Most people probably see a dog park as a fun place for a dog to run and play off-leash, but do you know how beneficial they are to you and your community? A great playground for your pal, dog parks also offer you a way to makeover your dog and your town. Helping to create better behaved pets, a more pet-friendly city and shelters that can work more efficiently it’s time for your community to open a dog park.
Exercise and socialization lead to better behaved pets.
Getting the proper amount of exercise is vital for your pet’s wellness. For people with more active breeds, taking him on a quick walk up and down the street may not be enough to release his pent up energy. Since dog parks are fenced in, your pal is given the opportunity to run faster and play hard with other pets in the park. But how do these things lead to a better behaved pet?
Studies have shown that one of the main reasons dogs display behavioral problems is because they are not getting enough exercise. It may be easier to understand if you think of your dog as a hyper little kid stuck inside on a raining day. He’ll run around in circles, jump on his bed, yell and shout until he is exhausted. Like that little kid, your dog is a ball of energy waiting to be released. If that energy is not released through exercise, he’ll find another way to do it.
Incessant barking, tearing up your couch, munching on your favorite pair of leather shoes, digging and jumping are prime examples of ways your pal may be expending his pent up energy. Plus, by meeting other dogs you can teach you can teach your pal that it is fine to play with his new friends but not with your shoes!
How can it help you?
Dog parks aren’t just fun and exercise for your pet. They can offer the same for you! Since your dog is working off some of his pent up energy, you get to reap the benefits or his new and improved behavior. Plus, running around and playing fetch with your pal is a great way to get the exercise you need each day.
Many dog parks even offer areas where you can train your dog, improving his behavior even more. Dog parks also give you a way to become more involved in your community. You’ll be surrounded by dog lovers like yourself. You can ask questions, get training tips and swap information about dog food, toys, medicines and more. Plus, dog parks are a great place to learn about pet friendly organizations, activities and events happening in your town.
How can it help your community?
The biggest beneficiary from dog parks is your community. While dogs and their owners love playing in them, dog parks can create a safer, more active, pet-friendly community. Dog parks make your community safer by offering a secure area for dogs to play and socialize, without getting in the way of others.
Fenced off from other public areas, dog parks help ensure off-leash dogs cannot go after or annoy patrons outside of the park. Also, socialization between pets typically makes for calmer, less aggressive animals, which means they are less likely to attack. While not true for all dog parks, many cities have reported a drop in crime in parks that also had a dog park. And don’t forget, parks give dogs access to more exercise lessening the amount behavioral issues, such as barking, that may cause neighbors to call Animal Control.
Behavior problems are the number one reason pets are brought to shelters or abandoned. Having access to a dog park means your pal can get the vital exercise he needs, while becoming socialized. These things combined with training can drastically reduce the amount of behavioral issues, such as barking and digging, that lead many to give away their pet. Because of this, overcrowding of shelters can be reduced.
Typically, over time this will also lead to a decrease the number of pets euthanized in your area. Parks also offer a safe place for pet adoptions. Instead of bringing a dog to a shelter, owners that can no longer care for their pet can meet up with potential adopters. This gives people looking to adopt the chance to make sure the dog is right for them and the pets they already own. Finally, parks help your community become more pet-friendly as a whole.
By putting up a bulletin board in the dog park, community members can be given easy access to information about rescues, shelters, training and fun pet events like Bark in the Park and Mardi Growl.
