When our pet Karl Dogo was a puppy, my husband and I took him to the dog park every night, despite the trainer's reservations. A fellow pet parent of ours suggested dog parks as a great place for dogs to socialize. It was also convenient for us to take Karl there. While he played with other dogs, we talked to other pet parents and met his social needs.
But after about three months, I realized that the dog park wasn't the benefit pet parents thought it was. A lot can go wrong there. “Any place where dogs of different ages, breeds, and temperaments are allowed to roam freely without professional supervision is not a desirable place for puppies,” says Delano Enriquez, a Mumbai-based dog behaviorist.
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We realized the foolishness of taking Carl to the dog park when he was bullied and bitten twice by two German shepherds. He also suffered from skin allergies, got into fights with other dogs, and developed bad habits.
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So while parents around the world are flocking to dog parks as a space for their dogs to run free, we found that many experts don't necessarily see it that way. Here's why:
Not necessarily a positive experience
As your puppy grows, you want him to have only positive experiences when interacting with other dogs. If they are bullied or bitten, they may develop aggression issues with other dogs. If he is nervous, he will become shy. Of course, that's not good for the dog, says trainer and behaviorist Aakash Shukla.
Additionally, there is a risk that your pet will pick up bad habits from other dogs. At one point, Carl completely stopped recognizing our “come” commands while at the dog park. Like most other dogs there, he refused to come back to us from a distance, especially while playing with other dogs. That was another warning sign for us.
Also, while the dog is roaming freely, the parents may talk on the phone or sit in the corner and watch other dogs, not knowing that their dog is hitting other dogs or fighting with puppies. You can also see them looking at the seeds. In such cases, it becomes difficult for the other dog's parents to protect the dog from other dogs. Also, many pet parents have no remorse for their dog's misbehavior. Pet parent Mukul Sachdev had his Labrador excitedly run out of the dog park and jump straight into an open car to let the pet out. The lab then bounced from the front seat to the back seat, leaving his muddy footprints and saliva all over the place. The Labrador's parents were unable to take the Labrador outside for several minutes. “When I finally apologized, they just shrugged and walked away. I was shocked at their unapologetic attitude. I was there, staring at the dirty car, and they didn't even bother to apologize. “Sachdev added. That day, Zakdev decided not to take his dog to the dog park.
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Many pet parents believe that their dogs understand the meaning of friends and that their dogs will not attack other dogs. Also, what may seem like harmless dog play may not be. One dog may be bullying the other, making the latter very unpleasant. However, pet parents can hardly read a dog's body language, making it a great threat to others.
At dog parks, many pets urinate and defecate in a confined area and roll around inside. It is a hotbed of infectious diseases. Veterinarian Pooja Harulkar advises her patients not to take their dogs to such parks. “Dogs there are more susceptible to skin infections, which can even be fatal in extreme cases,” she says.
Alternatives to dog runs
If you want your dog to play with other dogs, take him to a professionally supervised puppy training class or group trek. Behaviorists know which dogs get along well with each other and are quick to intervene if they see dogs bullying each other or showing increased aggression.
Riddhi Doshi is a Mumbai-based journalist and first-time pet owner.
