On October 15, several dog park visitors and their friends gathered at the Mad River Valley Dog Park in Warren to attend an introduction to dog park safety. Led by Janine Manninen of Green Mountain Dog Camp, this session was the first in a free three-part series held at the park. With the theme “How to Introduce Dogs to the Park,” participants learned many useful strategies for introducing dogs to the park and managing them during their stay.
Eve Silverman, chairwoman of the Mad River Valley Dog Park committee, listed a few.
- The movement is magical! If things get tense, take the dog for a walk in the park.
- Keep a leash to separate a dog or let the leash slide for easier access.
- Where people gather, so do their dogs. If tensions rise with dogs crowding together, move away from each other. Start walking with the dog to defuse the situation.
- When introducing dogs, nose-to-nose contact for three seconds should be the limit.
- The more people come to the park, even for short periods of time, the more opportunity the dogs will have to get used to the dog park environment, and the dogs and their humans will be calmer.
- Spend time training or walking the dogs before you arrive at the park to encourage the dogs to be as calm as possible when they arrive. People can also walk their dogs outside the park along the trail to help them relax. Maninen’s rule of thumb is: “If you can’t eat, you can’t meet”: If a dog is too excited to take food from its owner, it is probably too excited to meet others. dogs.
- Use treats to distract yourself and to reinforce positive behavior. Bring plenty (kibble is a great option). Dogs will refocus their attention on the treats rather than on each other. Treat all dogs (ask other owners first, as some dogs have food allergies).
- Try to discourage the welcome cart at the door. When a new dog enters the park, try calling the other dogs to give the newcomer a chance to acclimate without becoming overwhelmed. Shout “Treats!” Sweets ! Sweets ! » so that greeting dogs leave the door area.
- Use the “Small Dog” area if necessary. This area is not reserved for small dogs. Use this area to separate dogs from each other to help manage canine chaos, or to allow a dog of any size to acclimate to the energy of the park.
- Do not hesitate to use a muzzle if in doubt. Dog owners can remove it once their dog has settled down. Muzzles of all sizes will be available at the park visitor center for use at the park.
- Take responsibility for the dog and make sure to always supervise it.
Two other training sessions are planned at the park on October 22 and 29 at 10 a.m. They are free and no pre-registration is required. Bring a leash, dog treats and dogs.
Green Mountain Dog Camp will host additional training events at the Dog Park in the future. Stay tuned to the dog park website, www.mrvdogpark.com for more details.
The MRV Dog Park is located behind Brooks Field near Warren Elementary School. Take School Road to the top of the hill. Turn right on the dirt road, passing the tennis courts and skate park. The Dog Park is near the solar panels at the entrance to the Eaton Forest Trails.
