When I was young I remember watching the movie Born Free, a story about a young lion cub who was set free into his natural habitat, and not unlike watching that lion go free, I can’t help but think that’s what my dog must feel at the dog park. My dog instantly knows when entering the parking lot he’s about to run wild. He scratches impatiently at the window, tail wagging, waiting to be released from the binding leash, exploding into the expansive arena at full gallop, circling the field until foaming at the mouth in exhaustion. Only then does he come back to introduce himself to the other dogs with rude sniffing. Accepted and returned in kind by other lucky dogs who’ve found precious, momentary freedom in the coveted park.
There are 13 dog parks in Albuquerque, New Mexico, four in the NE Heights: North Domingo Baca, Canine Skyline, Los Altos Park and Tom Bolack Urban. The conditions of each are as varied as the dogs who visit them. All park addresses are available on the City of Albuquerque’s website. Of the four parks I visited, I found distinct differences in the size and conditions, posted rules, water/shade and access/parking.
Size and Condition:
The largest dog park is North Domingo Baca which has separate areas for large and small dogs. I prefer this park. Both sections are expansive and accommodate a large number of dogs. Canine Skyline park is the smallest with just one area for all dogs. The other two parks: Los Altos Park and Tom Bolack Urban are both off the freeway with more natural settings, but the sound of the nearby freeway is overwhelming. Los Altos has separate areas for large and small dogs, but Tom Bolack Urban does not; however, the size of the park allows adequate room for all canines.
Posted Rules:
All parks have visibly posted instructions as to unleashing as well as rules to be observed, including cleaning up after dogs. All parks provide disposal bags to ensure the park stays clean and healthy for everyone. Two of the parks boast covered bulletin board areas for posting about lost dogs and other canine related news.
Water/Shade:
While all water is shut off during the winter to prevent freezing, only the two newer parks provide fountains or bowls of water: North Domingo Baca and Canine Skyline. There are no water fountains at the remaining parks and patrons must bring water; however, they are shaded by large trees and provide a true, older park feel. There are shade structures and young trees at the two newer parks which will eventually provide some beauty and shade.
Access/Parking:
The greatest differences between the parks, was the access and parking. North Domingo Baca, being the largest of the parks and situated next to a community center and children’s play area, has the best access and huge parking area with handicap parking situated near the entrance. Canine Skyline has a similar parking arrangement, but is much smaller and with access directly off a high traffic street, getting in and out can be difficult. The most frustrating access was Los Altos Park which shares a parking lot with a baseball field. Due to the proximity of the freeway, the area is very congested with fast moving vehicles. If you miss the southbound entrance, turning around is not an easy task and had me fuming at the re-routing. The last park, Tom Bolack Urban, has only off-street parking in a nearby residential neighborhood and visitors must walk to the park and there’s no designated handicap parking available. I found myself feeling a bit vulnerable while walking in the older, slightly worn neighborhood and made a mental note not to frequent the park near dark. Though the patrons appeared nice enough, nobody actually spoke to me, a sharp contrast to the “dog party” I enjoy at North Domingo Park.
As you can see, the dog parks in NE Albuquerque vary as widely as the dogs who enjoy them, but one thing is common to all, the City has done a nice job in maintaining the parks and in providing great spaces to satisfy the preferences and needs of all owners and, “Man’s Best Friend.
