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A dog park can be an ideal place for the socialisation of your canine friend, but it can also become somewhere that’s full of potential risks. It all depends on which park you choose, what time you go there, how you manage the situation, and above all on your dog’s temperament.
If you want to try an interesting experiment, take some time one day to spend a good while watching the ways dogs play at a dog park. No doubt you’ll be able to spot different behaviour profiles:
But, of all these profiles which ones are good for visits to dog parks?
Although dogs are by nature a social species, and it’s important for them to relate to others of their own kind, a dog park isn’t necessarily the best option. It all depends on the factors we’re going to take a look at now.
Not all dogs are quite so keen on contact with other dogs. Some of the reasons for this are:
If your dog doesn’t enjoy the dog park, then don’t take him there. You can look for other, less crowded places where he’ll feel more secure when he wants to socialise. Alternatively, just go for a walk with him on your own.
If you want to help him to overcome his fears, a dog park can be a good place for it, provided you take the following into account:
If your dog is a puppy, the socialisation process during this first stage of his life is particularly important. For this reason, canine ethologist Alba Benítez reminds us that:
‘The sort of encounters and interactions a puppy has with other dogs during the socialisation period and throughout his puppyhood will influence his ability to relate positively to other dogs when he grows up. This is why it's so important to find the right balance between socialising your puppy and overwhelming him with exposure to other dogs’.
As long as you keep the points we’ve explained in this article in mind, a dog park can be a safe and appropriate place for socialising your dog. It’s a good idea to take him there on a daily basis so that he can create his own group of canine friends. Dogs establish stable affective relationships (lasting socio-affective bonds) with other dogs, and this is part of their social nature. It's good to allow your dog to form these relationships, and to enjoy them.