Ann Arbor’s Nichols Arboretum for Your Dog?
<– Sign at the Geddes road entrance temporarliy covered for a video shoot.
The Arb
Ann Arbor’s Nichols Arboretum, or "The Arb" as it’s called locally is a great public park. You can read all about it here at their web site: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/
There are a lot of people that use this park, especially on nice days. Define nice: even if it is snowing you bet there will be many people out sledding, skiing and walking. People go there all the time. It’s closed when it’s dark.
The Leash Law
The leash law is enforced in the park. All of the park personel are very nice, but if they see your dog off leash they will politely tell you to put him on a leash, even if you and your dog (plus the park person) are the only people in there.
I see many people walking their dogs on and off leash and have never had any trouble with either kind. If you are trying to leash train your dog be prepared to have lots of people coming up to your dog to pet her. I’ve also seen people that are deathly afraid of dogs cringe as I walk by with my leashed puppy. So try to be cogizant of them and keep your dog away from them.
If you want to exercise your dog, the Arb might not be the best choice for a walk. But is a leashed walk in a nice park with lots of friendly people is your kind of fun then the Arb is a perfect place to go.
The Map of Nichols Arboretum
Map of Nichols Arboretum showing four entrances. A fine place to take you dog on a leash. There are four entrances.
I would like to try to amend the local laws governing dogs off leash. Currently the only places to walk you dogs off leash is at one of the dog parks. I would like the law to allow some of the lesser used parks to allow dogs to be off leash if under reliable voice command.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks
YES! The dog parks are not sufficient for our dogs. I guess the first step would be to propose a revision, like which parks, perhaps certain times.