@lps738 This is absolutely not the case at the several dog parks near me, OP. It’s not uncommon for people to come into the park without a dog and certainly not ‘bad etiquette’ as long as you aren’t feeding the dogs or bringing in your own food.
@laylamendiola This sounds like your family needs the training, not the dog. Don’t punish him or break what sounds like the strong bond between you over this.