First Run

Love, love, love this dog park.
Please support them in keeping this the best park in the city.
Also, if you have never been to the Halloween festivities here, it is a must do event. So much fun. So much creativity. So much ingenuity.

I love this park — it gets a bit packed in the evenings, but my pup and I are here most mornings. He has a blast, it’s big enough for him to run and play, there’s water available, and the people are nice. Some times a crazy owner wanders in, but overall I’d highly recommend it.

Stumbled upon this dog run after getting rejected by Hamilton Fish Park, which did not allow my friend, our pups, and I to enter. It is the first dog run I’ve ever been to and it was a good experience! There are benches for humans to sit on while their dogs go play, a small pool for dogs to splash around in, friendly dog owners, and friendly dogs. Definitely bringing my dog back here again!

I originally posted on the Tompkins Square Park page because I didn’t know the name of this dog park.
I generally try to avoid dog parks because it seems as though every aggressively pent up dog is taken here by their owners to go buck wild while they sit and play on the iPhones and not pay attention to a single thing their dog is doing. The one positive thing about this dog park is that it is separated in two parts — one for small dogs and another for large dogs. I typically have come with my friend to sit in the small park with her and her Chihuahua and every time we have noticed multiple fights break out in the large park. This is why I’ve always avoided the park while walking my doggy with hers to the park — that is typically when we bid each other adieu. Until Saturday. It was not even 9am and only four dogs in the large dog park and they all looked pretty calm, so I decided to take my jolly bulldog in to let him have a little time to run around and pee on every corner or the park. As soon as we entered there was a pit bull that clearly wanted to play with him. The dog kept chasing him and trying to pin him against the fence and he finally snapped back at the dog. This was when the dog went completely insane on my dog and had him by the neck. I tried to pull them apart and was screaming at the top of my lungs, «WHO’S DOG IS THIS???» over and over and nothing was done. Then my dog was on the floor and my friend hopped the small dog fence and was trying to wrestle the pit bull off my dog, but her jaw was locked on his neck. All the while I was screaming and crying, «HE’S GOING TO DIE!!! SHE’S KILLING HIM!!!» And then the STUPID owner just shows up and stands there in his loafers like a tool. Perhaps if you own a god damn PIT BULL you shouldn’t be such a docile worthless piece of crap and control your dog. In the end we finally got his dog off mine and his neck was little messed up and he did have some punctures. Luckily he has a lot of extra skin around his neck otherwise it would have likely been fatal. I’m writing this not only to vent but to alert people to be more responsible when it comes to your animal. When you bring an animal into a common space it is your responsibility to make sure it is BEHAVING. If your dog does not know the meaning of personal space or how to take social cues or is even vicious enough to attack a dog to the point of submission then YOU SHOULD NOT BE COMING TO A DOG PARK. PERIOD. END OF STORY.
I am never coming to this park again (or any park for that matter) and I hope that no one else gets hurt by this tan pit bull with a pink collar. The owner is a semi-​tall, lean Asian man. Watch out. I wish I got his information because I did have to go to the animal hospital and spend $ 300 and also would have liked to know when his dog had its rabies shot last. I am just glad the dog was a puppy and not a full grown dog, otherwise my poor dog may have not survived.

One of the better dog runs in Manhattan and the city’s first.
Things it has going for it:
— Seating for owners
— Plenty of seating for humans
— Bathrooms for humans nearby
— Plenty of shade
— Has water and an area to hose off your dog
— Has 2 separate runs (big and small dog runs)
— Enough room for dogs to run
Things it has against it:
— Crushed granite litter material is better than dirt & wood chips but it can get dusty and if you have a longer haired dog that gets wet its dries like cement in their hair.
— No poop bags
Top 5 urban dog run in Manhattan. Have heard it gets a little over crowded on nice days and tempers can get heated for both dogs and owners. The design is a model for other urban dog runs in the city. Has pretty much everything you could need in a dog run. If the ground cover was changed to pea gravel or that artificial turf made specifically for dog runs and supply poop bags this run would be a 5 star dog run.
Dog runs/​parks I have been to so far:

The pooch and I love this dog run. It is huge, which really allows dogs of any size to stretch their legs and burn some energy. There are lots of benches and three tables, but they are all occupied during high traffic hours.
The ground is covered with a sand that somehow absorbs the mass scent of urine. During summer they have to wet it with the sprinkle to keep it from getting dusty, which creates a mud-​like mess for long hair breeds, fortunately they also have a pool to cool down or clean off.
I only have three minor complaints:
1. The lack of toys. I usually bring a few tennis balls, but unless my girl is feeling competitive, they end up going towards the park fund. Also, there are some hypochondriac pet parents who throw away any ball their pet wants to play with. I get it, you’re afraid of disease, but if you’re going to ruin the fun for everyone else you should just stay home. I’ve never heard anyone complain about giardia here (unlike other parks).
2. Don’t pretend like you didn’t see your dog poop all over the place. It’s just rude.
3. The dog-​less people who come in thinking it is a free-​for-​all. Though it is hilarious to watch parents realize their child is putting his or her hands in his or her mouth after playing with sand soaked in dog urine and feces. Priceless.

Love the size, don’t so much love the visitors.
I keep finding a weird cross between overly-​protective dog owners, non-​caring dog owners, and dogs that really don’t seem comfortable or happy here.
My pup has never had a problem with the park, and I personally love the size of the park. There is ample running-​room and weird fenced-​in tree pits that the dog can jump into.
Neither here nor there.

This has to be be best dog run south of Central Park.
I live significantly closer to Maddison Square but after months of bringing my dogs home all muddy and gross I tried walking the extra distance to Tompkins Square and am SO glad I did.
First off, this run is significantly larger than most giving my Husky enough room to actually run and my Golden enough space to play a more challenging game of fetch — which they love. Second, the gravel put down at First Run is perfect for draining water off quickly so I don’t have eight dirty paws to wash when we get home. They can run and roll and chase and fetch and come home almost as clean as they were when they left. And lastly, the other dogs and their owners have been really nice so far — not a lot of pent up dogs with aggression problems but chill dogs with friendly owners who seem to know their stuff, like when to split up a fight and when to let dogs be dogs. I worked hard to raise some very well-​adjusted pups and it’s nice to visit a park where it seems like other owners have too.
My only complaint is that I’ve noticed a few dogs that have GOT to be over 6 months who have not been neutered yet frequenting the park. There’s a reason that they aren’t allowed and seeing those big swinging balls can make me nervous that the otherwise nicest dog will become agitated by their scent and one of my pups will get caught in the middle. I’m all for letting dogs work out their dominance and figure out how to play with each other but… Even if they are really well socialized — neuter your dog or find somewhere else to take them.

Great dog run. Come every day. Have never had a problem (or giardia).

I really wish I could take my French Bulldog here. When we’ve gone in the past he had so much fun and everyone was mad cool! It’s just so much cheerier than Stuyvesant Park, which looks like a dreary court for inmates who bench press and shank each other. Sadly the three times I have taken our pup to Tompkins, he invariably got stricken with giardia. Even our 2 neighbors have warned us about Tompkins’ questionable cleanliness. Too bad, I love this small dog park, lined with its shaded benches.

Benches are plentiful to sit on and it’s nice they provide a hose for water.

This is a good size dog park. The ground is dirt, so it does get dusty, but there must be good drainage because there was no mud. There is a separate area for small dogs. We went on the weekend and there were tons of dogs. The park is shaded and there are benches and tables. They also provide shovels to clean up after your dog. The fence to the park is only about 4′ making it easy for dogs to jump over. Actually when we were there, a dog did jump over the fence. Aside from the fence issue, this is a great dog park!

First Run is the first dog run in the city and a national leader in terms of design and drainage. Honestly, though, I don’t think I’d ever bring my dog here if I didn’t live a block away.
I used to have a mellow golden retriever, and she fortunately never got into conflicts with other dogs. Over the years, however, there have been incidents, earning Tompkins the reputation for being the baddest dog run in the city. The dog run was divided into two areas – one for big dogs, one for small – after a dog was killed in the run several years ago. I now have a 12-​pound terrier, and I began bringing him to the dog run to socialize him; he had been found on the street and was pretty crazy. He’s still learning to be a dog, but bringing him to First Run has helped.
Then, a few years ago, the run was renovated, along with a revolutionary new gravel surface that allows for maximum drainage after a storm; drainage was always a problem after a rainstorm with the old wood chips-​and-​dirt surface. As a matter of fact, a major problem with the chips is that many dogs like to graze on them, causing potential internal problems; many dogs got worms and parasites whether they ate the chips or not, because it was often so muddy. (And if you think it smells now, you should have smelled it when the chips were down, so to speak!)
I originally wrote that there was a Yahoo group, but that has pretty much evaporated; it’s been replaced by a Facebook group – which I feel is unfair, only because I was banned from Facebook a few years ago. Oh well; the FB group is apparently pretty active.
First Run is an active group, with an over-​the-​top Halloween parade in the fall, and various activities throughout the year. Recently, in response to the fights and other incidents, there was a pit bull workshop to address how to handle problems before they begin; this is a very proactive group.

The small dog and regular runs are great sized and give the dogs plenty of room to play and run. The runs are more of a sand/​dirt fill and finer than the pebbles at Union Square, so it’s better on my dog’s paws.
There are a lot dogs that come to play, so I’m not gonna lie… it reeks, especially on summer days. But the runs have shovels and trash cans to help keep it clean and I see owners clean up after their dogs for the most part.
Being in Tompkins Square, the crowd is an interesting mix. It’s not unusual to hear a fight break out (among dogs AND owners), but I’ve talked to some very nice people too.
And around Halloween, you can’t miss out on the annual Hallowen dog parade & contest!

When I get home from work every day my dog is waiting at the door to jump all over me. I think it’s because he’s excited to see me, but it may also have something to do with the fact that he can’t wait to get over to the dog park.
Tompkins Square Dog Run is big enough for a larger dog to stretch its legs, and the dog owners are mellow and respectful. It doesn’t smell like a rose garden, especially in hot weather, but my dog can’t get enough of it.

Tompkins Square Dog Run is pretty close to us, so we take our 50 lb dog Lilly here a lot. I like that there is a separate small dog park so people don’t give me dirty looks when Lilly bowls their tiny dogs over. The people here tend to be pretty easy going too.
I don’t like the weird gravel/​kitty litter stuff they use, the whole place reeks of dog pee.

One of the best dog runs in the city. I’ve been coming here for years and the city has upgraded this park considerably. They didn’t even have water in the part until a few years ago. Now there are nice benches, nice gravel, nice trees and wow wow wow shovels to clean up after your best friend (in case you forgot your plastic bag).
My only complaint is that they turn off the water out of season. As though my dog does not need water in the winter time?

I was a little surprised that the Tompkins Square Dog Run wasn’t listed, so I’m going to add it.
We take Spud to Tompkins on a regular occasion, and it’s our absolute favorite dog run in the city. For once, the small dog park does not restrict itself to the tiny 10 lb or less «puntable» yappers that infest some of the other parks. Instead, there are a healthy share a dogs that are similar to Spud in size (French Bulldogs, Boston Terroriers, Pugs, etc).
A surprisngly high % of the owners of the park are respectful and friendly, and don’t give off that cliquish feel that I often get at the dog runs at WSQ and Union Square.
Our favorite is to watch Spud tear around the small dog park with other french bulldogs, Tompkins square is the place for that. As far as I know, it seems to be the french bulldog capital of NYC, and Spud and I wouldn’t have it any other way.