Are Dog Parks Good or Bad for Your Dog?

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Are Dog Parks Good or Bad?Are you thinking about visiting your local dog park? You’ve probably heard some dog owners rave about how wonderful dog parks are for exercising and socializing dogs and how they go on a regular basis and enjoy hanging out with their doggie and human friends. You’ve probably also heard other dog owners describe how these parks are full of diseases and dangerous dogs and that you should never take your dog to a dog park. So, which is it? Are dog parks good or bad? The truth is, not all dogs benefit from dog parks, but start by asking yourself the question below.

Why Do You Want to Visit a Dog Park?

If you have a confident, well-balanced dog that enjoys playing and interacting with different types of dogs and you’re looking for a way to exercise and further socialize your dog, a dog park might be a great place to hang out.

If your dog doesn’t get along well with other dogs or is fearful and you think socializing with other dogs might be one way to help improve their behavior, the dog park is probably one of the worst places to hang out with your dog, at least for now. Dogs that have issues with aggression, fear, dominance, bullying or resource guarding should have their behaviors addressed and resolved in a slow, methodical and controlled process. A chaotic, crowded dog park could end up escalating any problem behaviors you’re trying to resolve.

Make sure you have a good level of control over your dog, both at home and while walking outside before visiting a dog park. If your dog is excitedly panting while dragging you to the gate of the park, either exercise your dog beforehand or consider working a little more on training and control first. Next, check out these five good and bad things about dog parks.

5 Good Things About Dog Parks

1. Exercise
Most dogs are going to get a lot of exercise while they run and play with the other dogs at the park. Count on being able to relax when you get home while your dog takes a good long nap.
2. Socialization
Your dog can learn a lot from other well-adjusted dogs while playing at the dog park. Dogs often have very subtle ways of teaching each other good manners through body language or even a low growl. Your dog can also learn to become comfortable around a wide range of dogs with different play styles.
3. Sharing
You’ll probably meet some very nice people that care as much as you do about dogs. You can learn from them and share your own dog tips. Just remember to keep a watchful eye on your dog while at the park. Other dog owners who care about their dogs will understand if you suddenly walk away mid-conversation to attend to your dog.
4. Convenience
More communities are building dog parks and if you have one close to where you live, they can be a convenient way to exercise your dog, especially if you’re unable to go for long walks and have a high-energy dog.
5. Cost
Most dog parks are free and open to the public. Some offer amenities such as shade, water, dog waste disposal supplies and benches. Some even have ponds and agility equipment and you’ll almost always find some community tennis balls there as well.

5 Bad Things About Dog Parks

1. Health Risks
Dogs can contract diseases and parasites from dog parks, which makes it especially important to keep young puppies away from parks until they’re fully vaccinated.
2. The New Kid Syndrome
Like being the new kid at school, it can be stressful for a new dog to meet and fit in with a pack of regulars at the dog park. It can also be stressful for an individual dog at the park to suddenly be greeted by a new incoming family with a pack of dogs.
3. Bad Dogs
Unfortunately, not all dogs at the park are going to be well-balanced dogs. Dog behaviors such as aggressiveness, mounting, resource guarding, body slamming/rolling, ganging up with other dogs to chase or pin one dog and excessively rough play happen often at many dog parks and can escalate into fights between dogs. Although dog owners should intervene and stop these behaviors, many feel it’s best to let the dogs sort it out themselves.
4. Bad Dog Owners
This includes owners that can’t or won’t control their dogs, owners that bring in female dogs that are in heat (unneutered male dogs can sometimes be an issue too), owners that fail to pay attention to their dogs while socializing with other dog owners or playing on their cell phones, and (saving the worst for last) owners that drop off their dogs then leave the park to run errands.
5. Unattended Children
Young children or kids that chase or grab dogs can be a recipe for disaster in a dog park. Groups of running and romping dogs (some with high prey drives) can easily knock over or hurt a young child. Even the best trained dog may get overwhelmed with a chaotic mix of multiple excited dogs and squealing children. For their own safety, only kids that are old enough to understand how to properly protect themselves and relate to dogs should be brought inside a dog park.

The Verdict

Although I’ve had some good times with Haley at dog parks, I’ve also had some negative experiences and I find that the lack of control I have at the parks is what bothers me. Even if I have good control over my dog, I have virtually no control over the other dog owners and their dogs (and children) that may arrive at the park. Maybe if I went to the same dog park on a regular schedule with the same group of dogs (or joined a private dog park) it would be a more positive experience, but I like to do a variety of activities with Haley and I’m not one to stick to that kind of schedule.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve met a lot of really nice people and their pups at dog parks. I just feel that it’s my job to protect my dog and sometimes it’s a challenge to do that at dog parks. I also find that many dog owners are confused about whether to intervene when playing gets more intense or whether to just let the dogs “work it out”. So, my next post will include some general tips for visiting dog parks, advice about when to intervene and what to do if your dog gets into a fight.

Two Dogs at the Dog ParkDon’t feel bad if your dog doesn’t enjoy visiting dog parks or if you’ve had a few bad experiences there. Not all dogs like the parks or even enjoy interacting with other dogs, for that matter. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with your dog or you’re failing as a dog owner. Although Haley has come a long way in overcoming her fear issues and has gained a lot of confidence, she still gets a little overwhelmed in crowded dog parks. She would rather have a doggie play date or a get-together with friends or family members and their dogs in a more relaxed setting. But that’s just my verdict.

What’s your verdict? Do you think dog parks are good or bad for your dog?

Teach Your Dog to Play Find It

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Teach Your Dog to Play Find ItIf you’re looking for a fun and easy way to entertain your dog on a cold winter afternoon, why not teach your dog to play Find It? Dogs have an amazing sense of smell and they love to use their noses to hunt and track things, especially yummy things! We humans use sight as our primary sense, but dogs primarily rely on their sense of smell to explore the world around them, which is why this is a very exciting game for dogs. By simply hiding a few treats around a room, your dog will learn to track the treats using his spectacular sense of smell and he’ll work off some of that excess energy in the process. Here’s how it works!

Teaching Your Dog to Play Find It

Have someone hold your dog while you show him a tasty treat in your hand.
Allow your dog to watch while you hide the treat somewhere close by.
Give the “Find It” command as your assistant releases the dog.
Praise your dog when he finds the treat.
(Repeat the steps above several times, then proceed)

Have your dog wait in another room while you hide a few treats around the room.
Hide the treats where your dog can easily find them.
Call your dog into the room and give him the “Find It” command.
While your dog is learning, you may have to help him along by pointing to the general area of a treat while repeating the command.
Praise your dog each time he finds a treat and give the command again to let him know there are more treats hiding in the room.
After the last treat is found, tell him “All Gone” and leave the room to let him know the game is over.

Some dogs, such as scent hounds, master this game right away, but almost all dogs will pick up on the concept fairly quickly. Once your dog understands that “Find It” means to start looking around for hidden treats, you can challenge your dog to become a master Find It gamer by using the tips below.

Tips to Help Your Dog Become a Master Find It Player

  • Play the game when your dog’s hungry to help motivate him even more.
  • Hide treats in different locations each time you play the game.
  • Hide treats in different rooms of the house or play the game outside.
  • Play the game with different types of treats.
  • Gradually make the hiding places more challenging.
  • Be sneaky, put treats inside of items and up higher.
  • If a treat is placed out of reach, make your dog sit once he locates it with his nose, then hand the treat to him.
  • Avoid giving hints if your dog looks at you for a clue. Trust me, they will try to recruit you to help find the difficult treats.
  • Bonus Tip! By making your dog wait in another room, then calling him in, you’re also reinforcing the Stay and Come commands.
This is one of Haley’s favorite games and it’s also fun for me to find challenging hiding spots and watch her search for the treats. She always starts off searching with her nose, making lots of noise as she sucks in additional air to try to locate the treats. If she’s unable to find it by scent alone, she switches to using her sense of sight and her nose becomes quiet as she starts looking for it with her eyes. As a last resort, she’ll use her brain to remember where treats had been hidden in the past in a particular room. It’s interesting to watch her different senses in action and it’s funny how she always performs one last scan of the room after I’ve told her “All Gone”, just in case.

Once your dog catches on to this intriguing game, you can build upon it by teaching him to find objects or toys, which is something I’ve been wanting to do with Haley.

So, the next time your dog begs for a treat, make him work off a few calories and have some fun in the process, teach your dog to play Find It! And don’t forget to share some tips with us if you’ve trained your dog to find toys or other objects. Are smelly socks the best object to start with?

Do Dogs Barter? – Trading Toys for Treats

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Do Dogs Barter?Something odd happened not too long ago that made me feel pretty unobservant as a dog owner and left me intrigued about my dog’s behavior. The question “Do dogs barter?” had never crossed my mind until…

One day, sitting comfortably on the couch (notebook in lap and visiting lots of amazing dog blogs), I noticed Haley had arrived in front of me with her favorite toy, her blue chase ’n chomp squeaky toy. With one hand on the keyboard, I threw the toy across the room like I usually do expecting that we would play a game of one-handed living room fetch but she didn’t move a muscle, she just stared intensely at me. Hmm, weird. I said “Haley, go get your toy!” but instead of chasing after the toy like she normally does, she pointed with her nose to the candy dish beside me on the table.

At first I didn’t think too much about the fact that she wanted York Peppermint Patties from the candy dish. She would be a major chocoholic if she were a human. She stood there and continued to stare at me for a minute then scrambled off to retrieve her toy. Again, she brought it to me but this time tossed it into my lap and immediately pointed again to the candy dish.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head. Oh my gosh, she’s wanting to trade her favorite toy for a York Peppermint Patty! To test my theory, I threw the toy again to see if it was just my imagination or a strange coincidence, but she again nosed her toy into my lap and told me what she wanted in exchange.

Wow! I couldn’t believe what she was doing. Could dogs possibly understand the concept of bartering? I never really thought about it before that day. I wondered why she never tried to barter with me before, but then I remembered there had been many times in the past when I thought she wanted to play because she presented me with a toy, yet she seemed uninterested when I tried to play with her. I only connected the dots on this occasion because the candy she wanted happened to be right beside me on the table and she could easily point to it right after giving me her canine currency.

At that moment, I felt like a dog in training, struggling to understand what my owner was asking of me and then suddenly having the “Aha Moment” when it all clicks! You know that moment when your dog connects the dots and you can almost see it in their eyes, “Oh, that’s what she wants me to do.” That’s exactly how I felt. My dog had been trying to train me for years on how to barter with her but it turns out that she learns a lot faster than I do sometimes. Luckily, she’s a very patient trainer of humans.

Since Haley shouldn’t eat a York Peppermint Patty, I decided to give her a choice of treats and in the process, find out exactly how much her coin-shaped chase ’n chomp was worth to her. What is the value of this treasured toy?

Q: How much is a chase ’n chomp toy worth in trade?

Do Dogs Barter? - Trading Toys for Treats

A: One Full Moon Sliced Chicken Jerky treat!

Do Dogs Barter? - Trading Toys for TreatsHaley makes out like a bandit with her trades because she always gets her toy back after a short period of time. Perhaps this should be a toy lease program instead.

Do dogs barter? Yes, I believe a lot of dogs attempt to trade their possessions for something they want. Have you ever noticed this behavior with your dog? Maybe you figured it out a lot quicker than I did!

Help! My Dog Doesn’t Come When Called

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Dog Doesn't Come When CalledI’m sure we’ve all experienced at one time or another a dog that doesn’t listen. When your dog doesn’t come when called, it can be frustrating, embarrassing and in some cases, downright dangerous. Even the best trained dog can occasionally get distracted by an unusually interesting scent or an intense game of chase with a cat or squirrel, but we want our dogs to reliably come when called.

Since January is National Train Your Dog Month, it’s a good reminder to spend some time training or reinforcing those important commands like Come. The Come command not only helps build a strong bond between you and your dog, but it can be a lifesaver if you ever need to call your dog away from a dangerous situation.

If you have a puppy to train, great! Come is one of the first commands you’ll want to teach after teaching your puppy their name. Young puppies automatically like to follow you around, so it’s easier to train now before they become more independent. If you’ve adopted an older dog that doesn’t know or obey the Come command, the steps below will work well for your dog too. If you suspect your adopted dog may have had negative experiences with people in the past, you might have to work slower while you rebuild trust and help your pup learn that coming to you is a good thing. That leads me to the most important thing to remember when teaching your dog the Come command:

“The secret to teaching the Come command is to make your dog associate good things with coming to you. Every time your dog comes to you, it should be a positive experience.”

Let’s get started!

Teaching the Come Command

Stand a short distance away from your dog, then get your dog’s attention by calling their name (kneel down if you have a small dog or young puppy). Say “Come!” in a happy and excited tone of voice. When your dog comes to you, give her a high-value treat and lots of praise. Wait until your dog starts to wander away and repeat the process. Work with your dog several times a day in short sessions.
Yes, I’m already prepared for your next question…

What if my dog doesn’t come to me when I give the command?

Try these tips to make yourself fun and interesting so your dog will be more likely to come towards you.
  • Make sure your dog is not too far away from you at first. You’ll work on increasing the distance later.
  • Try working with your dog on a leash if she wants to wander away instead of coming to you. Gently nudge her towards you when you give her the command.
  • Most dogs love a game of chase and you can use that instinct to your advantage by excitedly running away from your dog as you give the command.
  • Act interested in something on the ground to peak your dog’s curiosity and they’ll probably come to investigate.
  • Use what motivates your dog. Most dogs are food motivated, but some may prefer affection or a favorite toy.
  • Using a partner or multiple people, take turns holding the dog while the next person excitedly runs away from the dog then gives the Come command. The dog is then released and springs towards the running person for a treat and some praise.
  • Most dogs love to play Hide and Seek and it’s a fun way to reinforce the Come command.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Never punish or scold your dog when she comes to you. Avoid this common scenario: An owner calls his dog repeatedly and the dog happily ignores the command, which is frustrating, right? Then, when the dog finally decides to come, the owner reprimands or punishes the dog for not listening and failing to come when called. The mistake here is, the dog associates the scolding with coming to the owner, not with failing to listen and the result is a breakdown of trust with the owner. It’s easy to get frustrated or angry when your dog doesn’t listen, but always celebrate and reward your dog when she comes to you, even if she doesn’t listen right away or takes her good ole time getting to you.
  • Don’t chase after your dog if she doesn’t come when called. It will quickly turn into one of her favorite games. Instead, run or walk away from your dog and have her chase you.
  • Avoid saying the Come command repeatedly if your dog isn’t listening. Wait until she’s less distracted to call her again.
  • Refrain from calling your dog to you for things she doesn’t like, such as trimming her nails or bath time. Simply go get her instead of calling her to something she views as negative.

Build on your dog’s success!

  • Once your dog starts to understand the command, gradually increase the distance when calling her, then slowly begin working around distractions.
  • Give your dog lots of praise and treats when she comes to you when around a high level of distractions.
  • Avoid calling your dog away from situations when it may be difficult for her to obey, particularly early in the training process.
  • When you have to call your dog away from something fun, such as interrupting playtime at the dog park, always give lots of praise and wait a short time before leaving so your dog doesn’t associate coming to you with ending the fun. Occasionally call your dog away from something fun, give her a treat, then send her right back to what she was doing.
  • After your dog has learned to reliably come when called, still give praise and occasional surprise treats to reinforce how great it is to come to you.
  • When Haley was learning the Come command, I combined it with clapping my hands twice after giving the command. Now, if I have to get her attention from a distance, I just clap my hands loudly instead of yelling the command.
  • Since your dog’s vision is not as good as our human vision, try using a swinging arm movement along with the command if your dog is reluctant to come when called from a distance.

If you have a dog that doesn’t come when called, January’s National Train Your Dog Month is the perfect time to get started on your training routine! Do you have any tips or techniques for teaching your dog to come when called? Share them with us.