Many canine owners love going to Cochrane's off-leash parks and spaces, but whether you are a new or seasoned pet owner, there are a lot of factors to consider before losing the leash on your four-legged friend.

Tracy Keith, Executive Director of the Cochrane and Area Humane Society, says feedback from the public has prompted them to hold another seminar regarding the do's and don'ts when it comes to off leashing. "It is talking about what you should know before heading to the off-leash park; somethings to consider are things such as yourself, your dog, other dogs at the park, and people at the park. Whenever we do any kind of educational seminars, we are always asking people what they liked about the seminar or other seminars they would like to see, and we are basing this on the feedback of what people have brought forward."

With a huge dog population in Cochrane, educating yourself as a pet owner in regards to off leashing is beneficial whether you have a new puppy, new to off leashing, new to the area, or even if your pup is not doing well in an off-leash environment. "This seminar can be applied to anyone that is thinking about going or currently going, whether their dog is adult, puppy, or any stage of their life."

Another factor in hosting the educational seminar is the number of canines that are surrendered every year because they do not do well in our off-leash areas. "We have one or two here right now, and it is very common to have them here. People will often bring them in and say this dog gets into fights when they go to the park. Our observations are that the dog is just not trained for the park, it's not the right park, or maybe they are going to park too often. There are things that people can definitelywork around, work with, and alternative ways to make it work other than having to surrender your pet because you are feeling that your pet is not a suitable dog or that you are not comfortable owning it anymore."

Just like humans, canines' may not like each and every dog they meet or even play well with others, says Keith, and this seminar will teach them skills to help. "In this particular seminar we talk about different play styles and the importance of matching dogs to their appropriate style. Puppies and breed play generalizations, pros and cons of using and attending the off-leash park, which dogs are and aren't well suited to off-leash parks, and then of course in Cochrane, the larger park down by the river is a shared park which can create other problems."

The off-leash seminar will be held on June 9th at the Cochrane and Area Humane Society's Rehabilitation and Education Centre from 1 to 5 in the afternoon. Interested participants are asked to register HERE for a cost of $50 and the afternoon will include valuable information, live video footage of dog to dog meets at the park, as well as a question and answer period in the end. 

The course is filling up fast, and Keith shares all pet owners can do is educate themselves. "By doing that we can really help the overall experience for ourselves, our dogs, other dogs, and other people at the park. I believe it is our responsibility as pet owners to do that, and it is also about creating a quality of life for everyone who is sharing the park."

This educational seminar was held last year, and Keith shares the Humane Society have held a couple of others regarding dog body language called 'Speak Dog.' While this will be the last seminar before summer, more will be forthcoming in fall.