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Neighborhood: Studio City
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Neighborhood: Burbank
Griffith Park Dog Park
Rating Details »
Categories: Pet Services, Parks [Edit]
At north end of the John Ferraro Soccer Field on North Zoo DriveLos Angeles, CA 90189
(323) 913-4688
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
13 reviews for Griffith Park Dog Park
I was really disappointed with this park. Having a new pup, I'm testing the dog park waters and this is my least favorite so far (also been to Runyon, Whitnall & Laurel Canyon).
The park is dusty, next to the highway and sits underneath an electricity tower. Not appealing. The couple who spoke to me (because their pit kept jumping on me and kicking up dust while in play) were nice, but no one else really engaged.
I found myself playing cat and mouse with a boxer who must have been the reincarnation of Hooch. Friendly, but oh the slobber. I left unscathed, but my poor companions didn't fare so well. I had to grab some napkins from the car so they could clean off the mucousy saliva that landed on various parts of their person.
I cut our time short because I got the sense that a dog or two were looking for something to go down. Glad I did because as soon as I closed the gate behind me, a squabble broke out. I don't plan to return to this park.
A great dane ran into me while racing around this park. I dislocated my knee and am getting surgery. The owner didn't even apologize. She just walked away with her dog. One of the people whom I was talking to at the time happened to be a nurse and helped me out and another man brought me water, but while i was laying on the ground (and later on the bench inside the park) people continued to let their dogs jump on me. You'd think people would try to avoid having their dogs use me as a spring board to get on top of the bench while I'm lying there in agony...
Otherwise, the park itself is hard to find (my friends who came to carry me away got lost) and is small and all sand with no grass.
If you go, avoid a great dane named Diesel.
I did not enjoy this park at all. I know I know what you re thinking its a DOG park its not for you.
WRONG!
The freeway is literally 10 yards away and there is snobby people with very skiddish dogs and the owners pick them up if any dog gets too close. Or people pushing dogs away with their feet if they are too close to them. I felt like yelling "get over yourself!"
I usually leave the park with slobber all over my pants and hands with dirty shoes and knees (ha!).
There were a couple of squabbles but were broken up quickly.
I did not like the vibe here but the dogs were cool, i guess. i would not go back. I prefer a dog park to next to or within a park not a freeway.
This is the closest dog park to my house and sadly my least favorite. I've come up against a couple aggressive dogs with owners who weren't watching out for them. It isn't much to look at and doesn't offer much protection from the sun or the loud noise from the freeway.
If you drive a little further you can find parks that offer more playful friends and better human conditions.
Fargo Dog park is alright. I go and take my little dogs. The time i was there Silver(my male chihuha) runs and follows all the male dogs. everytime ive been there its been a good vive. no one hates or anything....friendly people...the freeway just makes it windy and you can take a walk down the l.a river bike path and blaze away...
take ur pets and they will love it.
The dogs here are all very friendly. I like this place because it has half grass and half dirt. The best of both worlds. Never too crowded, freeway gives off a breeze. Mellow, we like.
Do you like gnats?
What about hard-packed dirt?
How do you feel about freeway traffic?
And electrical towers looming directly overhead, are you a fan?
If you answered yes to these questions, the Griffith Park Dog Park is the place for you! Located on a narrow isthmus between two of the east side's grungiest landmarks, the 5 freeway and the "LA River", this dog park is the equivalent of a mangy stray: unappealing to look at, loud, and badly in need of both love and water.
But here's what this park has going for it: the clientele. There are none of the barbie bitches or weird/scary/uhhh "king of the dog pack" types you find at the Laurel Canyon park on an average day. Everyone is friendly, low key, and much less clique-y. The chicks here are from Glendale, which could be a plus or minus for you depending on what you want out of a dog park.
It's also much smaller than the Laurel Canyon dog park, probably an eighth of the size. That's also either a plus or minus for you depending on how you feel about walking through dog crap. There are many, many less dogs, which for my pooch is probably a good thing because Laurel makes him a little insane.
And seriously, while this "park" is ugly as sin, does your dog really care about that? Does the fact that the 5 is literally 10 yards away make him pissed to be here? No. He wants to run, sniff, do a little humping and take a number 2. No big deal.
Throw the ball. Throw the ball. Throw the BALL. THROW IT, DAMN YOU!
There is always one dog when I go there... One dog (admittedly sometimes I am that dog ) that is so utterly obnoxious he drives you to the lowly "small dog area". The big boy area isn't that great to begin with. What with it's bumpy, spotty grass and neglected poos that many an oblivious owner have left to bake in the sun (there is hardly any shade here). The people here are fairly unobservant. Hey, lady with the handful of yappy dogs biting and stealing my tennis balls, get off the cell phone and manage your little terrors! At least get off your a** and pick up their poodle-chunks!
I know I sound like a bitch but I am a boy dog...
It's not all bad. Fun can be had getting down and dusty playing with the other nice pooches, endlessly catching balls and chasing butterflies... And nothing is better than flopping around in the water dish. I guess I just wish that this park was a bit spiffier and had less of a run-down feeling. For a small park it's got its share of trees. Sadly, though they are all lining the perimeter of the fence. The little dog area is all dirt and no shade. No fun unless a few friends come with you to get away from that out of control pit bull.
Better than no park, but not that great.
If you see that guy who holds training classes here, you will see me exiting soon after...
added MAY 23: they planted more trees!! Weeeeee.
THREE DIRTY PAWS UP
If your dog doesn't mind being just a few yards from the freeway or doesn't mind the noises of the speeding cars and trucks then this is a great off-leash dog park.
There's two separate spaces: one for the well-behaved, playful, social dogs and the other for my dog. Yes my dog is spoiled. Yes my dog barks incessantly. Yes my dog will claim his little corner and will not allow you to go near. Yes my dog barks if you seem to be having too much fun or not enough fun. That other little space for "timid/shy" dogs is for my dog.
I take him here and he sniffs around and barks. People who come here expect that or at least they should. I know its time to go when the other dog parents escape to the other "social/playful" area leaving my dog and his barks alone. So I let him bark, and bark, and bark.
You know my dog AJ is coming to the park when you hear the high pitched cries down the 134 freeway. As soon as we exit, he knows where we're going.
I've been bringing him for years and he always has a great time.
One thing that I really don't like is lack of grass and big amount of dirt. I wish they'd do something about it already.
There are 2 parts to the park: a small and a big part. Parking is either very busy or empty like on hot summer days.
People are friendly therefore dogs usually are too! Sometimes there are bully breeds there so I just take off. There are bags and poopers scoopers for #2's.
Bring your pooch here if you don't mind the freeway and want to show them a pawsome time!
The doggie park @ griffith park is an interesting experience.
I've been taking my pup for the last 3 weeks or so. Other reviewers have already talked about the physical parts of the park. There is no need do repeat that info again.
What I love about the park, besides the dogs, are the owners! for the most part, they are a friendly, social bunch. It seems quite unlike L.A. Perhaps it is the dog connection that allows perfect strangers to start conversations with each other. It is even possible to learn the name of the puppy before even knowing the owners name!
Being a "regular" allows me to have some good conversations with an eclectic mix of people, from tattooed beauties, to old lawyers, and bluegrass singers.
My puppy enjoys the small patch of grass, and the "obstacles". The dirt can be a bit annoying especially if they end up rolling around in it. I often come home with a drool and dirt covered version of my puppy.
Its all worth it though.
i went to this park earlier today. i think it's still fairly unknown since there were hardly any people there on a sunday sunny afternoon. we went to the small dog area which was good in size, had no grass, a water fountain on one end and plenty of benches, chairs and doggy poop bags to use. only thing was there were hardly any dogs to play with. my dog got bored and ended up picking on a smaller one. so then we decided to take her to the larger dog area. it had more dogs. the larger dogs seemed calm. our puppy got a long great with one dog till she gained the attn of 5 more bigger dogs. she freaked out and hid under a bench. the large dog area has one large patch of grass. lotsa trees for shade and plenty of chair and bench seating.
would i go back? probably not till it gets a little more popular. this park is average and clean.
regarding the freeway noise, it didn't bother us or my pup.
Mostly just a huge area with a lot of dirt and a little bit of grass...make sure to bring your pooper scooper if you don't want the dirty looks from the regulars...most of the pups seem well behaved but they do have another area for those vicious non social dogs. and yes you'll get even more dirty looks if your dog isn't well behaved!
