It can be easier to socialize your Dogs at the dog park.

You’ve probably heard by now how important it is for dogs to learn how to socialize with other dogs. The dog park is a great place to start!

Many dogs will find it easier to socialize on neutral territory- like a dog park. This can be an excellent place for dogs to learn to "play nicely" with other dogs, as well as with people they may not have met before.

When dogs are at home, they tend to protect their territory and their owners. For that reason, home is not the best place to introduce your dogs to other dogs. It’s best to find an enclosed, off leash dog park. It’s also best to stay with dogs who are similar in size to your dog, if possible. Many parks have sections for bigger dogs and for smaller dogs, which makes it easier to do this.

If your dog has never been socialized, or if your dog has certain issues (anxiety for example), you may need to take “small steps.” By this I mean that you may want to introduce your dog to the dog park in shorter increments of time. Also you may want to go at a time when the park is less crowded in the beginning. Typically the parks are less crowded from around 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. This may vary in different areas.

Be patient with your dog. Many dogs just need some time to get acclimated to seeing other dogs. In most cases, dogs get used to socializing, and then they have a blast playing and running. The dog park can be a great place to get your dog to exercise and to become comfortable around other dogs.