Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Dog Safety in a Park | Taking your dog to a park can be a mutually beneficial to your and your pup’s health. As your pet enjoys and plays in the green space, you can have fun as you exercise and recharge after a long day.

But as with every space, there are certain rules that you have to follow, especially when it comes to public spaces other people will share. These rules are for the dog’s safety and to ensure decorum in the park as there are many visitors. However, there are ways you can also do this on your own by considering some basic tips and rules.

Here are some tips to ensure dog park safety.

Park Safety Tips

Know Your Dog’s Nature

Before you bring your dog to a park, make sure you know its nature, likes and dislikes. Even though a park may seem like an excellent place for your dog to have fun, some dogs can get agitated or overwhelmed. Therefore, if your dog does not like crowded spaces and being around strange people, then a park day is not ideal.

Always Know Leash Rules

Your dog will love playing and running around in the park vicinity, but you have to be considerate of other people and their pets too. Therefore, some parks have a strict leash policy that states you cannot take it off. However, there may be some designated areas where you can take the leash off. Ideally, you should know the dog park’s rules before you step into one. Moreover, make sure to carry a non-retractable or a nylon leash so you have control over your canine.

Stay Within Your Area

One of the reasons dog park safety is crucial is many kinds of dogs visit a park. Some are small in size, while others have an aggressive nature. Considering this, some parks have separate designated areas for small and big-sized dogs respectively. Try to know which area your dog belongs to and stay within it. This enables all dogs to play as much as they want but with their counterparts.

Vaccinate Your Pet

Perhaps one disadvantage of taking your dog out in a public space is the threat of contagious diseases. To prevent this, make sure your dog is vaccinated against all possible illnesses such as rabies or parvo. This also means that you cannot take a puppy to a park since their vaccinations are not complete because of their age. Ultimately, your vet can decide what shots are essential for your dog’s safety. Moreover, if you know your pet’s sick, do not bring it to the park as it can be dangerous for other pets.

Ensure Basic Commands

Even if you observe your dog with an eagle’s eye, there will be some incidents where you will have to use basic commands to stop them or alert them from potential danger. Therefore, making sure your dog knows all basic commands such as stopping, sitting, or running back to you is imperative in maintaining dog park safety. Furthermore, you should ensure your dog remembers all of them and has not forgotten them.

Get A GPS Tracker

For safety purposes, make sure your dog has a GPS tracker that you can mount on your dog’s collar. Even though you should keep a watchful eye on your pet, you should be prepared in case of an unforeseen incident. If you don’t want to place a GPS tracker on your pup’s collar, have your vet microchip them to ensure they can be found.

Bring Water

A park may have a small water body, but you should not let your dog drink from it for health purposes. Other pets may also fight, and it could get unruly all because of water. To avoid this, you should bring bottled water with detachable cups so your pet can be satiated whenever they’re thirsty.

Don’t Bring food

Some park rules discourage food in an area frequented by dogs. The food’s smell may attract the dog, and it might run in that direction. Therefore, don’t bring anything that might cause a ruckus among dogs that you won’t be able to eat peacefully too.

Don’t Leave Poop Behind

This is one rule that applies in all public settings and not just for ensuring dog park safety. Always make sure you have picked up your dog’s poop in a ziplock or biodegradable bag. This is important because you’re not only polluting the environment, but it also poses a health risk for other pets and even humans.

Fewer Toys and Treats

Having lots of toys and treats in a park may seem like a fun activity for your pet. However, whne you think about it, there may be many pets playing around in a park. It could result in a fight amongst them to get the toy or treat. This is something you should avoid keenly. However, if there is an open space and there aren’t that many pets, a small game of catch or Frisbee can be a good idea.

Know Your Pet’s Body Language

Even if you follow all park rules, you should know your dog’s body language very well, especially when it gets aggressive. This is because it might be acting differently or strangely. Ultimately, this is something that only you can pick up on. Thus, in a park setting, it is increasingly important that you are aware of your dog’s body language so you can stop it in time.

Don’t Get Into a Dog Fight

Finally, don’t get into a dog fight no matter what. This is to ensure your own safety as you never know how a dog will react. However, there are ways to stop a dog fight without intervening. For example, you can carry an air horn so you can distract them away from the fighting.

The Bottom Line

Your dog’s safety should be your utmost priority. To do this, you should follow the tips above and also comply with your local park rules. As such, enjoying and playing in the park should not be a problem if you care for your dog and others around you.

by Bobby J 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.