A dog park can help you and your pet keep your resolutions

The holidays have come and gone, and maybe despite your best efforts, your dog has had more than his fair share of snacks and dinner scraps over the last month. Instead of letting him participate in your post-holiday Netflix binge, why not get out and help him slim down his waistline? Here are a few dog-friendly parks around Snohomish County that will not only get your furry friend back into pre-Thanksgiving shape, but will help you if you made a 2015 resolution to exercise more yourself!

Everett: Howarth Park

Howarth Park is a three-tiered, 28-acre park located in the City of Everett. This off-leash dog park offers 100 feet of unfenced beach area at the north beach for you and Sparky to jog and play fetch. Keep in mind that the off-leash area is determined by the tide, so when the tide becomes too high, consider taking a breather and capture the beautiful views of the water with your furry friend.

Location: 1127 Olympic Blvd., Everett, WA 98203 (north beach only – turn right a foot of trestle and go past creek). Park hours: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. April 1-Oct. 31; 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 1-March 31.

Marysville: Strawberry Fields for Rover Off-Leash Park

Created in 2009, this off-leash park is located within the Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex. Bring your pal and let them roam the three acres of fenced fun! The park offers community-donated amenities such as trees to shade the facilities and a water fountain for active dogs.

Location: 6100 152nd St. NE, Marysville, WA 98270. Park hours: Daily 7 a.m. to dusk.

Snohomish: Willis D. Tucker Community Park

The northeast corner of Willis Tucker Park boasts three different off-leash dog areas that will appeal to nearly every level of dog personality. The park has a six-acre meadow for the high-energy dog that can never get enough Frisbee play. Next, the 1.25-acre forest area allows you to go on a short, or long, adventure with your four-legged friend, while taking in the breathtaking views of nature. For the more introverted dogs, Willis Tucker offers a .20-acre shy-dog area, where you can allow your dog to sniff around the park and get accustomed to the outdoors.

Location: 6705 Puget Park Drive, Snohomish, WA 98296. Park hours: Daily 7 a.m. to dusk.

If you want to take your pal to an off-leash or dog-friendly park, be aware of your surroundings and stay relatively close to your pet. Be courteous; if you pack it in, pack it out so that other park goers can also enjoy the area, and be sure to pick up after your dog. Also, keep your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date to prevent against the transferring of illness and make sure he’s wearing a current ID tag. We don’t recommend taking young puppies under six months to dog parks.

For more information, Snohomish County maintains a list of local dog parks.

Learn more about the Everett Animal Shelter. Plan a visit, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and check out all of our adoptable pets. And be sure to watch our featured Pet of the Week on the Everett Channel.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.