| Dog park culture |
Dogs know the rules by instinct.
Centuries of evolution have taught them how to mingle, to understand that bouncy, tail-wagging overtures mean play and that growling means back away.
But as dog parks have proliferated in the last half-decade, humans have had to create their own order in the dog park world.
They write rules, of course: All dogs must be licensed. Owners must be in verbal control of their dogs. Aggressive dogs must leave immediately.
But their interactions follow an unwritten code, too, which teaches them to acknowledge other owners, keep an eye on their dogs' body language and ask the owners of aggressive dogs to leave. Through the love of their dogs, they form a tight coterie of dog park people who raise money to build the parks, oversee them and work with the city to maintain them.
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