Does your dog need a place to run? To romp and jump and play and let out some energy?

There are places in Fort Collins that are set up just for dogs like yours. Places that encourage off- lead dogs to play and run and just be dogs. They are called dog parks, and Fort Collins has three of them. Set up for off-lead recreation for owners with non-aggressive dogs, the dog park offers a fenced play area just for dogs and their people. Dogs can run, fetch, and play with other dogs in an “off-lead” zone just for them.

Fort Collins resident Nissa Ziesler takes her retriever/chow mix “Winston” to the park to help him unwind after having to put up with the family’s new 4 month-old chow puppy, “Deena.”  Deena will be joining the family at the park soon, but for right now, it’s a place for Winston to go with the family to be “special.”  “I didn’t realize how easy it would be to take Winston to the park. I thought he might get too pushy with the other dogs, but he doesn’t. It gives him a chance to practice much needed social skills and to run off some of his excess energy.”

Jim Smith, another Fort Collins resident, takes his dog “Bluto” to the park for another reason. “When you have a puppy that’s going to grow up to be 140 pounds, it’s a good idea to socialize him early to people and to other dogs. The dog parks let me do that in one place. Plus, it wears him out. Walking a Bull Mastiff puppy every day is a lot of work. The days we go to the park are days I don’t have to walk him. He goes right home, curls up and starts snoring. I love it!”

The dog parks are a very popular place on the weekends when the weather is nice. It isn’t unusual for twenty-five or thirty dogs to be seen running and playing in the park. For the most part, the dogs getting along. When a scuffle does break out, owners and bystanders can usually break it up without too much trouble.

Bill Whirty, Park Operations Supervisor for the Fort Collins Parks Department, says that the city would like to see more people utilize the dog parks but stresses that the dogs using the parks need to get along with other dogs. He says that the popularity of the dog parks is growing. “We hit a huge home run with the dog parks”, says Whirty, “Especially on the weekends, you can have families at the park with picnic baskets and singles bringing their dogs and coffee cups. It’s a great place for people to meet”.

Proper Dog Park Etiquette

Is your dog well-behaved enough for a dog park? First of all, there are rules for dog parks. Whether posted or not, certain situations and behaviors are taboo. Dogs who are aggressive to people or are aggressive to other dogs should not be allowed to run rampant at the dog park. Because of the number of small children at dog parks, dogs that show any tendency towards aggression toward children should not be there, period. Dogs who are working through aggression with other dogs and are in the capable hands of a professional trainer can sometimes be rehabilitated by the proper exposure to other dogs. The key here is, “proper”. Dogs who routinely pick fights with the other dogs and are allowed to do so by unconcerned owners should be asked to leave the park. An animal control officer can be called if the owner refuses to remove a trouble maker.

Although unspayed female dogs and uncastrated male dogs are allowed in the parks, females in season are not. Puppies under the age of four months are not allowed due to the potential for disease transference. For this same reason, unvaccinated dogs and dogs showing ANY symptoms of contagious illness are not allowed on the premises.

Who does this leave? This leaves the vast majority of Fort Collins dogs. Your dog doesn’t need to come-when-called, sit-stay or down in order to enjoy the dog park. As long as he doesn’t threaten anyone with aggression, tolerates the presence of playful adolescent dogs, and wants some freedom to run and play, he will benefit from the experience.

Rules for Dogs:

• No aggression or bullying
• No incessant barking (applies to parks near residential areas)
• No knocking grannies or small children flat
• No coveting thy neighbor’s tennis ball (bring your own)

Rules for People:

• Immediately remove your dog from the premises should he or she become aggressive
• Do not leave the gate open. Always close and latch
• Make sure your dog stays hydrated, especially in warm weather. Bring water if not provided.
• Watch for rattlesnakes early in the morning and late in the afternoon during   warm weather. (Especially at Spring Canyon/Horsetooth)
• Don’t give anyone’s dog food or treats without asking first.
• Don’t allow your children to interact with dogs at the park unless you   KNOW the dog WELL.
• Lastly, DO NOT reprimand someone else’s dog. If the dog in question is causing problems with your dog, gently pull the dog away and look for the owner. People can be very touchy about their dogs and children. Be careful.

Most young dogs love going to the dog park. Some older dogs like going as well. The dog park isn’t a place suitable for all dogs, but you’ll never know about your dog’s suitability for a dog park unless you take him and find out how he likes it.

It’s a great place to exercise your dog, get some dog training in, have a picnic, and socialize with other dog lovers.  

Fort Collins Dog Park Locations

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North Fort Collins

Soft Gold Park, 420 Hickory St.

West end of Hickory off of North College

Amenities:

• This park has a lush, thick, carpet of grass for the dogs to romp on.
• One picnic table but no shade and you need to bring your own water.
• Dog waste bags and a garbage can is available

Note: The dog park part of Soft Gold is at the extreme North end of the park. It can be quite a hike from the parking lot if you are carrying small children, have a picnic lunch and a dog or two on a leash. Restrooms are by the parking lot.

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Central Fort Collins

Spring Canyon Community Park (Grand Opening this Fall)

West end of Horsetooth Road

Amenities:

• Although not yet completed, the new park should feature two separate fenced areas that will be at least twice the size of the existing lot. One of the areas will have a pond for the water loving dogs, the other area will be dry.
• A third area is anticipated that may be reserved for special occasions.
• Right now there is no water at the park. There is one pic nic table and shade is provided by numerous trees.

Note: Because of construction, this area is very muddy during wet weather. The restroom consists of a porta potty at this time.

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South Fort Collins

Fossil Creek Dog Park, 5821 South Lemay Ave. (Between Harmony and Trilby)

Amenities:

• Has drinking fountains, one for dogs and one for people.
• Shredded bark play area cuts down on mud during wet weather
• Separate enclosed area for shy or small dogs
• Shaded picnic tables
• Dog waste bags and garbage cans.
• Parking lot is large and right next to the dog park.

Note: I had a hard time scouting out the rest rooms when I did the research for this article. They are south of the dog park adjacent to the soccer field. If you have small children with you, hit the rest rooms first, before unloading the car, it’s quite a walk from the dog park to the rest room for the little ones.

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Loose Collars on Playful Dogs Can Spell Disaster!

Any loose, hanging collar-- especially chain collars--can spell disaster in a dog park setting. Any time two dogs play together if one or both are wearing loose collars they can get tangled and the result can be catastrophic.

Dogs like to playfully grab each other by the neck. When a collar is loose it is only a matter of time before a playful dog gets his jaw underneath that collar. If the dog wearing the collar twists around, the collar will become locked onto the grabbing dog’s lower jaw. When this happens, both dogs panic and try to get away only to tighten the collar further. This causes the dog wearing the collar to potentially choke to death and the other dog to break his jaw. Do not allow your dog to become a statistic in an all too frequent dog park occurrence. Tighten your dog’s collar. Remove chain collars, and request other dog owner’s to do the same.