Finding a park for your dogs to run off some steam at the end of a long day can be a challenge. Many dog parks exist, but you have to wonder how much fun your dog would really have at them, or how safe they would really be for your pet. For your comfort, and your dog’s safety, you need to find just the right place to relax at the end of the day. You do have the right to be picky in your dog park, as this is the place that will be keeping your dog safe while they enjoy themselves. Things to look for in a good park include the following:
* The amount of space provided in a park is always important to your pet. Your pet needs room to run around and enjoy themselves, and a small dog park isn’t going to facilitate that. Your dog may well feel uncomfortable if too many dogs are crammed into too small of an area.
* Fencing is important in a park for your dogs. The fence should completely encircle the park area, with airlock style gates for coming and going. This series of two gates should feature one gate closed while the other gate is opened, creating a quarantined space for you and your dogs temporarily. This feature will keep your dog from escaping when someone else enters or leaves the park. The spacing of the fence posts should be narrow enough that your dog can’t fit between them and high enough that your dog can’t jump over the top.
* The facilities and amusements provided for your pet are important, too. A park that is just an open field will give your dog the chance to run, but there will be few other activities to enjoy. Look for a park that offers shade for humans and dogs alike, and that has water fountains available. There should be plenty of activities for your dog to play with inside the park as well, and these should be firmly rooted to the ground for safety.
* The park should be well landscaped and kept up. The grass should be kept at a reasonable height, and the grounds should be free of obvious dangers. Garbage bins should be provided on site for the disposal of dog waste, and all owners should be responsibly cleaning up after their pets. The local council is normally responsible for the upkeep of such dog friendly areas, so if a park doesn’t meet these standards, provide constructive feedback and encourage change.
* The rules of the park should be clearly posted on the property. These rules should include hours of operation, if toys are allowed, enforced vaccinations and tag wearing, appropriate head count within the park, and state that dogs must be accompanied by humans at all times. These rules should be enforced and respected. If they are not, find an alternative that will be safer for both you and your dog.
Most importantly of all, you should be comfortable while you are using this park for your dogs. If other people are rude to you, or if you feel that the park is dangerous in any way, look for a different place to take your pet the next time. Consider using a high quality app to find a location that will suit your pet exercise needs to save yourself the time and trouble of visiting run down areas that other users have already reported.