While several years ago the neighborhood had a somewhat negative reputation for gang activity, that is all but rooted out now, leaving this neighborhood safe and pleasant for walking.
Tom Hunter park offers a pleasant forested environment to throw a ball with your dog mid-walk. While it has the typical public park problems, daytime visits are fine. If you're looking for a break from the neighborhood streets, be sure to check out the pleasant natural setting of Little Sugar Creek.
Hidden Valley also has a sweet little creek running through it called Little Sugar Creek. This creek is tiny and does not have much in the way of formal walking paths along it, but it can be pleasant to walk your dog along the creek and into the forested areas that surround it in some areas.