Cleveland Dog Parks: Where To Let Your Pooch Off-Leash

CLEVELAND, OH — Cleveland is one of the nation's 100-most dog-friendly cities, according to a new study from the The Trust for Public Land. The organization released its 2018 dog park rankings for the nation's 100 largest cities. Cleveland is 77th on the list, the lowest of Ohio's three major metro entries.

The study found that there were two dog parks within Cleveland city limits, that's 0.5 dog parks per 100,000 residents. The trust did not take into account suburban dog parks.

For comparison, Cincinnati was ranked the 34th most dog friendly city with four dog parks (1.3 per 100,000 residents), while Columbus came in at 69 with five dog parks (0.6 per 100,000 residents).

Nationally, there currently are 774 dedicated dog parks or off-leash dog areas in the 100 largest cities, an increase of 38 over last year. They are among the fastest-growing park amenities in city park systems, according to the trust.

Where are the best dog parks in the Greater Cleveland area? Here are the top-ranked ones according to BringFido.com:

• Tremont Park in Cleveland

"Its usually just busy in the evenings when everyone is off work, and can be dead during the day," one reviewer said. "Its down in the valley, right by open baseball fields next to I-490 so can get very windy."

• Bow Wow Beach in Stow

"Bow Wow Beach is STILL the "Cedar Point" of dog parks in the area. It's quite large, the lake is WONDERFUL for dogs and there's PLENTY of room to walk, run and swim..." a reviewer said.

• Lakewood Dog Park in Lakewood

"Lakewood dog park was the first one I looked into when I searched online. I have taken my pup 2 times this past weekend and he LOVES it! There were a lot of friendly pooches and owners to socialize with," a reviewer said. "It was a great time and we look forward to visiting again!"

• South Euclid Dog Park in South Euclid

"My dog loved this dog park and so do I. It is very clean, being maintained by volunteers. There are many scooper dispensers placed along the fences, as well as a water pump and provided bowls. It has several pieces of agility equipment along with toys scattered around the mostly gravel ground. The park is a good size, but not divided for big vs. small dogs," one reviewer said.

• Brunswick Dog Park in Brunswick

"Big leash free area.. I walked the entire perimeter. No messes! Seems like the patrons have respect for others. There are a couple of benches near the staging area and two picnic tables inside the leash free area. The tables need to be moved on to the grass and out of the mud. There is water bowl & and left over water in a jug next to the table. No shade anywhere for the humans," a reviewer said.

• Twinsburg Dog Park in Twinsburg

"Though the park may be smaller than some, Liberty Road park is a hidden gem. It is split into small and large dogs, but we always encourage dogs of all sizes into the main park. Very slow during the day, but starting at 6pm there is a solid group of regulars ranging from Pomeranian to Great Danes. This group of regulars is very inviting to new visitors, and we work as a community to ensure that all dogs get socialized and exercised. If you have a dog of any size or age and are local, this is the place to be," a reviewer said.

• Quarry Dog Park in South Euclid

"Many friendly dogs and owners. Be careful where you step in the grassy areas. Watch out for foul balls," a reviewer said.

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