When the weather starts to get spring-like around here -- and I'm talking about actual spring, with sunshine and warm, dry days, not Seattle spring, with more rain than sun -- one place I love to return to after the long damp dark winter is the off-leash dog park.
My dog Hazel (pictured above on the far right at Seattle's Genesee Park Off-Leash Area) is not super sociable with other dogs when I'm walking her around the neighborhood on a leash. I'm pretty sure the experts would say that being on a leash limits her sense of control, so her go-to reaction to a curious dog approaching is to get defensive right away.
But when she and all the other dogs are on their own, wandering around a couple of acres of open space, they relax and meet on their own terms, using the time-tested rules of dog interaction (a.k.a. sniffing) to check each other out, maybe chasing each other here and there, or stampeding in a pack around the park.
Lucky for us, we live in a place that recognizes the need for these safe spaces for our canine companions. Seattle and the surrounding communities are full of off-leash parks, and now's the time to visit them. A little bit of springtime sun means the parks aren't wet or muddy like they are in the dark months, and people and their dogs just seem to be in a better mood this time of year.
The City of Seattle has a bunch of places to take your dog. Start with 14 off-leash dog parks in Seattle that your furry friend is sure to love. From the massive Magnuson Park Off-Leash Area -- Seattle's biggest, and the only one within the city with access to water by way of the Lake Washington shore -- to the tiny Plymouth Pillars Park on Capitol Hill, with its knockout views of downtown Seattle and a clever drinking fountain for humans and dogs, the city has spots in every direction where your dog can romp.
Hazel always liked Westcrest Park in my old neighborhood of West Seattle, with its sloped, forested nooks and crannies that are perfect for a dog who wants to channel its inner wolf and strike out on its own without being interrupted too much by humans.
And if you're not in Seattle, you still have a ton of choices.
Take a look at Off-Leash Dog Parks in Washington and you'll find options in every direction. I've always loved Marymoor Park in Redmond -- 40 acres of outdoor fun, with trees, fields, and plenty of water access, too. It's huge, and it has a huge parking lot too -- which involves a small fee. Worth it.
Other standouts on that statewide list: Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island (also with water access for your dog,) French Lake in Federal Way, Ft. Steilacoom Dog Park in Lakewood, and destinations in Bothell, Everett, Edmonds, Kent, Vancouver, Spokane, Anacortes, Poulsbo, Gig Harbor, Shelton . . . it's a long list.
A few tips: If your dog is on the small side, check the listing for the park you're considering and make sure they have a separate small/shy dog area -- lots of them do. Personally, I also recommend bringing lots of your own doggie poop bags -- more than you think you'll need, because sometimes they like to really leave those souvenirs. And of course, wear crummy clothes, because you'll undoubtedly collect all kinds of dirty paw prints and random slobber while you're in there among the pack.
Have fun, and -- of course -- don't forget to mask up.