Dog Park Etiquette For People

I know that as soon as you and your dog get to the dog park, it's tempting to just stand back and watch all of the activity or chat with other owners, but everybody will have a much more rewarding time if you observe some basic rules. Most of these rules are never posted at the actual dog parks but they involve common sense, responsible pet ownership and the respect for every other pet owner and dog that is in the park. Unfortunately in my experience, not enough pet owners abide by these rules but if they did, I think there would be a lot less problems that ensue in parks such as dog fights, arguments and various issues that come up. You need to realize that dog parks aren't a right, they're a privilege.

Please don't let bad behavior ruin things for everyone else. As I like to say as a professional pet sitter, it's the sitters that don't take their jobs seriously that ruin it for those of us who really care about our client's pets. This should go without saying for anyone who takes a dog into an enclosed off-leash dog park. It's a big responsibility and it should be taken seriously.

*My number one rule is: ALWAYS have control over your dog - whether he or she is on a leash; or if off-leash, you need to be able to call your dog back to you verbally, or with the use of a whistle or other tool. You need to be able to take charge and get control over your animal if a fight breaks out. You need to be able to remove your animal immediately from the park if he or she is causing a problem among the other dogs. You should also be supervising your dog - I don't advise turning your back on your dog's location.

*Always be aware of other dogs and the signals they are displaying. Take the time to learn dog behavior and body language - this gives you an edge in being able to identify a dog that may be fearful or shy around other dogs - you may be able to catch an approaching dog who is aggressive and be able to remove your dog from a potentially negative confrontation.

*Some of my best advice includes: not trusting that every other pet owner in the park has complete control over their dog(s), and, never assume that they know how to handle their animal, especially if a fight breaks out. Whenever I take a dog into a park, I have the leash on me, ready to use if needed. I leave the choke chain or halter on the dog so that I have something to grab onto if needed. I like to frequently 'check on' my dog by calling he or she back to me, where I give some TLC and treats for coming to me when called. I really like to use dog parks as a training tool - some dogs are more susceptible to not coming when called if they are distracted, so bring delicious treats with you and use some of your time in the park as a training session. I do training sessions every time I take a dog out for exercise, whether it's just around the neighborhood or to a dog park.

*ALWAYS clean up after your dog. This is the primary reason why dog parks get complaints, so pay attention to what your dog is doing and where it is, and pick up the poop. Even if you find poop that has not come from your dog, be responsible, respectful of the park and clean it up - after all, we've all been caught not looking.

*Keep your dog on-leash until you get to the off-leash area. This is not just respectful to neighbors and other park users, but it's much safer for your dog. Many parks are located in public parks with large parking lots and drivers may not be looking out for dogs in the street, so I don't advice letting your dog run around lose until you are safely inside the dog park boundaries.

*Children should be supervised closely, especially when approaching other dogs. I highly recommend getting permission from the dogs' owner to pet the dog. Many dogs are fearful or uncomfortable around children. I like to recommend that people do not bring their young children or babies into a dog park because it adds to the hazards already present. Dogs tend to play rough with their playmates and may run up to a child with the same playfulness and your child could get seriously injured.

*IMPORTANT - DO NOT bring a dog that is in estrus, or 'in heat'. This includes male dogs who are not fixed, as they can easily and very quickly, impregnate a female dog in the park. It can take a matter of seconds for two dogs to mate and many times this ends in unwanted pregnancies and angry dog owners. Please leave your dogs at home if they are not yet spayed or neutered. It's very irresponsible for any pet owner to allow their unfixed dogs to roam free. Please only bring your dogs if they have been spayed or neutered. Besides the risk of pregnancy, the hormones in dogs who have not been fixed, can many times cause fights between other dogs, as well as other problems.

*Don't allow your dog to harass other dogs or people. This means having respect for other people in the park. Not everyone wants to be jumped up on, have their hands slobbered on, or most importantly, have their crotches sniffed constantly. These are behaviors that you, the dog's owner, needs to be aware of and prevent if at all possible. Please teach your dog that jumping up on anyone is not okay. It's important to reprimand your dog when around strange people and unfamiliar dogs. If your dog is making someone uncomfortable, it is best to move your dog away from that person or leave the park immediately. This is especially important when the dog park shares a community park where children play.

*If your dog is having health problems, please consider staying at home. Please do not risk spreading disease or infection to the other dogs. Many ailments can make your dog uneasy around other dogs, especially if your dog is not feeling like it's normal self, and this can result in fights, aggression and potential injuries.

*Do bring treats to reward your dog for good behavior, like coming to you when called. But, please do not give your treats to other dogs. You should always get the owner's permission to give treats. This is very important because you have no idea if that other dog has certain health problems that may prevent it from digesting certain foods or you may give a treat that then causes a severe allergic reaction. This should be common sense. I know it's tempting to reward a cute dog for being sweet and nice to your dog but use your judgement - if in doubt, ask that dog's owner for permission.

All dog parks have municipal codes posted. Know your local dog laws, for both city and county - especially laws that require licensing and leashing, and follow them. This is not just for the safety of your own dog, but also for every one else.

Some good sites for more information include:

Dog Parks & Liability for Dog Bites: http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/dog_park.html

Park (State & National) Dog/Pet Rules: http://www.explorerdog.com/parks/parkregs.htm

You can do a Google search to find more information on your own city and county rules regarding leash laws, dog park rules by city and much more.

**Dog parks should be a wonderful place to take your dog(s). If everyone follows these basic rules, you will be helping prevent injuries, fights and other problems that are associated with dog parks. By following these simple rules, you will also allow more dog parks to be built and operate smoothly, instead of being shut down - which is what happens when people do not follow these rules. Let's keep dog parks around for everyone to use and enjoy!

The Truth About Feeding ONLY Dry Food

Down With Dry Food

Dry food is, well... dry!
Dogs and cats are designed to eat carcasses and other fresh food, which contain a great deal of moisture, at least 70%. Compare this to packaged dry food which averages 8% moisture. So imagine what the animal has to make up by drinking water! Processing dry proteins puts a greater burden on their system, especially the kidneys. I think we can all agree that our pets are definitely not designed to eat dry nuggets of processed food. You don't eat this way, so why should your pet?


Do Cookies Clean your teeth?

Many people believe that dry food helps keep their pet's teeth clean. Chewing will help keep your pet's teeth and gums healthy, so offer raw bones or natural dried chews (not rawhide, but dried muscle or tendon). Or, do regular brushing with pet toothpaste (it tastes good, and, most importantly, doesn't foam up).

What Else is Missing in Dry Food?

To put it simply - LIVE food! Dry food doesn't have the enzymes that fresh food naturally contains. This forces the body to provide those missing enzymes itself, which can put stress on the system, especially the pancreas. Naturally occurring vitamins derived from food are always preferable to synthetic vitamins. Naturally derived nutrition is by design more balanced and usable by the body, and offers many trace elements that work together in the body.

The Bare Essentials

We know it's convenient to feed plain dry food, but I urge you to add a couple of things. Number one, add moisture, at least in the form of water poured over the food (healthy water, that means natural or filtered). You can add nutrition along with moisture if you add fish oil and canned food. Digestive enzymes are also a good addition for animals that aren't eating fresh food, who suffer from chronic illness, or are elderly.

"All-In-One" Supplements

Pets eating dry food don't need additional synthetic vitamins. They need naturally occurring vitamins from real food. One good way to optimize your pet's dry food diet is by adding a plant-based "all-in-one" supplement. The supplements will vary in their ingredients so be careful. The idea is to use highly nutritious foods to boost the processed food. Most of these supplements contain kelp and alfalfa, two very nutritious plants. They may also contain things like bee pollen, flax seed, garlic, nettle, and dandelion. Some are aimed toward boosting the immune system, while others are more of a spring tonic to help cleanse the blood and boost liver function. Some of the companies that make good ones are: Animal Essentials, The Wholistic Pet, The Honest Kitchen, and The Missing Link.

Any fresh food you can add is a good thing. You can add up to 25% additional fresh food to a dry diet without throwing off the balance too much. This really means fresh food from your own kitchen. The key is feeding healthy fresh food. This means avoiding most of the stuff you should avoid and sticking to natural, mainly RAW food. If you really look at the list below of items to add, you nearly have a healthy diet - without the dry food!

-Raw egg (from a reputable source)
-Raw or cooked meat or organ meats
-Yogurt, Kefir, or raw milk
-Soaked (if rolled) or cooked whole grains (millet, quinoa, oats, buckwheat, barley, rye)
-A few berries
-Assorted veggies (ground or grated is best if they're raw), NO ONIONS
-Aloe Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar
-Sweet Potatoes (cooked or out of a can) **Cats especially LOVE these in their diet!**
-Alfalfa, kelp, garlic (small to moderate amount)


New Option For Shelf-Stable Food:

If you rely on dry food because it's shelf-stable (doesn't need to be refridgerated/frozen), there are new dehydrated foods on the market that you can store on the shelf for just as many months, but are less processed. Some are dehydrated or freeze-dried versions of a companies' raw food diet (Nature's Variety, Bravo). Others are designed as their own unique diet. The Honest Kitchen has a food that is human-grade dehydrated food that looks powdery when dry, with a few recognizable chunks of banana and coconut. You just add warm water and let it sit for a bit (approx 10 min). They make 3 dog foods (2 without grains, one with), a cat food, and a veggie/vitamin mix that you can add meat to. One great thing about this food is that it mixes easily with dry, canned or raw, so this is another way to upgrade a dry food diet. It's not cheap, but you get a really good product. It's a good thing to have up on the shelf in case it is needed.