Dogs are a part of many Bendites’ lives and involved with their owners in many recreational adventures. In Bend, there’s so much to do with your four-legged friend including:
Bend has nine dog off-leash areas in local parks. Dogs are required by city ordinance to be on leash in any public area in the city of Bend except in designated off-leash areas.
Click on the links below for maps of each park:
Alpenglow Community Park (61049 NE 15th St.) 3.9 acres, fenced with large/small dog areas and an agility course.
Awbrey Reservoir (NW 10th and Trenton) 5 acres, unfenced. Note: acreage is approximate.
Big Sky (21690 Neff Rd) 12 acres, fenced and unfenced areas.
Discovery Park (1315 NW Discovery Park Drive) 1.6 acres, fenced.
Riverbend Park (799 SW Columbia St) 1.1 acres, fenced with river access and small dog area.
Small Dog Areas: There are fenced small dog areas at the Riverbend, Pine Nursery and Ponderosa Park off-leash areas. The criteria for small dogs is less than 15 inches at the shoulder and under 25 pounds.
For a full listing of off-leash areas and opportunities in the region, go to www.dogpac.org
It’s the law in Bend and first-time citations are $275.
Off-leash dogs can easily get in another user’s way on a trail and cause an accident or injuries.
Off-leash dogs scare and/or chase off wildlife causing wild animals to avoid parks and natural spaces.
For people who are afraid or uncomfortable around dogs, an encounter with an off-leash dog can be downright terrifying.
Off-leash dogs can instigate aggression problems or fights with leashed dogs. Each year, BPRD receives numerous reports of problem encounters, several resulting in dog bites or injuries.
If your off-leash dog causes a serious issue, you could be held liable and that could equal criminal charges, lawsuits or even loss of your pet.
Off-leash dogs can run off and get lost.
When off-leash, dogs can quickly eat something that could be bad for them.
Children under the age of 12 are not allowed in Bend off-leash areas unsupervised. Here is some guidance for those with children in an off-leash area:
Not all dogs are child-friendly. Do not allow your child to approach or pet a strange dog without the owner’s presence and approval.
A running, squealing or screaming child may become a target for many dogs, because the child resembles an injured animal or prey.
Do not let your child have toys or food in an off-leash area.
Children are more susceptible to contracting intestinal worms and other infections from touching grass where feces or urine are present. Be sure your children (and you) always wear shoes in an off-leash park area and wash hands after touching dog play toys.
When it comes to off-leash areas, a designated space for small dogs to have a play and activity level that's in their proportion rather than with big dogs can be a great option for small dog owners.
Currently, there are fenced small dog areas at Riverbend, Pine Nursery and Ponderosa Parks. The criteria for small dogs is less than 15 inches at the shoulder and under 25 pounds.
Riverbend Park - 799 SW Columbia St. River access available