Training routines in dog parks

Topic: What to know about Dog Parks

Filed under Dogs

Tags: Training

 

For most people the dog park is a great place to provide your cooped up canine with room to run, explore, romp and play with some four-legged friends. It is also a great place for him or her to just be a dog for a while. This is definitely one use for a dog park, however the park can also double as an excellent training facility, at least for a short part of your visit.

Training in a dog park gives you the advantage of working with your dog in a distraction rich environment. This will be important if you are planning on showing or competing with your dog in any type of event. If your dog can focus on you and follow your commands with all the activities of a dog park going on around them, they should have little difficulty in focusing in during a relatively quiet show or event. Of course even if you don't want to show your beloved pet it is still important to make sure that they can respond to your commands when something else is going on around them.

Many dog parks have designated training or work areas and some even have agility course type obstacles, jumps and tunnels for dog owners to use in training. These designated areas may be booked for classes or group use during different times, however free access times are often posted in the area to allow owners to use the space. These areas within the parks are all use at your risk, which means that owners are expected to test and check the obstacles or equipment before using. Walking through the course and carefully inspecting the obstacles and jumps is an important warm-up activity. You may want to also walk to the area and remove any garbage, old toys or bones or even dog waste that has been left and not removed by an inconsiderate user.

Even if the park doesn't have a specific agility training area you may be able to use natural landscape and park design to work into an agility or obedience type of training program. Logs can be used as jumps or bars to walk across, paths can be used for heeling and lead training and even boulders or bushes can be used to teach your dog to walk around an object or to weave through a set of objects. Being creative and using what is available is a way to make your training fun and different than the same old events. Dogs, just like people, enjoy a bit of a change and challenge so don't be afraid to experiment and do things differently. Remember that part of training is encouraging your dog to accept new and unusual routines without balking or shying away. By using the natural landscape and items in the park your dog will gain trust in you as well as confidence in his or her own abilities.

When planning your training routine in a dog park remember that you will not have any control over other animals or people coming over to see what you are doing. Many owners become flustered or even stressed by having a group of people watching which will then make their dog's more on edge and less focused. If you are uncomfortable in training new commands around others you may want to plan your routines for very early in the morning or during the weekdays when the parks are less crowded. Typically the late afternoons, early evenings and the weekends are going to be the busiest time at the park.

Of course you may also find that you gets lots of tips and advice from other dog owners in the park. Just keep in mind that not all owners train their dogs the same way and not all dogs will respond to the various training methods. Avoid any type of negative methods that include an emphasis in punishment, rather stay focused on positive training methods and lots of praise and attention for doing the right thing. This not only makes training more pleasant for you and your dog but it also helps to reinforce the bond you share.

One great training supply that may be very helpful in getting your dog started in training is a long lunge line. This is different than a retractable leash, it is a lightweight lead, usually made of nylon, that allows you to maintain control of the dog while allowing them to work at a distance from you. The best option for purchasing a lunge line at a low price is to shop an online equestrian supply company or at a local feed or tack store. Horse lunge lines are ideal and are often much less costly than the specialty lines you find at pet stores. Similar to nylon leashes and dog collars, horse lunge lines come in a variety of colors and patterns plus they have a loop for a handle at the end.

Start your dog or puppy off in any training routine with the leash. This gives you the ability to manage the dog if he or she becomes distracted by other pets or activities in the vicinity. After he or she is working well with the leash, the next step would be to remove the leash in the off-leash area and practice, practice, practice.

Many dog parks offer training programs that are organized and run from the park facilities. Several parks, especially those in the more northern areas, already have enclosed arenas or training buildings that are ideal for year round use. These training facilities and buildings may be open to the general public or may be available for a reasonable rental fee to groups, clubs or individuals. Trainers that work out of dog park facilities have the option of using both the private space as well as the public areas for all types of training activities including socialization and off-leash work.

If the dog park doesn't have a designated training area or agility course, you may want to talk with the park manager, Parks Department or the private owner of the land to see if a dog training area could be incorporated into the park. Often this is not a problem as long as there is funding for the supplies, equipment and maintenance for the facility. A dog club, breed organization or even a community group may be very willing to sponsor the building and management of the area once dog owners express an interest in the training area.

Other articles under "What to know about Dog Parks"

comments powered by Disqus