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Animal Yellow Pages: Dog Parks

Washington, DC | Maryland | Virginia

It is really exciting that Dog Parks (aka Off Leash Dog Areas) are gaining popularity in this area - new ones are springing up all the time! MetroPets realizes that Dog Parks are a wonderful way to exercise and socialize our dogs and ourselves. Please feel free to let us -- and MetroPets users -- know about these special places by filling out the form at the bottom of this page. The aim of this page is to list only those parks that are "open admissions" and don't disqaulify certain breeds of dog. Please make sure that you know the rules of the park before entering. Many of the parks listed below have the rules posted on a website - also the rules will be posted at the entrance to the park

DCDOG (Dog Owner's Group) is an action group for the development of dog parks in the District of Columbia. Interested DC residents can subscribe to their yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DCDOG/.

• Congressional Cemetery, 18th & Potomac Ave, SE: open anytime. Fenced-in, safe environment for off-lead romps and training.
• Lincoln Park: Capital Hill,11th/N.Carolina (cross street is Massachusetts Ave) . Popular from 6-9 am and 5-7 pm.
• Malcolm X/Meridian Hill: 16th Street, NW (no offleash)
• Military Road/Oregon Avenue: Unofficial dog gathering site by first parking lot off Military Rd.
• The grounds of the National Cathedral
• Walter Pierce Park (supporting group Adams Morgan Dogs)
  1967 Calvert Street NW, Washington DC, 20009

For more listings see:

• dogpark.com - Listing of Dog Parks in Washington, DC
• thedogpark.com - Listing of Dog Parks in Washington, DC

Anne Arundel County

• Annapolis
  Quiet Waters Park. 600 Quiet Waters Park Rd. Annapolis MD 21403.
  410-222-1777
  times: 7:00am to dusk closed Tuesdays
  comments: Two large fenced areas for dogs to run off-leash; one open space is designated for large dogs and one for small or elderly dogs. Also small beach for dogs to swim. Dog park closes ½ hour before park closing time. Park Fees: Daily vehicle $5, Annual vehicle $30. Military personnel with current ID are free.
• Broadneck Park near Cape St. Claire
  Take Rt 2 to College Pkw (the road Anne Arundel Community College is on). Once you're on College Parkway you'll go about 3 miles and Broadneck park is on the right. It's a small entrance so it would be easy to miss. The dog area is right as you get into the park on the left.
  There are no parking, entrance or dog area fees. For the Anne Arundel county parks you are required to have a valid rabies vaccine and county license from whatever county you live in.
• Maryland City dog park
• Bell Branch Park in Crofton

Montgomery County

• Gaithersburg
  Gaithersburg Dog Park
  151 Bickerstaff Way
  Gaithersburg, MD 20877
  The Dog Exercise Area (DEA) in Green Park is an approximately 1 ½ acre fenced area (two sections: 17,000 sq. ft. and 43,000 sq. ft.) where you can take your dog off leash. City residents must have a current pet license for each dog in order to use the facility. Pet license applications are available at City Hall, 31 South Summit Avenue, or you may call 301-258-6343 and request that one be mailed to you. Applications also are downloadable from the above website. Nonresidents must have a DEA membership in order to use the facility. DEA Membership applications are available at City Hall or call 301-258-6343 and request that one be mailed to you (applications are not available on the web). Nonresidents must submit the following for membership:
  • Completed application for each dog
  • Current Rabies Certificate for each dog
  • Current photograph of each dog
  • $50 fee for each dog
  Memberships are valid for one year from issuance.
• Boyds
  The dog park at Black Hills Regional Park is now open. There are no fees and plenty of parking. Quiet park with shade trees and benches for humans. Click here for details.
• Wheaton
  The dog park at Wheaton Regional Park opened on Saturday, January 11th 2003. Click here for details.
• Germantown
  The newly built Ridge Road Park included a dog park from the start! Very active, friendly park, few places to sit and no shade. Click here for details.
• Dog Exercise parks in Montgomery County, MD
• Indoor Dog Park! Each Saturday beginning on Nov 18th 2006, Dogtopia will host an indoor dog park at their 10,000 sqft state-of-the-art facility in North Bethesda, MD. For more info, click here
  Dogtopia (formerly Happy Tails Dog Spa)
  4920 Wyaconda Rd
  Rockville,
  MD 20852
  (240) 514-0210

Frederick County

• Urbana/Frederick area
  Greenbriar Pet Resort & Veterinary Center
  Contact person: Sharon Kessler
  Email: info@greenbriarkennels.com
  3051 Thurston Road, Frederick, MD, 21704
  tel:800-889-9971
  Comments: Free public Dog Park. First and only off-leash dog park in the Urbana/Frederick area. Open Sunrise to Sunset; 7 days a week;
  2 areas (1 for large dogs and 1 for small dogs);
  Water source; Gazebo for shade/shelter; Nature trail for on-leash walks.
• Frederick
  There is also a group working towards a dog park in Frederick:
  Barkers Anonymous
  Contact person: Dawn Deane-Henderson
  Email: houndowner@frederick.com
  Mailing address: 5137 McLauren Lane, Frederick, MD
  tel:(301)668-6152
  Comments: Now Forming, Barkers Anonymous-Frederick County Dog Owners Group. To promote responsible dog ownership and a Community Connection in Frederick County

Prince Georges County

• Bowie
  Northview Drive near Enfield Chase Neighborhood Park. This exercise area is nearly an acre and is grass-covered. There are two fenced-in areas within the one-acre park. The larger area is for general dog play. The smaller area is for smaller dogs, puppies (older than 4 months), or shy dogs not wanting to participate in the general dog play area. There is off-street parking and the dog park is open 8:00 am to 8:00 pm daily. A local dog-owners' association initiated the request for the exercise area, which will be operated and maintained by a partnership between this group and the City. The animal control warden is to open and close the park each day.
• College Park
  The College Park Dog Park opened on October 19, 2002 at Acredale Park in College Park, MD. Citizens of Montgomery and Prince Georges counties can apply for a permit to exercise their dogs there. Applications for permits are available for downloading online at http://www.cpdogpark.org/. Applications can also be obtained by writing the College Park Dog Park Assoc. at P.O. Box 764 in College Park. The fee for a permit is $40 per year for the first dog and $30 for a second dog.
• Greenbelt
  Greenbelt Dog Park
  Hanover Parkway and Hanover Drive. The City of Greenbelt has one, quarter-acre fenced dog park, which is only open to dogs living in the City. Land for the park was donated by a developer, who thought the parcel was too small for another use. The registration fee for the Greenbelt Dog Park is $5 per dog and is a lifetime permit. Currently, permits are limited to City residents. Open 5:00 am to 11:00 pm daily
• Laurel
  Maryland City Park, Brockbridge Road, Laurel, MD
  There are two run areas (one for large dogs, one for small dogs). Water fountain provided. The Dog Park is a public off-leash area that sits behind the baseball field. The Dog Park is located on Brockbridge Road. You can get to it from either Rte 197 or Rte 198 depending on where you live in Laurel.

Howard County

• Ellicott City
  Off-Leash Area at Worthington Park on Hillsborough Road, Ellicott City.
  Hours: dawn to dusk daily except closed Thursdays Fenced, trees, parking $40 annual permit or $5 daily permit required.
• Take 103, turn on New Cut Rd, go about 3/4 mile, make a right on Hillsborough, it's on the left. Howard County Dog Owners Group. Join the Yahoogroup, or email dogpark@yahoogroups.com.

Charles County

• Waldorf
  White Plains Dog Park, Charles County
  White Plains Dog Park is a public off-leash area operated and maintained by Charles County Government's Department of Public Facilities. The Dog Park is located in White Plains Regional Park which is at the intersecion of St. Charles Parkway and DeMarr Road (1015 St. Charles Parkway). From Waldorf: travel sourth on U.S. 301 to White Plains, turn left on DeMarr Road. Travel 1.5 miles to stop sign. The park is directly across intersection.

Baltimore County

• Robert E Lee Memorial Park
  Falls road. There is a pond and many trails for walking. Dogs must be on leash ($75 fine). It is north of Baltimore.

Calvert County

• Grays Road Dog Park
  There are two run areas (one for large dogs, one for small dogs). Water fountain. Two more fenced areas coming soon.
  Directions: MD-Rt. 4 South to MD-Rt. 506 (Sixes Rd.). Left onto Grays Rd. (Pardners Farm is at corner of Sixes and Grays.) Go mile on Grays Road, and dog park is on the left (past Battle Creek Nature Education Center). Signage is not yet installed; so look for the on site storage building.

Harford County

• Ma & Pa Dog Park
  Bel Air, MD, 21015
  tel: 410-638-3572
• Humane Society of Harford County
  2208 Connolly Road
  Fallston, MD, 21047
  tel: 410 836-10902

For more listings see:

• dogpark.com - Listing of Dog Parks in Maryland
• thedogpark.com - Listing of Dog Parks in Maryland

Arlington

Arlington Dogs web site - for updates on new parks and directions to all parks listed below

• Utah Park, 3191 South Utah St., Arlington, VA 22206
• Benjamin Banneker Park, 1701 North Van Buren St, Arlington, VA 11105 (near the East Falls Church metro).
• Shirlington Park, 2601 S. Arlington Mill Drive, Arlington 22206.
• Fort Barnard Corner of South Pollard Street and South Walter Reed Drive, Arlington, VA 22206
• Clarendon Park 13th, Herndon and Hartford Streets.
• Towers Community Canine Area, 801 South Scott Street, Arlington 22204. Water supply is available. A lot of shade provided by trees in the park.
• Madison Community Center (official name is Fort Ethan Allen Park), 3829 North Stafford Street, Arlington 22207. Totally fenced.
• Glencarlyn Park, 301 S. Harrison St, Arlington 22204. Not fenced.

Alexandria (City of)

• Fenced Dog Parks:
  • Del Ray Dog Park at Simpson Stadium, Monroe Avenue.
  • Duke Street Dog Park Park Location: Duke Street beside the new Charles E Beatley Jr Central Library (5005 Duke Street)
  • Montgomery Park at the corner of Fairfax and 1st Streets
  • Ben Brenman Park by Backlick Creek
• Unfenced sites, Dog Exercise Areas:
  • See the City of Alexandria's website

Fairfax County - as of March 2006, there are 6 dog parks in Fairfax County (at Oakton, Reston, Lorton, Annandale, Centreville and Herndon) and plans in process for more.

• Oakton - Blake Lane Park, at the intersection of Blake Lane and Bushman Drive. Sponsored by Oakton Dogs
  
• Reston - Baron Cameron, on Wiehle Avenue at Baron Cameron Drive. Sponsored by Reston Dogs
  
• Lorton- South Run District Park in Springfield near Lee Chapel Rd & Fairfax Co Pkwy. Sponsored by Lorton Dogs
• Herndon - Chandon Park at the south end of Palmer Drive. Sponsored by Herndon Dogs
  
• Annandale Annandale - Mason District Park in Annandale off Columbia Pike. Sponsored by Mason District Dog Opportunity Group (Mason District D.O.G.) Email masondistdog@hotmail.com
  
• Centreville - Quinn Farm Park Off-Leash Dog Area
  15150 Old Lee Road, Centreville, VA. Sponsored by Centreville Dogs; Email CentrevilleDogs@yahoo.com

Vienna (not a Fairfax County dog park, but provided by the Vienna Parks & Recreation Department) - Moorefield Park, off Courthouse Road (700 Courthouse Rd SW). The sponsoring group is Vienna Dogs. Email ViennaDogs@hotmail.com.

Chesterfield

Ruff House Dog Park
Jessica Sanchez Tucker, email: casasoccer2@yahoo.com
PO Box 40, Chesterfield
VA, 23832
phone: 804-748-1079

Other Existing Dog Park Efforts in Northern Virginia

South Alexandria (Fairfax County) Mount Vernon Area DOG

Loudoun County: Responsible Dog Ownership Group (RDOG) of Loudoun. E-mail to RDOGBoard@aol.com