Benefits of Off-leash Dog Parks
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Off-leash dog areas, or dog parks, provide a community setting in which people can gather and socialize and where they can observe the interaction of groups of dogs at play. Dog parks not only allow owners and their dogs to spend time together, but also offer dogs a space for play and companionship with other dogs. Because leashes can cause dogs to become territorial, spending time off-leash in a park may be beneficial for a dog.
Organizations like the ASPCA believe that dog parks are beneficial to both dogs and dog owners. According to Dan Emerson of Dog Channel.com, proponents of dog parks cite the following benefits: "They promote responsible pet ownership and the enforcement of dog-control laws; give dogs a place to exercise safely, thus reducing barking and other problem behaviors; provide seniors and disabled owners with an accessible place to exercise their companions; and provide an area for community-building socializing." Dog park regulations vary from park to park, but some are quite extensive and comprehensive.
In the U.S., Great Britain, and Australia, the number of dog owners has grown by several millions from the 1990s to the 2000s, and the number of dogs per household has also increased. In her 2007 Master's Thesis, Dog Parks: Benefits and Liabilities, author Laurel Allen wrote:
"In urban environments dogs are generally confined to a crate, portions of the home, or small sections of the yard most of the time. Typically, dogs are taken on daily walks, but because of strict leash laws, they cannot run free or easily socialize with other dogs."
Studies have shown that people find it easier to talk to each other with dogs as the initial focus, breaking down the usual social barriers that make people in our society perceive others as strangers. Research has also shown that dogs improve people's health (by lowering their blood pressure) and increase resistance to disease by giving people unconditional love and companionship. They reduce anxiety and depression, stimulate people to exercise, connect people with others and help redevelop a sense of purpose. The unconditional love of a companion animal is very beneficial for the elderly, many of whom are unable to properly exercise their dogs and who stand to benefit from taking their dogs to a dog park.
Additional benefits of a dog park to the community include promoting responsible dog ownership, as well as accommodating dogs and their owners in a public open space, which has been shown to lead dog owners to higher levels of compliance with relevant laws.
The benefits of exercise for dogs is well documented, although dogs can learn and reinforce bad behaviors if owners are not vigilant or careful. Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, cautions that the dog park should not be used as a substitute for a daily walk. He suggests that the owners walk their dogs briskly for 35 minutes to calm them before placing them unleashed inside a dog park enclosure. Dogs that are highly socialized and exercised are healthier and happier, and less aggressive in behavior. They are less likely to bark, or be destructive or aggressive if they are able to expend pent-up energy during regular play or exercise.
Read more about this topic: Dog Park
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