Pet Talk Tuesday – Socializing your dog

Dr. Susan Wylegala says one of the great things about Western New York is that we have great options for places to take our dogs to walk. There are also places that have specific dog parks where you can take your dog off leash and have them interact and socialize with other dogs. She says there are pros and cons to everything. The pro is that this is a great way to socialize your pet with other animals, hopefully in a controlled environment. The problem is that not all dogs and not all people that take their dogs to these areas have dogs that are socialized. Some people take dogs there that are not actively social with other dogs and they are using this as a way to get their dog socialized and that’s not always ideal. So be cautious initially unless you are familiar with the other dogs in the dog park before letting your dog run free at the risk there may be another dog in there that is not quite as social as it should be. The other issue is that you don’t know if these other pets are up-to-date on their vaccinations and are healthy animals. Everyone is on their honor that they’re bringing an animal that is healthy, but you don’t know that. Dr. Wylegala says make sure your pet is up-to-date on all vaccinations; make sure your pet is on a regular deworming schedule because you don’t know if any of these other dogs have parasites that they may be shedding at the time. Do your due diligence. Dog parks can be a wonderful place to socialize your dog but there are some cautions to be equated. So, with some basic cautions, vaccinations up-to-date, regular parasite control, and an appropriate flea and tick control. She says they are already seeing pets loaded with fleas, so make sure they are on an appropriate product. Talk to your vet and just be cautious because not all dogs are a social as you want them to be in a dog park.

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