Dog park etiquette: What you need to know

Dog owners finally have a place to take their dogs that is just for them. The first City of Beaufort Dog Park officially opened on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Southside Park in Beaufort.

With large, wide open spaces for the dogs to run and play, water fountains for both the dogs and their humans and separate areas for large dogs and small dogs to play safely, what more could a dog want?

Before heading to the park, though, there are a few rules that dog owners should know.

First and foremost, make sure that your dog has all their vaccinations.

“Everybody trades things around when they come in contact, just like kids when they go to school,” Marikay Campbell, a veterinarian with Port Royal Veterinary Hospital, says.

Thomas Cordaro, a large dog owner from Beaufort, says that you want to make sure that you clean up after your pet. That does not just mean their droppings, fill in any holes that your dog may dig while there.

If you have a large dog who likes to play rough, make sure that you have voice control over your pet and that they play with other dogs who play rough. No one likes a bully.

The same goes for little dogs, a barking dog can often times get other dogs riled up.

If you have never taken your dog to a dog park before take it slow. It can be a bit overwhelming for dogs who are not used to the dog park dynamic, particularly for territorial dogs, said Samantha Rhodes, a small dog owner from Port Royal.

The point of the dog park is to provide a place where dogs can safely play with other dogs, says City of Beaufort Parks Superintendent Liza Hill, and following these rules and others posted at the gate of the park will ensure that everyone is able to enjoy it.

This story was originally published December 8, 2016 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Dog park etiquette: What you need to know."