Recommendations for planning a dog park

Planning a dog park – recommendations:
Recommended minimum area for establishing a dog park:
The area of ​​the park will be affected by the number of dogs expected to reach it, the number of existing parks and the available space.
The recommended minimum size is 225 square meters (15 m * 15 m). If the existing area does not allow the establishment of a dog park of this size,
A smaller dog park can be established depending on the area available to the municipality.
However, the bigger the park, the more physical activity the dog will be able to do and crowding will be avoided which may cause friction between the dogs and therefore it is possible and desirable to establish larger parks, depending on the available space, and some have an area for small dogs and an area for large dogs .

Land cover in a dog park:
Ground cover is a critical part of the dog park . The covering must be such that it does not cause injuries to the dogs’ legs –
Due to small particles / heating that can cause burns, it is easy to maintain (feces collection and cleaning) and will allow drainage to allow use of the park throughout the year. It is possible to use different coverings in parks throughout the city or to combine different coverings in the same park in order to allow the owner to decide according to the comfort shown by his dog.

Here are different possible covers:
1. Sand – easy to maintain, but you must take care of shading in the park.
In order to prevent warming, it is also necessary to prepare to change the sand 2 times a year in order to prevent odor hazards.
2. Grass – requires a lot of maintenance and watering.
3. Gravel – no larger than 0.6 cm).

In addition to the type of covering, it should be noted that the covering is applied uniformly in the park and, if possible, that it is placed at a depth of 10 cm to prevent digging.

Dog park fencing:
The fence must be such that it effectively prevents the passage of people and animals – through, over or under the fence.
Therefore, it is recommended that the fence be at least 180 cm above ground level.
In addition, the base will be inserted to a depth of 00 cm and the fence itself will be inserted to a depth of 15 cm – this is with the exception of the access areas to the park.
It is recommended that the fence be a mesh fence with a density of 5*10 cm in order to prevent the escape of especially small dogs and the thickness of the material at least 2 mm in order to allow the fence to withstand jumping by the larger dogs.
The durability of the material the fence is made of (weather resistance), the insulation it provides (mesh fence versus a plant fence) and the required maintenance (painting if a wooden fence is used) must be taken into account.

Gate to the dog park:
The gate area is an area prone to problems – dogs enter through the gate while other dogs are in the park, which may cause gatherings by the dogs that are released inside the park. Also, when entering, dogs may try to get out.
In addition, the dog is brought into the enclosure while it is tied and other dogs are not, which may make it feel vulnerable and therefore provoke situations of aggression.
In light of this, the access gate to the park must be a double gate at the height of the fence.
That is, the owner will enter with a dog on a leash. He will close the first door after him, remove the leash from the dog and then open the second door which will let him into the park. The area between the two gates must be at least 1.5 square meters (1.2 m * 1.25 m). Self-closing gates can be installed, but care must be taken that they do not slam (because the noise may startle the dogs and provoke aggression). It is desirable that, in addition to the access gate for dogs and their owners, there should be another gate that will be used by the maintenance department and that will be 5 meters long so that they can enter the vehicle area.
Both gates should be lockable.
In large parks, it is recommended to establish more than one entrance gate intended for dogs and their owners, in order to make it easier for visitors coming from different directions and to reduce the pressure and crowding around the gate.
Under each gate, concrete must be poured 15 cm deep in order to prevent excavations under the gate that would allow dogs to leave the park.

Shading for a dog park:
It is more difficult for dogs to cool themselves than humans and they tend to suffer from heat stroke and dehydration relatively easily,
Something that can cause severe health damage and even death.
It is therefore desirable that the park have extensive shading areas as much as possible. Shading areas will allow the dogs to take a break from the activity, will maintain the temperature of the surface during the hot summer days and allow use also during the winter days.
Trees can be used for shading (trees have additional benefits in the area such as masking noise and contributing to the green appearance of the area).
In addition, the shading makes the use of the dog park more pleasant for the human companions, which increases the likelihood that the park will be used frequently.
When planning the shading, you must take into account the directions of the sun at different times of the day and plan accordingly (for example, don’t put shading with a southern slope next to a northern fence.

Dog park facilities:
The following facilities will allow an enjoyable experience and make the park an accessible place.

Dog park lighting:
Many dog ​​owners visit the garden with their dogs after work hours.
A dark garden prevents use during these hours. Sufficient lighting will also allow the dog owners to collect the necessities that will be done in the garden.
Also, lighted gardens are advantageous for the residential environment because they are a focal point of attraction for a normative population of dog owners
who walk their dogs in the evening.

Dog park bins:
Covered bins and bags for collecting feces. Care must be taken that the bins are of a type that dogs cannot turn over during play.

Dog park faucets:
Faucets for people and water troughs for dogs.

Dog park benches:
Benches in a shaded area for use by human companions.

Play facilities for dogs / agility equipment:
The facilities must be stable enough to carry a large dog and be safe.

Services:
Toilets for dog owners and a toilet complex for dogs (in the park or nearby).

Sufficient parking:
Depending on the location of the garden, its size and the facilities around it.

It must be ensured that all the equipment in the park (bins, facilities) is resistant to the climatic conditions and dog play and is stable so that it does not fall due to dog play .

Vegetation in the dog park:
Trees outside and inside the park will improve the appearance of the park.
In addition, surrounding vegetation of bushes will isolate the park from factors in its environment that may disturb the dogs and provoke barking/aggressiveness such as runners, bicycles, vehicles, children.
In addition, trees and bushes scattered in the park will add interest to the dogs, shade to the people who bring them and will serve as insulators from noise.
However, it is recommended to place a low fence around young trees that are in the park area. When planning the vegetation, vegetation that is toxic to dogs should be avoided.

Signage for the dog park:
A clear sign must be installed at the entrance to the park with the rules of conduct in the park in large and clear letters.
In addition, warning signs should be hung along the fence in prominent places because there are loose dogs in this area.
The signage for the dog park will indicate a number of rules of conduct and entry to the park.

Using a dog park :
The use of the park is conditional on the fact that the dog is vaccinated against rabies and that the owner has a possession license – this must be clearly noted at the entrance to the dog park.
In addition, it should be recommended that a dog arriving at a dog park be vaccinated against hexadecimal, treated against external parasites and wormed (including the park worm)
In order to avoid the transmission of diseases in these complexes.

Dog park maintenance:
An authority that establishes a dog park on its territory must prepare for the fact that, beyond the establishment of a dog park, ongoing maintenance is necessary –
This maintenance may include, among other things, cleaning the area of ​​waste as often as will prevent odor hazards, emptying trash cans, filling bags in the facilities, maintaining the facilities, spraying the park area against external dog parasites and replacing the ground cover at least twice a year for the purpose of preventing odor hazards.

Rules of conduct in a dog park:
The rules of conduct listed below are a recommendation and were collected from a variety of sources. Their purpose is to ensure the existence of the park for many years, to prevent incidents and friction between the dogs, to maintain the well-being of the residents living near the garden, as well as to explain to the owners what is allowed and what is not allowed in the park:

Rules for entering the dog park:
– Entry is allowed for dogs with a valid rabies vaccination. It is forbidden for dogs to be trained,
Puppies under the age of 0 months and dangerous/aggressive dogs/dogs with spike collars/choke collars.
– If your dog is sick / infected with external / internal parasites please refrain from entering the park.
– Entry of children under the age of 12 accompanied by an adult only.
– Do not leave a dog in the park alone, you must stay with the dog inside the park for as long as they were there.
– It is forbidden to enter the park with bicycles, skates, skateboards or roller blades. It is also forbidden for people to run in the park.
– The park is not intended for training – training classes can be held in the park, but the use of the park for other dogs should not be impaired as a result.
– Arriving at the park when the dog is tied, the dog can only be released from the leash in the park area.
– Food (for dogs / people) / toys should not be brought in for fear that this will provoke aggression between the dogs
(Balls and Frisbee can be allowed outside of rush hour).
– Do not bring in glass bottles due to the risk of injury to the dogs.
– Up to three dogs can be brought into the park under the supervision of one person (because it is impossible to keep eye contact / keep an eye on them all).
Professional dog handlers (dog-walkers) can enter with more than three dogs as long as the person in charge of the dogs controls them and they do not interfere with the use of the garden (if necessary, the hours of use of dog handlers in the park can be limited to the afternoon hours when their activity is more extensive and the use of the park is usually little ).
– A dog that is released in a dog park must respond to voice instructions.
– Entrance to the park is the sole responsibility of the people entering.

Rules of conduct in a dog park:
– The dog’s excrement must be cleaned immediately.
– The owner must prevent the dog from digging holes and if the dog digs a hole, the owner must cover the holes it has dug.
– Do not hold or catch a dog that is not yours.
– You must have one leash in your hand for each of the dogs you came with and maintain eye contact with all the dogs.
– If a fight develops between dogs in the park, it is advisable that you put a leash on your dog as soon as possible and leave the park in order to maintain your safety.
Do not separate the fighting dogs by pulling as they may bite.
– If your dog shows aggression you must leave the park area immediately.
– Try to prevent your dog from running to meet dogs entering through the gate.
– Smoking and consumption of alcohol in the park area are prohibited.
– When it’s hot, make sure the dog drinks / take proactive breaks in a shaded area.
– Make sure the park gate is closed at all times.