As a dog owner, I’m more than aware that sometimes your little furry friend has (an absurd abundance of) energy to burn. While dog is man’s (or woman’s) best friend, there are occasions when allowing Fido to socialize with other four legged creatures is appropriate.
Take your little buddy to a dog park! Now that the weather is warming up and the sun is shining, it’s the perfect opportunity to try out the many pup parks Metro Detroit has to offer:
Preservation Park, located in Cherry Hill Village, Canton
Open dawn to dusk, seven days a week
Membership required—$25 for an annual resident membership, $50 for an annual non-resident membership; registration tag must be worn at the park
Up to three dogs allowed per household
Six-acres of fenced in space for your dog to run and play sans leash
Divided into a large dog section (20 pounds and over) and small dog section (under 20 pounds)
Orion Oaks Bark Park, located on Joslyn Rd., Lake Orion
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Small dog area, trails, picnic area and access to Lake Sixteen—a swimming area for dogs only!
All dogs must be older than four months of age
Up to two dogs allowed per visitor
Community Park Dog Park, located at 5 Mile Rd., Northville
Open everyday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. or dusk, whichever occurs first
Offers four-acres of play area for your pup
Requires attendance at an education session
Annual passes cost $29 for residents, $60 for non-residents
Neighboring Cady Street Dog Park is available for use by Northville residents only; annual passes cost $29
Mark Twain Park, located off of Campbell Rd. south of 14 Mile Rd., Royal Oak
Open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Seven-acres of space, including a dog run and nature trail
No food (canine or human) allowed in the park
Annual park pass required—$50 for Royal Oak residents, $75 for non-residents
Three dogs allowed per owner
Maloof Statler Dog Park, located inside Herman Brys Park, St. Clair Shores
Open from dawn to dusk unless otherwise noted
53,842 square feet of fenced in play area, including picnic tables and rain shelters
Park is divided into two areas—one for small dogs, another for large dogs
Membership rate for residents is $20; non-resident is $30
Puppies under five months are not allowed
Three dogs per owner permitted
Swift Run Dog Park, located at Platt Rd., Ann Arbor
Open from dusk to dawn, 365 days a year
10-acres of grassy, fenced-in park
Separate areas for large and small dogs
Annual permit fees are $50 for both residents and non-residents ($35 for spayed and neutered dogs)
For each additional dog, there is an extra $10 fee ($5 for spayed/neutered dogs)
Please note, all of the above dog parks require your pup to be licensed and up-to-date on his or her vaccinations. Once you’ve got that taken care of, you’re well on your way to having fun with Fluffy outdoors!