Designed for private play.
Only the people and dogs in your booking are allowed in the spot during your visit.
Sniffspot has different types of private dog parks to allow any dog to find their ideal spot!
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Our dog parks are designed for the ultimate safe dog exercise
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Features | Sniffspot | Public park |
---|---|---|
Designed for private play | ||
Rentable by the hour | ||
Off leash options | ||
Very large and/or fully fenced options | ||
Pricing | $5 - $15 per dog per hour | Free |
Does your dog ever growl when you walk by their food dish? Maybe they get possessive of treats, carrying them far away and giving you side-eye when you start to approach — or snarling at your other pets or children if they get too close.
As almost every dog owner is aware, the nose of a dog is an amazing thing. Just as they can pick up sounds we can’t hear, their sense of smell and ability to pick up scents is well beyond ours. In fact, dogs have 40 times the number of olfactory receptors as humans.
More than 80 million Americans rely on their service dogs to help them navigate the world. Task-trained assistance animals perform a huge range of life-changing—in many cases, life-saving—services: These dogs act as eyes for visually impaired handlers, provide mobility support, alert to seizures and blood sugar crashes, interrupt anxiety attacks, remind their people to take medications, and so much more.
You thought your dog was house trained. Your home was clean from puddles of pee, those dreaded middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks were behind you, and you loved every minute of dog ownership… until your four-legged best friend started using the bathroom inside again. What’s going on?
Ah, poop. We humans think it’s disgusting… but many of our dogs seem to love the stuff. If you’re wondering why your canine companion tries to eat feces (either their own or that of other animals) you’re not alone!
Do you have a water-loving dog looking to burn some energy? There are countless dog parks to visit throughout our country — but some of them become far too hot in the midday sun to be safe for your pets to play. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best dog water parks throughout the United States! At these locations, your pup can frolic, splash, and swim to their heart’s content.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Does your dog destroy every toy you give them? Is your house littered with remnants of fabric and stuffing of all different sizes? Are you tired of investing in “indestructible” toys only for your pup to still dismantle—or worse, get bored of—them in just a few days?
You’ve been told your dog needs regular exercise. There’s a reason “walking the dog” is a classic daily activity: Frequent excursions give your pup a chance to experience the world, maintain a healthy weight, and — most importantly — spend time with you! Consistent physical activity can also improve their strength, muscle tone, coordination, and mental ability over time.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Many dogs have gotten a bad reputation over the years for being "dangerous breeds." Rottweilers are among them. Like pit bulls and other large, blocky-headed types of dogs, these powerful and beautiful animals are often assumed to be aggressive.
Your dog is reactive. They’ll see another dog, person, or other stimulus in the environment (like a car or bike) while out on a walk and suddenly go crazy at the end of their leash. The barking, lunging, and growling feels embarrassing for you — and it’s clear that your pup isn’t having a great time either.
Does your dog display reactivity to other pets or people? Maybe they’re a new rescue pup and are still settling into your home. Or they were sick growing up, so you missed their critical socialization period. Possibly they’ve had a bad experience after being raised as a normal puppy.
Do you have a reactive dog or suspect you may have one? You’re not alone!
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
From 2009 to 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in the development of public dog parks. Designated spots for canine exercise have become commonplace in every major city in North America — many pet owners won’t even consider renting an apartment that doesn’t have its own fenced-in pet area for their canine companions.
Thousand Oaks, California has been a safe haven for Sniffspot host, Jen, since childhood. Having grown up in busy Santa Barbara, Jen, an introvert from an early age, would seek out solitude and serenity away from tourists attractions and droves of people visiting from elsewhere. “My grandparents own 60 acres about a 30 minute drive from here, and I grew up spending every summer and every holiday visiting them on the ranch,” Jen explained. “In Santa Barbara, we wouldn't go to the beach on the weekend because that's where everybody was, so you'd find places off the beaten path where the tourists weren't. For me, the ranch was just my happy place.”
Ellen is the host of Country Pasture Getaway, one of Sniffspot's most popular sniff spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great sniff spot host.
Just 20 minutes outside of the busy city of Portland, Oregon, and settled right on the banks of the Columbia River, you’ll find what countless visitors have flocked to the area in search of – mountain views, crisp, clean air, and running water for miles. What you might not expect to find, however, is a hidden oasis designed just for dogs and their people, owned and operated by a farming couple and enjoyed by visitors on two legs, and four.
Fran is the host of Ranch Setting, one of Sniffspot's most popular spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great Sniffspot host.
Looking for a space to play with your dog no matter what the weather’s like outside? Look no further than our list of the best indoor dog parks in the United States! These climate-controlled spaces are growing in popularity as pet ownership increases throughout the country. As a bonus, many of them also offer dog training, boarding, grooming, or daycare services on the premises.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered! It’s hard to narrow down, but we’ve put together some of the best off-leash dog parks throughout the country so you can plan your next adventure — along with a checklist of what to bring, what to know beforehand, and some frequently asked questions.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog in Las Vegas? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at the best local dog parks to plan for your next adventure in Sin City.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered!
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog in Portland? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at the best local dog parks and plan for your next adventure in the City of Roses.
Discover the German Shepherd Dog, a breed celebrated for its intelligence, loyalty, and versatility. Known for its impressive size and smooth, graceful movements, German Shepherds excel in various roles, including as guide, therapy, bomb detection, and police dogs, while being a devoted family companion.
Discover the Labrador Retriever, a breed celebrated for its playful nature, affectionate temperament, and trainability. Labradors are known for their friendly demeanor and adaptability, making them perfect family companions and versatile working dogs. As one of the most popular types of retrievers, Labs are ideal companions for various lifestyles and are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as an excellent breed for families.
Discover the Golden Retriever, a popular breed celebrated for its affectionate, playful, and trainable nature. Considered a large dog, Golden Retrievers were originally bred in Scotland for hunting and retrieving game beginning in the 1860s. Today, they're recognized by the Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club (AKC) as one of the most beloved companion dog breeds.
Discover the American Staffordshire Terrier, a distinct breed celebrated for its playful, friendly, and loyal nature. Often confused with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, a separate breed of British origin, the American Staffordshire Terrier (AmStaff) is considered a medium-sized dog. While both breeds share some similarities, the AmStaff is generally larger and has been developed as a distinct breed in the United States.
Discover the Australian Shepherd, an AKC breed celebrated for its trainable, playful, and affectionate nature. Despite its name, the Australian Shepherd is actually a native breed to the United States, originally developed to breed on farms and ranches. Considered a medium dog, Australian Shepherds were bred for herding beginning in the 1950s. As one of the high-energy breeds, Aussies are known for their boundless energy and need for regular exercise, including aerobic exercise.
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Sniffspot's founder, David Adams, lives with a leash reactive dog and a dog selective dog. Back in 2016, he and his wife Rebecca were struggling to meet their pup Toshii's basic needs in a city environment as there was nowhere safe to let their guards down. In passing, Rebecca texted that she wished “there was an app to find places to let him off leash” — and the rest, as they say, is history.
David is heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of Sniffspot. His personal experiences have made him passionate about giving all dogs the opportunity to sniff, run, and play without fear! As long as we share a place on Earth, Sniffspot believes that dogs have an inherent right to live a fulfilling, joyful, and rewarding life just like we do.
The short answer: All dogs!
Because they're private spaces without the chaos of many public city parks, Sniffspots are especially well suited to dogs who are nervous, in training, or working through reactivity. But every pet can benefit from time with just their owners in an environment all to themselves.
Here are a few things guests commonly use Sniffspots for:
It's important for most modern dogs to have off leash exercise where they're able to engage in natural behaviors like sniffing and running. Since letting dogs off leash in city parks can be dangerous for the surrounding community and wildlife — not to mention can lead to issues with animal control or park authority departments — public dog parks are a legal way to let dogs have off leash exercise.
Unfortunately, the free and open nature of public dog parks has drawbacks. There might be unsocialized dogs displaying aggressive behavior, sick pets leading to disease transmission, or left-behind waste and other sanitation issues (since any given public dog park facility may not be cleaned regularly). All this aside, other dog owners are often inattentive of their dogs — particularly in popular parks specifically designed for pets to run off leash. Some people think of these areas like babysitters for their dogs and don't stay engaged in their pets' behavior.
For these reasons, many dog behaviorists discourage visiting public dog parks and recommend Sniffspot's private dog parks instead. Sniffspot private dog parks only allow one guest to book at a time. They are not open to the public — a reservation is required ahead of time, with both guests and hosts agreeing to certain protocols to ensure there aren't any unexpected surprises in the space — which solves many of these issues.
Dogs enjoy Sniffspot dog parks for all kinds of different reasons — spanning from physical exercise to behavior modification training to agility or other dog sports practice and more. Whatever your primary goals, there is a Sniffspot dog park for you!
There are many different types of private dog parks available. Sniffspot hosts offer locations like designated training yards; expansive fields; large, fully-fenced off-leash dog parks; indoor facilities with lights and other amenities; dog sports courses complete with agility equipment; pools and natural water features; and more. Some even have niche amenities, such as a park splash pad and dog-friendly potable water fountains.
You can filter Sniffspot dog parks by size, fencing, and distractions that might be present via our dog park locator. If your dog doesn't have a good recall, you can visit one of our fully fenced dog parks. If your dog is reactive to other dogs, you can visit one of our off-leash areas where there are no dogs audible or visible nearby. You can also filter locations to avoid other domestic animals and people! Each listing includes the park hours of operation — and by reading reviews you can understand the status of condition, for example, if a section of the fence is in poor condition or there are any park maintenance issues.
While public dog parks have a number of safety issues, such as aggressive dogs, disease transmission, and general cleanliness (often as much an issue with the person in charge as with their dog) Sniffspot dog parks are much safer environments to let your dog express their natural behaviors.
With Sniffspot, all bookings are private — the only park users at a given time are the dog owners who signed up and dogs they bring with them in their own group. Any host dogs are required to be kept away from the spot during visits.
We also enforce buffers between bookings to ensure you aren't arriving or leaving at the same time another park user is present.
We require all dogs to be vaccinated or have equivalent titers.
Perhaps most helpful to know exactly what you're getting into: Sniffspot dog park locations are vetted and reviewed by guests, so you can find the perfect place for you and your dog — whether they have behavioral struggles, special needs, or any other specific considerations. 93% of reviews on Sniffspot visits are 5 stars and many spots have been reviewed hundreds of times.
Hosts are in charge of keeping their park areas clean, and many go out of their way to provide visitors with exceptional experiences. Because each host can control the number of guests that visit in a given time period, they're able to maintain their spaces better than many public parks departments can. It's a win-win for everyone in the community!
The Sniffspot app makes it super easy to book time at private dog parks near you. You can create a completely free account by clicking this link! We're constantly updating our iOS and Android app experiences along with our website to provide a seamless user experience.
You can browse all of our Sniffspots here using our dog park locator. You can easily view information about the spots, including open times, park entrance details, and current conditions.
Each host sets their own price, so you can check the cost per hour on the specific Sniffspot dog park listing. Most are between $5 - $15 per dog per hour.
Prices vary based on size, fencing and amenities, such as water or drinking fountains for dogs, park benches, WiFi accessibility, and so on.
We require that all dogs have basic vaccinations or equivalent titers. We require rabies vaccination, the equivalent of current rabies tags.
We do not allow dogs with a bite history.
We do not have limits for dogs per owner or dogs per adult handler, though some individual park hosts set person per visit limits.
Adult supervision is required at all times.
Dog owners are responsible for picking up pet waste to keep park areas clean (many Sniffspot private dog parks provide pet waste stations).
We require that guests sign our waiver and agree to follow park rules and policies before visiting park sites.
You can learn more about how you can earn up to $3,000 per month sharing your land here. It is just as lucrative as dog boarding or other dog services — with less work for you! Park planning can be as simple as opening up your existing yard.