Several decades ago, the gotta-have amenity for housing developments, community associations and apartment and condominium complexes was the swimming pool.

Fast forward to today, and priorities have shifted. Now, dog parks are in demand. According to the Trust for Public Land, since 2009 there was a whopping 40 percent increase in the number of dog parks being built nationwide.

Just as with sports fields, dog park construction has changed in the intervening years, and nowhere has it changed more than in the surfaces used.

If constructing a dog park with a natural grass surface, discuss the varieties that work best given the geographic area, soil type, climate and the amount of use expected. In general, the more resilient and durable the surface, the better off you’ re going to be. Bermudagrass, Kentucky bluegrass, Zoysia and fescue grass are all options because of their resilience to foot traffic. If the park is large enough, the grass may stay in good condition despite regular use; smaller parks, however, may need to be rested in order to let the surface rebound.

According to Lee Narozanick of American Athletic Track and Turf, although regular maintenance of the surface, including mowing( 2- to 4-inch cut height), will keep it in good repair,“ the grass should not be cut too short because it gets trampled and dies and then the area becomes muddy. Letting the grass grow longer than you are accustomed to, at least in terms of a sports field, will actually allow it to stand up to everyday activity much better.”

Additional landscaping within a dog park will depend upon the size of the park and the amount of usage. We’ re seeing some with trails— generally covered with mulch or crusher run. Higher grasses— such as native grasses and prairie grasses— have a nice aesthetic if they are placed on the outskirts of the park, but high grasses where dogs will constantly run and roll can carry a risk for ticks.

Although natural grass has been the norm, there are synthetic turf systems available that are designed specifically for dog park use, but there are important considerations associated with using synthetic.

“ While all infills can be deemed‘ sterile’ by nature, typical sand / rubber infills aren’ t ideal because of the frequent

26 SportsField Management | June 2025 sportsfieldmanagementonline. com

SportsField Management June 2025 | Page 26

Several decades ago, the gotta-have amenity for housing developments, community associations and apartment and condominium complexes was the swimming pool.