OLDPUG — Off-Leash Dog Park User Group
Back to Guidance & Etiquette

Park Visitor Basics

New to the dog park?

The gate feels strange the first time. The dogs usually figure things out faster than the humans do.

Regina’s off-leash parks are shared social spaces. A good visit starts with knowing the actual City rules, understanding a little dog communication and paying attention to the dog you brought with you.

Know the Rules Start at the Gate

Start Here

These are City rules — not park folklore.

The City of Regina’s posted Off-Leash Dog Park Rules apply at Regina’s year-round dog parks. The Regina Animal Bylaw also applies.

City Rule

Dogs must be at least four months old.

Puppies younger than four months are not permitted in Regina’s off-leash dog parks.

City Rule

Dogs must be vaccinated and currently licensed.

“Vaccinated” is not an optional suggestion on the City’s park-rule sheet. Make sure your dog’s vaccinations and City licence are current before visiting.

Leash in and leash out

Dogs must be leashed while entering and exiting the park.

Supervise your dog

Owners and handlers must supervise and have voice control of their dogs at all times.

Pick it up immediately

Poop-and-scoop is mandatory. Bring bags and keep an eye on your dog.

Aggressive behaviour is not permitted

The City rules prohibit dogs displaying signs of aggressive behaviour and prohibit dangerous animals from the park.

Females in heat cannot enter

Non-sterilized female dogs in heat are prohibited from entering the park.

Supervise children

Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult. Remember that dogs may be running at full speed.

Read the City Dog Park Rules Regina Animal Bylaw

Before You Go

Pack for the dog you actually have.

A leash and poop bags are obvious. Water, attention and a realistic read of your dog matter just as much.

Bring Water

Do not assume drinking water will be available.

Bring fresh water and a bowl for your dog, especially in warm weather or during a long visit.

One small reality of dog parks: once a bowl of water is on the ground, other dogs may drink from it. Dogs cannot read “Ruffy’s Water,” and even if they could, they would not care. Water is water.

If you do not want the bowl shared, offer your dog water away from the group and pick the bowl up when your dog is finished.

Bring Bags

Bring more than one.

Bag dispensers can be empty, and dogs have an impressive ability to require the second bag on the day you brought exactly one.

Watch your dog closely enough to notice when cleanup is required.

Bring Your Attention

The park is not doggy drop-off.

Know where your dog is, what they are doing and who they are interacting with.

You cannot respond to a dog that needs help, space or a recall if you have not noticed what is happening.

The Gate

This is where almost every new park user gets nervous.

The City requires dogs to be leashed while entering and exiting. The City’s posted rules do not say that a leash must be removed once you are inside.

But a leash changes an interaction. A restrained dog has fewer choices about how to approach, create distance or move away while loose dogs are free to move around them. Research comparing dogs on and off leash has found that leash use changes whether dog-to-dog interactions occur.

That does not mean “a leash causes aggression,” and it does not mean every dog must be released the instant the gate closes. It means the leash is part of the social situation. Watch your dog and make a thoughtful decision rather than holding a tight leash simply because letting go feels scary.

Dog behaviour and leash-use research

Dogs Are Talking

Not every growl means a fight.

Dog communication is physical, vocal and fast. Look at the whole interaction instead of reacting to one sound or one dramatic-looking movement.

Dogs greet by sniffing. They curve, circle, pause, turn away, chase, invite play and walk off. Play bows are genuine social signals; research has found they help dogs restart or continue play after a pause.

Growling is also contextual communication. Studies have documented growls in playful as well as threatening situations. A brief snarl or air snap may be a warning that says, in effect, “That is close enough.”

That warning should not be ignored. Give the dogs room, interrupt calmly when needed and pay attention to whether both dogs are choosing to continue the interaction.

The useful question is rarely “Did somebody growl?” It is: “What happened before it, and what are both dogs doing now?”

Play or Problem?

Look for choice, pauses and the ability to disengage.

Dog play can be noisy and physical. Healthy interaction is not always quiet or delicate. The important question is whether both dogs still appear able and willing to participate.

Often Part of Normal Interaction

This can look dramatic.

  • Sniffing, circling and curved approaches
  • Play bows and exaggerated bouncy movement
  • Chasing with breaks or changes in who is chasing
  • Wrestling, rolling and brief body contact
  • Growling or vocalizing during otherwise loose, mutual play
  • One dog pausing or walking away and the other allowing space
  • Dogs choosing to return to one another after a pause

Time to Create Space

Do not wait for a fight to intervene.

  • One dog repeatedly trying to leave, hide or get behind a person
  • Relentless pursuit after the other dog has tried to disengage
  • Cornering or preventing another dog from moving away
  • Sustained rigid posture or escalating threat behaviour
  • Repeated behaviour that continues after clear warnings from the other dog
  • A dog becoming overwhelmed and unable to settle or respond to its handler
  • Any interaction that is escalating rather than resolving

No single movement, sound or posture tells the entire story. Context matters. When in doubt, calmly call your dog away, create some space and reassess.

A Word About Water

Your water bowl may become the park water bowl.

Bring drinking water for your dog. Regina weather can be hot, dry and windy, and not every off-leash area has a dependable drinking-water source.

Once a bowl is placed where other dogs can reach it, expect visitors. Dogs do not understand ownership of a water bowl, and thirsty dogs are not waiting for written permission.

If your dog is uncomfortable sharing resources, or you simply prefer not to share the bowl, move away from the group for a drink and put the bowl away afterward.

Good Park Citizenship

Make the park easier for the next person too.

Good dog-park etiquette is mostly awareness, courtesy and remembering that everyone is sharing the same space.

Call your dog away from the gate.

Give arriving and departing dogs enough room to move through without being crowded.

Do not assume every dog wants to play.

A dog can enjoy being at the park without wanting every dog in the park in its face.

Recall your own dog.

If another dog needs space, the solution is not “my dog is friendly.” Call your dog away.

Be thoughtful with food and favourite toys.

High-value items can attract dogs other than yours. If your dog guards food, toys or bowls, do not create a resource conflict in a shared space.

Clean up more than your own footprint.

Pick up your dog’s waste, dispose of litter and help leave the space in good condition.

Leave before the wheels fall off.

Tired, overstimulated dogs do not always make better decisions. A shorter good visit beats a longer bad one.

Your First Visit

Make the first one easy.

You do not have to arrive at the busiest time and stay for an hour. Start with a quieter visit, walk around, let your dog investigate and leave while things are still going well.

Learn the layout. Notice the gates. Find the waste bins. Watch how your dog responds to the environment and to other dogs.

A Simple First-Visit Plan

  1. Arrive with a licensed, vaccinated dog at least four months old.
  2. Bring a leash, water, bowl and poop bags.
  3. Leash your dog into the park as required.
  4. Pause and read the room before joining the action.
  5. Stay attentive and let your dog explore.
  6. Create space when either dog asks for it.
  7. Leave while your dog is still having a good visit.

Evidence Behind the Guidance

Yes, people actually study dog parks.

OLDPUG combines Regina’s official rules with practical park experience and published research on canine behaviour. Research does not turn every dog interaction into a formula, but it can help separate useful guidance from dog-park mythology.

City of Regina — Off-Leash Dog Park Rules Official age, vaccination, licensing, supervision, leash and conduct requirements. Howse, Anderson & Walsh — Social behaviour in a public off-leash dog park Observational research on greetings, social signals and behaviour immediately after park entry. Westgarth et al. — Dog behaviour on walks and the effect of leash use Research examining how leash use changes dog-to-dog interactions. Byosiere, Espinosa & Smuts — The function of play bows in adult pet dogs Research on play bows as social signals during dog-to-dog play. Faragó et al. — Dog growls and contextual information Research showing that growls occur in different social and emotional contexts. Durand et al. — How off-leash spaces shape canine behaviour and owner experience 2026 research on behavioural diversity and welfare in off-leash settings.

One Last Thing

Pay attention to your dog, not everybody else’s opinion.

You know your dog. The park gives you information about how that dog feels in a busy social environment. Use it. Stay when things are going well. Create space when needed. Leave when your dog has had enough.

Find a Regina Dog Park Official City Information