How To Take Your Reactive Pup To The Dog Park

As someone who is obsessed with pups, I thoroughly enjoy going to the dog park. However, my furry friend is not super social. She seems to only like dogs who are smaller than her, which is somewhat of an issue because she is only 10 pounds. This means she will occasionally snap at pups larger than her at the park. Obviously, this is not ideal. 

If you have a reactive dog, you will understand that going to the dog park can be stressful. Thankfully, there are several ways to ensure your furry friend behaves appropriately around other canine companions. 

Here are a few tips I have found helpful. 

Do Not Allow Your Dog to Pull You to the Park 

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The dog park is a super exciting place for your furry friend. For this reason, they may exhibit unruly behavior when they are walking toward the area. However, it is important to have your dog remain calm before entering the premises. Joel Beckman of Beckman’s Dog Training explained that a dog’s energy level could affect their interactions with other pups. Essentially, if your canine companion is a ball of energy, they may inadvertently stress out the furry parkgoers. 

If your dog insists on pulling to the park, Beckman recommends pausing and turning around. Now, you don’t need to walk back to the car. Instead, you can walk a relatively short distance before trying again. That being said, you will have to repeat this step until your pup understands that pulling is not acceptable.

Speak Confidently to Your Dog

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In an August 2021 YouTube video, professional dog trainer Sarah Hodgson encouraged pup parents to be confident when giving their furry friends commands. She asserted that speaking “in a confident voice” will “make him feel grounded and safe” while at the dog park. 

Remove Your Dog From the Park if You Are Worried an Issue will Arise

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Keep an eye on your canine once at the dog park. Ideally, your furry friend will play with or ignore the dogs at the park. However, if you notice that your dog and another canine companion are acting aggressively toward each other, do not hesitate to leave the area. While you may feel self-conscious about vacating the park at the first sign of tension, it is best to get ahead of the issue before it gets out of hand. 

“If someone is playing too rough with your dog, go over there grab your dog and grab the other dog and tell him to get out of here,” recommended Beckman.