The City of Calgary is proud to have 17% of the designated park space as off-leash space. With 150 off-leash dog areas in and around the City there’s sure to be one close to home. Dog parks are full of people who share their love for their best fur friends, where you can meet people from your area and join in different dog groups to give Fido (and you) an opportunity to make new friends.  

Off-Leash Dog Etiquette 101

 Many of Calgary’s off-leash areas are shared spaces with natural environments which can lend themselves to having the occasional non-trained wildlife, so it’s important to remember to that all dog owners share the responsibility of protecting our family, both the two and four legged variety.

Dog park etiquette

  • It is illegal for dogs to chase, hunt or harass other dogs, people and the naturally occurring wildlife that frequents the parks.
  • Your dog should be well socialized and trained before venturing into off-leash areas.
  • Keep your dog in view at all times. 
  • Stop your dog from jumping up or body slamming people.
  • Please clean up after your dog.

Find a Calgary Off-Leash Park Near You

Calgary dog parks

One of the perks to being in a city as large as Calgary, is not needing to go far for what you’re looking for, take a look at this link to find a Calgary off-leash park.

Calgary's Top 3 Dog Parks

  1. Nose Hill Park is the 6th largest urban park in Canada so you have nearly 11 square kilometres to walk your dog in this park. The views of the city are fantastic. It's so big you don't even feel like you're in the city. Just a word of caution - watch out for all the gopher holes and be alert as the park often has coyotes and porcupines.

  2.  Sue Higgins Park (Southland Off-Leash Area) is located at the east end of Southland Drive. The park is in memory of Sue Higgins, a long-time Calgary Alderman who served on city council for over 20 years. This is a must visit park for dog-lover's - it's the largest fenced off-leash area in Calgary, which means Fido won't get in the way of traffic or cyclists. For an added bonus, there are several access point to the river for dogs to cool off with a drink. The only real con is the parking. It's a busy park so the lot can fill up fast.

  3. River Park Off-Leash Area runs along 14A Street SW on the east side of the community of Altadore, just above Sandy Beach. Its a good size park and provides a nice view of the Calgary skyline. A unique feature is the dog friendly water fountain located in the centre of the park. The only downside is that there isn't a fence between the park and 14At Street so you don't want your dog to wonder too far.

These are our top 3 Calgary dog parks. Which are yours? 

Does Your Family Pooch Need a Bit of Training?

Calgary dog training

Training and obedience classes are available across the city and are offered by groups such as the Calgary Humane Society and other schools that have services outside obedience that they offer Calgarians including animal behavior seminars. The Humane Society is a great resource for all K-9 questions and provide dog owners with information and classes that help socialize dogs for everyday encounters but also provide specialized training for more specific training topics for dogs and their humans.

For more information visit Calgary Humane Society

Have a Concern or Doggie Complaint?

The City of Calgary has been very effective at promoting feeling safe in our City regardless of when and where we go, much of that relies on us, Calgarians, to report any instances of disrespect in our community, including at dog parks.

If you have a concern, call the City of Calgary at 3-1-1.

Posted by Marnie Campbell on

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