Dog park etiquette: 10 unwritten rules
Off-lead parks work when everyone treats them as a shared room, not a private garden. Local rules still matter — a fenced run is not the same as a marked wood — but the same manners travel well.
A useful test: behave as you want the next owner through the gate to behave.
1. Watch your own dog
This is the rule everything else hangs on. In an off-lead area you are responsible for your dog’s behaviour. Keep looking at the play, even while you talk to someone else.
2. Pick up immediately
Carry bags before you enter. A dirty park is the fastest way for a good run to be closed or restricted.
3. Only bring a healthy, vaccinated dog
Do not take a dog that is ill or still waiting for routine vaccinations. Close contact spreads kennel cough and stomach bugs quickly.
4. Leave very young puppies at home
Puppies under about four months have unfinished vaccinations and little experience of larger, faster dogs.
5. Learn the difference between play and trouble
A play bow, loose body and bouncy barking usually mean the game is still fun. A stiff body, a hard stare or a sudden silence are better reasons to call your dog away.
6. Do not bring a dog that has already shown aggression
A public run is not the place to test a known problem. One bad incident can injure another dog and give the park a worse reputation than it deserves.
7. Keep toys and treats in your pocket
Balls and visible food create guarding. If you need a treat for a recall, use it quietly when other dogs are not crowding the hand.
8. Respect another owner’s limit
If someone asks you to call your dog back, do it without arguing.
9. Close every gate
Many fenced runs have a double gate. Shut both and wait until your dog is inside or on lead.
10. Leave if your dog is not coping
If yours hides, snaps, or gets over-aroused, go. Come back at a quieter time or use a calmer walking route.
Check local signs on the way out as well as the way in. If a place in Frihund looks wrong, send a note to info@frihund.eu.