\n It is important for most dogs to have{' '}\n
\n But the free and open nature of public dog parks can have drawbacks. While the popularity of dog parks has been skyrocketing in\n the United States, so has the number of{' '}\n
\n Many dog behaviorists discourage visiting public dog parks and recommend{' '}\n
\n Many owners are drawn to dog parks because they want to{' '}\n
\n While dogs are social mammals, it's typically not natural for them to regularly engage in play with strangers.{' '}\n
\n Ultimately: It's perfectly normal for our dogs to not want to play with other pets outside of our families.{' '}\n
\n Even a previously social dog might develop a behavior issue (like{' '}\n
\n While some dogs seem to let those negative interactions roll off their back (especially if they've been well socialized since\n puppyhood) others are affected in lasting ways. Each dog and situation is different.\n
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'What are the risks of physical injuries and illnesses at public dog parks?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n Public dog parks also increase the chances of pets{' '}\n
\n While many dog-dog injuries at dog parks are accidental — canines can be mismatched in size, inadvertently break skin while\n wrestling with untrimmed nails, or simply come on too strong without realizing — others are overtly aggressive.\n
\n\n Even friendly dogs can start fights by failing to recognize another pet's signals of discomfort.{' '}\n
\n No matter how hard a city works to keep their parks clean, it's impossible to fully eliminate all infection risk. This is\n especially true in dog-designated spaces that see dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of different canines each week.\n
\n\n There's no way to confirm that every dog entering an off-leash space has been fully vaccinated — and bacterial diseases like\n leptospirosis often thrive in wet, muddy terrain that's been torn up by paws.\n
\nYoung puppies and elderly dogs have the greatest chance of getting sick.
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'Are all public dog parks dangerous?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n While dog parks certainly come with their risks, it would be unfair to claim they're always a bad idea. Public dog parks do serve\n an important community service in cities.\n
\n\n Some areas lend themselves to safe interactions better than others — large plots of land with acres to maneuver are less dangerous\n than fenced-in city runs, for example — and responsible owner involvement can make a world of difference.\n
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'How do I know if a dog park works for my dog?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n Dogs enjoy Sniffspot dog parks for all kinds of different reasons — spanning from physical exercise to behavior modification\n training to agility or other dog sports practice and more. Whatever your primary goals, there is a Sniffspot dog park for you!\n
\n\n There are many different types of private dog parks available. Sniffspot hosts offer locations like designated training yards;\n expansive fields; large, fully-fenced off-leash dog parks; indoor facilities with lights and other amenities; dog sports courses\n complete with agility equipment; pools and natural water features; and more. Some even have niche amenities, such as a park splash\n pad and dog-friendly potable water fountains.\n
\n\n You can filter Sniffspot dog parks by size, fencing, and distractions that might be present via our dog park locator. If your dog\n doesn't have a good recall, you can visit one of our fully fenced dog parks. If your dog is reactive to other dogs, you can visit\n one of our off-leash areas where there are no dogs audible or visible nearby. You can also filter locations to avoid other\n domestic animals and people! Each listing includes the park hours of operation — and by reading reviews you can understand the\n status of condition, for example, if a section of the fence is in poor condition or there are any park maintenance issues.\n
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'Are Sniffspot dog parks safe?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n While public dog parks have a number of safety issues, such as aggressive dogs, disease transmission, and general cleanliness\n (often as much an issue with the person in charge as with their dog) Sniffspot dog parks are much safer environments to let your\n dog express their natural behaviors.\n
\n\n With Sniffspot, all bookings are private — the only park users at a given time are the dog owners who signed up and dogs they\n bring with them in their own group. Additionally, we require all dogs to be vaccinated (or have equivalent titers). Hosts are in\n charge of keeping their park areas clean, and many go out of their way to provide visitors with exceptional experiences. It's a\n win-win for everyone in the community!\n
\n\n Perhaps most helpful to know exactly what you're getting into: Sniffspot dog park locations are vetted and reviewed by guests, so\n you can find the perfect place for you and your dog — whether they have behavioral struggles, special needs, or any other specific\n considerations. 93% of reviews on Sniffspot visits are 5 stars and many spots have been reviewed hundreds of times.\n
\nAs always, make sure to check weather conditions before visiting.
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'Is a Sniffspot dog park an off leash area?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n Yes. Many Sniffspot dog parks are designed to be a designated off-leash area! That said: Not every Sniffspot private dog park\n location is completely fenced in.\n
\n\n All dogs are different, and we expect our guests to be safe and responsible — especially if their dogs do not have strong recall\n to be able to remain under voice control. Off leash dogs should always stay within the designated off-leash dog park property.\n This is important to have an enjoyable time and be respectful to the hosts, neighbors, and community as a whole!\n
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'Will there be other dogs at the Sniffspot dog park at the same time as me?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n No, there will not. Sniffspot only allows one booking at a time — and any host dogs are required to be kept away from the spot\n during visits.\n
\n\n We also enforce buffers between bookings to ensure you aren't arriving or leaving at the same time another park user is present.\n
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'How can I find Sniffspot dog parks near me?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n You can
\n Each host sets their own price, so you can check the cost per hour on the specific Sniffspot dog park listing. Most are between $5\n - $15 per dog per hour.\n
\n\n Prices vary based on size, fencing and amenities, such as water or drinking fountains for dogs, park benches, WiFi accessibility,\n and so on.\n
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'What are the requirements to bring my dog to a Sniffspot dog park?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n We require that all dogs have basic vaccinations or equivalent titers. We require rabies vaccination, the equivalent of current\n rabies tags.\n
\nWe do not allow dogs with a bite history.
\n\n We do not have limits for dogs per owner or dogs per adult handler, though some individual park hosts set person per visit limits.\n
\nAdult supervision is required at all times.
\n\n Dog owners are responsible for picking up pet waste to keep park areas clean (many Sniffspot private dog parks provide pet waste\n stations).\n
\nWe require that guests sign our waiver and agree to follow park rules and policies before visiting park sites.
\n \n ),\n },\n {\n que: 'How can I offer my land as a private dog park?',\n ans: () => (\n <>\n\n
Being a Sniffspot host can be incredibly rewarding both financially and personally.
\n\n We love dogs — but our modern world is built for us humans, not for our canine companions. Tightly packed cities, small public dog\n parks, and less time in nature have increased the rates of problem behaviors like{' '}\n
| Features | \nSniffspot | \nPublic park | \n
|---|---|---|
| Designed for private play | \n\n | \n \n | \n
| Rentable by the hour | \n\n | \n \n | \n
| Off leash options | \n\n | \n \n | \n
| Very large and/or fully fenced options | \n\n | \n \n | \n
| Pricing | \n$5 - $15 per dog per hour | \nFree | \n