We're taking a break this week from our two-week road trip series to give you an update on some of the things we've been doing back in Vancouver. As of the time of this writing, we've been actively staying indoors for a few months due to COVID-19. In our province of British Columbia, we've been in Phase 3 so we've been taking Markus out to farther trips within the province to start exploring the Pacific Northwest again.

On this day, we didn't go anywhere particularly far with Markus, but we did take him to an enclosed dog park in our area which we had yet to visit. The Sunset Park Dog Off-leash Enclosure had undergone construction and was reopened in June of 2018, so not too long ago. Prior to it being a dog park, the land was being used for a parking lot, but there's still plenty of parking on the streets. The park still felt new and clean - so much so that there were people picking up garbage right outside the gates to the dog park.

About the Sunset Park Dog Off-leash Enclosure

• Type: Off-Leash Dog Park

• Size: Medium

• Enclosed: Yes

• Doors: Two sets of double doors

• Traffic: Low to Moderate

Sunset Park is tucked in just off of Main Street and it's a great location. When we first arrived, it wasn't very busy and Markus was able to play with the handful of dogs that were there. For us, this is good because as a reactive dog, one of the things that gets Markus quickly riled up is if he's rushed at the door, so we're glad it didn't happen here. The park was big enough that the dogs were spaced out and the two sets of double doors helped.

The people were friendly and respectful to each other's dog. I felt that there was a real community feel about the park - so much so that there were people voluntarily picking up cigarette butts right outside the park for the sake of the dogs, which was amazing to see. Even though the park's probably too new to show much wear and tear, I believe that it's been kept nice because of the community.

The park also has a fountain just outside of one of the gates, but it's been turned off by the city due to COVID-19. Because of this, some other dog owners brought jugs of water for all of the dogs, but you might want to bring your own just in case.

What we liked

• The park was very new looking and clean.

• It's a fairly big enclosed off-leash park for dogs to run around.

• I liked the community feel and felt the owners were all very respectful to each other's dogs.

• Since it's right off of Main Street and around a community centre and school, there are some areas you can take your dog if they're tired at the dog park.

What we didn't like

• Aside from the dogs, there's not too much going on at the park (like logs, rocks, etc.). It's mostly just field with paved areas for humans to walk on with a few trees here and there.

Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs

As it got later in the day, more dogs kept coming in and we could tell Markus was starting to get uncomfortable with the number of the dogs running around him. The park is big, but not big enough that Markus can retreat somewhere quiet to himself, so we eventually took him out. The park is essentially a big open field with some paths cutting through, so the dogs are just playing in the main area. For a dog like Markus, he gets to a point where he likes to retreat and explore at someplace quieter within a dog park, but that's not an option here.

My other recommendation is to come earlier in the day when it's a bit less busy. We were here around 4pm on a weekend and it was fine, but as it neared 5pm, it got busier and busier. What's great is that there's an entire park and a school to walk around, so we ended up taking Markus for a short walk all the way to Main Street. 

Disclaimer

Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.

Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.