Dog Parks Why They Are A Bad Idea

Owning pets has always been a joy for Americans in the U.S. There are over 70 million owned dogs within the U.S. Dog parks were brought upon for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under supervision of their owners. In the 1950s and 60s there were state and regional parks that had liberal policies that some dogs could walk and run trails, but in urban areas their owners had to keep a leash on them at all times. Dog parks are said to be found in every state except Alaska. Most specialists on dog behavior say that neglecting to take your dog out can lead to some disastrous behavior. Not all dogs need that requirement of being outside to burn off; energy some dogs are content with laying around and playing with
their owners. Most dogs are taken on a daily walk or two, but aren’t able to run freely because of the leash laws. Not all dog owners follow the law; they allow their dogs to run off-leash in parks and areas where leashes are required. In this case, if their dog is to bite, injure someone, or get hit by a car they are financially liable. The Martha Scott Benedict Memorial Park in Berkeley, California is the first dog park in the world and was established in 1979. Since the first dog park that was built there has been more than 1,100 dog parks in the United States and Canada combined. Off-leash dog parks are beneficial because they help to maintain a healthy lifestyle for dogs as well as build social skills with other dogs.

Dogs are social creatures that need exercise and companionship (Hawthorne 2016). Just like humans if dogs just lay around, eat and sleep all day they begin to gain weight and obesity can cause health problems. Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder seen in dogs today(Hughes 2008). Risk factors in dogs today include overeating, lack of exercise, aging, and genetics. Some dogs are known to become obese due to their genetics. Humans are the ones responsible for dog obesity because they are the ones that provide food for dogs. If a dog’s dietary intake is too much obesity becomes a problem.

Having an off leash dog park can cause more injuries and diseases due to other dogs and their behaviors and health conditions.
Not everyone is in favor for dog parks such as Ed Frawley a dog trainer. He wrote an article “Dog Parks Why They are a Bad Idea” that he posted on his website. Frawley thinks that dog parks are “well intended, but a bad idea” because most dog owners aren’t responsible enough because they spend too much time socializing with friends and others around them they don’t watch what their dog is doing. Also some dog owners have aggressive dogs that they think are good with other dogs which in some cases they’re not. Other dogs and smaller dogs tend to get bullied by the bigger and aggressive dogs. He suggests that dog owners should purchase his remote training collar that will make the more aggressive dogs comply with its owner. Not all children like big dogs some are scared and they tend to scream and run and more than likely the dog will chase after them. Pet owners don’t know whether or not the dog wants to play or if the dog is really chasing after them trying to attack. Dog fights may occur that no one can stop so there would be some lawsuits happening there. Pet owners and their dog would be at risk of parasites and diseases. The dog park wouldn’t be safe for smaller dogs and larger dogs to play at the same time because it could cause more injuries. Some dog owners would worry that their dog could get fleas because of another dog who has them. There will be those dog owners that would take advantage of the park and not follow the rules. Meaning that they wouldn’t pick up after their dog which would provide an unsafe and unclean environment, will leave their dog unattended, or allow their dog to perform disastrous behaviors in front of other dogs nearby. Just like humans, dogs have feelings and moods too. A dog could be feeling angry with another dog which would probably cause a dog fight to
occur.