Went for the first time yesterday with my very young giant-breed puppy. Upon arrival one dog…read morealready in the large-dog side of the enclosed area seemed a little forceful and intimidating, both for me and my puppy, as we approached the gate inside the sallyport. And as it was my pup's first experience with a dog park / "play date" since I've owned him, I really wanted it to be a positive one for him, so I started to back off of the gate where the other dog was. To my great surprise, the owner of the other dog, while assuring me that his dog wouldn't hurt mine, ultimately showed tremendous kindness and understanding and offered, since there were no other dogs in it, the idea of me taking my pup to the small dog side and letting him run the fence line opposite his dog so they could safely get to know one another. (I hadn't thought of it myself out of respect for "small dog" rules posted at the front of the park, not realizing that it was unoccupied at the time.) Not only that, but a very kindly young woman who also had her (much less assertive) big dog over on that side, offered to bring him over to the small dog side for a while so my puppy would have someone to play with directly as well. And that's what we did. Not long after, the gentleman with the more assertive dog packed up and left, and the younger lady and I both moved our dogs back to the large dog side, as smaller dogs were now arriving to play too. I have to say, every owner of other dogs at the park yesterday morning was nothing but kind, considerate, and absolutely interested in helping my pup have a good time, including the now-arriving small dog owners who could easily have been unhappy to see my big guy in the small dog enclosure. All were welcoming, friendly, and kind. By the time I left, about 90 minutes later, my dog had met a dozen or two other big and small dogs, and while he was still getting used to the idea, it WAS a very positive experience - both for him AND for me. All owners were observant and acted very responsibly about making sure their dogs behaved well and were picked up after as needed. The park grounds and facility are unexpectedly nice, with a wonderfully well-designed sallyport entry / exit / rinse off configuration for both sides of the park, plenty of parking, shade and seating, water bowls and spigots, waste bags and receptacles, and my dog and I enjoyed the experience enough that we definitely plan to return. I did learn from the other owners that being there in the summer is a lot nicer than in season, when it can become very crowded. But it's a really nice exercise and socialization opportunity for my puppy, and I recommend it to anyone who wants a great "play date" experience for themselves and their dog. Good people and really nice park!
