By Hannah Lynn, Contributing Writer
Could taking your dog to the dog park have the potential to do more harm than good? Many people feel dog parks can only benefit their furry friends. While there are benefits to them, there are also many risks involved that need to be considered.
Dogs can often be unpredictable, even to their owners. While it’s easy to feel like your dog does not have it in them to hurt another dog, it’s essential to know even the sweetest dog has the potential to do so given the right circumstances and wrong time.
Many health concerns exist when taking a dog to a dog park. Dogs get diseases much like humans do. Many dogs in one space create a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses, like airports for humans.
These diseases could range from fleas to kennel cough to even more severe life-threatening illnesses. New strains of diseases pop up occasionally, and with no vaccines against them, they can prove deadly for your fur baby.
Certified Veterinary Assistant Kailani Ryan believes dog parks have the potential to harm their health and do more harm than good in this regard.
“When owners don’t vaccinate their pets, they don’t know those diseases are transmissible to an unsuspecting healthy pup at the dog park,” Ryan says. “I’ve heard stories [from others]who won’t bring their pup to a dog park anymore because afterward they were infested with fleas or bit by a much larger dog.”
Even though these parks do have the benefits of dogs being able to socialize with others and burn off energy, having so many dogs in one place with owners who are not paying attention to their dogs has the potential to create an unfortunate situation. Special guidance is needed when dogs interact with each other because dogs can be unpredictable and can cause harm to each other.
Ryan believes other, safer ways exist to help dogs burn off steam.
“Keeping an organized regime of walking, playing, or other outside activities can help a dog keep active. Plus, walking is better specifically than letting them run around in a dog park because they get a better, wider range of the environment around them and is a better bonding experience with owner and pet,” Ryan says.
To safely enjoy a dog park, there are preventative steps you can take. It is essential to keep your dog on flea and worm treatment as flea is one of the most common diseases in dog parks. Another way to protect your dog is to vaccinate your dog, which helps fight against illness.
For Saint Leo students wanting to take their furry friends out on the town, a dog park may be a great option, but it’s important to remember that, like anything, some risks are involved. Taking preventative measures and paying attention can mitigate these risks; however, if you’re looking for another way to socialize with your dog, grab a toy and go for a walk!
