Shirlington Dog Park

Good in theory. The place is not maintained. The area is long and wide so I couldn’t station in one spot. Patrons were not the most safe. People brought very aggressive dogs. Ones that snarled and snapped. People brought infants and toddlers that roamed around. I have a pit bull and parents were letting their children run up to her and tug on her without asking. I could just imagine the upheaval if she was younger or less socialized. There is a river that looks very polluted upstream. There are signs suggesting outbreaks of various diseases such as giardia and parvo. I met someone who’s dog had gotten giardia recently from the park. The area of town is also very sketchy. There were homeless stationed along the bank of the river. I didn’t feel safe alone.

I love the fact that there is a trail. Everything is gated off and inside the gated area is a trail you can walk your dog up and down. There is also a creek that you can go down to and enjoy the water with your pup. Again, this is gated off so that your pup doesn’t just run over there. I will say though, make sure you’re wearing good shoes because you do have to «climb» down a bunch of rocks to get to the creek. I wore sandals and going up and down it did not work out as well as I would have liked to. There are water areas every few spaces down so your pups can stay hydrated. There are also doggie waste bags and trash cans around. The whole area is pretty much dirt and trail with some side areas of grass. I think this dog park is a great place to take and spend an outdoor time with your pup!

Wow, this is a gorgeous park! I wouldn’t mind setting up camp here myself, lol. I’ve been to about 5 different dog parks between VA and FL, and this is by far the best. I went in the middle of the day, and there were about 10 dogs there, all very well behaved. I took my Icelandic Sheepdog pup down to the water to cool off, and the stream is the absolute perfect place to play. Not only is it beautiful, but there’s plenty of space to run and splash. I wish I lived closer!

This dog park is amazing. My dog has never been off the leash before but today I found out that my dog was great with following me. She was great with other dogs and other people. It was a great experience for her.
There’s gates around the whole perimeter, and it’s double gates. There’s a water lake that you can walk down to. You can get down by opening another gate.
The people were sweet the dogs were awesome! I will come back every weekend!

The best dog park I’ve been to in the DC metro area. It’s a huge park with lots of varied terrain for dogs. The best feature is the creek running through the park that dogs can swim in. There are tons of dogs here too for your dog to play with.

This is a really solid dog park in an area that definitely benefits from it. The overall size of the pro is great– it’s large and has a divided part for smaller pups. There was some parking, but not a ton. The one downside I thought was that the pro is mostly dirt, and I’m a big fan of grass.

This is a good dog park. Most dog parks I go to are just square fenced-​in areas.
This dog park is long and has a lot of trees and a small creek running next to it, so in the summer time the dogs can go down and run in the creek.
They also have a small fenced off area for puppies/​small dogs.

Now that I have a second dog and live farther away I still end up coming here. The dogs are wonderful, and the layout is awesome. In dog parks where it is just a little circle but here because it is a long stretch of property you get to walk back and forth so your dogs get to meet other dogs as you walk back and forth. Also, I have no idea whether this is the result of weather or landscaping but the beach by the water is now bigger, which is nice.
Also, I have heard a couple of reviews saying their dogs got Giardia from the water… I have to say that honestly all last summer my dog swam there at least once a day and sometimes twice, and when I tested him for Giardia to get into doggy day care he got a glowing bill of health. There are days they mark not to go in the stream which I’d listen to of course. But I’m not sure the water is to blame for Giardia in some of these reviews. (Also, if your dog has any joint pain and you need a good place for them to swim, you sort of have to weigh your risks and benefits. I know I’d rather have my dog get Giardia, which is treatable, than a blown out knee that requires surgery. My dogs aren’t old enough for this to be a worry, but I know when I have had older dogs sometimes swimming is the smartest option. Obviously whether your dog should swim will depend a whole lot on how delicate their stomach/​constitution is. I also know after heavy rain there is a lot of runoff, and you can tell by the cloudy water. My advice is to avoid that and you are probably going to be just fine swimming.)

This is fantastic dog park! It’s easy to just walk the length of it with your dog, throwing a ball or not, and get exercise for yourself at the same time! During the hot summers (if you trust your dogs) you can open the side gates and take them down to the water and they can splash and swim! It’s a clean park, with a doggy water fountain and parking is readily available although sometimes you have to check both ends of the park (you can enter the park at 3 different spots). I like that there is an entrance double gate and an exit one so there aren’t any traffic jams or accidental run outs! Just a great park! (There is also a small dog side, I have never used it, and it’s significantly smaller but it’s available for those that need it!)

I never wrote a review from when I lived in DC 8 years ago and we brought our dog here on a regular basis. They have made it fancier by adding a cool logo gate and fencing it completely. All the dogs seem to be pretty well behaved and it’s nice because it allows the dogs and owners to walk the trail while pooches play along the way. There are water bowls and if you can’t find parking by the warehouse side you just park at the shirlington shops for one hour free and walk across the bridge.

This is the best dog park in Northern Virginia, and here is why:
Size. It’s huge. Not like a baseball field, but long like a hiking trail.
Swim. It is bordered to a creek that is deep enough for your dog to swim in the summer.
Water. There’s water fountains for your dog, so you don’t have to bring your own water.
I have a dog that I rescued, and he has not been socialized. This place is perfect for helping him. Muzzles are acceptable and you don’t get weird looks. Everyone is friendly, and better yet they pick up after their dogs.
The only issue is parking, which can be hard to find on weekends, but that has nothing to do with the park itself.
If you’re weighing your options on dog parks, this is the one you should pick.

This is doggy heaven. You can see how much joy the dogs have when there are there. It is a simply awesome! I have a small dog that loves to hang out with the big dogs. They do have a sizable area for small dogs and puppies, but the main area has dogs of all sizes.
There is a stream that runs next to the park. The dogs love to play in the water. There are large rocks/​boulders leading down to the water which can be a bit much for dog and human alike.
Good luck finding a parking space on the weekend. :-)

This is THE BEST dog park in the DMV area. We travel from PG county AT LEAST once per week and oftentimes 2 – 3 per week. MOST of the dogs and owners are friendly and MOST of the time you don’t have to worry about those owners who don’t want their dogs to play with other dogs at the DOG park.
This is my pups happy place (and mine since he sleeps for the rest of the day afterwards). Free parking (but pay attn to the signs), free poop bags (but they ask that you try to use your own– understandably), 2 water fountains for the dogs, 3 secure entrance/​exit gates, and lastly a long long long strip of pavement and dirt where your dog can run forever.
The stream looks enticing. And your pup will likely love it. But my suggestion is: DON’T. My pup had been down there 3 times and caught giardia twice. Many others have had the same experience. Additionally, there is no fence on the side that leads to the road– I watched a woman’s dogs run straight up and into the road last week. Not worth the stress all the way around.

My dog loves being able to roam around in such a big area. I do wish there were more places to park around there — you really have to be lucky to get a spot most times throughout the day.
Having said that — I know I’ll continue to take her — it’s right next to Muddy Mutt, which is a great place to bathe her as well!

This is the best dog park in the DMV! It is an entire trail/​park set aside for dogs, with a separate play space for small dogs. I have a rambunctious dog, and here, I’m able to let him off his leash and let him run free and wild.
For those willing to traverse down the rocks, there is a stream for the dogs to play in and frolic. Great times!

This is a mad legit dog park. It’s huge, I didn’t even walk the entire thing because it stretched and stretched.
Great things about this park:
+ 2 heavy gated doors to make sure dogs don’t get out by accident.
+ a smaller area for «small dogs/​puppies» only so you can keep the big and small ones happy.
+ a lake front that dogs can go swim in!!! There’s an entrance down the hill from inside the park.
+ Water fountain for dogs.
I mean, this place is just so big and grand … If I were a dog, I’d run around this place like it’s heaven. So many people take their dogs here so you get a really wide range of dogs to socialize your dogs with. I love seeing them all play with each other!
Take your doggies here!

My dog loves this dog park. She can go down to the creek to swim.
It has a separate place for smaller dogs.
There’s a water fountain there for your dog and poop bag dispensaries.
Safe caged in area.
Parking is easy to find, and it’s near shirlington so you can go to shirlington to eat after the dog park with your pup.
Very dog friendly area. Mostly well behaved pups at the dog park. Tons of room so if you don’t like how a dog is behaving you can go to the other end of the dog park.

Fantastic park for dogs! The best part about it is the off-​leash option :) There is a small dog park and an all (large) dog park — however, small dogs are welcome in either. There is a creek that is great for puppies learning to swim.
Everyone that I’ve met there is friendly and polite. If you have a furry friend and in the Arlington area, this is a great place to visit.

Great dog park with friendly dogs and dog owners. I’m not sure if dogs are permitted to be off leash, but many dogs are and it’s fine. There are poopy bag stations and plenty of baggies for your fur friends.
A great thing about thing about this park is that along the fence is a stream of water. The dense opens up to the stream and it’s fine for dogs to swim and play inside. Our pup loved it!
It should be noted that this park is not paved nor does it have AstroTurf. It’s a pretty natural and dirt lined park. This is fine but just be warned to bring lots of towels if you let your dog play in the water became once they are out, they will get very muddy!

This is a great place for your dog to be off leash inside a large fenced area that simply seems like a park.
All of the dogs and owners were extremely friendly.
There is a creek running beside the park with gates that allow you to take your dog down to the water where both humans and dogs can cool off a bit.
SMALL DOG ESCAPE WARNING: our 12lb pup is an escape artist and he found 2 spots he can escape right next to the gates leading down to the water. There were a couple other spots that I saw where he may also get out.
I will definitely come back and use this area to cool off and train our dog to be off leash and under voice command whole I’m running laps from one end of the park to another.

As a new dog owner I’m not really a dog park expert, but I’ve got to tell you that my doggy and I thoroughly enjoys our visits here. This is why:
— Doggy gets to interact with many, many dogs (it’s really amazing how many dogs and owners come to this park)
— Doggy gets to run around to his hearts content (I like how there’s a path to walk along, because I get my exercise as well)
— Doggy can get as dirty as he likes (my dog loves to roll on the ground and this is something to be aware of becaus the park has a dirt ground. If you have a white dog, he’s gonna need a bath.)
— There’s a small dog’s section (cause sometimes a small dog just needs a break).

I try to come here on a daily basis for my 10lb puppy! She loves it. There’s a separate area for small dogs fenced around. There’s a creek for the dogs to play. Water available and doggy bags as well! I would give it 5 stars if there were more grassy areas. But of course, not really the parks fault. It’s an amazing park. Try it out!