Entry and Exit Protocol

The entrance is the highest-stress zone. Dogs rush the gate to check out newcomers, creating a wall of social pressure. Wait until the area near the gate is clear before going in. If dogs are crowding it, ask their owners to call them away.

Remove the leash as soon as you are inside the fence. A leashed dog among unleashed dogs is at a disadvantage: the leash blocks their ability to move away from a conflict, which can trigger defensive aggression in an otherwise social dog.

Keep early visits to thirty minutes or less. Fatigue lowers impulse control and raises the chance of conflict.