The current rage in the dog owners’ world is the evolution of off-leash dog parks. While some dog parks are fairly simple, others are quite sophisticated. One thing they all have in common is dogs. Dog Parks ardogs-playing-dog_parke a great place to begin investigating the characteristics that you would like to see in your next (or first) four legged addition to your family.
What do you do?
Grab a notebook, pen, and camera and head to a local dog park. Relax and observe the dogs and their owners. Watch to see which dog likes to be chased and which one likes to do the chasing. Is there a dog that entertains himself searching every hole in the park for critters? Does the dog that is interested in learning everything the park has to offer through his nose appeal to you? Or are you drawn to the dog that is the social butterfly greeting everyone, both dog and human, as though they are long lost friends. Be sure to take plenty of pictures to help you remember the dogs.
Watch how the dogs interact with each other.
Many breeds have unique play styles. Boxers, for example, love to stand on their hind legs and wrestle. Many terriers are interested in hunting. You’ll find them poking their noses into cracks, crevices, and holes in the hopes of finding an unsuspecting chipmunk. Scent Hounds, can be found entertaining themselves by following the trail of something that passed this way hours or even days ago. Herding Dogs herd. Watch them try to keep the other dogs in a nice neat group. If one dog runs off, it’s a pretty safe bet that the Border Collie will try to herd it back into the flock. The bully breeds may run headlong into a group of dogs ready for a body slamming match. And of course in the absence of a tennis ball, the retriever will be looking for something to carry around.
Do you like dogs with long coats, short coats or something in between?
Consider the coats of the dogs in the park. You may not be able to identify the dogs that shed mounds of hair each and every day but you will be able to collect some useful information. Watch to see which dogs look as good leaving as they did when they first walked into to the dog park. You’ll notice other dogs that take home half of the park hidden in their coats. And then there are the dogs that are absolutely filthy one minute and look clean as a whistle the next minute without a groomer in sight.
Now that you have found some dogs that peak your interest,
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Go talk to their owners. Most people will be delighted to tell you all about their dog. Play with some of the dogs that you feel best fit your family’s lifestyle. You’ll find that a day at the dog park can a great way to help you make decisions about your new furry companion.
