Dog Park Rules

Our Rules

Wherever animals are gathered, there are special safety concerns, and responsible dog ownership requires that we establish and obey guidelines to ensure safety for pets, owners and by-standers. For information about how dogs behave in dog parks, see our Helpful Handbook page.

These are the rules posted at the entrance of the park. Please read and follow the rules if you intend to enjoy the park.

Sequim Dog Park Rules

• Use this park at your own risk.
• This park is not for toddlers or small children.
• You are responsible for damage or injury inflicted by your dog(s).
• Leave all food, treats and special toys at home or bring at your own risk.
• Enter through the double-gate entry. Unleash your dog in the holding area; then open the inside gate and walk into the leash-free area.
• Please remove pinch or choke collars in off-leash areas.
• Keep your eye on your dog and never leave your dog unattended.
• Leash-up and leave if your dog is acting aggressively or having a bad day.
• Keep all puppies younger than 4 months out of the off-leash dog park.
• Always clean up after your dog. Bag and dispose pet waste in the containers provided.
• Female dogs in heat are not allowed in off-leash areas.
• Dogs need to be vaccinated and licensed. (Contact the City of Sequim for license)
• Don’t bring a dog with contagious conditions or illnesses to the park.
• Do not let your dog dig holes or damage park plants and property.
• Smoking is not allowed in the off-leash area.
• Always keep your dog on a leash outside the designated off-leash area.

Entering the park

Our beautiful entrance gate leads into a safety pen where dogs are unleashed before entering the dog park. From the safety pen, there are two smaller gates: one leading to the small dogs area, and one leading to the “all dogs” area. The safety gate design prevents dogs from escaping, and facilitates leashing and unleashing the animals. It also prevents small dogs and their owners from having to enter the “all dogs” area.

For your safety, please abide by these guidelines when entering and leaving the park:

• Do not open the outside gate if the inside gate is open. One family of dogs at a time in the inside enclosure (between the double gates) at a time.
• Remove dogs leash inside the double gated area. Make sure the gate is closed after entering the park.
• Do NOT leave a leash on dogs in park. This can actually cause an altercation as a dog may feel restricted in its ability to protect itself. Also, dogs feel more protective of their owners when leashed. DO carry your leash into the park in case you need to remove your dog in an emergency situation.
• Do not to bring any toys that a dog may be particularly attached to. These items may provoke possessive or aggressive behavior or may be destroyed through rough play.
• When new dogs enter the facility it can get really congested at the gate area, so move your dogs away, giving the new dogs a chance to get acclimated.

Small Children in the Dog Park

It isn’t safe for small children to be in the dog park.

• Not all dogs are socialized with small children.
• Some dogs see small children (with their quick movements and small size) as prey. A child running may be seen as prey.
• Some herding dogs will attempt to herd your child. The dog may naturally herd with small nips to the back of legs.
• Your dog may become territorial over your child. Other dogs may also become territorial over your child. This can cause a fight that could injure or scare your child.
• When dogs are playing, they naturally mouth, mount and may body slam. A dog may mistake your child for another playmate.
• The dog park can be quite overwhelming to small children.
• A dog fight can occur which could put your child in a dangerous situation.

Current Dog laws

Police Enforcement

Off-leash dog parks are generally self-supervised. Visitors to the parks are encouraged to follow the rules and to encourage others to follow the rules. If there is a problem that's beyond the capacity of visitors to manage, the Sequim City Police should be called at 683-7227. For emergencies, call 9-1-1.

Dog licensing

In short, all dogs must be licensed and vaccinated, whether you live in Sequim, Port Angeles, Port Townsend or in unincorporated areas of Clallam or Jefferson County. Those rules are already on the books and they apply to the dog park just as they apply to the rest of the area. We've had a lot of questions about whether dogs must be licensed to visit the park. The answer is yes, because they must be licensed regardless of where they are.

If you are visiting our park from out-of-town, you should either have a license from your home city or county, or be able to show proof of Rabies vaccination.

Dog Licensing Laws

• Clallam County Code
• Sequim Municipal code **
• Port Angeles website
• Jefferson County Animal Services
• Forks Municipal Code

Dog Licensing Locations

You can get Clallam County dog licenses at the Clallam County Sheriff's office or the Clallam County Humane Society and even at the Sequim Police Department. By the way, here's an article about County licensing fees.

City of Sequim dog licenses are available at the Sequim Police Department.

For Port Angeles dog licenses, go to City Hall or the Clallam County Humane Society.

In Jefferson County, see the Animal Services department for more information.

In Forks, go to the Police Department.

Dangerous Dogs

Washington State has one of the strictest dangerous dog laws in the nation. It is the owner’s responsibility to control his or her animal. Failure to do so may result in criminal prosecution as well as civil suit.

While we hope that there will never be any serious trouble at our peaceful little dog park, all visitors should be aware that we take safety seriously and all dangerous behavior will be reported to the authorities.

Here's a brief summary of the dangerous dog laws** offered by Jefferson County. The following links are the laws as detailed in the Revised Code of Washington: RCW 16.08.070 , RCW 16.08.080, RCW 16.08.090 and RCW 16.08.100