It's Week 19 of professional pet photography blog circle Project 52 and our topic for the week is dog parks. So, I wanted to talk about the best dog park in Cincinnati, which is Otto Armleder Dog Park near Lunken Airport.

Otto Armleder Dog Park

Otto Armeleder is our favorite dog park and you can find us there at least once a month (more when it's nice out) hanging out in the small dog area. The small dog area at Otto Armleder is why it is the best dog park in Greater Cincinnati. Not all dog parks in Cincinnati have small dog areas and when you have small dogs it is imperative that you have a separate area away from the big dogs.

It never ceases to amaze me at he number of people who take their small dogs into the big dog area. Sure, your little dog gets along great with big dogs. That's wonderful, but playing one-on-one with a big dog is not at all the same as playing with a pack of big dogs. One moment of rough play could prove fatal to a small dog. To me, it's just not worth the risk of an accident happening. So, that is why we love Otto Armleder and their small dog area as it provides a safe space for small dogs to be with others their own size.

Below is the entrance to the dog park pens. The small dog area is smack in the center.  There is a water pump outside the entrance to the parks but within the fenced area so that you can wash off your big muddy dogs (believe me, they will be muddy a lot of the time because there is a mud hole in the back of the big dog area.)
Otto Armleder is really nice because it is generally well kept up, easily accessible, and generally has plenty of parking (although on a sunny day you may need to park in a lot a little farther away.) And, of course, the small dog area is the reason we like it so much. Otto Armleder has three main pens, with the small dog area in the middle of the big dog pens. It also has an additional containment pen across the street from the rest of the dog park that is often used for private events such as agility and even birthday parties. Another thing about Otto Armleder that make it the best local dog park is that it has lots of paved walking trails and is adjacent to the Little Miami River where you can visit Dog Beach with, of course, your dog. Just watch out for the sand flies on a hot summer day! The one down side to Otto Armelder, though it mostly is during the winter time, is that because it is near the river, it tends to flood. So, you definitely have to check out the river levels to see if it is good to go to the dog park during prime flood season.

Fido Field and Washington Park

Fido Field can be hot on a sunny day as it is part of the concrete jungle that is Downtown Cincinnati.

There are a couple of other Cincinnati area dog parks that get an honorable mention, like Fido Field and the Washington Park dog park. Both parks bookend Downtown Cincinnati with Fido Field being on the east side on Eggleston Avenue and the Washington Park dog park being on the western side of the park across from Memorial Hall.

The Washington Park dog park features a variety of surfaces and includes a water feature.

Up next in the blog circle is Terri J Photography, Toronto pet photographer. After you visit Terri, head around the rest of the blog circle until you end up back here.

If you are involved with a rescue that needs help with adoption photos or if you'd like to schedule a photoshoot for your pet at your favorite outdoor location, send an email to suzi [at] petlovephotography.com.