Off-leash dog parks are "plain dangerous", according to a professional dog trainer, with people's beloved pets regularly getting injured or killed.

Vicki Austin said off-leash areas needed a "huge overhaul" and dog owners also needed to be better educated about their pet's behaviour.

"Any dog trainer will tell you they don't take their dogs to off-lead parks — we hate them," Ms Austin said.

"Off-leash dog parks are just plain dangerous.

"Either the dogs are just not educated and are socially incompetent, or owners aren't aware that their dogs aren't coping in the environment."

Ms Austin said dogs should be trained for longer than the standard puppy training period, which on average goes for about eight weeks.

702 ABC Sydney spoke with a number of vets who were cautious about calling off-lead parks "dangerous".

Off-leash parks are important for dogs that live in high density inner-city suburbs. ( 702 ABC Sydney: Amanda Hoh )

Currently, there is no organisation or tool that collates quantitative data from Australian veterinary clinics about dog injuries or fatalities, making it difficult to analyse how wide of a problem off-leash dog parks are.

"[Off-lead parks] are a problem," Sam Haynes, Sydney Animal Hospital vet, said.

"I think you do need off-leash parks ... but people have to be aware of certain breeds attacking other animals."

Mr Haynes said he had treated dogs with "horrible injuries" as a result of a visit to an off-leash park including open chest wounds, puncture marks and collision injuries.

Enmore resident Ross Anderson has experienced issues with his three-year-old dog Tuxedo after taking him to dog parks.

Ross Anderson said most dog owners were respectful in Camperdown and keep their dogs under control. ( 702 ABC Sydney: Amanda Hoh )

Tuxedo suffered a slipped disc and was in recovery for two weeks after a large labrador ran into him while chasing a ball in Camperdown Memorial Rest Park in Sydney's inner-west.

"Occasionally large dogs will harass him but not for too long," Mr Anderson said.

"There are a few kelpies in the park and they try to herd him because he's a tiny dog and probably looks like a lamb, but most of the owners are fine and will take the dogs away if needed."

The park is one of about 40 off-leash parks in the City of Sydney council area.

While in western Sydney there are calls to increase the number of off-leash areas.

Tuxedo spends at least two hours every day at the off-leash dog park in Camperdown. ( 702 ABC Sydney: Amanda Hoh )

Having open public spaces for pet owners is a necessity with the increase of apartments and high density living arrangements, said Professor Vanessa Barrs, director of the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

"I think off-lead dog parks should be endorsed rather than condemned," she said.

"There will be fights, dogs will be dogs, but it's very rare.

"For dogs that attend off-leash areas, there's an assumption that the dogs have been trained and are socialised."

Ms Austin suggested councils should provide more fenced-off areas for dogs to play on their own, in addition to larger off-leash areas.

"I think that's a better option so that dogs who aren't socially competent can run around," she said.