They All Bark for Dog Parks
We point you toward dog parks in your hometown and tell you how to start one of your own.

By Christine R. McLaughlin

Sanford sits in the back seat of his ownerís white Honda Civic — his eyelids heavy, mouth wide open and tongue dangling to the side. This yellow Lab knows exactly where heís going. To the dog park!

He rides nicely — laid back, presumably saving his energy. Once owner Susanna Klein takes off his leash at their favorite park, Robert E. Lee Park in Baltimore, Md., 4-year-old Sanford revels in his element — chasing tennis balls and other dogs, splashing in the pond, and simply running for the fun of it.

German Shepherd Dog Daisy uses the agility equipment for a rest at the Humane Society Pet Park in Indianapolis.

ìWhen we get to the park, he is crazy with happiness,î Klein says. ìHe has to run around and have some sort of contact with every other dog off leash — like heís checking in with them letting them know heís there. It always makes me laugh.î

The outing also gives Klein a place to socialize with other dog owners, swap tips, and feel connected to her community.

Dog parks are booming in popularity. Dogpark.com (www.dogpark.com), a volunteer-staffed Web site that maintains the most comprehensive and up-to-date list of dog parks in the United States and Canada, lists 495 parks — and it added nearly 150 of them within the past year. Even the American Automobile Associationís book, Traveling with Your Pet, 3rd Edition, lists dog parks in areas where you can find AAA-approved lodgings in the United States and Canada.

ìItís quite a movement,î says Vicki Küng, co-founder of Dogpark.com. ìCity parks and recreation departments are becoming more aware that people want to engage in other forms of recreation than softball and jogging. And theyíre listening to [dog-owning] taxpayers.î

Mixed breed Jolly, once a shy stray, now is the self-proclaimed ìKing of the Runî at Tompkins Square Park in New York.

Efforts to open dog parks typically start in the grassroots: A dog owner sees the need for an off-leash area and asks other dog owners to help persuade the city council or parks and recreation department to establish one. (see sidebar below)

The phenomenon benefits dogs and their people. Dogs gain a secure place to roam, sniff, exercise, and socialize with other dogs and people, says Kimberly Barry, Ph.D., a certified animal behaviorist in Austin, Texas. The parks reward people with happier, well-adjusted dogs — and a social setting where everybody has at least pet ownership in common.

Dog parks might even dent the singlesí bar scene, offering a comfortable place for individuals to meet. ìSome even end up marrying!î says Robin Hartl, of Minneapolis, who spearheaded the cityís dog park program on behalf of her German Shepherd Dog/Chesapeake Bay Retriever mix named Paca.

Hartl also points out a benefit others often overlook: Dog parks give elderly and disabled people with companion and assistance dogs a place to exert their energy in they way they crave.

The parks listed at Dogpark.com are ìofficialî — designated by city parks and recreation departments as off-leash areas for dogs. Most are actually sections of existing public parks.

In urban areas, fences typically surround off-leash parks with wood-chip or gravel surfaces. Suburban parks generally have grass but not always a fence. In some rural areas, particularly in the Midwest, parks might be open woodlands or farmland where people train their dogs for hunting or retrieving. Some dog parks have even opened on beaches on both coasts.

ìThe heaviest concentration of parks weíve found is in California and Florida,î Küng says. ìThey seem to lead the pack. I think that itís climate as much as anything — where people can engage in outdoor lifestyles year-round.î

And while most dog parks are simply public parks that offer an open area for off-leash frolicking, some are a bit more elaborate. For example, Dog Central Station in Gainesville, Fla., offers 15 privately owned, fenced-in acres with two dog swimming ponds, dry dog areas, a full agility course, and dedicated space for small dogs. It also provides on-site doggie daycare and training. Of course, all of this comes with a price — an admission fee.

Rules and regulations will vary between parks. Some public parks require permits of owners, or they require dogs to be licensed. Others donít.

One common rule: Pick up after your dog.

Christine R. McLaughlin is a free-lance writer in Oreland, Pa.

DOG FANCY thanks our readers for sharing their experiences with their favorite dog parks. We heard from readers from New York to Chicago to California. Here are some of their thoughts and photos:

The Humane Society Pet Park, Indianapolis

ìI thank God for this park because my dogs are healthy and happy and so am I.î — Bill Kenney, Indianapolis

Baldy View Dog Park, Upland, Calif.

ìOur dog park is a wonderful place.î The city built it with the understanding that we would pay it back. We have had wonderful fund-raisers. We raised enough money to pay the city back and even put in some improvements. Ö But itís the people and their dogs that make this park so special. I have watched friendships grow. People help each other from sharing training tips to dog sitting. The local dogcatcher even stops by to hand out treats and say hello. All the dogs know him, and he always draws a crowd sniffing his pockets for treats.î — Mrs. Michael Buczynski, Upland, Calif.

Point Isabel Dog Park.

Point Isabel Dog Park, Richmond, Calif.

ìHartney [Pembroke Welsh Corgi] is not a dog that can handle the stress of being closely surrounded by other dogs in a small, enclosed dog park. This is not a problem at Point Isabel, where she can run over acres and acres all the while breathing in the delicious sea air! We both love it!î — Kristen Ronberg, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Tompkins Square Park, New York

ìWho would have ever thought that New York City would be a glorious dog haven? One of the worldís largest cities is blessed with an abundance of dog parks. One of my favorites is the original dog park that started it all about 17 years ago. Here, pooches frolic and socialize while their human counterparts do the same.î — Helena Adams, New York

Poway Community Park, Poway, Calif.

ìDog people pay a lot of taxes and cannot take their kids (dogs) with them much of the time. We need a movement for more dog rights. People and dogs have been living together for a long time. Dogs have treated us much better than we have treated them. Money talks, letís take some of the money we are giving to political parties and build more dog parks.î — Mike Staggs, La Mesa, Calif.

The Long Beach Dog Park, Long Beach, Calif.

ìThe Dog Park has many benches and chairs for the human companions to sit and relax, and there are numerous shade trees in both areas. There are also watering areas in both sections, so the dogs have access to drinking water.î — Janice Demaree, Long Beach, Calif.

Wiggley Field, Chicago

ìWiggley Field in Chicago is one of several facilities that the City of Chicago has put aside for dog owners. This park has attracted scores of dog owners who can let their pets run free and interact. Everyone enjoys the antics of running, playing dogs of all sizes and breeds. No discrimination here, Mastiffs with Poms, pound puppies with show dogs. They all get along with one another. Just shows, dogs are smarter than humans.î — Nancy Spokany, Chicago

The Sepulveda Basin Off-leash Dog Park, California

ìThis 5-acre park with a special small-dog area, double gates, tables, benches, and multiple watering areas is an important part of our daily lives three hours a day, seven days a week!î — Diane Marchitelli, Reseda, Calif.