• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Animal Behavior College

Animal Behavior College

Where Animal Lovers Pursue Animal Careers

Feefo logo
Live chat
Live chat
800-795-3294
  • Alumni Login
    • Dog Obedience Program Alumni
    • Cat Training Program Alumni
    • Grooming Instruction Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program Alumni
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program Alumni
    • Service Dog Trainer Alumni
  • Student Login
    • Cat Training Program
    • Dog Obedience Program
    • Grooming Instruction Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program
    • Service Dog Trainer
MENUMENU
  • Programs
    • Dog Obedience Instructor
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Certification
      • Success Stories
      • Students Saving Lives
      • Find A Dog Trainer
    • Veterinary Assistant
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Success Stories
    • Grooming Instruction Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Success Stories
      • Find A Pet Groomer
    • On Campus Dog Trainer Program
      • Traditional Classroom Environment in Los Angeles California
      • Enroll Using Your Military Benefits
    • Continuing Education
      • Short Term Programs
    • Cat Management and Training
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Find A Cat Trainer
    • Aquarium Maintenance (online)
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Salary Information
      • What Is an Aquarist?
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Service Dog Trainer Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Career
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Education & Experience Requirements
  • Military Benefits
  • GI Bill® Benefits
  • Locations
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Animal Career Resources
  • About ABC
        • About Animal Behavior College
        • Our Expert Faculty
        • Press, News & Info
        • Press Releases
        • BPPE Disclosures
        • Animal Behavior College FAQ
        • Contact Us
        • Why ABC?
        • Students Saving Lives
        • Licensure, Ratings & Approvals
        • Sponsors & Associates
        • Gift Certificates
  • Blog
  • Affiliates
  • Alumni Login
    • Dog Obedience Program Alumni
    • Cat Training Program Alumni
    • Grooming Instruction Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program Alumni
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program Alumni
    • Service Dog Trainer Alumni
  • Student Login
    • Cat Training Program
    • Dog Obedience Program
    • Grooming Instruction Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program
    • Service Dog Trainer Program

Keeping Your Dog, Your Child and Yourself Safe at the Dog Park

Heather Rupe, PR & Brand Reputation Ambassador
(214) 957-4056  (direct)
heather.rupe@AnimalBehaviorCollege.com

Find us on Social Media:
  • On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalBehaviorCollege
  • On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalbehaviorcollege/
  • On Twitter: https://twitter.com/animalbehaviorc
  • On TikTok: @animalbehaviorcollege

Santa Clarita, Calif., August 11, 2011 – “As a professional trainer and owner of Animal Behavior College which teaches more people to become professional trainers than any other school, I have been to dog parks thousands of times,” explains Steve Appelbaum. Based on those experiences we teach our trainers to educate all dog park participants about safety at the dog park.

Learn to Read Body Language
Dogs are wonderful communicators with each other and with practice you can learn to read a great deal about a dog’s intent, mood and message. Here are examples of basic body postures:

• Tail up and stiffly wagging can mean aggression.
•Hackles up can mean fear or aggression.
•Lips lifted with a growl can warn of fear or aggression
•Chest thrust out can mean confidence and possibly aggression.
•Body held stiffly erect, chest thrown out and walking stiffly is dominant and possibly aggressive.
•Direct eye contact can mean confidence and often dominance.
•Ears held back or even flat against the head is a sign of submission and/or fear.
•Body held low to the ground in a “slinking” posture is usually submission or fear. Eyes partially closed (squinty) can mean fear or submissive behavior. It can also be playful.
•Lips lifted into what looks like a smile, with no growl can sometimes mean submission.
•Tail wagging loosely usually means friendly and relaxed.

Children at the Park
Parents should avoid taking children under the age of 5 unless they are supervised 100 of the time and are comfortable with all different sizes of dogs. Small children are at risk if they panic, scream, cry and run away from dogs because dogs can interpret that as “prey in distress” and sometimes become aggressive. Others may simply think the children are playing and respond with more rambunctious play like jumping on them.

Children should be encouraged to move slowly and calmly around dogs. Children, as well as adults, should not pet strange dogs without asking the owner first. Children should not take food to the dog park as dogs will take that as an open invitation to try to steal it which can create problems. This isn't to suggest children should never go to a dog park, but they need to know how to act around dogs in order to make the experience positive for all.

When Dogs Fight
Although serious fights are rare it’s important to know how to address them. Making a loud noise can distract and stop dogs from fighting. You can use an air horn or a soda can filled with 30 pennies and taped closed. Shake it and you have a very effective noise maker that startles many fighting dogs before things get out of hand. Obviously, you will want to bring this to the park prior to any problems. Water is also a good deterrent especially if it is cold and thrown over both fighters. Here too, distraction and startling is the goal.

Once the combatants separate they can be taken away from each other. If this doesn’t work then, with the aid of a second person, you can stop most fights by grabbing the dog’s back legs and lifting them off the ground. Please note, I am not suggesting you lift the entire dog’s body off the ground, just the back legs and that the second person do the same thing with the other dog. In most cases this is very disconcerting for the dog. That, coupled with the fact a dog uses his back legs for purchase and leverage in a fight, means that most dogs when handled this way, let go of each other. As soon as they do you need to pull them apart. Once apart, grasp them by their collars and take them away from one another. Breaking up a fight should only be done as a last resort as there is risk the dog will bite or injure you.

To find a professional trainer in your city visit:
https://www.animalbehaviorcollege.com/dog_trainer_search.asp

For information on becoming a trainer visit:

Home!

###

Primary Sidebar

  • Main
    • Locations
    • Affiliates
    • Find A Dog Trainer
    • Find A Pet Groomer
    • Find a Cat Trainer
    • Post a Job
    • Evolution of ABC
  • Dog Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Veterinary Assistant Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Dog Groomer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Cat Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Aquarium Maintenance Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Zookeeper Assistant Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Service Dog Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Education & Experience Requirements

Footer

Apex Career School - A subsidiary of Animal Behavior College


Interested in a career outside of the animal industry?
Visit our subsidiary school!

bbb logo

Rating A+ The BBB only accredits the business management of a school, not the quality of the curriculum, or training programs.

STATE LICENSURE AND APPROVAL
Animal Behavior College is a private vocational school approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (www.bppe.ca.gov) under the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 and Title 5. California Code of Regulations Division 7.5. Private Postsecondary Education. The Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education approval means that this institution and its operation comply with the standards established under the law for occupational instruction by private postsecondary educational institutions. Institutional approval is subject to continual review and the institution must reapply for approval every five years.
DISCLAIMER
Please be advised that Animal Behavior College ("ABC") is the exclusive entity authorized to provide certifications and/or degrees from Animal Behavior College. Moreover, such certifications and/or degrees are only conferred by ABC following a student's completion of an ABC-administered program. No other entity or individual has authority to confer certifications and/or degrees on ABC's behalf. Any other entity or individual who attempts to do so is acting without express or implied authority from ABC.
GI BILL® TRADEMARK ATTRIBUTION
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Click here to view Animal Behavior College’s Annual Reports
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
Animal Behavior College, 27509 Avenue Hopkins, First Floor, Valencia CA 91355-3910 Contact Us
© 2000 - 2023 Animal Behavior College. Questions? email@animalbehaviorcollege.com
loading

Please wait while you are redirected to the right page...

Please share your location to continue.

Check our help guide for more info.

share your location