The actual dog park is not even really a dog park in my opinion. The space is limited for both big…read moreand small dogs but gated. Dogs are allowed to be off leash. There's no water fountain for your pups to have fresh water after playing. Parking lot is available upon entering and is decent size for multiple vehicles. More than anything I love that they have few trails and makes it fun to walk your pup with abundance grass for them to smell and play on. My dodo loves playing on the grass and we have walked on the short trails while he sniffs everything on his way. I personally feel it's a great park for a brisk walk with your dodo. My rating is exclusively based on the trials overall and taking 1 star away for the dog ranch area.

This new dog park is tucked away on the site of the old Metropolitan State Hospital site in Waltham…read moreoff Trapelo Road, next to one of the remaining old buildings. There is parking and nearby bike paths. While there are lots of open fields nearby, the fenced in areas of the dog park itself are small. There is an area for small dogs, separate from that of big dogs, but they are both small areas. The big dog area could stand to be much larger. The ground is gravel/packed dirt... pebbles would be better. I can see this being muddy and have heard some owners complain the gravel is too sharp for paws. The entry/exit points of the enclosures are not the usual "airlock" system with two gates, but a separate entry/exit which did not keep other dogs from trying to escape with us when we left. There is one bench for people to sit on, more benches would be nice. There is a trash can. There is currently no water, but I have heard that there are plans to add that in the spring. There are fun things for dogs to run over and around, and someone has stocked the pens with tennis balls, but the best things dogs like to play with is the other dogs. Our dog was very happy to play with everyone! This new park was already very busy with dogs on a Sunday afternoon. If we really want our dog to get some exercise, we would probably still go to Beaver Brook or Cat Rock Pak where there is more space to run, but this is a good option for play time! I hope Waltham listens and continues to make this park even better!

Great location. Always clean and there's enough room for a score of woofies to run and play…read more There's also a small separate section for the smaller ones.

You can't bring balls into the park. No toys allowed. This isn't fun for dogs. Where else can they…read moreplay off leash and play fetch? If other dogs can't handle it? They should leave.

It appears to be at 146 Newton Street, Brighton. The Parks Commissioner Banks from the City of…read moreNewton excludes everyone from use of the park unless they pay $70-$75 dollars for a dog license and permit " medallion." They charge $100.00 for any dog from outside of Newton to use the park. The park is very muddy and appears to be in part in Brighton. (Elmhurst Rd is end of Newton). The Parks hired a park ranger to issue fines unless all dogs have permits. The dog license is $20.00 and excludes all use of public parks (Off leash)

Park is very nice, human atmosphere is not. When we arrived, our licensed dogs on a leash were…read moreattacked by two off leash dogs already there. Adding insult to injury, instead of help or apology, we were repeatedly yelled at by one of the dog owners. Unfriendly, the 5pm Club seems to call the shots there. Dog owners beware.

My family and I visited Fresh Pond for the first time and it was beautiful. We were lucky to have…read morefound street parking right across from the Trader Joe's. The loop was well paved in most areas and there were a couple off trails that were a nice surprise. It was pretty crowded even for a "not so great weather day" so I can imagine how busy it gets on a nice day. Loved how it was a dog friendly place. Most people didn't have their dogs on leash. This is great for families who feel comfortable with it but imagine it could be an issue for others. We will definitely be back!

Beautiful, well-maintained park, with a designated bike lane and separate walking path, which I…read moreLOVED - always less stressful for all parties knowing you have your own literal lane. The surroundings are gorgeous, I especially liked the smaller pond further off (think it's called Little Fresh Pond/Dog Beach on the map), with a peaceful seating area. When I went during the day, I didn't see a ton of other people milling about (lots of doggo's merrily bounding about). The one star off is for the parking situation. I actually tried coming here twice before finally succeeding. The first time, I found the nearby rotaries too daunting and gave up and went home. The second time, we finally conquered the rotaries but pulled into the parking lot right by the park to find resident only signs plastered everywhere. Seriously? No non-resident access even for one day out of the week? So here's a tip. On my third try, I just parked in the nearby Whole Foods lot and walked over. It was about five minutes with a sidewalk but I wasn't a fan of having to cross a super busy road to get into the park. Better than nothing, I guess. I've also heard there's street parking on the south end of the pond but you might need to do some circling.

It's an alright spot, I really wish it was maintained better. it has potential, it's a good spot if…read moreyou just want your dog to be able to stretch their legs safely in the city.

Appreciate the location, but a lot of garbage around and the park is overall very poorly maintained…read more- however one of few spots in the area with a fully fenced in place for a dog to run.

Solid little park. Theres a brand new track. At least 5 sport fields. Picnic tables. A small…read moreplayground. A water fountain to play in. You can walk around the perimeter. Great place to hang out.

This expansive park offers a diverse selection of sports fields, delightful walking and running…read morepaths, as well as ample parking space. Accessing the park is convenient and there are numerous activities available to make the most of your visit.

This is a good place for a stroll with your pet and there's a small trial. Half of the road is…read morepaved and the other half is not. Not really a big place but it's decent for a peaceful stroll. Depends on the time and day as to when you go to really encounter some busy traffic. I had gone on a Sunday and thought it was quite. I parked at the back by the houses not sure if there's any other entrance for the park but this one surely had some limited parking by the residential houses.

Ah yes, the exotic Menots. This is the forest where all the high schoolers come to drink at night,…read morebut don't worry during the day it's super family friendly. One word to perfectly describe this getaway? Snatched. Menots is absolutely snatched. Have I been coming here every single day of quarantine? Yes. Have I memorized the signs on every tree around the pond? Maybe also yes. Did I have an absolutely lit epic banger of a sixth birthday party here? Affirmative. Have I ever fished in the pond? Absolutely not I will never stoop to that level of human depreciation that pond is definitely fuxin toxic it's so nasty and people who let their kids splash around in it are actually tapped. The ducks here are dumb thicc. I've named each and every one of them and if ANYONE bothers David I'm out to get you. Peace out

Our dog absolutely loves going to Pet Pals...we can tell by how eager he is to jump in the van. The…read moreworkers are kind and really show that they love dogs. They are also concerned about the well being of all the dogs and make sure the environment is safe. It has been really great having our dog attend for 4 years now.

Personal Experience with Pet Pals…read more A few years ago, I was walking some dogs at the Fells near the Winford Way entrance in Medford. While we were there, Dave -- the owner of Pet Pals -- approached me. He seemed upset that I was walking in that area, saying I "didn't understand" the rules and that it was his designated spot to walk dogs, implying that no one else was allowed there. I reminded him that it's public land and open to everyone. At that point, he became physically aggressive and pushed me twice -- the second time hard enough that I lost control of my dogs' leashes. He then ran toward my dogs and appeared to try to scatter them, so they'd run off. I called the police, who arrived, spoke with both of us, and said something along the lines of, "There are three sides to every story." I decided not to pursue it further at the time and just moved on. I recently came across Pet Pals again, and I felt people should have the full picture before deciding whether to use this company. This is my personal experience, shared in good faith so others can make their own decisions. Hopefully, others have had better luck with Dave, the owner of Pet Pals -- formerly based in Winchester and now operating out of Woburn, as far as I know.