Dog parks in Etobicoke

 Don Russel Memorial Park

An average looking city park with a playground and a soccer field and a dog run at the back at the base of the water tower but none of that water is shared with park goers.
The area around the park is not the most beautiful in the world but the park itself is well maintained. I like the many garbage bins + recycling bins; they don’t look ugly at all and they encourage people to place their garbage where it belongs.

Don’t go out of your way to see this park with your dog but if you live in the area it’s worth a visit on the weekends.

June 2011

Park is currently under construction - artificial turf field being installed, off leash area being re-done to add new turf football field. Work expected to continue til Aug. 2011.

 High Park

High Park is the biggest public park in Toronto. Only a small portion of the park is designated as an off-leash area but even this area isn't fully fenced. Only pictures 2,3,4,8,13,14 and 16 were taken in the dog park the rest are from other part of High Park. There are so many trails and open areas that it is pretty safe to let your dog off leash except near the roads. If your dog is not leashed make sure he/she doesn't bother the ducks and the geese by the water!

The dog park itself is fairy large, it has running water and lots of benches but plastic bags aren't always available. The ground is a mix of sand and grass. I find it really odd that it is not fully fenced but maybe that's just because i'm used to going to large rural dog parks which are almost always fully fenced with a double gate.

High Park is definitely worth a visit not just for the dog park but also to see the beautiful pond, the trees, the Chinese gardens and grab a few hot dogs from the vendors. There is also a mini zoo in the park (it is not recommended you take your dog there and if you do you MUST leash him).

Nice place, check it out - it's beautiful in the winter too! (I like other parts of the park more than the dog park.)

Warning to Dog Owners who refuse to LEASH their dogs while walking through the park. The fine is $240. It is the LAW. Follow it. I will be constantly calling the Toronto By Law officers to ensure it is enforced in the park, with a vengeance. LEASH YOUR DOG!

The pictures of the off leash area in High Park do not include the main large area! There are so many side trails that are fenced in that you could spend a whole day there with your dog and not see them all! Out of all the off leash dog parks in the GTA I would say this is one of the largest and the best based on the size, how much our dog enjoyed it, the people we meet and the scenery as well.

the pictures you have up for the off leash part of high park are not accurate,
there is alot of fenced in areas once your in the off leash area
its amazing there plenty of walking great people and dogs i highly recommend it!

There is website about High Park in Toronto in case you're interested about other areas of this park.

There's an area where a lot of people hang out and let their dogs run wild in the sand. Great for the dogs but they get really dirty. A lot of dog walkers come with six dogs each. More big dogs than small. Small dog owners tend to just walk their dogs along the paths.

 Rennie Park

Rennie Park is just west of High Park on the other side of Grenadier Pond.
The park is located in a ravine surrounded by trees. The east side has a soccer field and baseball diamond and this is where the dog run in the south corner. It is not a very obvious park (no fences, benches, water or chew toys scattered all over) but I’m sure you’ll find it:)

Next to the park there is a path/road going down to a lake. There was some garbage and ugly construction fence on the side when I was around (May 2008) but it was probably just a temporary thing.

As Bylaw officers like to come out and have a cup of coffee in the early mornings, we\'ve asked what they consider to be the offleash area. While there\'s no definitive answer, they generally regard the area near the tall trees, to the south of the soccer field to be the off leash area. Bylaw officers will sometimes approach dog walkers at the park, but I have not seen a ticket handed out in quite a while.

There was construction at this park...it is now finished and the dog park I believe is down the path toward the \"ponds\"...the soccer field belongs to the school and I doubt very much that it is a leash free.....this would be asking for a ticket...

Samuel Smith Park

Although not a designated leash free park this waterfront park is a great place for dog walks. There are several trails branching off from the parking lot. You can walk to the lakeshore or near the small ponds where ducks and swans are almost guaranteed to be seen. A large rain/sun shelter (open on the sides) is a good place to sit for a while and eat a sandwich and watch other people go by. It overlooks the greens of the Humber sports field which looks really nice with many trees and nice grass – so be sure to pick up the poop! (you need to bring bags because there aren’t any here, it’s not a “dog park”).

A super place for your dog and owner, highly recommended. But as soon as you take the leash off you will get a few strange looks/comments.

Visit the park daily and it has been great for my 6 yr old. There are peak and quiet times...dogs and owners are very friendly. We enjoy this park. Just need City to cut the grass.

There is now a double gated, fully fenced in area across from the power plant. It is basically a small empty field. Try using off peak hours. There seems to be too many dogs and not enough control during the peak times in the evening.
Continually walking while in the park will help cut down on many territorial confrontations.

Do you know of a dog friendly park in the Etobicoke area?
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