Washington Square Park Large Dog Run

My dog loves it — and that’s all that really matters.
Nice space to spend a weekend afternoon and enjoy watching your pup socialize… I look forward to my visits at the Washington Square Park Dog Run!

Great people, friendly pups, well-​maintained run. All located in what’s hands-​down NYC’s best park. Also had a run-​in with Amanda Seyfried and her dog here. «I loved your dog on Letterman,»
I said, trying and failing to play it cool. Moral of the story, keep your eyes peeled. You never know who you might see here on a weekend morning.

I really looked forward to what the results would be of the renovated dog run, because the original was quite special. Though it frequently flooded, the size was grand and the dogs made use of it’s pleasingly round shape. Wouldn’t any renovation be an improvement?
Sigh…
Alas, the new run is smaller, the entrances, irritatingly petite, the «water feature» an ill conceived afterthought. Oh, Washington Square, you are a beautiful and glorious park. Your grand scale and delightful landscaping fill me with civic pride. Your dog run… not so much.

I love this place, the people and their dogs. It is very clean for a dog run.

I feel very cheated that in the renovation of the park, they took away so much space from the dog run. George’s Run was huge and wide-​open – if muddy a lot of the time – and they’ve swapped it for a veritable sliver.
Admittedly, it’s much easier to get to, since it hugs the West 4^th street side of the park and it’s not even necessary to enter the park to get to the run now. The LEED-​certified restroom building has now been completed and there’s also a second entrance to the run, from within the park.
The run has been re-​surfaced with the same layered sand and stone that was used in the Tompkins Square dog run, so it will definitely drain better than before. I’ve been to it several times now with Olive, and it’s clear that the dogs do just fine; it has the length for the dogs that want to run and chase.
Verdict: it’s a good-​enough run, the dogs like it well enough – and who is it for, after all – but it would have been totally awesome if they could have retained the same space George’s Run occupied pre-​renovation.

Well this run finally got its renovation (actually its all new since it was moved closer to W 4^th St)
Things it now has going for it:
— Great fencing
— Plenty of shade
— Plenty of seating
— Water in run but not a dedicated drinking fountain
— Leash holder
— Great gates
— Poop bags
— Dog sprinkler
— Decent size
— Suppose to be dedicated to larger dogs
Things it not has against it:
— They used decomposed granite/​sand mix as ground cover, gets dusty when dry and if you have a long haired dog that is wet… its a pain to keep your dog clean.
The city did a good job on this dog run. They used the same fencing as in the small dog run in this park, which is one of the best I have found to date. The entry is now from the street (W 4^th St) instead from inside the park like it was before the renovation. The entry area is long and there are 3 gates to pass thru, so there is less of a chance of a dog getting out. There is now a huge bench area surrounding a big tree in the run (just like Madison Square Park Dog Run) and there is now plenty of seating. I like the dog sprinkler/​fountain they installed but don’t like it with the ground cover they chose. Overall its a big upgrade from what was there before and would go again.

Borders the park along with the small dog run, this one is never really as well-​attended as you’d expect on the nice days regardless of the time. Plenty of benches and a decent amount of room to roam for the pooches, but with my hound sequestered on another island, the spectactorship here ain’t much.
Dupeeeeeee

Yuck.
This place is filthy. It’s not paved, and the gravel covering the entire run is loaded with feces and shed-​off fur from all of the dogs. It’s also under perpetual construction alongside the Washington Square Park project.
A simple pave job and some decent fencing would go a long way with this run, and I’d give it 5 stars. It’s a great location, but it needs some serious upgrades.

They did a great job with new large dog run. Plenty of benches and a fountain. We were there the day after a big rainstorm and no puddle!

PROS:
— Decent size
— Plenty of shade and benches
— Nice people
— Variety of breeds and sizes
— Never encountered an aggressive dog
CONS:
— Awkward size means my dog barely catches stride before she hits a wall
— Neighboring construction
— Poor drainage
— Some seriously stuck up people
— Tiny small dog section that looks like a pig pen, which I never use, but is worth mentioning
Once the construction is done this place has some serious potential, but the amount of mud and offensive scents that it generates keeps me from coming regularly.
Tompkins is still my favorite, it much larger and allows for much more socialization for the pooch.

I have traveled far and wide across Manhattan for a good dog park, and so far, Washington Square Large Dog Park is my absolute fav.
The visitors are friendly, warm, and welcoming.
The park itself is spacious and although it is dirt, appears well maintained and easy to play on.
The dogs are some of the most well-​behaved that I have seen so far.
This is the first park that I have felt comfortable at without snobbery nor weird, creepy conversation! Plus, it is in one of Manhattan’s prettiest neighborhoods.
In response to those with dogs that are not neutered/​spayed, it is indeed against the rules of any dog park (technically) for them to be there due to an increased likelihood of dogfights/​aggression.

Leaving near by, this dog run is paradise to my dog and I however my 9 years old dog was twice attacked after sniffing… like dogs do… a large mastiff bulldog type and i was told by his dog handler that it had to happen because my dog was not neutered ! A woman nearby (also a dog handler) joined in and told me of park laws that forbid my dog to enter the park !!
This left me quite bitter and fearful of another event so I go an extra mile to Union Square where this does not happen and you actually have great conversations with the dog owners,
While small, the park is well drained and so well maintained that i feel compelled to contribute some money to the association that runs it.
If you must take a chance at Washington Sq. I suggest that one might go when dogwalkers are not in… mid mornings are a no no! and indeed later and late into the evening you most likely will do great neutered and un-​neutered alike.
Albert

I am very glad this place is here, and it has great dogs and responsible owners.
The trees and surrounding park are great.
It is surrounded by slow moving construction, porta-​potties, it floods which stays in giant puddles for days from a slight rain, and then the dogs lick up the dirty water that they can get giardia from, and it smells like strong sewage on a hot day and is swarming with mosquitos from the built up water once the sun starts to set (the rest of Washington square park does not have this mosquito problem, just the nasty flooded dog park) and dogs can get heartworms from mosquitos.
I am giving this four stars for its great location and size, but truly it is so poorly up-​kept and is the grossest dog park in the country. They are building an upgraded version next door, but it is taking forever.

I love this dog run for two reasons. It is close to my apartment and there is never a dull moment. It is on the corner of Washington Square Park, but you are still able to enjoy the music. And as you know, there is music day and night in this park. I am the owner of a 2 year old Pit bull… who enjoys being on his own but has the hots for all Beauceron breeds. This is a great park for him. He likes to wander around on his own, discovering new things; but he can also interact with any dog he wants. In my experience, all the owners are very responsible looking after their dogs; where it be cleaning up after or breaking up a fight. If you go their the same time everyday; you will run into the same people and your dog will grow familiar with the dogs. My dog loves to lay in the muddy water, which is just an easy fix with the hose. They also have pooper scoopers when your dog does the natural deed. I bring my own bowl for my dog and for other dogs who are thirsty; but there are also bowls provided. Great park and you always come out with rocks in the sandals.

Best dog park in lower manhattan. Much less «stuffy» and pretentious than Tompkins sq. Rarely are there dog fights, and owners are very responsible about cleaning up and looking after their dogs.

The only thing cuter than the dogs are thier owners. Dont show up in your sweats or youll be an eye soar. Everyday is big playtime happy hour! Dogs own this little park within a park! Separate big and small dog areas! Everything you need is there– plopped scoopers, trash bags, fresh water, and balls! Nice dogs only please!

The whole park is under construction and has been for a while, so I’m not sure if the dog park has always been like this, but when we went recently, the park was very small and had horrible drainage. There was a huge puddle in the middle of the park with nasty water that the dogs drank. You had to constantly monitor that area to make sure they wouldn’t drink it. The park has benches and a hose outside the entrance to wash your dog off. The park does get use as there were a fair number of dogs there. Our dog did have fun even though we had to closely monitor him to prevent him from drinking from the puddle.

One of my favorite dog runs in the city. Large run and small run available.
–Access to water, though I usually bring my own for my dogs.
–Balls to fetch
–Pooper scoopers and trash bins in each run
–Overall friendly dog owners
Access is allowed for dog owners only, not just anyone should walk in… aka tourists.

for us tacky tourists, this is by far the best place to find a nice looking bitch. for regulars, it’s a nice park to just sit on a bench and go canine-​watching. or people watching. i don’t pass judgment here.

The large dog run at Wash Sq Park is a really nice option. Most of the large dogs there are very friendly. Most of the people tend to keep to themselves or stay in small groups and don’t introduce themselves. It seems that if you go there every day at the same time, you develop some kind of clique. Whatever. I will continue to go when I feel like going and pay attention to my dog, which is something I can’t say for some of the clumps of people there.
Josie and I were asked to not patronize the small dog run just across the pathway a few months ago by an older woman with two ratlike Chinese Cresteds. Josie is a small French Bulldog puppy. She was about 6 months old at the time. She’s bouncy, sassy, friendly, excited, curious – you know, a puppy. Apparently, running and sniffing and jumping is far too much activity for the four-​pound Yorkies and Chihuahas in there. I couldn’t believe it. Anyhow, she suggested (!!!) that I might be happier with Josie at the large dog run. You know what? She was right.
The run is extremely long and well-​draining, so that after a heavy rain, it isn’t mostly mud. The run has a lot of benches. There are also several trees, and the run itself is surrounded by numerous trees. It is also a bit of a crowd-​drawer. It’s a little disconcerting to find yourself and your dog the subject of many photographs. Also, NYU students come there constantly to work on class projects, so you are constantly being filmed. If you aren’t wanted by the police, you should have no problem.
The run is self-​supporting, but doesn’t require dues and a membership like some of the other runs in the area (hello, yes, Mercer Street Dog Run, I mean you – what’s up with that!!!) and welcomes anyone with a healthy, well-​behaved dog with an owner who isn’t going to ignore their animal while they text-​message obliviously.
The best thing about the run, which has running water and tennis balls available, is the dynamic of the dogs. More active small dogs do very well at this park, and often, the smaller ones outnumber the larger ones. As stated earlier, most of the larger dogs are very friendly, and one lovely golden retriever allowed Josie to simply treat her like a jungle gym one night around 11 PM.
There are some folks who have something to do with the run’s administration who will yell – YELL – at you if you don’t clean up your dog’s poop immediately if your dog poops in the run. I don’t know who they are’officially’, but I got my head bitten off one day when I was entering for not closing the gate fast enough. I let it go even though I hadn’t done anything for the sake of dog run harmony, but some people obviously have too much time on their hands. Nobody wants to jeopardize a dog’s safety – who’s going to leave the gate open?