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| - I've been to virtually every dog park in the East Valley, including all the ones in Gilbert, and almost all the ones in Chandler(except West Chandler Park), Tempe, Mesa (except the one off Greenfield), Scottsdale and Ahwatukee. Most of the Tempe Dog parks are tiny, with the exception of the one on Carver in S. Tempe. Cosmo in Gilbert is a pig sty and reflects many of the people who go there. The water feature is disgusting and has caused many infections(eyes, ears, Giardia, etc). It's very impressive when you get out of your car and start to approach it from up the hill, but that's deceptive. The only things I like about it is that it's divided into 3 sections and has 3 nice hosing stations. Chaparral is pretty nice, but I wish the people would clean up after their dogs more (you get the feeling some think it's beneath them---pun intended).
The Shawnee Dog Park is definitely one of the best ones. Some reviews complained about people not picking up their dog's poop. This occurs at most parks to some degree, but this one is far better than Cosmo or Chaparral in that regard. This one feels like an actual park, with lots of trees, grass and a few places to sit down. Most of the people are friendly and the dogs aren't exceptionally rowdy. The fact that it is surrounded by neighborhoods is probably bad for the residents, but good for you since it means you don't have the traffic noise and fumes coming from a main artery.
I recommend bringing your own bags, as the city doesn't supply them (people bring them and stuff them into dispensers). I also recommend bringing your own water, as the water there comes from hoses, which can impart chemicals into the water run through them unless they are special hoses designed to prevent this (and I doubt these hoses have the coating required). Be aware that the park is closed Tuesdays and doesn't open until 9 AM on Sundays, which can be a problem in the summer.
I intend to write a review next about the one in Tempe between Kyrene and Priest (the address is Hardy, but you can't access it from Hardy) on Carver. I think it's called the Tempe Sports Complex. I usually go there because I prefer it by a little. The drive for me is about the same, about 5 miles.
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