I’ll start by being perfectly honest to say I am not the biggest fan of dog parks. I know they provide a valuable service for people that live in neighborhoods and don’t have a lot of open space for their pets to exercise freely. Understand that the only time the staff at Buellton Veterinary Clinic sees the results of pets in a dog park is when something goes wrong. A bite wound, an accident, an escape, a heat stroke or a lameness from running more than the pet is used to are our side of the dog park experience. So I’ve decided I want to support their use but give some advice to avoid the problems that we see when things don’t go as planned.

First and foremost, view dog parks like taking your child or grandchild to a public park. You want them to socialize, exercise and above all, have fun. But responsible parents never let their child out of their sight. That should also be true for your four-legged child. Turning them loose and not monitoring their movements is when most problems occur. It’s tempting to spend the time on your phone catching up on emails or visiting with the other “parents”.  Don’t let growling or fighting be your first clue that two or more dogs are not getting along. You know your pet and you know their “cues” as far as fear, aggression or being territorial. Watch for them and intervene if necessary to allow socialization on a slower, more comfortable level for all pets involved. 

If your pet is like mine they will over exert themselves at first. Try to avoid that by forcing a few “time outs” with a little water and treat. That may avoid overheating or sore and strained muscles and joints. If they are panting heavily, call it quits. We have been having some unusually hot days this fall and need to avoid overheating. This goes double for our lovable “smushy faced” brachiocephalic breeds such as pugs and bull dogs. 

Inspect your surroundings when you first use a facility. Look for broken fences, large holes in the ground, insufficient gate latches or any hazard that may ultimately cause an injury or escape.  

Finally, your fellow dog park participants may not be as faithful as you are when it comes to updated vaccines, flea and tick control or intestinal parasite monitoring. Be sure your pet is up to date before exposing them to other pets. If one of the pets is coughing, schedule another time. Kennel cough is the most common problem we see in dogs from day care, boarding or dog park facilities. 

Buellton has provided a nice, clean dog park for its residents at 568 Dawn Drive. It has divided the exercise areas by weight of your pet (a good idea) and is open from 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM. By following good common sense and a few rules it should be a fun experience for both you and your pet.