Introduction

You’ve decided to take your puppy and dog to a dog park. Great! You’ll get to meet other owners, and your pet will get some much-needed exercise. Before you go, though, there are a few things you should know. In this blog post we cover everything from getting to know the park before going there (and whether it’s even safe) all the way down to how much food or treats you should bring with you when visiting these canine hotspots.

Go to a Dog Park that is empty

As much as we love the idea of a dog park, there are some things to consider before taking your pooch. If you’re new to dog parks and don’t have much experience with them, it may be best to go somewhere that’s empty so that you can take your time and focus on your pet. Remember: when dogs are together in a large environment such as this one, they need extra supervision from their owners.

So what happens if there is no space at all? Well, then it’s time for an alternative! We recommend finding an empty parking lot or street corner where no cars are driving by and get moving! Bring along water bottles so that both humans and animals can stay hydrated during playtime (you’re already carrying them anyways).

Get to know the dog park before you go

Before you head to the dog park, there are a few things to consider.

• Know the rules of the park
• Know what is expected from other dogs and owners at the area
• Familiarize yourself with where each feature is located (i.e., water fountain, shaded area) so you can easily find everything when needed
• Pre-plan your schedule for how long you’ll be there, so that if your dog gets tired or restless before then, it will be easy enough to leave without feeling rushed or stressed out

Talk to other owners at the park

When it comes to taking your dog to a dog park, the more you know about the other dogs and their owners, the better. It’s essential that you ask questions like these:

• Are your dogs friendly?
• Do you have a park nearby?
• Do you know of any good parks in our area?

Keep your dog on leash for first visits

Keep your dog on leash for the first few visits. You want to make sure that all dogs get along, and not just yours. If you know the other dogs are friendly, but you are unsure of your own dog’s temperament, keep him on a leash until you know he can play with them without causing any problems.

Don’t bring food, toys or treats into a dog park

The best way to ensure that your dog is having a good time at the dog park is to make sure that they’re not being distracted by food, toys or other dogs.

If you have treats on hand at home, it’s easy enough to keep them out of sight and away from your pup until you get home. If you want to bring some along for the ride, however, at least keep them in the trunk so that only one or two aren’t available for the whole trip.

Either way – no matter how much fun it might seem – never bring food into a dog park! Dogs fight over food all of the time; it can cause serious damage when dogs are fighting over treats or scraps from humans. Also avoid bringing toys into the park with you: some dogs may swallow these items and then need surgery due to intestinal blockage caused by ingestion of foreign objects (like tennis balls).

Make sure if you take your dog(s) to the park, you have everything covered.

Now that you’ve got the basics down and your dog is ready to go, let’s talk about some of the extra things you should bring along.

First, make sure you have a good first aid kit. Even if your pup doesn’t get hurt at all (if so, lucky you!), there are always other dogs who do. And their owners might not have the supplies on hand to take care of it themselves.

Next up: leashes and collars! You’ll need both for various reasons during this adventure—the leash lets your dog explore without going too far away from you, while the collar keeps them safe in case they run after another animal and get tangled up with another leash-less friend.

And last but not least: poop bags and water! As I mentioned above when talking about bringing food into the park, this is super important because… well… dogs poop ALL THE TIME! So hopefully everyone has brought their own scented baggies so they don’t have to worry about stepping in anyone’s messes or accidentally picking one up off the ground by accident; otherwise prepare yourself for an unpleasant walk back home after leaving earlier than planned due to disgustingly stained shoes…

Conclusion

I hope this article has cleared up any questions you had about taking your puppy and dog to the park. Always remember, safety comes first and don’t forget the most important rule: HAVE FUN!