Curtis Hall Dog Park

Not a fan of the dog park, at least not during the busy weekend times. The actual dog park itself is fairly big with a grassy area, and the larger grounds are very pretty. But downside was that the dog owners clumped together at the entrance and talked to each other, rather than monitoring their dogs bad behavior. There were a lot of bad doggie manners going on — e.g. humping each other in big packs, unneutered dogs from breeds bred for fighting (!), and way too many scuffles happening without owner intervention. One owner was actually cheering the dogs on when the fights broke out… smh. My smaller dog who is very sweet and gets along well with larger dogs was getting mowed over, so I left and went back when the bullying dogs and their owners were gone. One good thing is that if it is wild in the dog park, you can always leash Snuffy back up and take a nice walk around the arboretum grounds

I started bring my two golden retrievers here a week or two ago. It was difficult to figure out the best time to come to make sure there are other dogs there but I have found that between 5 – 6:30 is the busiest time. People hang around until dark though. I have been to many dog parks and this one is definitely at the top of the list. There is always a great variety of dogs here. Separate sections for small dogs and large dogs. There is plenty of space for the dogs to run and play or separate from the pack if they want. My only complaints are the gates could use some TLC and some of the owners that come here could learn some proper dog park etiquette. Other than that the dogs and I love it here.

Great park! I have yet to locate the close-​by entrance, but I like parking up by Curtis Hall and walking down anyway — it gives both of us time to stretch our legs before entering the dog park, and we normally meet a few dogs along the way.
The park is huge. You can throw a ball as far as you can and not hit the halfway point. Half is wood chips, the other half grass, and there are some trees with shade. It’s clean, and I didn’t even see one left-​behind dog poop.
The vast majority of owners are attentive and responsible. There were dogs there every time we came of all shapes and sizes. Everything from energetic pit mixes to Great Danes. Most owners have good control over their pups, are aware of their limits, and recognize when their dog is getting out of hand. Out of all the dogs and owners, there were only a handful who couldn’t seem to get with the program.
One was a year-​old unneutered male whose owner, who was on his phone the whole time his pup was getting in other dogs’ faces a bit too much, would ignore his incessant mounting of female dogs, even when politely warned by another owner that his dog would snap if the male kept mounting her. The dog wasn’t even wearing a collar. The other was a know-​it-​all owner of two purebred dogs who were bullies, who would blame his dogs’ behavior on the other dogs/​owners.
I also noticed and appreciated the lack of fear/​judgement when it came to pitbulls in the park. As a former owner of a pit mix, I know the judgement than is often passed on these dogs. I was pleased to see that no one looked twice at the numerous well-​behaved pits in the park.
My one gripe is the number of dogs between Curtis Hall and the dog park that were left offleash. I know what it’s like to have a dog who is NOT good with other dogs, and many dogs are leash reactive. It’s frightening when a dog is sprinting towards yours and the owner, instead of calling them off or leashing them, reassures, «Don’t worry, they’re friendly!» That’s all well and good, but may dog may not be. The dog I bring to the park has no leash reactivity and has amazing recall, but I still never let her offleash until I enter the dog park, because it’s not fair to other owners. Don’t put other dogs/​owners in this position — follow the rules and leash your dog unless A.) You’re in the dog park, or B.) You have perfect recall.

took my boxer here for his first dog park experience. he loved it. it’s pretty big and they have a little part sectioned off for small dogs. all the dogs and ppl were nice although he kept getting humped by a little chihuahua that was in the big dog section. I just had to keep telling him to get off bc the owner didn’t. my dog kept running around with a female pit bull mix. it was cute. they have a water fountain that’s low to the ground for dogs so that was cool. I can’t wait to go again. wish it was closer to where I live.

Love taking my dog to this park. The entrance was confusing at first — didn’t know there was an entrance off of Washington Lane to get in but we learned after our first visit.
Most of the owners are very attentive with their dog and extremely sociable but with a crowd there are the few exceptions that have no control over their dog. There are communal water bowls and a bunch of toys in the park. I usually bring a large water container filled with cold water to fill up for the dogs. It does get muddy after rain but a quick dip in the stream behind the park rinses all the mud off.
I LOVE taking my dog to socialize with other dogs. As soon as she gets in the gate she is off running with the crowd. It helps her burn her energy off. Haven’t had a terrible experience and try to take her at least once a week.

Wish there were one like this in the city. But I guess if there were, it probably wouldn’t be as big and nice.
Took my active puppy there in the fall. There are two areas for dogs of varying sizes, but this day, all dogs were in one area. Makes no difference, though, as the owners were all there and engaged in case a scuffle broke out, which it did not.
There are some toys and water bowls. But I always bring our own JIC.
No idea how large the space is, but big enough for our pooch to gallop around happily. Nicely fenced in so no issues with jumping over the fence.
Only downside is that the parking lot entrance is kind of challenging to find – we parked at the Curtis Hall and walked the grounds until we found it. But it was beautiful out, so that wasn’t much of a downside at all.

I just visited this dog park for the first time this morning. Unfortunately, my two dogs and I were the only ones there.
The Good:
1. The park itself is lovely.
2. There are stray toys if you forget yours.
The Bad:
1. Maybe it was due to the combination of humid weather and freshly cut grass, but I have never seen my dogs so filthy from playing outside – they were literally green.
2. No company during my visit
3. You may find it difficult to locate. If you are heading north on Washington Lane you have gone too far if you hit the church and you have really gone too far if you hit Church Rd.
I will go back over the weekend and see if there are any friends around.

A beautiful and well maintained park, this place is perfect for getting your pooch worn out. They have separate areas for large and small dogs and a doggie water fountain. A bonus is the clear stream behind the big dog area, where my dog loves to go for a dip!

So much potential wasted. Its a nice big park with a smaller fenced off area for little dogs (under 30lbs), but it’s often muddy and drains poorly. Too many un-​neutered and aggressive dogs prowl here too. The good news is you can walk your dog around the rest of the expansive park if it’s too wet or obnoxious.
Still it’s the best around for lack of options and can be a good fun place to socialize your dog.

They finally put mulch down. Not a mud pit anymore wahoo!

I hadn’t had a pup for eons until our latest addition, and this was my first time ever at a dog park. Our Mastiff mix came from a family that had exerted minimal effort training their 51 lb puppy, and he was very poorly socialized. Not aggressive, but very jumpy and uncontrollably excitable around other dogs. I tried organizing a couple of playdates with him through craigslist, but flakers gonna flake, so we ended up taking him to Curtis Park, even though he’s a little shy of six months.
The park itself is hard to find; the sign is tiny and hard to see until you’re right by it due to the overgrowth. The entrance is muddy (today it was practically swampy) but further in there is ground cover and even grass. The small dog area tends to be empty or have only one or two dogs in it regardless of the time of day, but there’s only been one occasion when there were no dogs at all in the big dog area. We took the opportunity to train our dog off-​leash (our house only has a small yard that’s not properly fenced yet), so that was fine too.
As others have mentioned, there are water bowls and a low fountain for dogs and one for people. Their poop bags are regular shopping bags provided by visitors, so you might want to bring your own, but they’re good for backup.
Unfortunately some owners are unable to control their dogs, so always keep one eye on your pup, and don’t be afraid to address the owner with your concerns.
Pro tip 1: Do not bring treats. Other dogs will not leave you alone, and this irritates or embarrasses the owners.
Pro tip 2: Feel free to bring tennis balls to the park, but don’t expect to see them again.
If you’re in the area and have a large, high-​energy dog, go ahead and message me for a playdate.

There isn’t a whole lot to discuss with regard to dog parks. You can enter the park off of Church Road and follow the long drive down to the park or enter from Washington Lane — which is much more direct — and you’ll quickly see the dog park to your left.
There are two fenced areas. One very large area for large breed dogs who really need to stretch their legs and a smaller area for small breeds. You’ll often find a terrier or two mixing in with shepherds and retrievers. It’s really up to the discretion of the owner. It is a definite no-​no to bring a large breed dog into the area for smaller pups.
Water is usually available along with plenty of plastic bags for picking up after your dog. You can contribute to the plastic bag collection if you have unwanted bags at home. These things are generally maintained by Curtis Park volunteers. Communal water bowls are also a feature of the park with a water fountain for humans and their canine counterparts.
Every owner is responsible for his or her own animals. My family has never had a bad experience with our dogs (a very young Yellow Lab and an elderly Pug) and found other owners to be very sociable and kind.
Occasionally, you get a badly behaved dog. That’s the time to take it up with the owner. I’ve seen several owners asked to leave by others because their dogs were being overly aggressive. If you’re one of those folks who refuses to spay or neuter your dog, you probably won’t be received very warmly. It’s just a fact of the park. If you have a young dog who hasn’t yet been «fixed», you may want to wait until they’ve had the procedure to start brining them as «dogs will be dogs» and there is no guaranteed your pooch won’t catch the eye of another.
I really disagree with VB. that this park is not a good place for dogs. Pit Bulls, unfortunately, can be an aggressive breed, but gangly puppies who haven’t yet been socialized or trained can easily provoke attack from other dogs. I have not yet met a dog that isn’t sporting its rabies vaccine tag or accompanied by an irresponsible owner. Infections are easy to come by in this world and not necessarily the result of a trip to the dog park.
The take home message: this is a great place to bring your pup for socialization and exercise if your dog is well-​behaved. As a community of people with dogs, we take responsibility and pride in creating a safe, enjoyable environment for dogs and their owners. It’s hard to be the new kid on the block, but I’ve found that our pups have made friends quickly and they look forward to going each day.

IDK why people hate this park, it’s huge and gorgeous. I take my dogs here all the time and everyone I meet there are courteous and aware of what their dog is doing. We’ve made some great dog-​buddies here, but if you’re going to let a puppy run loose, bigger dogs are going to want to play. I also don’t understand the confusion with the entrance but I went to school around the corner so I always knew where it was, i’ts not rocket science. Actually I’m glad people are hating on it, that means more space for us to enjoy it.

Curtis Hall was the second of the dog parks I tried out with my dog. The entrance can be confusing. If you go into the main Curtis Hall entrance at Church Road and Greenwood Avenue, you’ll notice that the driveway down to the park is one-​way. and not in your favor. You actually have to enter the dog park area from washington lane, just after the church road intersection (on your right).
the grounds are very nice at this dog park, but it’s kind of like the «don’t trust a skinny chef» saying. if the dog park has lush green grass, there’s a reason for it. no one seems to go to this dog park. and what good is a dog park if no other four-​legged friends are there for your pup to play with?
if you’re concerned that your dog isn’t good off a leash or want to slowly socialize a puppy, then this might be a good starter park for you. However once your dog gets used to playing in a large space with the few other dogs you may come across («may» being the operative word), it’s probably best to move on to a more popular park.
i distinctly remember being there one time where my dog was the only dog in the small dog area (she was still a puppy, about 10 pounds at best) and there were only 3 or 4 dogs in the big dog area. AND this is the only park where i’ve actually seen a dog fight escalate into a problem. i don’t know that these dogs are particularly more aggressive than other dogs, but i got the sense that the owners didn’t know how to handle the situation. (read: older housewife types who were owned by their dogs instead of dog owners.)
i won’t tell you not to go here because it really is a nice place to be, but if you’re after the social aspect and letting your dog get out some energy, you’re better off going somewhere else.