Shirlington Dog Park: Nothing To Stick Your Muzzle Up At

It was a beautiful day.

Took a little time to find it, but once we were there, we had no regrets.

Shirlington Dog Park, located at 2601 S. Arlington Mill Drive in Arlington, is definitely a destination for canines and their companions.

Toby, me and our friend Kaylin parked near some shops (dog friendly! We even met a man who stopped in for a drink with his dog).

Once we weaved our way down a path and over a bridge, we found the fenced-in park – one side for large dogs and one side for small dogs (We chose the larger area).

There were lots of dogs of all kinds – and of our kind (yellow Lab, that is) – and we met some nice people too. The park has smooth and rugged terrain with plenty of shade.

There are three or four gates leading down a rocky crag to the jewel of the park – a large, stony creek with small waterfalls and plenty of things to swat a paw at.

Toby dove right in … well, he immediately laid down in the water up to his belly. He sucked in huge gulps of the (somewhat) clear water and played with Olive, a pug who was making her creek debut.

It's a great way to cool your dog down.

(But be careful, some dogs like you to cool down too. It's really best if you wear sandals or other water friendly shoes).

The one thing about the park that gave me some trouble was the hike back up the boulders to the top of the park. There aren't any ropes or railings to hold on to, and no path besides your own (Or in my case, Toby's – he leaped up the rocks like a champ).

Back on dry land there's fresh water and doggie bags, and a community bulletin board with information about Arlington Dogs.

Toby and I both give it two paws up!