Swift Run Dog Park — Attraction in Ann Arbor

I love this dog park! They have an area for dogs under 20 lbs which is the main reason I take my puppy there. I was trying to socialize him without him getting to playful with an older dog that doesn't appreciate that kind of puppy play. He has met so many cute and playful pups! He loves having a bit of freedom to stretch his legs and play fetch without being on a leash. Dogs can run leash-free but you must stay within the fence line and be ready to police your dog. I always bring a jug of water and they have bowls already there. You are expected to clean up after your dog for any bodily that may occur. They typically provide doggie doo bags but I bring my own just in case they run out. To gain access to this park, stop by the City Clerks office in downtown Ann arbor and register your dog and buy an access tag. They money goes towards funding the park maintenance and provides a valuable resource to all patrons. Porta potty on...

Don't go if there has been any recent rainfall. This place turns into a muddy, sloppy mess. The big mudholes are not just mud. The dogs pee and poop in them and wallow in them then run around "sharing" that filth by jumping on people and other dogs. The parking lot is a minefield of deep potholes most of the time. When it rains it's nothing but mud. When it dries out it's a dust bowl. Some of the people don't pick up after their dogs so there are poop piles all over. In the winter, even more people simply stop picking up at all. The people who are supposed to refill the containers for poop bags don't refill them often enough and many people don't bring their own. There are people who have no idea how to socialize their dogs. This could be a great place if the city would do something besides just cutting the grass once a month or scraping the parking area a couple of...

There is a smaller dog encloser (20lbs or less) and then a large open fenced in area next to the landfill (and I believe it's on top of older, capped off landfill) for the bigger dogs. The wind can be brutal and the field gets lots of massive puddles (the majority of it is coated in ice during the winter) but hey, the doggos love it. There's an oft-walked path around the border for people to walk. Most people who visit are fairly knowledgeable about how to read dog body language and how to get their dog out of any situation that could escalate. (Of course there are some exceptions but honestly I haven't really met any of them personally, I've only heard stories.) People are pretty good at picking up their dog's poop and there are 3 or 4 trash bins (and bag dispensers) around the park. There are lots of tennis balls lying...