Dog Park Rules & Etiquette in the UK

This is the single most important rule. At shared parks, pick up immediately - not in 5 minutes, not “when you get to it”. Every person who doesn't sets back the entire community's access to these spaces.

Do not let a dog off lead in a shared area if they don't have reliable recall. If you're working on it, use a long line (10–15m). You are responsible for your dog's behaviour at all times.

"Can they say hello?" - always ask. Never assume. Some dogs in the park may be reactive, in training, recovering from surgery or simply anxious. Let the other owner decide, and respect their answer.

Don't be on your phone. Don't get deep in conversation. Your dog is your responsibility. Incidents happen in seconds.

Puppies under 10–14 days post second vaccination are vulnerable to parvovirus and other infectious diseases. Use enclosed private hire fields instead until your puppy is fully protected.

If your dog is bullying, mounting, barking relentlessly at others or causing distress - remove them. It doesn't mean they're a bad dog, but shared spaces require you to act.

Close gates behind you, don't let gates swing open while you're entering, and leave the park as you found it. If a gate is broken, report it rather than ignoring it.

Children should be supervised and not allowed to run at, hug or startle unfamiliar dogs. Even friendly dogs can react to unexpected physical contact from children.