One benefit of bringing your dog to the dog park is ample opportunity for exercise.
Dogs need exercise to maintain long term good health. Exercise helps to build strong bones and muscles. Strong bones and muscles aid in motion. All that running and jumping your dog does could not be possible without strong bones and muscles. The skeletal system protects your dog’s organs from injury. Similarly, if your dog does take a fall or get bumped around by other dogs, he will be at a more serious risk for injury if his bones are not strong! Bones and muscles work together to provide ease of movement. Strong muscles help move those bones around. Agility is huge for humans and dogs alike. A dog that is less agile will be susceptible to weight gain and other health issues as he ages. This can lead to more serious diseases such as heart disease, liver disease, and even cancer.
Another benefit of bringing your dog to the dog park is behavior modification.
Dogs that are cooped up all day every day tend to present more behavioral problems. Jumping on people, chewing up treasured household items, excessive barking and more are a direct result of pent up energy. Many pet parents fail to realize the direct connection between undesirable behavior and the lack of exercise. Dogs that exhibit behavioral issues become a nuisance and uneducated pet parents often have thrown their hands up in the air and don’t know what to do. This frustration can often lead to the dog being brought to the shelter. Exercise can help reduce these problem behaviors and one way to get your dog moving on a regular basis is to take him to the dog park. If you are hoping to one day find your dog in a calm, assertive state, the dog park or any form of rigorous, regular exercise will most likely do the trick.
A final benefit for bringing your dog to the dog park is socialization.
Socialization is just as important as feeding your dog, loving him and taking him to the vet! Dog parks offer so much when it comes to socialization. A dog needs to explore the world beyond his home or back yard. Being exposed to the sights, smells and other dogs will help your dog adapt to the world around him. This will result in a confident, largely fearless dog. This will help make your dog happier and eager to interact with other animals, people, and places. It also has the potential to reduce problem behaviors in your dog as a fearful, anxious dog is known to exhibit signs of stress and separation anxiety. This can manifest itself in many ways including self-mutilation, destroying items around the home and even aggression towards other animals and people.
As you can see, taking your dog to the dog park has benefits that you might not want to turn a blind eye to. Hopefully, this information helps you decide if the dog park is right for you. Whether you take your dog to the dog park or not, be sure to provide your dog with daily exercise and interaction with the world “outside.”
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