Dr. James W. Thornton Dog Park — Attraction in Fresno

Usually the park is very empty. If your dog enjoys to play alone, with you, then this park is for you. I usually take my dog to parks to socialize, and for him to get his exercise and get him tired.

My pup passed the temperment test, and we paid the annual fee to go into the park, thinking he was going to have a blast. NOPE. I've been to the park 3 times, to try to change my mind and see how i felt throughout the days i took him.

So far my experience has been "eh okay" for it being a membership park i would expect dogs who want to play. They don't want to play with other dogs, people are there to play fetch with them and usually their dogs would growl at my dog when he would go up to them and try to play. That's not so friendly.

The little dog area does NOT have it's own pool area, and so the little dogs have to go where the big dogs are at. Little dogs aren't the nicest of dogs, and they snap at my dog, because he's a big puppy and wants to play, these little dogs snap and my dog tends to snap back and people assume it's the larger dogs fault. NO. take your dog where the little dogs go, and teach your dog to get along with ALL dogs.

So is this park what i expected for all their standards? no. It's a little boring, and the dogs who come and play , aren't as friendly as you would expect.

I took my dog plenty of times to woodward park, and knowing it was open to the public i was a little iffy, because some people would take their dogs who weren't so friendly. BUT, there's more dogs that went to Woodward, that would PLAY, so my dog NEVER got into a little bite war.

This park is like any other park. ONLY DIFFERENCE, is that you have to have up to date vacs, and be neutered, along with clean water.

Not really many dogs, and usually none of them want to play. What's the point of the dog park? Why are these people taking their dogs to play fetch with them?? You can do that at home ALONE, you take your dog to the DOG park to play with OTHER DOGS.

Was it worth it? I say pay the $5 fee, for the ONE DAY ENTRANCE if your dog passes the test to see if you like it. Don't get the annual right away, because you most likely would realize your able to play with your dog alone at a regular park since most dogs...

This dog park is safe and secure, I give them that. I just hope they reopen the agility course soon. Wished this dog park included more options for small dogs too. The truth is, the majority of the dog park is catered to only big dogs, while owners with small dogs are forced to only stay in the small dog designated area. They say the pool area is for every type of dog, but realistically what chance does any small dog (even ones weighing just 15 lbs) have against a dog that is 50 lbs and up coming up to their personal space all hyper and chasing them around like they can take the same kind of action? It's no wonder a lot of small dog owners stopped coming to this dog park! What's the point of going if your dog is only limited to one specific area where they feel safe and secure? If the staff designated specific times for dogs of various sizes to be allowed in the pool area, that would help out a lot! Heck, even if they made the effort to put a small kiddie pool (like the one they bring out for large dogs in the large dog section), in the little dog section, it will at least give them more options to have something to do and...

I love the amenities, the big dog yard is awesome and it’s fixin to be re sodded. But it’s right up against the feral cat sanctuary and my dog can’t resist hanging out there. He loves the pool most of all. He gets along great with most of the dogs there but there are a few whom he doesn’t. One of them the mom is really conscientious about. And she and I network our time there very effectively. But there’s a big white husky that comes and a big black Great Dane that goes there whom my boy doesn’t get along with and their moms don’t do anything whatsoever about their dogs. I feel like it’s entirely left to me to get control of my dog (which I do). but they will just let their dogs do whatever they want. So we hafta cut our visit short. Today my guy got bit in the leg by the Great Dane. Not serious looks like a scrape. But because my boy is a pibble he has to leave. Canine racism. Not the park. The folks who run it love my guy. It’s just a few people who have a bit of a...