Dogs Parks Can Be Fun Places To Go, But The Dog Has To Agree

Some people love dogs parks and some hate them, but it’s the dog’s opinion that counts

A young man once told me, “I know my dog doesn’t like dog parks. She gets all sorts of nervous and resists leaving the car, but she just has to get used to it because I like going.” Why go to a dog park if it doesn’t benefit the dog?

As I was researching Canine Confidential: Why dogs Do What They Do I spent a lot of time at dog parks, more so than before. Over the years, I’ve realized I’ve become something of a canine and dog park “confidentialist.” Dog parks can play a surprisingly important role in our lives, in addition to all the benefits they provide for dogs. For some people, their visit to a dog park, I’m told, comprises a large percentage of their interactions with other humans. Some people spend upward of…