Dog Park Filth

[Breanna]

I took Crush to the dog park for the first time yesterday and it was great! She ran with those dogs faster than I've ever seen her run. I wiped her paws before letting her into the car. The park was a mixture of grass and sand which dogs urinated and pooped on quite a bit. There were some buckets of dirty water that some dogs were completely burying themselves in. (I'm glad Crush didn't do that).  I am a bit of a germaphobe and the idea of dog park germs in my car and house was pretty gross to me. I bathed her immediately after getting home. Now, I know they should only be bathed every 4-6 weeks (especially Crush with her dry skin) but I think I might like to take her more often than that. Do you all bathe your dogs after going to the dog park or have any other kind of routine? 

[Lindsay n Archie]

I don't, we go so often or he's playing with his neighborhood friends he is always dirty !

[Trudy Harlow]

My Paddy is a dog; he's going to get dirty. I think he's healthier and happier by my letting him play and romp and be himself than he would be if I tried to keep him perfectly clean all the time. And, studies have shown that a few germs are not a bad thing for making immune systems healthy.

OTOH, I try to be prudent and not track dog park or other real filth into my car or home. I wear shoes to the park that are only for that, or for wearing outside, and I change them in the street before getting back into my car. I do usually wipe Paddy's feet, but only to get debris off (we have seat covers for where he sits). I am not obsessive about any of this, though.

[Breanna]

Do your dogs sleep in your beds? Maybe I wouldn't be as cautious if she didn't rub all over our pillows. It's not the dirt I care about. It's the illness germs, e.coli, things such as that. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Yes, my dogs sleep on, but not in, my bed. I have had fewer illnesses since I've had them.

[Trudy Harlow]

No, Paddy does not get on our furniture, and he sleeps in his crate at night. Happily, I might add.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

You can purchase, but I prefer to just use rugs that fit in your car to keep out all the mud.

Call me crazy but my mother used to tell me, " Clean house, neglected children"  She also used to say, " No worries, Joanne. You wash up beautifully"

Meaning, sometimes you just have to get dirty. In our modern age with washers and dryers and wonderful ways to convert our showers into dog bathing areas~~~  Just go have fun and take a hose to the rest.

Now, I'm not so much of a germ a phob, but I do think dog park poo poses many issues and illnesses   :)

So, take your own water for your dog. Wipe off his feet.  Get a car seat protector/ or make one.  Go Have Fun with your dog   :)

The muddy season is really the worst time for dog ownership so I do get it.  But you really need to let them play and have some fun.  I hope you have fun too.

Yes, My dog sleeps with me

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

To tell you the truth, I don't often go to dog parks anymore.  They can be really really bad for many issues.  I do though, go out and hikes in the parks with my dog.   It's hard having a new dog and wanting to socialize and putting up with dog park filth.  I do understand.

Instead, maybe a puppy day care twice a week might be better for socialization.  Much cleaner there for all concerned. 

For cleanliness, just take a walk or play in your own yard, go to the state parks and enjoy

[Breanna]

I'm glad you understand. Like I said, I'm okay with the dirt. She can roll around and get as dirty as she wants! It's the diseases and illnesses that can naturally saturate dog parks that concerns me. We go on the walking trail a lot and will be spending more time hiking and camping when this school semester is over. She gets play time with family's and neighbor's dogs, but it was neat to see her able to run freely in such a large area! I think I'll keep the dog park as a sometimes activity. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

It is so much fun to see them run with joy. 

My dog is 5 now and yes we did go often when he was younger. It did him a world of good but in the end, the poo parasites did get to me. Also, the nasty dogs, the dog fights, and some vet bills for me.

Breanna, I do use a school nearby to run my dog. It is 5 acres out back and fenced. Maybe I am too lucky.  We go there when no one is around. It's clean.  

I also have taught and really worked hard on a a recall.  Come is the most important thing to teach a dog. Still, that is not a sure thing when it comes to chasing deer, or running into a pack of coyotes, etc  :(   You have a way to go to get your dog more reliable off-leash. They are better on this after 3 years old.   I make sure he sees I have his favorite toy with me and that I will let him play soon. He tends to stick real close then.

Truly though, after reading this again, I have the creeps with dog park poo

I live in Ohio and we had horrible diseases and deaths this year in dogs. All our parks were closed.  Also, we could not let our dogs even smell another dog's waste. 

It's tough. 

[Breanna]

That's very sad :( I did see a fight yesterday and it scared me. Crush doesn't give off aggressive energy but it is scary.

You are lucky to have 5 acres of fenced space! My boyfriend and I actually went and played tennis at a park in our neighborhood. It is all fenced in. We took her with us and let her run around at the end. She did well coming back to us. We are going to start taking her to an unfenced park with her lead to practice recall. She still has a long way to go. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We also used tennis courts are Crush's age.I really liked those when Spud was younger. Just be careful to watch the paw pads as the courts can be rough on the bottom of those paws. Otherwise, great

[Shelly Gouvas]

I too haven't been taking Jake too the dog park lately.I don't like how people don't even try to control their aggressive dogs.The dog should'nt even be there if he is aggressive.Sign right out front.I had someone tell me that's how dogs are,they fight for the leader position.It just irritates me.My Jake doesn't have a aggressive bone in his body and hates conflict:-) .