A new private off-leash dog park in northwest Rocky View County aims to reduce conflict between reactive dogs.
The Unleashed Dog Park, located north of Cochrane at 264136 Range Road 44, is a brand new style of park. For $15, users can book an hour at the private property, owned by Sylwia Ciezar-Andersen. Only one user group is allowed in at a time, with however many dogs they wish to bring.
“It’s about one acre of fully fenced off-leash area, and it includes agility runs for small and large dogs,” Ciezar-Andersen said. “We try to comply with the American Kennel Club’s specifications.”
The front half of the park is where agility equipment is located, while the back half of the property – separated by a strand of trees and shrubs with a tunnel cleared through them – is a wide-open field, which Ciezar-Andersen said is perfect for running around and playing fetch with your dog.
The park also has a sandbox for digging in, she said, as well as two pools for dogs to cool off in and a disposal bin for poop bags.
Ciezar-Andersen said she built the park for her own dog, Emma, who is a rescue and has over-protective tendencies.
“Since I got pregnant with my son, she’s become very protective of me and I haven’t been able to take her to the off-leash dog park," she said, adding that having a private space where her two dogs can play together is more comfortable for her and the pups.
“She enjoys being off-leash so much. As long as I can feel comfortable and safe having her there, I think that’s a big thing for me,” she said. “If I take her to the off-leash park, I’m always anxious, even if she doesn’t try to protect me from other dogs.”
Once the park was built, she realized that she would not be using it all the time, so she thought she would let others use it as well.
Visitors to the park are able to open the gate, drive in and close the gate behind them. All park bookings are to be made online, and guests can let themselves in when they visit, Ciezar-Anderson said. She added that, because the park is set up to minimize contact between parties, it is COVID-friendly.
The park officially opened Aug. 15 and is currently taking bookings online.
To book a spot in the park visit UnleashedDogPark.ca
