FIDO Dog Park — Attraction in Natick

The park is nice but the people who run it aren’t. Some of the rules are unnecessary. I use an e-collar for my dog. I’m a professional dog trainer and use the park often for my dog and clients dogs who come with me sometimes. An e-collar isn’t a shock collar. An e-collar doesn’t shock a dog it uses tens technology to gets the dogs attention. Tens technology is what is used in physical therapy for muscle relaxation. I have used the collar on myself and I can’t even feel it. I most often don’t even use the stim I use vibrate. These 2 lady’s at the park were like “we don’t allow any electric collar”.. but they did nothing about the dogs that were trying to fight each other. Did nothing about dogs that were causing issues. Did nothing about dogs that have harnesses on. I’ve seen dogs jaws and limbs ripped off from getting stuck in a harness but god forbid I can’t have an e-collar on my perfectly behaved dog. I recommend going to another park if you use any kind of training tool and not just let your dog do whatever it wants. Or go when the volunteers aren't there.

I understand no prongs because a dog can get caught while playing and get hurt. I understand no treats or toys because dogs can be food aggressive or possessive. But...

Great Park, usually great people and great dogs. Have to give it 1 star because of that horrible woman who harasses everyone. It's so uncomfortable when she comes over to explain all the rules... not that I or anyone is breaking them, just that everyone knows there are rules and she's watching. She harasses my 12 yo eveytime we go. She literally said "shouldn't you be in school today" last time we were there. Really?? She's apparently a truant officer too. On another visit told my son he was not allowed to take his crocs off in the park. (He had a wood chip in one and was shaking it out) not walking around barefoot.

Decent park, just be prepared to tolerate BS from...

Dog park is nice, nothing wrong with it. The volunteers are awful though. If you go by yourself -which most people do prepare to be bothered by older women who come to socialize. I just want to go and watch my dog to make sure he and the other dogs he’s socializing with are behaving, but it’s incredibly hard when there’s old women screaming at people non stop about rules (whilst breaking them for their own dogs or other dogs) and trying to talk to me when to till I eventually leave the park because I’m so uncomfortable. Hopefully an alternative park opens in the area managed by the city or reasonable people who...