get destroyed
Dogs that are playing are not attentive. They run and play--often running into people or their items. THIS IS A DOG PARK, this is a place where they do not have to worry about ruining furniture.

4. Do not bring toys that you would not want to share with other dogs
Dogs steal and share toys. THIS IS A DOG PARK. There are a lot of dogs and they all want to play with the same toy. You can't expect the dogs not to be interested in the new looking toy.

5. Not all "Aggressive Breeds" are actually aggressive
Stop assuming "aggressive breeds" are actually aggressive, it depends on how they were raised.

6. Watch your dog!
You never know when your dog might get into trouble or decide to leave a large present in the middle of the field. Your dog is your responsibility. It might be a dog park, but the dog still needs to be supervised.

7. Pick up after your dog
This is self-explanatory.

Dog Parks are For the Dogs (But People Can Enjoy Them, Too!)

Until I became Thornwald's puppy raiser, I had never visited a dog park, but I soon learned that a Labrador Retriever puppy needs much more exercise than a walk or two a day can provide. Whenever the weather was bearable, I would take an hour or two to drive him to the park so he could run around and play without being restrained by a leash or with me trying to keep up! I researched the nearby dog parks and there are two in my area, one requiring a yearly membership, so we ventured to Beau's Dream Dog Park to see if it was an appropriate outing location for Thornwald.

When I had first researched the park, I learned that this park had received a makeover in 2013 as the winning recipient in the 2012 Beneful Dream Dog Park. The park is an amazing facility and offers a variety of surfaces and activities for the dogs to participate in while they visit. Even though the park is small (something that they could not change), the way that the design is set up creates enough resistance and surfaces that dogs tire out and still have enough room to get their required exercise to remain healthy.

I take Thornwald to this park quite often and I have found that most of the dog parents are respectful of the property and watch their dogs. I have also found a strong community within the owners which I did not expect. On numerous occasions, other dog owners have helped me watch out for Thornwald and I have returned the favor. He has several dogs that he has become fast friends with and it is so sweet to see them interact. On several occasions, I have seen other dogs protect Thornwald when other dogs have become aggressive. This does not happen as often, but it is great to know that his dog friends look out for him.

The facility is absolutely stunning. There are water fountains for the dogs, a splash pad, turf "grass," a tree that throws tennis balls, bone shaped benches, and even a shaded area with chairs for the dog parents.

Going to the dog park is one of Thornwald and I's favorite activities and I am glad that not only the residents of Lancaster have kept the park nice, but the city also provides support and tennis balls. It is a great resource and it has solved my puppy energy problem.