Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Taking a Dog to a Park | The best way to enjoy your time with your pet dog is taking it outdoors for a fun activity. These activities can be a challenging hike on a trail, a camping day, or something as simple as going to a dog park. Since dogs love being outdoors and in the open, these places can truly bring out your dog’s lively personality and your fun side too.

Moreover, these activities are an excellent way for fur babies to bond with their dog parents and create memories. However, taking dogs outdoors can be a bit tricky if things go out of control. There can be instances of fights, losing toys in the open, or being distracted by other things. Therefore, if you are hesitant to take your dog to a park for the first time, here are some dog park tips to make this experience wonderful for both of you.

Dog Park Tips

Know Your Dog’s Behavior

If you have had your dog for a long time, then you will accurately know your dog’s behavior. If you think your pet is reactive or can get aggressive, then try to avoid going to a dog park. This can endanger other pets, including dogs and their owners. Moreover, if there are children or toddlers at the park, the risk increases. However, if your dog is calm and people-friendly, going to a park with it may not be a problem. Just make sure you can control it in case of any trouble.

Check Your Dog’s Vaccination

Before taking your dog to a park or any outdoor trip, ensure the vet vaccinates them. Outdoor and crowded places such as a park may increase the risk of transmission of certain diseases. Your pet may also catch ticks or fleas from other pets. Plantlife can also result in skin illnesses if your canine gets near one or touches one. This may affect their health and may cause discomfort later on. Moreover, if your pet dog is sick and weak, avoid public places.

Know Park Regulations

Before you take your pet to dog parks, make sure you have read up their rules and regulations. Some dog parks have strict rules regarding putting a dog on a leash throughout the park premises due to dog park safety. However, some of them may have designated spots where you can take off the leash. However, these regulations can vary and change with time, so make sure to know the updated ones.

Choose a Suitable Time

Although this does not apply to a dog park, make sure to select a suitable time when you’re taking your dog to any other park. If you choose a weekend or after office hours, then it may be very crowded. Your dog may feel overwhelmed or react in a way that may endanger others or itself. Therefore, week days or afternoons might work since it may give your canine some space to play and just be.

Always Clean Up

An important part of dog park tips is to leave no trace behind. This means that you should leave the park premises as you entered it. Therefore, make sure your dog does not disturb the plant life or other animals present inside the park. Moreover, try not to litter if you bring your dog’s treat or water bottles. Always carry a ziplock or a biodegradable bag to pick up your dog’s poop.

Don’t Eat In a Dog Park

If you don’t want to be hounded by hungry canines, then avoid eating in a dog park. You may entice dogs all over the park to gather around you, causing a ruckus or even a dog fight. The smell of food may attract them, making it difficult for other dog owners to stop their dogs from coming towards you.

Reiterate Commands

To ensure dog park safety, make sure your canine understands and responds to all your commands. If your dog isn’t obedient, then you may want to avoid bringing it to the park altogether. However, if you want to reiterate commands, then practice them before taking your pet outdoors.

Be Courteous of Other Pets

A park is a public place available for everyone. If your pet misbehaves or tries to cause a scene with other pets, then leave that area or move away. Being courteous of other’s pets and being aware of your canine’s activities can prevent many accidents from occurring.

Don’t Get In Between a Dog Fight

If a fight breaks out in dog parks, then don’t try to break it up or intervene, unless your own pet is involved. This is because you cannot be aware of another dog’s behavior, and splitting them up may injure you or cause damage. Therefore, inform the owners if they are in sight and try to distract your dog from witnessing the fight.

Ensure Your Dog’s Safety

Parks can be quite crowded, especially if you go on the weekend. Therefore, the chances of losing your dog increase in such places. This is also true for dog parks where your dog can be mistaken for someone else’s pet. Thus, to ensure your dog’s safety in dog parks, make sure your pet has a collar with a name tag and address. Moreover, your pet’s collar can also be reflective, so they can be easily identified at nighttime.

Plan Dog Dates

Finally, make your visit to dog parks fun and memorable for yourself and your furry friend. You can do this by planning walks together with other dog parents or an energetic catch session.

The Bottom Line

On a concluding note, it is important to note that these dog park tips can help avoid potential dangerous or unwanted situations. Although each dog parent understands their fur baby better and can come up with their own dog park safety tips, the ones mentioned above apply to all. However, they are handy and can help you plan a better park day with your dog than before.

by Maria A Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.