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.

Let's Talk About #2: Flush Puppies Review

One of the worst parts about owning a dog is picking up his #2s and, unfortunately, his #3s. (If you can't figure out what #3s are, then you don't want to know) For me, living in an apartment made it difficult for me to dispose of Waldo's waste. I didn't want it in my trash can and I didn't want to spend that much time at the dumpster. I realized his #2s would flush the same as human #2s and it would save me time, be more sanitary, and it would be better for the environment. That being said, I wasn't sure how to make this a reality. I didn't like having to dump each dog bag because that seemed wasteful. I was at a loss. Reusable seemed gross on the go, and with accidents, toilet paper is fine, but when we are outside or in public, bags are best. What will best fit our unique lifestyle? I had been researching my options when I saw Flush Puppies at my local Pet Smart. I loved the concept and I wish they were more popular! I try to only use them when I'm flushing, but they are very sturdy and can be thrown out without any concern. I have not had any sewer/toilet problems and I don't have to go very far to dispose of Waldo's waste in the winter. It's a win-win for me and the environment. I just wish they were cheaper, but honestly, they're worth every penny.