Dogs have many ways by which they communicate.  Treecourt Unleashed allows only dogs that are not considered red-lined.  Red-line dogs are dogs who usually have an unknown history or are overly assertive. Those dogs reveal themselves when first introduced to the park via our “greeting dogs”.  Dogs who display overly aggressive behavior are simply not welcome in the park. With this in mind, many other people have socialized their dogs with dogs in other social situations from a young age, so they are comfortable and ready to play at the dog park.

When dogs meet and greet at Treecourt Dog Adventure Park, they will have an intense moment while sniffing and posturing.  It is critical to allow these meetings to run their course and to not try and separate them.  Even calling them away is not advised, as it does a disservice to the dogs who are in the middle of a conversation of sorts.  For dogs who are newly socialized this is especially true.

The new dog is learning to be more trusting of the other dogs. If any miscommunication occurs, the new dog will be slower to learn that the other dogs do not want to hurt them.  Over time, this positive exposure to the pack will develop the dog’s social skills — learning to make play buddies with some and stay away from less-interested dogs.

It is encouraged to re-assure your dog that you are all right and there is nothing to be afraid of when meeting new dogs.  This will put your dog at ease.  Once in a while, if the dogs actually do growl, the master or anyone close should yell “No!” or “Leave it!” immediately.  In seconds, the dogs recognize pack order and follow the master’s lead. Taking control in this way also helps the dogs to relax, as they feel and understand everything is under control.