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* Poop _must_ be picked up and properly disposed of. * Owners need to pay attention to their dogs — and the other dogs. If a dog is moving away, cowering or hiding, or otherwise acting like
they do not want to engage, the dog's owner needs to step in and gently remove their dog from the situation. BOW WOW! Scenes from the planned City Bark Park in Cut Bank, Montana.
IMAGES COURTESY CITY OF CUT BANK, MONTANA (2); FIRE HYDRANT PHOTO BY KODIAK KRAPF A 2022 AARP Community Challenge grant helped create a place where Montana dogs — along with their people —
can play. Take a look! According to Lindsay Hamrick, the director of Shelter Outreach and Engagement at the Humane Society of the United States, inattentiveness is the top complaint of dog
park users. “At some dog parks, the owners are not supervising their pets, they're on their phones,” says Hamrick. “When a dog fight breaks out or somebody intervenes and gets hurt,
it's usually because people are not paying attention.” DOG PARKS AREN’T FOR EVERY DOG Signs of a scared or uncomfortable dog, says Sydney Bartson Queen, senior manager of the ASPCA’s
behavioral sciences team, can include a tucked tail, a lowered head or body, raised hair along a dog’s back, panting when it’s not hot, or ears that are pinned back. Fearful dogs might also
pull back their lips, show teeth, and even give a warning snarl. A dog that shows these signs is finding the park too overwhelming. In such cases, it’s best for the owner and pet to leave
and perhaps try visiting again during a quieter time. Or, schedule a doggie play date with one or two other people and their dogs in a quieter location, such as a backyard. “Just like us,
dogs have good days and bad days,” says Hamrick. For instance, she explains, a dog that once loved the dog park but begins snapping at the other dogs might not be feeling well. “Take it as
the dog saying she's no longer enjoying the park and consider having her checked by a veterinarian.” “If a dog looks uncomfortable or is not getting along with the other dogs, leave.
Don't wait around to see if they warm up. Not every dog will do well at a dog park, and that's okay,” adds Queen. ADDITIONAL ADVICE: * An owner needs to evaluate their dog’s
personality and comfort in new situations before going to a dog park. Start by taking walks in areas where there are dogs to see how he or she reacts. * For the initial visit to a park, go
when it’s less crowded. Let the dog get used to the new environment. * Assess the behavior of the other dogs before entering the park. Positive signs to look for include loose, bouncy body
language and dogs enjoyably participating in games of chase or light wrestling. If a dog simply can't handle a busy dog park and the dog owner doesn't have a fenced yard, one
option is to rent a yard. Homeowners with fenced yards but no dogs are renting out their backyards by the hour to dog owners. Do a web search using terms like “private dog parks” or
"backyard dog parks" to find the organizations and companies that provide databases for such locations. ABOUT THE AUTHOR _Amy Lennard Goehner is a freelance reporter and writer.
She is a former staff member of Time and Sports Illustrated magazines. __Page published May 2023_