I realize this entire complex is not officially open yet (for what reason, I don't know since it was advertised to be opening in Fall of 2014), but I visited to check it out.
Problem #1: It's at the FAR end of the complex. Let's forget about the fact that excited dogs will be charging through the park, pulling their owners behind them all that distance in their excitement to get there. More notable is, what do dogs do as they walk over/next to grass areas? That's right, they pee and poop. Let's be honest--not everyone picks up after their dogs. It just doesn't happen. So, there will undoubtedly be players and/or fans who get the privilege of stepping in it on the soccer field. I can't imagine any dog owners were consulted/involved in planning the placement of the dog portion so far away from the entrance.
Problem #2: The surface is bark--the worst surface for a dog play area. It's not conducive to running and rolling. In fact, when I was there, I saw some dogs inside, and they were staying on the thin border of cement all around the park. They didn't want to be on the bark.
Problem #3: Despite the fact that the plans showed lots of trees in and around the dog area, I counted three. Three. small need-lots-of-time-to-grow trees. That place is going to be hot as hell in the summer. The dog parks in Dublin have lots of trees. Memorial Park in San Ramon has a covered area. Cayetano park--nothing (at present).
Problem #4: The "staging" entrance area for the two sides--one for small dogs, one for all dogs--is shared, meaning ALL dogs go into the same area to have their leashes removed before they then disperse into the chosen side. Again, I can't imagine any dog owners--especially those of small dogs--were involved in thinking this through. We could tell you that set-up is a recipe for disaster.
Problem #5: The ONE water fountain is in the staging area. That means rather than dogs being able to approach the fountain if they get thirsty during play time, owners have to anticipate that their dogs are thirsty and escort them out to the staging area (where other dogs may be in the process of coming and going) and then back into the play area. Inconvenient and potentially risky for dogs to escape--remember, they are off their leashes, but the outside gate might be opened during their visit to the fountain.
(Potential) Problem #6: There are no "pick-up" bag dispensers. It's possible these will be added before the park is officially opened. If not, that's a problem.
Annoyance #1 (#7?): One of the posted regulations is "Limit of 2 dogs per person". I understand what they're trying to accomplish, but it's discriminatory. I have three dogs. Guess what, if I liked this park and wanted to visit, I'd bring all three of them. I am attentive to their behavior and pick-up after them. Don't lump me in with what I assume is the real issue of people who dog-sit/walk and bring large numbers of dogs at the same time. Even so, I go to dog parks almost daily, for years, and I've only seen that happen once.
Overall, this brand, spanking new facility is a huge disappointment. In fairness, I'll check it out again after it's officially open and update this review if it needs it. However, the problems don't appear to be those that can be easily changed, if at all. read more
