Advertisement

How to get most out of your trip to dog park

 
Barkley the boxer leads a chase through the retention pond at the city of Clearwater’s Enterprise Dog Park, one of two dog parks in Clearwater.
Barkley the boxer leads a chase through the retention pond at the city of Clearwater’s Enterprise Dog Park, one of two dog parks in Clearwater.
Published Sept. 10, 2012

There are tons of activities you can do and places you can go together with your canine pal. One popular excursion is going to the dog park. As a responsible owner, you need to make sure that your dog is safe when you take a trip to the park. Here are some tips to ensure that your next trip to the dog park is a safe and happy one. Among them:

• Go to the dog park only after you've made sure that your dog is up to date on all vaccinations and has a valid license.

• Pay attention to your dog at all times to make sure that his interactions with other dogs are appropriate and safe.

• Always adhere to all rules and regulations that are posted in the dog park.

• Don't bring a puppy younger than 4 months old with you.

• Always keep a collar on your dog. Make sure to keep collar ID tag contact information up-to-date, have permanent ID with a microchip should his collar fall off, and always alert your pet-recovery service to any changes in contact information so they can find you when your dog is recovered. To enroll your pet in a 24-hour recovery service, visit akccar.org.

• If you're going to the dog park on very warm days, avoid going during peak temperature hours, which typically are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Additional tips can be found on the American Kennel Club Web site at akc. org.