There’s no snow anywhere in the forecast and temperatures are above freezing.

And do you know what that means?

It’s time to start taking your dog on outdoor adventures!

Now I bet your natural inclination is to take Fido to the dog park.

One of my friends loved taking her well-trained dog to the dog park.

They had great experience after great experience…

…and then it happened… until one day.

There were only a few other dogs in the park, and her pup was SO EXCITED to go in…

…so they entered.

But within 10 minutes, her dog was attacked by 2 other dogs.

She immediately yelled to the other dogs owner to help her as she attempted to break them up…

…but the dogs’ owner shrugged it off, saying the dogs were “just working it out” as he eventually leashed them up.

The dog owner & his dogs disappeared while my friend checked out her dog.

After finding a few too many scrapes, they decided to go to the vet to get checked out.

And who was left with the vet bill? My friend - not the dog owner whose dogs attacked them.

We wish this was on the only incident we know off. The consistent theme we hear from clients and friends is that dog parks are great until they suddenly aren’t.

You swear nothing like this would happen to you… until it does.

So here’s your options…

First, you could still go to a park where there’s a fenced-in dog park. However, don’t enter if…

• Toys are scattered around
• People are paying attention to their phone or socializing rather than watching their dog
• There’s a mix of small and large dogs… or if there are dogs significantly larger than your dog
• Your dog is showing signs of stress or anxiety

If you choose to go in, make sure your dog has a reliable recall & you can recognize dog body language that means “WARNING.”

It’s also a wise idea to stay close to your dog in case any potentially unwanted situations start to arise.

Above all, trust your gut. If you feel like maybe it would be a good idea to leave, GET OUT NOW.

Depending on your schedule, see if you can plan your dog park dates for days and times when few (if any) people are there.

Now let’s say you’d like to avoid the dog park.

We have plenty of exciting options for you.

• Put up a fence, and turn your backyard into a doggy oasis. Your dog
  will love you forever for it. Plus, you’ll never have to stand in the
  rain waiting for your dog to use the bathroom. If you have a yard with not-friendly fence terrain, we highly recommend Pet Playgrounds!
• Arrange a play date with dogs who have good social skills & similar play styles.
• Rent a Sniffspot. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s like AirBnB for private dog “park” rentals - but way cheaper.
• Posting on your town’s social media page for locals looking for the same
  outlet. The more information you share about your dog’s personality
  the better.
• Enjoy the dog park when no other dogs are there and leave when someone
  arrives.
• Join dog organized groups who promote healthy and safe dog venues like
  Golden Dog Adventure Co.
• Well run doggy daycare’s. Just as we emphasis interviewing your potential
  trainer, visit and vet the place you hand your dog over. Here is a nice overview from Whole Dog Journal of what to look for when researching your doggy daycare.
  

Want to help your dog have more fun outdoors?

We can work together to create some outdoor games your dog will love - whether you’re in your backyard or at a park. Email us at info@youandyourdogtraining.com for further information!