Are Dog Parks Bad?
Like so many things with dogs (and life) there isn’t a black and white answer here. Dogs playing happily is a beautiful thing to watch - and owners head out to dog parks to give their dogs that joy.
In my travels, I’ve seen dog parks that are many acres of trails and forest, dog parks that are tiny squares of fenced in dirt, and everything in between.
On one end of the continuum, you have the space to see and manage incoming dogs, the room for dogs to properly use their body language to diffuse a situation, and the ability to keep some space between your dogs and others.
On the other end, you have an environment where a new dog is likely to be overwhelmed by a rush of dogs, put on the defensive, with no place to go to get some space or evade the pack.
Small spaces can exacerbate issues.
Picture that small fenced square of dirt. A group of dogs is running around. They see a new dog get out of the car and head to the gate. They race to the fence, crowding about. Owners may half-heartedly call their dogs but they don’t listen (after all, that’s why they are here), and the new dog is SURROUNDED by dogs the second the gate opens.
Picturing the human equivalent of this makes my stomach clench. What a stressful way to enter a park. If your dog wants to evade another dog (or dogs), there is nowhere to go. If they want to ease into a social situation, they can’t. It is an all or nothing situation.
Do all dogs want to play?
I have come across very few dogs in my life who don’t want to play with other dogs in some fashion. Play is a very normal part of a dog’s life. However, I do NOT think that means all dogs want to play with all other dogs!
Just like people, styles need to be a match. I do not like watching sports. Any sports (with the exception of the Olympics - then I watch them ALL). I can (somewhat) understand someone’s desire to watch some sportsball event on TV, but I definitely won’t be hanging out with them.
Danger rarely initiates play with any of the crew. She seems to dislike their rambunctious approach. She is content to trot along on our walks, moving out of the way if a freight train of Dalmatians is approaching. However, she is very playful with her pups. Because we kept Murdie, she continued to play with her. I always say it’s like she made herself her own BFF. It is SUPER adorable and they LOVE to race around and wrestle.
Not even all playful dogs want to play with all playful dogs. Terror and Random get along perfectly well. They have zero issues, but despite them both being very playful dogs, I almost never see them play with each other.
The problem with dog parks is it is hard to cater to preferences of play style or find the right match in playmates. It is much more a free for all that results in dogs bullying other dogs.
Not all dogs are trained or socialized.
Unfortunately, many owners have NOT spent any time working on their dog’s manners. Instead, they will excuse behvaviour “oh, they’re just playful” when their dog goes smashing into another dog’s face with zero respect for their space.
MANY dogs will find this sort of behaviour rude (because it is) and rather than wanting to play, will firmly suggest the dog back off (growling, snarking, etc to create space). Hopefully the dog will listen and “all” that will have happened is an unsettlingly rude interaction where your poor dog was forced to assert themselves for their space. If the offending dog doesn’t back off, either you’ve got a fight on your hands or your poor dog is going to be bullied.
Should dogs play with other dogs?
There is little that I enjoy watching more than dogs at play. Running, chasing, wrestling. The look of absolutely JOY on their faces is mesmerizing. I think (appropriate) play with other dogs can truly fill a need that I can not any other way. I do a lot to enrich my dogs’ lives, but I can not take the place of play with another dog.
If you’re fortunate enough to be able to get to a dog park that is set up appropriately and used by engaged owners who understand their dogs, then it could be a good fit. Hopefully you will connect with owners who have dogs that your dog enjoys playing with and you can coordinate visits.
Renting a SniffSpot can be a great way to find a place for your dog(s) to run and play with each other or perhaps some of your friend’s dogs. Knowing that no extraneous dogs will be crashing the party means you can relax and let your dogs play.
If you don’t have your own household of dogs where they can find their play buddies, make some dog owning friends :). Every dog benefits from an Obedience class, and it can also be a great place to meet some of the dog owning community around you.
