Swift Run Dog Park

Brought two very excited dogs here and was very disappointed at the permit only rule. Looked like an amazing park, but not very inviting or friendly to out-​of-​Towners. Sad.

What kind of dog park doesn’t have doggy water fountains?
For how many dogs there are in this town, Ann Arbor needs to invest in their dog parks.
During winter, this place turns into an ice skating rink. During summer, there is no water and this place turns into a mud pit.
Now, I am not one to complain of there being a lack of posh-​services for my dog– I have a working class border collie that will transform into the happiest being in world, if you give him a tennis ball.
However, I have traveled the country with him, and we have been to many a dog parks. Swift Run ranks near the bottom of the barrel. For example, travel 15 minutes to Saline and you will find a dog park adjacent to a natural river with a built-​in agility course within. What you are getting with Swift Run is pretty much a large enclosed field next to a busy road.
AA, step up your game. I know you have a strong enough tax base to support it!
P. S. as with any large dog park, dog fights happen here on the reg, so watch over your pup!

This park is okay. It is a good size for a fenced in dog park, and I like that there is some room to explore and walk the perimeter, if your dog doesn’t want to be right in the middle of the commotion. I think most owners are responsible — for the most part, they watch their dogs and cleanup after them.
I have found Ann Arbor to be pretty unfriendly towards off leash dogs in other parks around the city, so it is good we found this at least. Coming from an area on the east coast where we are used to hiking off leash and visiting (unfenced in) parks and beaches, etc, I am pretty disappointed that there aren’t more areas to go where my dog can be off-​leash.

We are out at Swift Run dog park nearly every day. Since we got Chester’s dog park tags last fall, a visit to the dog park is an essential element of tiring his rambunctious hound out enough to sleep at night. (Otherwise we’d never get anything done…)
Swift Run is by far our favorite park in the area. It is quite large and allows Chester to run his little heart out while we struggle to keep an eye on him and make sure all his waste is properly bagged and disposed of. (Most people do pick up their dog’s feces, but a few don’t, so you need to watch where you step.)
Most of the owners are pretty friendly and sociable, but no one gets bothered if someone would rather walk solo with their dog either. Some people are less of helicopter parents than we are, but it is nice when they closely supervise their pooches, in case a squabble breaks out over a ball.
Now, some of the cons: A few people don’t pick up their dogs’ waste, which hurts everyone. There is little to no maintenance, which makes the park particularly treacherous in the winter due to slippery ice. (You’d think with the park fee we pay that they could do some minimal pet-​friendly de-​icing…)
There is no water spigot in the park, so you need to remember to bring your own jug of water to fill up the park’s bowls. In the spring, there are massive ponds of accumulated water, which I can only imagine will be a hotbed of giardia as dog waste seeps into it. Make sure to stop your dog from drinking from these ponds before you wind up in the vet’s office with a parasitic infection.
Finally, there doesn’t seem to be any checking that owners have their dogs tagged and cleared for health/​safety/​vaccinations. I’d feel a lot better about having Chester interacting with all the other dogs if I knew their owners took the same precautions we do.
All in all, despite the cons, Swift Run is an integral part of our routine. The joy that Chester derives from socialization and running free in such a large space greatly outweighs any inconveniences.

I was a little nervous about bringing my pup here at first because, well, he’s a bit overeager and has a hard time with doggie boundaries. I love his doggie daycare (BreedAbove) because all the dogs there are vetted so I know he’s only playing with pups that can handle his playfulness. At a dog park you don’t really know what you’re going to get. But so far so good here!
As others have mentioned there are two areas – a larger space for bigger dogs and a smaller (but still very spacious) area for smaller dogs. At 17lbs my pup falls into the latter category so that’s where we hung out during our time there. Plenty of room to run around and sniff and I like that the larger dog area is fenced next to it. My dog actually had a great time running alongside a larger dog back and forth at the fence. They still got to play but he was protected which was good.
All the owners we’ve encountered have been very nice and responsible for their dogs, no trouble so far and my dog really enjoys it. I’m not walking away bffs with any of the other owners but everyone has been pleasant enough. I’m not really one for socializing in these types of environments so I’m okay with folks keeping more to themselves. I’m here for my dog to have fun, after all.
In general the park is pretty clean and for the most part folks are cleaning up after their dogs (there were a few poop piles that were not taken care of but less than I would have imagined). There are water dishes (you have to bring your own water, though) and a few rogue tennis balls there for dogs to play fetch with. Lots of poop bag stations and trash bins as well.
Also free with an annual permit!

This is a great park for larger sized dogs. The park is separated by a sign that states the smaller side park is for dogs under 20 lbs. The side for the bigger dogs is of course larger in size and we have taken our pup on that side when a majority of the dogs there are smaller or when there’s not very many other pups. I’ve met other dog owners that have told me some horror stories about a couple dogs getting in fights and/​or dying due to crashing into each other from high running speeds, so it’s definitely a good thing to have your dog trained to come to you as soon as your call your pet over.
One of the downside to the park is, what another Unilocaler has stated, the snow removal is pretty bad. I’ve gone a few times where I’ve slipped (not fallen, thanks to the fence). Definitely be careful and take baby steps during the snowy days.
Both sides also have water bowls for dogs to share and people usually bring water to fill up the bowls. There are also trash cans and poop bags (filled most of the time) throughout both sides, which is a plus.

Went on a could snowy afternoon. We happened to be in the area, my dog had been in the car for awhile, and this place appeared on Unilocal.
Arriving the park was large. It is on an old landfill so that explains the lack of trees. There were new ones planted, but in the summer I don’t see them being very useful for shade. Almost the entire park was a sheet of uneven ice. Since I have only been there once and it is Michigan I can’t be too upset about that.
We frequent Lyon Oaks dog park where people walk around, talk, play with all the dogs. Here people seemed much less friendly. They were all standing at the fence line, so all the dogs were not utilizing the open space. There was a large amount of dog poop in the area. At Lyon Oaks I NEVER see dog poop. I am used to a strict, consideration of others atmosphere, even if that means walking all the way to the other side of the park to pick it up.
There is a large dog area and separate small dog area. It says dogs under 20 lbs should not be in the large area, but multiple people brought their small dogs over. One lady said, «I know she is too small but there were no there dogs in the other area.» I have a large 80 lb, 7 month old puppy who is still learning her size. Not a mean bone in her body, but she thinks all dogs are here size. It was stressful for me to have to always be at here side worried that she would try to sit on one of these small dogs. There is a separate area for a reason, for the safety of the dogs and peace of mind for the owners. On top of that, someone brought in a young child. Like I said my dog still doesn’t understand her size and loves to run up to newcomers and welcome them. We had to quickly leave since it was so stressful on us. She on the other hand was having a blast.
Will not be back.

Eh… I think Ann Arbor could do a bit better! Having grown up in A2 and living in other cities (Madison, Chicago) it pains me to say other places have better dog parks. ARGH. Come on, Ann Arbor, I’m always bragging about you, don’t let me down like this!
The park is fine, size-​wise, and may be a-​ok in the summer, but it was an icy, sloppy mess in December. The entry way is large gravel which served to do a great job at trapping the water and making a nice icy patch to welcome you. Beyond that was quite a bit of mud and puddles. There also was an incredible amount of poop all over the park, way more than should have been there, even with the often used «it-​gets-​dark-​so-​early, I-can’t-see-my-dog-poop» excuse. Doesn’t the park close at dusk anyways?
Finally, the park only sells annual permits. What about having a day pass and a self-​pay station at the park for folks who simply are swinging through town?

I’m giving this dog park 5 stars because it’s larger than most, in the area, and easy to get to. Also, dog parks are like free therapy.
During the summer it can get very hot because there isn’t much shade, but there are lots of water bowls for the pups (bring water to share). In the winter it can get chilly because of the wind coming off the old trash mound.
You are supposed to have a park permit, which you get from the city/​county, but I’ve never seen anyone checking for them and I go very often in the summer with my furry friend.
I know my dog loves it here and he would give it two paws up!

Went to this park for the first time on Sunday after getting my dog licensed and purchasing the required annual dog park use permit. This was the most fun dog park experience ever! I’ve taken my dog to the free dog park in Saline but the problem we kept running into was there were never any other dogs there which made it quite boring. I went to Swift Run on Sunday around 4:30 PM and there were probably 20 dogs running around. Everyone there was very friendly and I loved being able to see all the different breeds. I also appreciated how watchful everyone was. I understand there is a certain level of risk your taking when introducing a group of dogs but I never felt nervous. A few times one dog started to play a little too rough and the owner immediately put him in a time out for a few minutes. Definitely going back again soon!

Great open space dog park that is well on its way with trees growing in and lots of space.
Separate small dog area is a plus.
People were great too!
Bring your own water, though.

Great dog park. Seems like most people do not get the permit for their dog that is required to enter the park, but I personally don’t mind. Lots of open space but not so much that you can’t recapture your dog.

We bring our Weims here pretty often and they LOVE it! They start crying as soon as they can smell it from the car and they will run and play until they’re absolutely exhausted, which is quite some time for a Weimaraner. Unfortunately we have seen a lot of aggressive dogs start fights here. There are quite a few people who don’t pick up after their dogs, and quite a few who bring small children into the big dog section (bad idea folks… please don’t do this!), but overall I love that this kind of thing is available to us and our furry friends. The water bowls are great, people are mostly friendly (the ones who bring aggressive dogs are the exception, usually), and the doodie bags are very convenient. The cost is pretty trivial considering the benefit to your dog!

When you think of a dog park, you think of somewhere to let the little furball run around a bit, chase someone else’s pooch and burn off some steam. Swift Run is that and more. It’s a freaking Mecca!
This place is HUGE. Huge as in your dog could only run one or two circles on the fence line before getting tired. My little dude is always full of energy and after one hour here, he usually looks up at me and seems like he’s ready to go. After rain/​snow/​damp weather the Swift Run does get really muddy, bring blankets for the car to protect your interior.
No matter what time of day you visit there is always someone else there with a dog. Peak times seem to be weekend mornings and right after work — typical dog park visiting hours. The park closes at dusk but sometimes owners are still chatting away and then having to go and search the large area for their little friend.
The trash stations (and free poop bags!) are a plus. And who doesn’t love a dog bowl attached to a bench with a chain! Just bring your own water and there’s a bowl ready to go. The majority of the time, someone has already left a gallon of water there for anyone to use out of the kindness of their heart. Tennis balls galore here! My dog is is heaven and just wants another pooch to chase him and try to get that nasty mud covered ball.
I have seen some fights here before, just keep an eye on Fido and if any dogs seem to be getting overly aggressive, just walk him to another section of the park and let him run. Some people tend to forget that there’s a small park for little pooches and bring their lapdogs into the large dog park. This usually sets about some frenzy with the large dogs and owners begin to roll their eyes.
Versus other dog parks in the area, the humans are as friendly as the dogs! There’s always someone ready to strike up conversation. Everyone I’ve ever encountered here is responsible, mature and understands that dogs need to be dogs. A great place to pickup tips on training, food and other activities to do with your pet.
$ 50 annual fee for non residents. Cheaper for Ann Arbor folks. Certain days the park is closed for routine maintenance — grass cutting, trash emptying, parking lot fixin’, etc. Can’t wait for summer!

This would be a great park if people would follow the rules. It was nice at first but then more and more people kept breaking the rules: People letting their dogs off leash outside the fenced area so that you get rushed at when walking your leashed dog to the entrance. Many don’t pick up their dogs waste. People bring aggressive and un-​socialized dogs to the park. (Two dogs have been killed there as a result.)
Worst of all: Even though the large dog section is much bigger and nicer than the little dog section people are bringing their large dogs into the small dog section which has a 20 lb weight limit. You can’t tell me your standard Schnauzer, high-​prey drive Alaskan Malamute or your giant St. Bernard are 20lbs or less. Some will promptly go to the large dog section when asked but there are many that outright refuse to take their large dog over to the large dog section. I have a 9lb Shih Tzu and it puts her life in danger when someone brings their high prey-​drive large northern breed dog into the small dog section. The large dog owners are full of bravado because they have a large dog and for some reason think they are entitled to break the rules that others are expected to follow. Essentially, it is becoming a dog park for large dogs only. The park is not checked to make sure everyone has paid their dues and so people know they can get away with breaking the rules without fear.
Every weekend there are more and more large dogs in the small dog section so I have given up being able to take my small dog there for exercise because it just isn’t safe.

Swift Run is a perfect name for this dog park because there is PLENTY of room for the dogs to just run run run! This is one of the largest and most open dog parks I have been to, though it lacks the fancy dog «jungle gyms» of some other dog parks in more dog-​friendly (and higher tax paying) cities.
A few trees and a few benches but mostly just open grassy areas for dogs to run and play. I mostly enjoy the path around the perimeter of the park that allows me to walk around while all the dogs run to their heart’s content. There are quite a few trash stations strategically placed with a supply of bags for easy cleanup. There are also separate areas for small dogs and large dogs.
Since the park is so open it is quite exposed to the elements. I wouldn’t advise going on a day that was too hot/​rainy/​snowy/​etc. Check out the pictures! I’ve uploaded one of my dog and a friend’s dog having a wonderful time rolling in a huge mud puddle after a particularly rainy week. If you don’t mind a dirty dog it sure makes them happy to romp around in the mess!

Pucca *hearts* the dog park. I really like this dog park as well, it has numerous poop bag/​trash stations, a few benches, and a sectioned off area for the little guys. I wish that there weren’t so many ponds after a rain event, the drainage could be a little better, but I know the dogs aren’t complaining about that. The parking lot is also super potholed, so enter slowly.

Fun for dogs (and owners), especially fun for those who won’t stay in your own yard!
Fenced in, safe, special purse dog area.

I came here to observe dogs for one of my Psych classes last year. Though it’s hard to compare because I haven’t been to many dog parks, I really liked this one. I like that they have separate fenced-​in areas for the large and small dogs, and everyone seems very friendly. All of the dogs were well-​behaved and sociable, which is important. And there is plenty of room for people to play fetch and other games with their own dog.

Great for the dogs. Two fenced in areas one for the small dogs under 20 lbs and another for the larger dogs. Not that much Shade so bring a hat. Four benches so you might want to bring a chair also but our dogs are ready to pass out in an hour or so. I’m just surprised they don’t fight they just run run run.