Did you know that the city of Beaumont had a dog park?
The park opened May of last year and includes two seperate parks: one for dogs 30 lbs and UNDER and one for dogs 30 lbs and OVER. Large dogs and small dogs may socialize through the fence, but are kept seperate for the smaller dogs' safety, as well as the owners.
Ida Reed Park is located in Beaumont at 2348 Louisiana St. in the Oaks Historic District. If you're interested in socializing your dog with other dogs, there is a meetup group on Facebook dedicated solely to the dog park.
Never visited a dog park before? Some things you should know...
- Always follow the official park rules. You're there for your dog, not for you. You don't want to get kicked out your first day!
- Make sure your dog is up to date on shots and wormings. You never know when there may be a bad apple trying to sneak in with an unvaccinated dog. Some dogs may also eat fecal matter, which can transfer internal parasites, so make sure your dog is up to date on his worm meds. It's also a good idea to be up to date on any flea or tick medication.
- It is generally not a good idea to bring unaltered dogs. Some dog parks forbid unaltered dogs all together. If your dog isn't spayed or neutered they may be flooded with hormones when around a dozen other dogs. An overexcited male or a female in season could cause a big dog fight and dogs or people could end up being hurt!
- If your dog is dog aggressive, it is never a good idea to bring them to a dog park. If you want to socialize your dog, contact a dog trainer or behaviorist and introduce other dogs SLOWLY. Introducing a dog aggressive dog to multiple dogs at once could be disastrous. Certain breeds can also be dog aggressive such as terriers, akitas, shar-pei and more. If your breed is known for dog aggression, use extreme caution or socialize them in a more controlled environment.
- Keep your dog's current vaccines with you. In case there is a dog fight or any question about your dog's health, this will come in handy.
- Keep a collar with current ID tags on your dog while in the park. This is a just in case thing--if your dog ends up getting loose, at least you know your contact info is with him.
- Always keep fresh water on hand. Dogs who are overexcited can easily ignore the urge to refresh themselves and overheat. If you have a smaller dog, you may want to keep Nutri-Cal, a high-calorie supplement that helps prevent hypoglycemia.
- If your dog is shy, but not dog aggressive, find out when the park is slow. You can take your dog during slower hours if you prefer the dog be introduced to the park slowly, or you just want to go when there are fewer people.
- Most importantly, have fun! If you follow the rules that are designed to keep you and your dog safe, you'll find yourself and your dog enjoying the park for many years to come.
For more info on dog parks, visit http://www.dogparkusa.com/
For more information on Ida Reed Bark Park, visit http://www.cityofbeaumont.com/parkrec_parks_feature.htm#Dog_Parks_
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