I adopted my dog, Rocky, only a month into the 2020 quarantine. After a month of solitude in a studio apartment with my cat, I needed a good reason to go outside. 

Although my motivation for adopting Rocky was almost purely due to his cuteness-factor, he has been incredibly helpful in maintaining my routine, physical activity, and mental health. 

I was living in Staunton, Va. at the time and made every attempt to get Rocky socialized with other dogs. We took daily walks downtown, but his focus was primarily on people and the occasional squirrel. 

On days with especially nice weather, we would drive to the Gypsy Hill Dog park – and he hated it. The park itself was (and is) a small fenced-in area with a few wooden obstacles and seats. Every trip looked the same; we would walk in, I would sit on a bench, and Rocky would spend the next half-hour under the same bench. Even when other dogs or people approached him, he would stay hidden. 

In June, we moved to Harrisonburg. Despite my efforts failing at the Staunton park, I was determined for Rocky to make friends at Harrisonburg’s dog park. Our first trip, honestly, was underwhelming. We went around 3 p.m., and whether the cause was quarantine or the hot weather, there was only one other person and dog there. 

That, for Rocky, seemed to be the best possible situation. The Harrisonburg dog park is significantly larger than the one in Staunton, and this one has trees (Rocky’s favorite part).

He was still skittish around the dog, but there was so much space for him to run around that it didn’t phase him. He ran from tree to tree, marking and sniffing each of them. 

Since then, he has become acquainted with many dogs and definitely likes them more than people at this point. 

The Harrisonburg dog park is split into three large fenced-in areas: one for small dogs, one for big dogs, and one for both. Rocky is only twelve pounds (thirteen when he’s had a lot of treats), so he will never be on the big-dog side. He has a love for big dogs though, so we make occasional trips to the all-dog section. 

The park provides dog-poop bags, as well as water fountains for the pups in the small and large dog sections, but there is no water fountain in the all-dog section. If it’s a hot day, I’d recommend visiting one with water. 

Members of the EMU community with dogs should take a trip to Harrisonburg’s dog park at 1646 Smithland Road Harrisonburg, Va. More information can be found on The City of Harrisonburg’s website. I promise you’ll enjoy it as much as your pet does!