Hamden Dog Park — Attraction in Hamden

The pros: This is a very large, well-shaded and completely fenced dog park where dogs play off-leash. It is very well-frequented, and though I have gone at various hours of the day, rarely has my dog been the only one present. We have met some great folks at this park, and I feel like there is a real sense of community and shared care for the park (it feels like lots of folks try to pitch in, sharing tasks like emptying garbage bins, cleaning up left-behind feces, clearing trash and debris, bringing extra bags, etc.). You don't have to worry if you don't bring your own bag to pick of feces, as there are always bags available. There is also water available for dogs to drink, and in the summer there are usually some children's pools for dogs to play in. There is a small dog area, though the separate entry way was closed off due to damage from the last major storm, so small dogs currently have to go through the main park to get to the small dog area. Much of the park is covered in gravel, which reduces mud messes. There are some benches to sit on, and though the dogs jump up on them and use them as obstacle courses, there are also picnic benches to sit on or at.

The cons: Because there are a lot of folks who attend this park regularly and help take care of it, there are a lot of people who feel a sense of ownership over the park. This can lead to some unhelpful behavior in which certain people become gatekeepers or nannies, deciding what is and is not acceptable dog or human behavior at their own whim, or whispering about those of whom they disapprove. Additionally, human outbursts (yelling and swearing at others' dogs, and so forth) is permitted by the community among some of the regular attendees at the park. Also, the water system has a challenging setup, and it may be best to bring your own dog's water just in case. Also, this park would be difficult to navigate with mobility issues, and caution is advised for those who are at risk for loss of balance or otherwise at risk for falls (both because of tripping hazards and the speed at which dogs can run when they get to playing). Finally, at times, the park can be...

Clean, extremely spacious, and frequented by friendly people who keep the place well stocked with tennis balls, water bowls, etc. There are kid pools for the summer time, ample benches, trees for shade, a fenced small dog/timeout area, tons of plastic bag dispensers (from Ikea! Hahah) for poop clean up, and even some poop rakes and pans. There's a bulletin board at the front with useful licensing information, rabies clinics and laws, and some other stuff. In short, best dog park I've been to out of like, five. It's further than our neighborhood dog park in Edgewood, but I think this will be our new...

Good sized park with separate sections for large and small dogs. Ground cover is mostly dirt with some gravel near the entrance. This is one of the older parks (opened in 2002!), but it's been well kept (although the tree branches need some care after this past winter). "Poop bags" are plastic shopping bags donated by park goers and there is trash. Water spigots for water bowls are set up for non-freezing months. My puppy got done good wrestling in here, although there was a bit of a tiff between a few other dogs - the owners responded...