* Is your dog still here? This may seem silly, but I have seen this happen many times in off-leash areas that are not fully fenced in, with owners too distracted by conversations to even realize their dog has slowly wandered out of the park. The feeling of realizing suddenly you don't know where your dog is can be terrifying. When this happens your dog could be at risk of being hit by any near by cars, or even being stolen.
* Is your dog being bullied? As his pack leader, your dog looks to you for protection. If your dog has become a toy object of a dog who likes to play rough, you must step in and make the rough play stop. Your dog will not always vocalize fear so you need to watch for visual signs such as a cowering posture, running away and rolling over or trembling.
* Is your dog the one being a bully? No one wants to be put in the position to have to control someone else's dog, but if your dog is acting inappropriately and you are not there to stop him, some one else will. If your dog insists on continuing to bother the wrong dog, a dog fight can easily break out.
* Is he eating something? Strange things make their way into dog parks and unfortunately some dogs like to eat strange things. I have seen the remnants of a picnic, complete with chicken bones scattered in the dog park on a few occasions. Another time it would be a dead animal, such as a squirrel or other local wild life, or even another dog's feces. Obviously none of these things are good for your dog. Even if your dog isn't usually a scavenger, there is always that one time and some times that's all it takes for a medical emergency.
