Q: I have a 9 month old Lab-Pit mix I adopted three months ago from the shelter. He’s a really sweet dog and plays well with my neighbor’s dog, also a lab mix. We live near a fenced-in dog park and I’d really love to take him so he can socialize with more dogs, but a couple friends have had really bad experiences at dog parks and I’m nervous about going. Any advice?

A: Great question! Dog professionals are all over the place on the question of dog parks. Depending on whom you ask, dog parks are the highlight of your dog’s day or the ideal setting for trauma, injury and lawsuits. I personally enjoy exercising and socializing my clients’ and my own dogs at the dog park, but I also know it’s not the time for me to zone out or catch up on phone calls. It requires work on my part.

The success of any dog park depends on the willingness of owners to adopt and support basic rules of etiquette. If you’re at Chuck E. Cheese’s – the human equivalent to a dog park – and an overly sugared 4 year old is shoving, shouting at, and basically annoying your kid, most likely it’s a natural reflex for you to step in and re-direct the exuberant child onto something else, especially if there is danger that your kid could snap and bite and start a brawl that would attract 20 kids of all ages and stages. The same rules apply at the dog park.

From the moment you pull into the parking lot at the dog park, your job as dog owner (read: your dog’s leader) begins and your responsibilities extend beyond just picking up your dog’s poop.

Owners often innocently believe that the dog park is a place for them to take their dogs and let them run wild. It’s a widely held belief, unfortunately, that the dogs will figure out the whole social thing themselves. While this would be fine for a pack of dogs in the wild, it’s an irresponsible approach for our pet dogs. Not only is it dangerous, it undermines all the work you are (hopefully) doing at home with your dog to establish trust, respect and leadership. If your dog doesn’t trust that you’ll protect him, he’s likely to act out in ways that can provoke a host of undesirable behaviors from other dogs.

Here are a few tips to help you and your dog navigate the dog park:
--Take a walk. Before you enter the dog park, walk your dog on-leash outside the park until he’s reasonably calm. If you’ve never been to the dog park, walk your dog near it for several days before you actually go in; close enough that he can see the park, but far enough away that he can calm down after 10 or 15 minutes. Releasing an extremely excited dog into a dog park is likely to attract unwanted corrective behavior from other dogs.
--Keep moving. Owners who stand around the perimeter of the park, engrossed in conversation or reading a book, are essentially saying to their dog, “Good luck! You’re on your own!” Dogs will often set up invisible perimeters around stationary people (even those who are not their owners) and then send off signals that they’re “defending” this territory, basically challenging other dogs. Fearful dogs will hide behind people, broadcasting, “I’m unsure and nervous!” which can provoke a more dominant dog to “correct,” or can incite a prey drive. By walking around, you are interacting with the dog pack, and you’re in a position to identify potential problems, and to step in and redirect.
--Keep watch. Keep your dog in sight at all times, and be on the lookout for behavior or body language that indicates something’s about to go down. For example, a new dog enters the park and is rushed by the pack for a sniff and greet. New dog stiffens up and his eyes go wide, indicating he’s uncomfortable or frightened. This body language can be a prelude to a snap, which can start a brawl in a pack of already-excited dogs. Your job is to be the diversion. Clap your hands, blow a whistle, do something to break the tension and distract the dogs. Even if your dog isn’t at the center of it all, you’re doing everyone a service by helping the dogs move onto something else.
--Patrol the poop. Clean up after your dog both inside and outside the park. Create your own “poop karma.” One of these days you won’t see your dog poop and someone will pick it up for you. Do the same!
--Know when to leave. It takes just one dog unskilled at play to create a treacherous play environment. Be prepared to leave if it looks like things could get out of hand.
--Don’t freak out. If your dog gets in a scuffle, or even a fight, don’t add to the problem by yelling at the other owner or panicking. Remaining calm is the best thing you can do for your dog; he can sense your energy and your response can make the situation more traumatic for him.
--Be honest. If your dog is unruly, obnoxious, fearful, reactive, or behaves in any way that could incite trouble or make him a target, the dog park is not the place to work on behavior modification. Work with professionals in a controlled environment for help.
--Be realistic. Remember: our dogs are animals, and stuff happens.

Ask the Trainer appears on the first Wednesday of every month. Send your questions to ann@localbark.com.