Should I take my dog to a dog park or not?

Dog Parks: 

Off-leash dog-parks have become popular in certain parts of the country in recent years.  I have two points to make about dog parks:

1. Good points:  They allow space for families to recreate with their dogs.  This space may be the only true, enclosed exercise-ground for dogs whose families lack a fenced-in yard.  Dogs of various breeds, sizes, and ages get needed opportunities to practice their social skills with dogs and humans of various ages.  They offer excellent opportunities to work on recalls around distractions (call the dog to you, praise him, and then release him to resume playing; most off-leash parks don’t allow food).  The best ones have some carefully-considered rules that are monitored and enforced, and are clean because owners are required to pick up after their pooches.  Many parks supply baggies and trash receptacles for this purpose.
2. Questionable points:  The parks need to have rules and an active association to enforce them.  The dogs themselves need human supervision.  Some owners are not responsible enough to realize their dog does not “play nicely with others” or is aggressive.  Dog fights start, and humans need to be willing and able to break it up.  Any place with a multitude of dogs harbors germs and parasites, and is no place for an un-immunized dog or one with a compromised immune system.  Even “nice” dogs that meet and play regularly form packs that can gang up on a weakling or a newcomer to “their” territory. Dogs can become terrified of other dogs if they have a bad experience or two. They can learn bad manners as well as good ones from other dogs.

To visit or not to visit dog-parks depends upon the particular park as well as upon what you and your dog can handle.  If your dog craves canine company, do not feel you have to visit the park.  Supervised play-dates with your friends’ or neighbors’ dogs in a fenced-in yard or at an abandoned tennis court could suffice quite well.