You can read Emily Post if you want to learn which fork to use. But what’s a dog owner to do when faced with the unwritten social rules of the local dog park? Here are a few tips to keep you and your furry friend out of the doghouse.

Do Read the Rules: Every dog park has a sign that spells out the letter of the law. Read the rules and commit them to memory.

Do Clean Up After Your Dogs. Think about how much you like picking up your dog’s business each morning. Now, imagine cleaning up someone else’s dog’s business. Exactly. Do the right thing and put your own plastic baggies to use.

Do Leave Small Children at Home. Much like you wouldn’t bring your baby to a bar, don’t bring Junior to the dog park. Small children can easily get injured by playful puppies who are overcome with happy dog park abandon.

Don’t Bring More Dogs Than You Can Handle. Most dog parks put the limit on the number of dogs you can bring to the park. If there is no posted limit, let sanity be your guide and limit your dog park guests to just one or two dogs maximum.

Don’t Bring On the Heat. Dozens of dogs running free plus a dog in heat equals a huge disaster. Keep your female dog and her raging hormones in the backyard until she is ready to behave herself in public.