The first consideration when attending a dog park is that dogs attending dog parks need to be vaccinated, wormed and have flea control.
It is a great space for dogs to roam and run free, but vet surgeries commonly see injuries from dog parks and I know of two people whose pet had to be euthanised because of a dog park attack.
The Youngman dog park has peak hours and quiet hours, it is often empty, especially on weekdays.
So, it is easy to arrange a small number of friendly dogs to meet.
RSPCA have a list of etiquettes online, I recommend leerburg.com/dogparks.htm for real life videos and recommendations.
The vestibule or double gated area is a controlled and safe area to remove or leash-up your dog.
The dog can meet other dogs here through the wire before entering.
Not every dog will be suited to an off-leash dog park.
I would not take two of my previous dogs there unless empty of other dogs and my current dog is timid and submissive.
Some dog owners become engrossed in conversation or their phone and do not observe their dog, which is obvious by all the missed poohs around.
People need to watch their animals the whole time spent at the park.
It is unwise to take a small dog to a busy dog park with larger dogs or non desexed animals because that can create fights.
Any aggressive display of behaviour and the dog must be immediately removed.
Pack instinct
Groups of regular dogs can become territorial and treat new dogs as intruders, others may display resource guarding over the water, the gate or a toy.
Mobbing or sharking is when a group of dogs rush and surround or bully a single newcomer.
Ideally puppy school helps dogs with social skills and for young dogs only mix with one or two dogs you know are friendly.
Then there is the community friction when some people cannot control their dogs at home or on a walk and take them to the dog park!
Many attendees either fail to read a dog’s body language or misread and cause human disputes.
Dogs are not like children that play, they can be unpredictable and even dog behaviour experts cannot always predict or observe behaviour and signs correctly.
Behaviour can change rapidly due to sudden excitement, fear or a chaotic environment.
Some breeds are predisposed to fight more than others, but every breed has its bullies.
