Frequently Asked Questions

Don't the dogs fight?

Although dog fights do sometimes happen at a dog park, they are uncommon. Dogs that seem dog-aggressive in their own yards often get along fine with other dogs in a dog park situation. There are probably several factors contributing to this: (a) the dog park is neutral territory; there is nothing to defend; (b) the dogs at the dog park keep changing, so there isn't time for a "pack" to form; (c) dogs that are off-leash are much less likely to be aggressive than leashed dogs.

I'm not sure how my dog will react to being around the other dogs. Is it okay if I leave him on his leash until I know if he is going to be okay?

If you have reason to believe your dog will be seriously aggressive toward other dogs even in a large neutral territory, do not bring your dog to the park. Bringing a dog-aggressive dog and keeping it on a leash is not acceptable--other friendly dogs will repeatedly approach your dog, and the situation will not be pleasant for them. If you are not sure how your dog will act, but have no reason to believe he will attack other dogs in a neutral territory, your dog will more than likely be fine, provided you let him off his leash. We have seen time and time again a seemingly aggressive dog brought into the park on a leash who became a very nice dog once he was unleashed. Leashed dogs tend to feel intimidated by dogs running around off-leash--the leashed dog is not on equal footing with these dogs. The leashed dog, knowing he can't run away if need be, tends to act aggressive in order to "scare" off the unleashed dogs. And the leashed dog may feel protective of his owner on the other end of the leash. We recommend that unless you have reason to believe your dog is a danger to other dogs (and if that is the case he shouldn't be at a dog park at all), you let your dog off his leash as soon as he enters the park. If there is a problem you can immediately leash him. Or, drop his leash and let him run around a little bit with the leash still on; that way you can more easily catch him if need be.

Yesterday a new dog came to the park and was very aggressive toward all the other dogs and the owner didnít remove the dog from the area as the rule require. What should I do if this happens again?

More than likely you have been bringing your dog to the Canine Companion Zone (K9CZ) for quite awhile as have most of the park users. Your dog is by now very comfortable with this environment. Although we discourage aggressive dogs from using the dog park, it is important to keep in mind that this is a very intimidating place for a dog that has never been exposed to such areas. Especially when the new dog is greeted at the gate by 5-6 dogs all at once. No doubt, if you walked through a park and were suddenly approached by 5 people you didnít know you would feel threatened. We want every one to have a good experience at the dog park. It may take a couple times for a new dog to adapt and relax. Unless the other dogs appear to be at risk of injury, just be tolerant. If this behavior persists contact the park office. Generally, if the individuals whose dogs donít adapt, donít continue to use the park. It isnít any fun for them or their dogs.

What's the best way to break up a dog fight should one occur?

There is no absolutely safe way to break up a dog fight, but one of the methods recommended by the experts is for each owner to grab his/her dog by the tail or hindquarters and pull the dog away from the other dog, hold on to your dog's hindquarters until he has calmed down, and then leash your dog and take him home. Under no circumstances should you ever break up a dog fight by grabbing a dog's collar or anything near the biting end of the dog!

Do I need to worry about my dog getting fleas at the park?

Although we donít expect to have a flea problem, the park is used by 750 different dogs, fleas are common in Indiana and tend to like shaded areas. We would guess that anyone who cares enough about their dog to bring it to an off-leash area would also give it a flea preventative, such as Advantage or Frontline, along with heartworm preventative.

Do I need to worry about my dog getting a disease at the park?

When someone signs a membership application one of the rules they are agreeing to is to not bring their dog to the park if it is sick. Another rule they are agreeing to follow is to keep their dog up-to-date on its shots. Although the only vaccinations that are verified by the park are rabies, parvo, and distemper, one would hope that anyone who would buy their dog a membership to the CCZ would also make sure their dog is protected by vaccinations. But even if someone does not keep their dog up-to-date on parvo/distemper shots, your dog is protected as long as you keep his shots up to date. (Also see Dog Health)

Why do you say one should check with their vet before bringing a pup under four months to the park?

It takes time for a puppy to build up immunity to diseases such as parvo and distemper. Some vets recommend that one wait a month or two after the pup has received all its shots before letting it be around a lot of other dogs.

My kids love dogs--why can't children under 10 visit the park?

We'd love to be able to safely let children visit the park, but unfortunately small children are at greater risk of being injured at a dog park than are older children and adults. A small child is more likely to be at a dog's face level, and more likely to be bitten in the face if a bite occurs. Young children often run instead of walk, and scream instead of talk--these actions can cause some dogs to get overly excited. Young children sometimes have not learned that not all dogs like to be petted. Groups of large fast-running dogs can easily knock a small child down. While we at firmly believe that kids need to learn proper behavior with dogs, we feel that doing so in an area with so many large dogs is not in the child's best interest.

I was at the park the other day and one of other dogs kept bothering my dog. The dog's owner saw what was going on but did nothing. What should I do if this happens again?

There is a wide range in dog play styles: some dogs play rough, growling and snapping as they play; some include humping behavior in their repertoire; some dogs, especially energetic puppies between 6 and 12 months of age, don't seem to know when to stop. One of the things dogs learn at a dog park is that different dogs play differently. Sometimes owners who are not used to these different play styles mistake play aggression for true aggression. If the other dog is showing true aggression toward your dog remove your dog from the area and notify park staff of the situation. Aggressive dogs (dogs who attack other dogs with the intent to harm them) are not welcome at CCZ. If the other dog is simply playing in a style that your dog is uncomfortable with, you have several options: (1) move your dog to another park of the park, (2) give your dog a chance to see if he can figure out how to handle the situation himself--often times dogs are able to work these things out themselves, (3) talk with the dog's owner and explain that your dog is uncomfortable with their dog's behavior; this third option will be necessary if you move to another area and the offending dog follows you. One would hope that the owner of a dog who is making your dog uncomfortable would do something to end the situation, but unfortunately not everyone understands dog behavior well enough to pick up on when a dog is scared, intimidated or really annoyed; you may need to explain to the offending dog's owner that your dog is not enjoying their dog's attentions.

I will be gone for a few days and my friend will be taking care of my dog. Can my friend bring my dog to the park?

Yes, you can do this, but please make sure your friend understands that the only dog she can bring to the park is your member dog (she can't bring her non-member dog). Make sure she knows all park rules and agrees to follow them. Make sure she understands and and agrees with the liability waiver (and preferably has signed a liability waiver sign-in sheet). Even though you will not be there with your friend, she will be considered your guest and you will be responsible for her behavior while in the park.

Friends from out of town will be spending some time with me next month and they will be bringing their dog. Can they and their dog accompany me and my member dog when I visit the park? Do I need to pay a day rate for their dog?

Your friend can purchase daily passes while in town. They must provide vaccination records for their dog.