Dog Parks

By Amy Fernandez

Insurance companies have a reputation for producing great commercials. Let’s face it, this product doesn’t exactly jump off the shelf at the customer. Successful marketing demands creativity AND a reflexive response to market trends. That brings me to the new Progressive commercial for pet insurance that’s generating so much social media buzz.

Pet insurance has been around for a while. Even our own AKC has ventured into this lucrative business.   Dog people tend to be on top of basic husbandry and maintenance, which minimizes vet bills. Even so, there is no denying the fact that thanks to multiple factors, prices for veterinary care are skyrocketing.

And the biggest, whopping, whale size bills come from emergency care. No amount of sensible management can prevent every catastrophe. But, as someone on the receiving end of plenty of unbelievable phone calls on this subject, I venture to say that at least eighty percent of these incidents are preventable. And this targeted commercial pinpoints a focal point of these emergency vet visits.

Dog parks are a facet of NYC life, and the underlying rationale is obvious. This is a city packed with dog owners and limited space. The concept is fine, but management and oversight tend to be the problem. Some dog parks take steps to improve safety conditions with separated areas for small and large dogs, restrictions on membership, and rules for participation–such as no food or toys. But that doesn’t imply that things always go well. At least one dog park altercation has led to an actual murder. Okay, they don’t all end up on Court TV, but as someone who has spent a lot of time observing dog park action, this commercial seems like an inevitable development.

Mixing unfamiliar dogs is tricky.  Some dogs are friendly, sociable, and they understand the rules of polite interaction, but some are fearful and defensive, and others are territorial and dominant. Maybe we throw in a bitch in heat to spice it up.

Obviously, offering unsolicited advice at the dog park is a recipe for trouble.  Dog behavior is predictable if you pay attention. I guess that’s the thing to remember. Never expect that other owners notice or understand what their dog is up to; you have to be the one protecting your dog.

So, if you haven’t seen it yet, check out the Progressive commercial. It’s satirical marketing at its best. There’s certainly more than a bit of truth in it.

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Posted by Liz on Dec 9 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.