Don't take your dogs to a dog park for socialization... they're dangerous.
They're dirty.
They're unpredictable.
Those are all things that dog behavior experts all over the country have said to dog owners.
EVEN myself. In fact, I still say those things. I still mean them.
I mean them because when it comes to the dog owners I work with, I want them AND their dogs to be safe.
I want their impressionable puppies to have great experiences during their socialization period.
I DON'T want dog owners finding out the hard way, months or years down the line, that the dog park ruined their dog.
But here's why we (as professionals and community members) should get on board with them.
Let's face it. People aren't going to stop using them. The cities are going to keep building them.
Finding off leash legal areas to let dogs RUN and be dogs is becoming harder and harder in populated areas.
And to be quite frank... the park itself isn't the problem.
It's the professional dog industry... letting dog owners down that's the problem.
Here are the REAL reasons dog parks are dangerous, unpredictable, and often unsafe:
1. Dog owners don't KNOW when their dog is feeling stressed or overwhelmed, until those emotions turn into dramatic displays of behavior (growling, snapping, lunging, attacking). That's not their fault. Their vets, groomers, puppy class instructors, and dog trainers are letting them down. We're not providing the MOST important thing to dog owners, and that's the ability to ACCURATELY read their dogs body language.
2. There is a huge misunderstanding about what "socialization" really is. Even many professionals are still sharing this information as if it came straight from the bible itself. Socialization is often seen as a "meet the puppy, introduce the puppy, pet the puppy, let the puppy say hello to every dog they see, take the puppy to dog daycare, to the dog park, the puppy should meet as MANY people/dogs/things as possible to properly socialize them".
Let me tell you. This is a load of... well something smelly. Quality always trumps quantity. ALWAYS. Socialization in and of itself, is teaching puppies/dogs how to interact with their environment comfortably and appropriately. It has much less to do with actually meeting new people/dogs, and much more to do with teaching them how to handle new situations with confidence and ease. Oversocialization is nearly just as bad as... undersocialization for a puppy's development.
3. Okay the only reason I have a point #3 in here is because point #1 is SO important to reiterate. As a dog owner, you can never control who shows up with their dog, or how that dog may behave.
BUT! As a collective, if dog owners were better armed with the knowledge they needed to accurately read body language, spotting "problem" dogs will become much easier. You'll be able to know before they enter the gate that this one might be a bad match for a dog park type setting, giving you time to get YOURS out.
Seeing the tiny, subtle warning signs, will also allow you, as a dog owner, to prevent conflict among dogs BEFORE it begins.
Imagine! Not wondering every again "why on earth did my dog do that? They've never done that before???".
Unfortunately, you DON'T have that knowledge, because professionals are convincing dog owners everywhere (whether intentional or not) that obedience and basic training are the BEST ways to start to get a handle on your dogs behavior, or to start them right as puppies.
With that, comes the issue that many of you are going through these classes (and don't get me wrong, a lot of them are still great), but STILL don't know how to understand what your dog is actually saying to you.
But, I'm going to get to the point now.
Dog parks are NOT the devil.
Dog parks are a great resource for dog owners, to let their dogs run and have some liberty... and well... be dogs.
Our industry though... the professional dog industry... we might be the problem. For letting dog owners down.
I can already hear the arguments coming.....
"But dog owners don't care!!"
"They don't want to know about those little details. They just want a well trained dog."
"Average dog owners aren't going to put in the work to learn!"
BULL. CRAP.
Dog owners don't get nearly enough credit from us. Yeah, there will always be people who really just don't care.
But going in already believing that dog owners are "average", that they don't care about learning, that they won't want to learn... that's bullcrap. Plain and simple.
We motivate dogs every day to do things that they might feel unsure of... are we not capable of supporting and helping PEOPLE do the same thing?
Our cities aren't going to stop building dog parks. People aren't going to stop using them for their dogs.
So... instead of fighting is... let's work WITH it. Let's use our impact as teachers and dog lovers to better prepare our community full of wonderful dog owners to use these resources in a safe way.
The only way we can achieve that... is to believe that dog owners care enough about their dogs to care about learning.
(THEY DO!)
And then to teach them. To support them... and to make these wonderful resources (dog parks), places that are safer, less unpredictable, and well... more fun!
So, as a professional who used to be so vehemently against ANY use of the dog park (because of influence by other professionals who felt the same way), I'm going to start taking my dogs to the dog park again.
I'm going to be a friend and support to other owners there. I'm going to help them with their dogs if they want and need it. I'm going to confidently advocate for my dogs, and lead by freaking example.
Maybe I'm living in a fantasy Utopian place in my brain... but I don't believe for a second that dog owners aren't capable of being safe and responsible.
I believe that they ARE.