Dog Training at Willow Creek Park in Park City

Many of my clients have heard me say, “It is not always about what you do in dog training, but what you use.” Taking advantage of proper dog training tools can help make the process less painful and easier on both handler and dog. My “tool box” utilizes local dog parks as well! Park City, in particular, offers one of the best pup friendly parks I have ever experienced.

Willow Creek Park (located in the center of beautiful Park City) has acres of walking, hiking, and skate skiing trails for both dogs and their owners to take advantage of on lead. Near the park entrance are two sections of a fenced in dog park giving your pooch plenty of options for how they choose to spend their free time. Half of the area is a large pond with – get this – a diving dock! Though it is a bit mucky for us humans, the dogs see nothing but a tropical paradise. The other section offers a large grass area perfect for fetch, and toward the end is an agility course open free to the public year round. Dontae and I have the privilege of being able to play at this park each week for dog training lessons I have with my clients going through my basic and custom courses.

Dog parks are perfect to socialize and practice dog training around many real life distractions. It is important to remember that though we love allowing our dogs to run free and play with other fur-friends, we must ALWAYS be able to grab their attention and receive a proper recall regardless of what is going on around them. Stocking yourself up with tasty treats for exercises like this will quickly make you more rewarding than anything else in the park.

inka and salty

Basic Dog Park Etiquette:

  • Dogs must be up to date on all vaccinations.
  • All dogs must have current rabies and license tags attached to their collars.
  • Intact dogs must be closely supervised at all times.
  • Dogs in heat are not permitted in park.
  • “Off leash” dogs much be under voice control at all times. If your dog is not voice trained, they must remain on lead.
  • Owners are responsible for picking up their dog’s droppings immediately.
  • Dogs displaying aggressive behavior in park and are not under voice control are not permitted in park.

Each park has their own set of rules, so be sure to read all signage before entering the premises. Dog training needs to take place in a variety of different settings to ensure success. Take advantage of YOUR local park to really amp up training for you and your dog!

Happy Training!