All things considered, Nashville is a pretty solid place to raise a dog. Leashed dogs are permitted in all 100-plus Metro Parks, and the city is also full of establishments that allow pups, from bars with patios to privately owned dog parks like East Nashville’s BarkPark and the forthcoming Fetch Park in Germantown.
But if you want to let Fido roam leash-free, you can’t do better than one of the city’s public dog parks. The dog-owning members of the Scene braintrust (that’s most of us) decided to round up eight of the city’s most prominent pooch-friendly public spaces, and you can read our reviews below. Note: This isn’t a comprehensive list, so if we missed one of your favorite Metro Parks spots, let us know.
1. Shelby Dog Park
Address: Shelby Ave. at S. 20th St.
Separate space for small dogs? No.
Number of dogs seen on your visit: About six on a weeknight around sundown, but it tends to get much busier on weekends.
Number of benches: Eight benches, in addition to a shaded pavilion-like structure with some seating.
Description: You could say Shelby is the quintessential Nashville dog park. While it doesn’t have many frills or special features, it has wide-open spaces, a decent amount of shade and a central paved area for congregating and water-drinking. It’s also an excellent spot for a cool-down after (or warm-up before) taking your four-legged pal for a long stroll through Shelby Park.
Amount of shade: The park is roughly 5-10 percent shaded with about half a dozen large shade trees, plus the aforementioned pavilion.
Access to water: There’s one bowl fountain at the park’s center, though there tends to be one or two bowls nearby that folks fill up and leave.
Size: 4/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
2. Two Rivers Dog Park
Address: 3150 McGavock Pike
Separate space for small dogs? No.
Number of dogs seen on your visit: Twenty-two at noon on a recent Saturday.
Number of benches: Twelve.
Description: On three acres of land, this dog park ranks up there as one of the largest in the area. It boasts a paved trail to lap around while the pups mingle and play, a shady area with trees perfectly set up to pitch a hammock, and a dog fountain and picnic tables where you and your pup can catch your breath. A secret corner in the back of the park is a private, shady area that the dogs seemed to have turned into a digging arena — no need for maintenance to come and refill the holes, our dog has it covered.
Amount of shade: 15 percent
Access to water: One water fountain for dogs.
Size: 5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
3. Downtown Dog Park
Address: 100 First Ave. N. (Riverfront Park)
Separate space for small dogs? No.
Number of dogs seen on your visit: Just one on a Monday afternoon. Expect a larger crowd on weekends and evenings.
Number of benches: Five benches, plus one remaining picnic table — though there have been more in the past.
Description: Tucked away near the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in Riverfront Park is the relatively new Downtown Dog Park. With three entry points and a gravel trail looping around a central AstroTurf play area, this one is perhaps the smallest park on our list. But it’s also a lovely little respite from the concrete jungle for downtown pooches, and surrounded by other areas to visit once your pup is back on his or her leash.
Amount of shade: Very little, though there are other shaded areas in and around Riverfront Park downtown.
Access to water: One water fountain, with a spout for people and a spout for pups.
Size: 2/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
4. Percy Priest Dam Dog Park
Address: 3778 Bell Road
Separate space for small dogs? No.
Number of dogs seen on your visit: Fifteen at 11 a.m. on a Sunday.
Number of benches: Six.
Description: A smaller park, Stones River Greenway sits at the base of Percy Priest Dam. Even on the hottest days, the water falling from the reservoir to the Stones River below casts a light mist across the park, making up for the lack of shade. The park itself is fairly no-frills, but the area around is a hotspot for local adventurists looking to fish, hike or run around a park full of dogs.
Amount of shade: Less than 5 percent.
Access to water: One water fountain for dogs, plus a small pool.
Size: 3/5
Cleanliness: 3/5
5. Centennial Dog Park
Address: 222 25th Ave. N.
Separate space for small dogs? Yes.
Number of dogs seen on your visit: Twenty at noon on a recent Saturday.
Number of benches: Six.
Description: At the top of a hill overlooking Centennial Park, Centennial Dog Park is spacious and shady, though the trees and incline sometimes impede dogs’ ability to run freely (and it can sometimes be easy to lose track of them). The grass is worn-down, leaving the ground fairly dusty, so your pup will get dirty (or muddy if it’s been raining).
Amount of shade: 90 percent — lots of tree coverage.
Access to water: Water fountains for dogs and humans.
Size: 5/5
Cleanliness: 3/5
6. Fairgrounds Nashville Dog Park
Address: 625 Smith Ave.
Separate space for small dogs? Yes.
Number of dogs seen on your visit: Seven at 1 p.m. on a Thursday, but weekends can be much busier.
Number of benches: Several long, winding benches are built into the new landscaping, so there are plenty of places for people to sit.
Description: As one of Nashville’s newest dog parks, the Fairgrounds Nashville spot is sparkling-clean and well-maintained. Each side of the park — one side is for big, active dogs, the other is for smaller and calmer dogs — has a green artificial turf center surrounded by a concrete path and a gravel edge. There’s even a small agility course for dogs who want to run through tubes and tires, weave through posts or ride the seesaw.
Amount of shade: None — there are trees, but they haven’t grown in enough yet to provide any coverage.
Access to water: One water fountain with a faucet and an attached drinking bowl is placed on each side of the park, and there are extra portable bowls provided.
Size: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
7. Edwin Warner Dog Park
Address: 50 Vaughn Road
Separate space for small dogs? No.
Number of dogs seen on your visit: Fifteen on a Tuesday evening around 6 p.m.
Number of benches: Seven, along with some plastic chairs.
Description: This park doesn’t look like much from the road — it’s just a large rectangle of land with a water fountain and about half a dozen benches. But the wide-open grassy space is perfect for dogs who want to play fetch and run zoomies. A lot of regulars stop by during the week, so your pup can start to bond with other frequent visitors, and many folks donate toys and tennis balls, so there are always things to play with.
Amount of shade: At high noon, the place is about 15 percent shaded. There’s a pop-up canopy with a couple benches and a few trees. But the park is next to a large wooded area, so shade is much more plentiful — up to 50 percent — in the afternoon and evening.
Access to water: One bowl fountain, with extra portable bowls provided as well.
Size: 4/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
8. William A. Pitts Dog Park
Address: 299 Tusculum Rd., Antioch
Separate space for small dogs? No.
Number of dogs seen on your visit: About a dozen at 8:30 on a Saturday morning.
Number of benches: Six.
Description: Pitts is a nice, large field with mature trees providing some coverage from the sun. The crown jewel of the park is a (completely shaded!) wildlife trail through the woods. There, dogs (and children over 10) can roam free on the path, which is about one-third of a mile long and hardly ever crowded. The trail and park can get pretty muddy if it’s been raining.
Amount of Shade: Twenty percent in the park, plus a largely shaded trail.
Access to Water: One water fountain.
Size: 4/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
