Taking your dog out for a walk lets you and your pet exercise, bond, and have fun together. On the other hand, unless you have other dogs at home or your pet has been trained on how to socialize with other animals, the walk can become a challenging experience. Each dog you come across along the way could be a potential threat to yours.
Parks are wonderful places to take your dog, but a lot of things can happen. Each owner must practice safe and responsible pet handling techniques while they are at the park. But how do you handle such situations when your mutt has never been with other canines before?
Before you go, you need to take note of a few guidelines and tips on etiquette. An expert on kennels and cattery in Dubai shares a few suggestions on what you can do when taking your dog out for a walk. The same tips apply whether you are going to a nearby park or going jogging for a few blocks from your house.
1. Start at the right age
When you first get your pup, you may want to show it off to the world right away. Resist the temptation and wait until your puppy is at least five months old. Until such time, you will need to train the young animal on how to behave and socialize in a more controlled environment.
For socializing puppies between the ages of four and five months, what you can do is to sign them up for puppy classes. In dog schools that offer such programs, puppies can learn to be around other puppies under the watchful eye of an experienced trainer. When looking for puppy classes, look for schools that have the required facilities and can handle puppies.
The expertise of the trainer is just as important when considering schools. Look for dog trainers who use positive reinforcement and allocate plenty of time for free play.
2. Keep your dog healthy
Before you go with your four-legged companion, make sure its vaccinations are up-to-date. Public spaces such as parks are fertile ground for diseases, infection, and pests to spread. Visit your veterinarian to make sure your dog is healthy or if there are other dog health products your pet needs to take.
The other dogs may not be healthy either. By observing your dog’s health and condition before and after your walks, you can do your part in avoiding the spread of sickness or even ticks and fleas.
3. Go for a test walk
Once your puppy reaches the recommended age, ease your pup into the experience by going on a practice walk or run. Choose a day when there’s not a lot of people, dogs, or activity at the park.
Make the trip short. The purpose of this test run is to see how your pup or dog reacts to other animals. What you are looking for is evidence of relaxed body language.
Ideally, the body looks loose, with perhaps a bit of tail wagging. On the contrary, if your dog starts to hide, crouches, snarls, the back is hunched, or the tail is tucked, it may be worth cutting the trip short. Exhibiting these signs is an indication that your dog is not comfortable, is stressed, or feels threatened by the presence of other canines.
Keep in mind that such signs are not limited to puppies. Adopting adult dogs from a shelter, and even senior animals requires time for them to adjust to their new environment. It may take a few short trips before your dog can safely run free in a park.
4. Take note of the other dogs
Some large dogs can be territorial and aggressive towards puppies or smaller breeds. If you have a large dog, look for parks or areas in the park where the dogs are about its size or slightly larger.
In the case of pups or smaller breeds, you will need to be just as vigilant and careful in making sure that your dog is safe. During your first trips, introduce your canine slowly to the other animals in the area.
You will need to confirm with owners if it’s okay to approach their dogs before you make any attempts to introduce your canine. This is to ensure that the other dogs feel comfortable as well.
Extend the same courtesy to other dogs who may be new to the park. If there are new guests, call your pet over. Give the owner and their new dog time to settle in before allowing your pet to greet them.
Taking your pup or adult dog for its first trip to a park may seem harrowing at first, but these tips can help make the experience more positive for both you and your canine.
Your dog’s safety is paramount. If you ever feel that your dog is in danger or starts being aggressive, remove your dog from the stressful situation.
Be patient. It may take some time before your dog gets used to being with other dogs. If things don’t go well the first time, you can always try again.
