I Hate Dog Parks

I hate all dog parks but I absolutely despise off-leash dog parks where dogs run at will.

Dog parks have multiplied around the country, from 20 in 1995 to more than 600 today. Rarely does a day go by that I don't read about another city being petitioned to create a dog park and owners clamoring for an off-leash park.

The results are what any intelligent dog owner would expect.

In Boulder, CO, and Central Park in New York City large dogs have killed smaller dogs at the parks. Pit bulls have been banned from dog parks in Nashville, TN., because they attacked other dogs. In Madison, WI an unleashed black Labrador killed a leashed puppy in front of the horrified owner and her two children.

Even well trained dogs can act like dogs. A 100-pound service dog killed a 4-pound Yorkshire Terrier at a Cape Cod, MA area dog show. The service dog was a Bouvier des Flandres who helped a woman in a wheelchair.

Don't take your dog to a dog park. I don't how to state it any stronger. They are horrible - let me count the ways.

The typical owner does not understand how strong the pack instinct is in their dogs and how readily it is triggered when a dog is taken into a park with other dogs. Owners often are not prepared for how difficult it may be to control their dogs.

Dogs will try to establish rank. Aggressive dogs will bully dogs that are more cautious or reserved. Those are often smaller dogs like ours who are unskilled in the ways of the canine jungle.

Dogs innately try to form packs and sometimes threaten incoming dogs. They love to congregate around gates and entrances. This can threaten and overwhelm a small dog - not to mention a small child - even when the dogs are not menacing.

If your dog is the victim of an attack, even if he successfully defends himself, you can expect him to suffer emotional damage that will be difficult to overcome.
Your dog may be too frightened to ever be around new dogs again and may not even want to go outside. If your dog turns out to be aggressive and attacks other dogs, he may transfer that aggression to your home and become difficult to control.

Your dog may pick up worms or worse diseases at dog parks. Many owners do not have their dogs vaccinated beyond rabies. They also don't bother to treat their dog for worms, even heartworms, and never pick up their dog's poop.

Communities rarely spend the money necessary to ensure a clean and sanitary dog park. It's pretty common to see parks with nothing but gravel and dirt. Who wants to work for the city and pick up dog poop? If your dog is attacked, good luck getting animal control if it's on a weekend or evening.

Owners who lobby for dog parks and use them the most are often the worst kind of owners. The ones who think their dogs are furry human beings and are shocked when their dog acts like a dog. Or, they're too lazy to make the slightest effort to train and control their dog. That's why they want an off-leash park.

At the end of the day, a dog will act like a dog. He may run away to chase a squirrel, he may jump up on a dog of the opposite sex, he may challenge another dog who offends him, he may chase after a smaller dog. These are normal doggy behaviors but ones that can result in damage to your dog or another owner's.

Yes, I recognize the benefits of socialization for dogs. I'm not saying keep your dog inside. Take him out on a leash, just not to dog parks. Let him meet other dogs but make play dates with dogs you know are mellow and trained. In large cities, owners of small dogs are using the Internet to make play dates only for small dogs.

Bottom line - dog parks are diseased ridden areas where a small dog will sooner or later be the victim of an attack. Stay out of them.

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