The Day: Sunday, July 13th, a cool and breezy 66 degrees
The Dog: Snuggly Buggly, a Border Collie mix
The Park: Alpine Off-leash Dog Park (off of Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Alpine Drive in Ramsey)
The Amenities: Large fenced-in park with a doggie drinking fountain, dog duty pick-up bags, and picnic benches
In the northwest TC suburb of Ramsey, Alpine Off-Leash Dog Park is nestled between two baseball fields. (Looking for a different dog park or a different detective?) Some excellent conveniences at this park include a doggie water fountain and free doggie duty bags for when you forget to bring your own.
There aren’t a ton of bells and whistles at the park, but it’s the regulars and their families that make coming here such a fun experience for canines and people alike. Most of the dogs that frequent the park are known by name and their owners have plenty of affection to share with their favorite group of pooches. As an added bonus, there is a Facebook group for people to coordinate play dates!
Even though the fences that outline the ballfields seem endless, the paved trail leading guests and their human companions from the parking lot to the park entrance is easy to find. A double set of gates at the entrance gives newly arriving dogs the chance to get off of their leashes and sniff their playmates for the day before running into the action.
Once inside the main area, Alpine is a doggy free-for-all. There aren’t a lot of extras here, so this park is best suited for well-socialized, energetic pups that enjoy chasing the pack around. Large to medium-sized breeds and smaller dogs with tough-guy attitudes are the ones that seem to enjoy this style of park the most. Shy pups and little ones risk getting run over by the constant herd of fast runners who dominate the grassy open field.
The digging holes are a delightful draw for some of the patrons, but it’s not entirely clear whether or not they are supposed to be there. We suggest keeping your eyes open for these large craters. Especially if you’re human. (Just a heads up, they are located right off of the paved path that makes its way from the entrance all of the way to the back of the park.) Shaded areas for cooling off are limited to the picnic benches for humans, but many pooches use these for respite, a belly rub, and a quiet place to get hydrated.
Sidewalk Dog Editor's Note: This Dog Park Detective was brought to you by Hayley Rae Anderson of the ever-so-fabulous Curious North. Want a taste of what they do? Check out this podcast she did with our CEO Ali Jarvis.