Remember that any dog should be on a 6 foot leash in a public park.  That does not mean a flexi-leash which goes out 20 feet but an actual 6 foot leash.  There are safety and liability reasons for this, both for the protection of you AND your dog.  A longer leash could trip someone, cause rope burns and end up with the dog slipping out of its collar into traffic or getting into trouble with or tangled in the leash of another dog. 

 

Some tips on the leash:  Try to teach your dog to SIT when being introduced to strangers.  Our Weims have big feet and claws which could seriously scratch someone in the face, especially a child, or  bare legs, rip clothing or hurt an eye.  Remember how "sue-happy" some people can be, not to mention the issue of providing vaccination info.  When teaching this you might hold the dog's leash next to the collar or the collar itself to avoid a jumping incident. 

 

Know your dog's disposition when introducing or allowing the greeting with other dogs.  If you dog obviously gets aggressive it might not be a good idea to let it run free in a park with other dogs.  Remember that your big dog can easily harm a smaller dog.  Most parks have separate areas for smaller dogs but you still might encounter one in passing.

 

 

Kids love dogs and will often run up to a dog without asking permission or knowing how a dog will react.  Remember, it is the dog owner who will be responsible if anything happens.  Try to instruct kids, and others, on how to approach your dog.  Don't assume they know what to do.  Some will lunch at a cute dog surprising even the dog.  Explain the care that must be taken with the paws and how the dog may jump with excited or playing.  Better, teach your dog to play properly and respond to your demands that it "slow down."  Again, teaching the dog to sit to greet strangers is a slow, cautious way to get acquainted.

 

 

It is no fun to go to a park and have some other dog run amuk annoying everyone's dog.  Surely you have experienced this when you wonder why that pet owner is allowing their dog to steal other dog's toys, jump on people, get aggressive with other dogs and basically ruin an otherwise good time.  As mentioned on another page, "What is the joy in having a dog if you can't control it?"  Make sure you have "verbal control" over your dog and can give it a "time out" if needed, even if it means putting the leash back on for a bit of "cool-down" time.  If your dog tends to fight, then you should basically abandon the idea of letting it run off-leash.  If it tends to BITE, then maybe you should not been in a public place at all.  Due to numerous publicized deaths due to dog attacks, a dog that bites, even one time, can cause big-time trouble (law suite - $$$ - impoundment of the dog) for the owner.  Don't risk this situation.

 

 

In most public places now it is law that you pick up your dog's poop.  This may seem difficult at first, but with just a few incidents it quickly becomes routine and no big deal.  With so many dogs in public nowdays, you can imagine how awful walking would be if pet owners did not pick up after their pets.  Remember that there are hefty fines, too, so always carry pet poop bags or just some plastic bags from the grocery store which also work well.  The bags designed for this, however, seem to work very well and allow the tying of a knot after turned "outside-in."  At the next garbage can, you just toss it in.  Besides the fine, other people now will likely "scold" you if you don't pick up after your dog.  It's no fun stepping in dog poop when there is no water faucet around to clean up your shoes.