Last Updated: 28/01/2026
Are Dog Parks Good for Dogs?
While off-leash parks offer great exercise and mental enrichment, they also present risks like infectious diseases and unpredictable dog fights. Learn how to weigh the pros and cons and discover alternatives for your dog’s socialisation.
Author: Dr Lacey Kelly BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 7 minutes - short read
While the sight of a dog sprinting through an open field is a joy for any pet parent, the local off-leash park isn't always the canine wonderland it appears to be. These community hubs offer a convenient way to burn off energy and meet fellow owners, but they also bring a unique set of challenges that can impact your dog’s health and temperament. Understanding the balance between physical enrichment and potential safety risks - from unruly behaviour to hidden parasites - is essential for making the best choice for your four-legged family member.
The benefits of off-leash exercise
Dog parks have a number of benefits, including:
- Opportunity for exercise
- Enrichment: both mental and physical
- Exposure to new experiences
- A sense of community for dog owners
- Socialisation between dogs and dogs to humans
Why dog parks aren't always best for socialisation
Whilst there are some positives to visiting the neighbourhood dog park there are also a number of risks to consider. It is important to remember that you don't necessarily know:
- The dogs in the dog park and neither does your dog
- Their vaccination or parasite prevention status
- What poor behaviours they have that your dog may pick up
- Their reactivity or potential for fighting and causing harm to your own dog
Without an understanding of each individual dog your own encounters you may be unintentionally putting your dog at risk.
Learning bad behaviours
There is no screening process to determine who is and isn't allowed into the dog park so it is a bit of a free for all in terms of what sort of dogs you will encounter when taking your pup there.
Inappropriate and dangerous behaviours exhibited by other dogs at the park may soon find their way home with your dog. Things like ignoring recall or boisterous and rough play can quickly be picked up which you will then need to retrain your dog out of.
A lot of people like the dog park because they feel they are doing the best thing to help socialise their dog. Unfortunately in the dog park setting your dog won't always be learning from well socialised and well-behaved dogs and there are definitely better ways to ensure your dog is well socialised.
Safer alternatives to the local dog park
Exposing your dog to a variety of different situations in a controlled and positive manner is the best way to ensure a well socialised dog. Organising a dog walk with dogs and owners you know, and trust is a great alternative. Controlled and supervised play dates is another fun and safe option for your pup.
Common health risks and parasites in public parks
Dog parks are a popular spot with many dogs frequenting them, especially in urban locations where green space is limited. With a large number of visiting doggos it is no surprise that there is also a significant number of parasites and diseases that your dog may encounter if frequenting these locations. Even if there is no direct dog to dog contact your dog can still become infected through sniffing the ground or faeces.
This is particularly important to consider for owners of young puppies and elderly dogs with lowered immune systems.
A recent study across Australian urban dog parks found that almost half (42.7%) of the parks sampled were contaminated with at least one species of canine soil-transmitted helminth, with hookworm being the most prevalent. Not only is this a risk to your dog's health and wellbeing but it is important to remember some of these parasites are zoonotic so your own health may be at risk too.
Potential infectious agents at your dog park
- Hookworm
- Roundworm
- Threadworm
- Whipworm
- Giardia
- Parvo virus
- Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis (Kennel Cough)
For more information on these nasties and how to prevent them, read our article all about Worms in Dogs.
Understanding the risk of dog fights and reactivity
It is important to remember that by taking your dog to the dog park you are putting them in a situation that may very well end in disaster and heartbreak.
Dog parks are truly unpredictable and the second you walk into one you are forfeiting all control. You don't know the dogs there. You don't know if their owners can read their behaviour and intervene when necessary. You don't know how different combinations of dogs are going to interact. You also don't know which dogs have aggressive tendencies and what their triggers are.
Even if your dog is well-trained, well-socialised and well-behaved that doesn't guarantee that every other dog and person entering the dog park is on the same page. The dog park is a high energy, high arousal environment that has the potential to escalate at any mdoment.
Unfortunately, a lot of owners don't know how to read the behaviours of their dog and therefore don't intervene when it is necessary. It is also quite common to see owners more focused on their phone or their conversation with others than on proper supervision of their own dog. Checked-out owners plus highly aroused dogs leads to bad behaviour and that is where things tend to go pear-shaped.
Dog fights at dog parks are inevitable and the dog park dynamics often result in an all-in brawl. They escalate quickly and can result to injury to dogs and owners and in some sad cases even death.
How to tell if your dog is stressed at the park
Below are some classic signs of stress and anxiety in dogs. If left unheeded, these signs can progress to aggression. Identifying when your dog is anxious or stressed is probably one of the more important skills to have as it can really help to avoid dangerous situations.
- Ears pulled back close to their head
- Facial muscles are rigid
- Head may be lowered or turned away so as to not look directly at the perceived threat.
- "Whale eye": this is when the eyes are fixed on a person or object but the whites of the eyes (sclera) are exposed.
- Standing rigid
- Tail tucked between their legs
- One paw may be lifted
- They will try to reduce their size by crouching or even laying down on their backs
- They may even urinate while on their backs
- Panting, pacing, trembling
Displacement behaviours are also common when your dog is anxious or stressed. These are behaviours that are normal but out of context. Common displacement behaviours include itching, yawning, lip licking, sniffing or shaking off as if they were wet. These behaviours are displayed when your pooch has conflicting emotions and is attempting to diffuse stress or uncertainty.
For more information, read through our guide to How to Read Your Dog's Body Language.
Tips for a safer visit to the park
- Stay up to date with vaccinations and parasite prevention
- Do not enter if you notice a dog that is outwardly unwell (diarrhoea, hacking coughing etc)
- Bring your own travel water bowl
- Ensure your dog's recall is excellent before entering an off-leash dog park
- Closely supervise your dog for the duration of your visit
- Remove your dog from any situations that have the potential to escalate
FAQs
Ultimately, the decision to visit a dog park depends on your individual dog's personality and your comfort level with risk. While these spaces provide excellent opportunities for high-energy play, they require constant vigilance and a proactive approach to preventative health. By staying informed and observing the dynamics of the park before entering, you can help ensure that every outing remains a positive experience for your pooch.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Thu 29 Jan 2026
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Lacey Kelly BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr Lacey graduated from the University of Queensland in 2016 and has worked for a number of years in small animal clinics across South East QLD. Dr Lacey. She holds a special passion for pain management, small animal internal medicine, critical care, and senior support. Her favourite part of being a vet is helping clients make the best evidence-based choices for their pets and forming lasting relationships with pet parents and their fur children.
