Dog training at the Gloucester Dog Park

Is your dog ready? A checklist

A dog park is a hard place: many unfamiliar dogs, loose play, frequent arrivals at the gate and owners who are often not watching. It is a test, not a training tool, and a bad experience can set a dog back. Before your first visit, your dog should tick every box below.

If you can't tick them all, keep practising elsewhere. Structured, small-group play is very different from a public park; Dogtown's playgroups are kept to 7–10 dogs matched by size and temperament for that reason. Our page on why small playgroups matter explains the difference.

• Comes when called away from another dog, on a long line, 9 times in 10
• Walks past the fence without barking, lunging or staring
• Has played nicely in a few calm one-on-one meetings
• Takes breaks from play on its own, and recovers quickly
• Is not worried by dogs rushing up to it

Entering well: the gate is the danger zone

Most trouble at dog parks happens at the gate. Dogs inside rush to greet the newcomer, the newcomer is on a leash and feels trapped, and tension builds. Wait outside until the area just inside the gate is clear, walk in calmly, take the leash off promptly in the double-gated area, and walk away from the gate with your dog.

Choose quiet times for your first visits, such as weekday mid-mornings, when only a few dogs are there. Watch for a minute from outside first: if the play looks rough or one dog is bullying, come back another time.

Leaving well: the skill that matters most

Many dogs learn that the recall at the park means the fun ends. To avoid that, practise calling your dog several times each visit, rewarding, and sending it back to play. Then, when it's time to go, call, reward generously, clip the leash and leave while your dog is still having a good time.

Keep visits short, 15 to 20 minutes at first. Leave before your dog gets tired or over-aroused, which is when scuffles happen. If your dog starts mounting, chasing one dog relentlessly or being chased and hiding, call it out and take a break, or call it a day.

Dogs who should skip the dog park

Some dogs don't enjoy public dog parks, and that's not a training failure. Dogs who are fearful, who guard toys or who play too roughly are better off with walks, sniff time and a few well-matched friends. Small dogs can be overwhelmed by big ones.

If your dog has bitten or fought, don't use the park; the rules require removing an aggressive dog anyway. Raise it at the assessment, where Gabby will say honestly whether the Advanced program or a longer behavior-modification program is the better fit.