Our Bark Park

Our Bark Park is an off-leash dog park in Racine, Wisconsin. This dog park is a membership only dog park. Prospective members are required to download and complete the application forms, which are available from the dog park's Facebook page. This Racine dog park is a patch of ground surrounded by a wooden fence. 

It might not be huge or have luxurious facilities, but the pups who get taken there enjoy some fab time running around off-leash. Is it worth the $150 membership fee? Only the canines who use it can answer that. Owners are required to complete not only an application form which asks in-depth questions about their pup but a liability waiver form too before they are vetted and considered for a place. 

As is the standard practice in most dog parks, proof of license and vaccinations also need to be submitted. As would be expected from such an exclusive, albeit small, dog park there is a sheaf of rules governing its use. There's no stepping out of line for any member of this regimentally run off-leash compound for either humans or canines. 

Dogs which have not had their reproductive organs removed are not eligible for using the dog park nor are pups who are fed on a raw food diet. Raw food poops run the risk of carrying more bacteria than dry fed poops. Poop from member dogs has to be recollected as soon as it is deposited to make sure the enclosure stays as sanitary as possible. Bags and scoopers are provided. 

This dog park in Racine has developed a system whereby owners of socially shy dogs can indicate to other park users that their dog does not like company. By posting a – my dog needs time alone – sign on the gate means anti-social dog and its owner can get fifteen minutes of private exercise time. For owners of shy pups maybe that makes the $150 membership fee worth it after all.