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Dog Parks in Victoria BC: A Paradise for Canine Enthusiasts

Because each municipality in Greater Victoria has its own separate list of parks, finding all the off leash dog parks in Victoria is more challenging than it should be. Some municipalities didn't have any listed on their official websites which seems unusual. As I put together this list of off leash dog parks in Victoria BC, one thing became quite clear - the rules and regulations in each municipality vary significantly, with various bylaws addressing:

Restricting the length of leashes
Different hours during which a dog is allowed off leash
Different days of the week when a dog is allowed off leash
Seasonal prohibitions
Designated areas within a park where a dog is allowed off leash

It's no wonder there hasn't been one single list before! To be honest, I doubt even this list of dog parks in Victoria BC is complete but after many hours of research, it's a pretty good start.

One thing that is clear is that each municality encourages responsible dog ownership and abiding basic etiquette in all of the dog parks in Victoria BC.

Dog Park Etiquette

Dog parks serve as valuable spaces for our furry friends to exercise, socialize, and enjoy a sense of freedom. However, to maintain a positive experience for all visitors, it's essential to adhere to proper etiquette and guidelines. The dog parks in Victoria BC are no different. In this section, we explore the principles of dog park etiquette, emphasizing respect, responsibility, and safety for both dogs and their owners.

Leash Control

Before entering any dog park, ensure that your dog is under control on a leash. This initial step sets the tone for a smooth transition should you be entering an off-leash play area. Respect leash laws in areas leading up to the park and only unleash your dog once inside the designated off-leash area.

Supervision

Always keep a watchful eye on your dog while in any dog park, particularly in off-leash areas. Be attentive to their behaviour, interactions with other dogs, and any potential signs of distress or aggression. Avoid distractions such as phones or conversations that may prevent you from promptly addressing your dog's needs.

Recall Training

A reliable recall is paramount in off-leash environments. Practice recall commands with your dog in controlled settings before venturing into off-leash parks. Reinforce positive behavior and use treats or toys as rewards for returning promptly when called.

Socialization

Dog parks provide valuable opportunities for dogs to socialize and learn appropriate canine behavior. Encourage positive interactions by observing your dog's body language and intervening if necessary to prevent conflicts. Respect other dogs' boundaries and be mindful of their comfort levels during play.

Cleanup Responsibility

Carry waste bags at all times and promptly clean up after your dog. Many dog parks in Victoria BC provide dispensers for free poop bags to use while on the premises. Dog parks rely on the cooperation of visitors to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. Dispose of waste in designated bins to keep the park environment pleasant for everyone.

Toy and Treat Sharing

If bringing toys or treats to the park, be willing to share with other dogs in a fair and equitable manner. Avoid bringing toys that may provoke possessive behavior or lead to conflicts between dogs. Supervise playtime to ensure the safety of all participants.

Respect Park Rules

Familiarize yourself with the specific rules and regulations of dog park you visit. These may include guidelines regarding maximum dog capacity, vaccination requirements and park hours. Respect posted signage and instructions from park staff to maintain order and safety within the park.

Dealing with Aggression

In the event of a dog displaying aggressive behaviour, remain calm and assertive. Recall your dog and create distance from the situation to prevent escalation. If necessary, seek assistance from other park visitors or contact authorities for support.

Dog parks offer invaluable opportunities for dogs to exercise, socialize, and thrive in a safe environment. By adhering to principles of etiquette such as leash control, supervision, and cleanup responsibility, visitors can contribute to a positive and harmonious experience for all. Remember, responsible pet ownership is key to fostering a sense of community and enjoyment within dog parks in Victoria BC.

Off-Leash (also known as leash-optional) Dog Parks in Victoria BC

Note this is a list of dog parks in Victoria BC with off-leash or leash optional areas. The entire park may not be leash optional and there may be time of day, day of week or seasonal restrictions. Please abide by the current signage on display throughout the parks.

Agate Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Alexander Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 am and from 4:00 pm until 10:00 pm
Aldersmith Park (View Royal) - leash optional all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
Allenby Park (Saanich) - leash optional all times
Ambassador Park (Saanich) - leash optional all times
Arbutus Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
Balmacarra Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Banfield Park (Victoria) - April 1 to September 30: all days from 6:00 am until 9:00 am and from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm; Oct. 1 to March 31: all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm

Barnard Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:30 am until 8:30 am
Baxter Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Beckton Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Beckwith Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Bernard Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Bisley Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Blair Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Braefoot Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Broadmead Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Brodick Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Browning Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Brydon Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Cadboro-Gyro Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am (beach area is on leash)
Captain Jacobsen Park (Esquimalt) - leash optional at all times
Carter Navaratte (Off-leash) Dog Park (Sooke) - daily from 7 am until dusk
Casa Marcia Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Catalina Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Cecelia Creek Falls Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Century Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Charlton Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Chatterton Hill Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Clover Point Park (Victoria) - all times
Colquitz Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Claremont-Goddard Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Commonwealth Place Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Copley East Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Copley West Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Cordova Bay Beaches (Saanich) - leash optional at all times (seasonal restrictions apply)
Cordova Bay Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Craigflower-Kosapsom Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am

Dallas Road Waterfront Park (Victoria) - The leash-optional area is between Dallas Road and the pathway, from Douglas Street to Clover Point. Dogs are required to be on leash outside of this area including the pathway and anywhere south of the pathway. Leashed dogs are welcome at the Dallas Road waterfront beach area from fall through spring however they are prohibited from being on the beach during summer. This is one of the most popular off leash dog parks in Victoria BC due to its wide open space and because of the amazing vistas pet owners enjoy while their furry friends romp about.
Edge Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Emily Carr Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Estelline Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Fairburn Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Falaise Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Fisherman’s Wharf Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:30 am until 8:30 am
Fowler Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Francisco Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Game Nature Park (View Royal) - leash optional all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
Glanford Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Glencraig Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Gore-Peace Memorial Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Gorge Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times

Gorge Park (Esquimalt) - leash optional at all times in designated area
Gorge Waterway Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Goward Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Hampton Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Harvest Lane Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Highrock Park (Esquimalt) - leash optional at all times (another one of the most popular dog parks in Victoria BC due to the entire park being off leash with a large field, trails and big rocks to run around in)
Horner Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Houlihan Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Hyacinth Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Industrial Buffer Park (Saanich) - all times
Kenmore Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
King Alfred Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Kings Road Community Nature Space Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Knockan Hill Park (View Royal) - leash optional all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
Lambrick Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Layritz Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Leeds Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Lochside Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Macaulay Point Park (Fleming Beach, Esquimalt) leash optional November 1st to May 1st only
Macaulay Point Park (Esquimalt) – on trails from top of hill at breakwater to park entrance off Clifton Terrance AND designated area - leash optional at all times
Majestic Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Maltwood Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Marigold Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Maynard Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
McBriar Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
McMinn Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
McMorran Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am

Meadow Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Montague Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Moor Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Mount View Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Normandy Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times

Oaklands Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:30 am until 9:00 am
Onyx Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Oswald Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:30 am until 10:00 pm
Outerbridge Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Panama Flats (Colquitz Park) (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Panama Hill Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Parker Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Parkwood Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Pemberton Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:30 am until 10:00 pm

Perez Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Playfair Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Pondwood Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Portage Park (View Royal) - leash optional all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
Prospect Lake Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Qu'Appelle Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Rainbow Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Rainbow Ridge Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am

Redfern Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 am and 4:00 pm until 10:00 pm
Regina Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Reynolds Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Rogers Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Rogers Court Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Rosedale Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Rowan Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Rudd Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Rutledge Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Saxe Point Park (Esquimalt) - leash optional at all times on westerly side
Sayward Hill Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Sierra Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Songhees Hilltop Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
South Valley Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Springridge Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Thetis Lake Park (View Royal) - leash optional all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
Tolmie Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Topaz Park – North (Victoria) leash-optional area Monday to Friday from 6:00 am until 10:00 am and from 4:00 pm until 10:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday from 6:00 am until 8:00 am and from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm
Topaz Park – South (Victoria) leash-optional area all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
Tyndall Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Vantreight Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Vic Derman Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am
Vic West Park (Victoria) - all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
View Royal Park (View Royal) - leash optional all days from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm
Wetherby Park (Saanich) - leash optional at all times
Whitehead Park (Saanich) - daily from 6:00 am until 9:00 am (seasonal restrictions apply)
Windsor Park (Oak Bay) - July 1 to August 31: between sunrise and 9:00 am; September 1 to June 30: between sunrise and 11:00 am

Sources for this list:

No Dog Zones

Leashed or not, there are some areas that prohibit all dogs other than certified assistance dogs. They include:

a small area of Beacon Hill Park (the heron rookery), located south of Goodacre Lake (Victoria)
Ross Bay Cemetery (Victoria)
Gonzales Beach and Dallas Road Waterfront beach between June 1 and August 31 (Victoria)
Pioneer Square (Victoria)
playgrounds with sand, rubber, or wood chips (Victoria)
in the golf course and chip trail area of Henderson Park (Oak Bay)
in the Turkey Head Walkway area of the Oak Bay Marina Lookout (Oak Bay)
in the fenced Rose Garden in the easterly portion of Windsor Park (Oak Bay)
in the fenced Water Park in the north easterly portion of Carnarvon Park (Oak Bay)
on Kitty Islet (Oak Bay)
on Willows Beach at any time between May 1 and September 30 in any year (Oak Bay)
Swan Lake/Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary (Saanich)
Quick's Bottom Park (Saanich)
Rithet's Bog Conservation Area - except the perimeter trail where dogs must be on leash (Saanich)
Colwood city sports facilities including West Shore Parks and Recreation (Colwood)
Hatley Memorial Burial Park (Colwood)
Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site (Colwood)
All Langford beaches from June 15 – September 15 (Langford)
School grounds, lacrosse boxes, sports fields, playgrounds, skate parks and gardens (Esquimalt)

Victoria stands as a beacon of canine-friendly spaces, offering a plethora of off-leash dog parks that cater to the diverse needs of our furry companions. From picturesque waterfront vistas to tranquil forested retreats, these parks not only provide opportunities for exercise and socialization but also foster a sense of community among dog owners and their pets. By embracing proper etiquette, respecting park rules, and practicing responsible pet ownership, visitors can ensure that these cherished spaces remain havens of joy and companionship for generations to come. So leash up your four-legged friend, explore the wonders of Victoria's off-leash parks, and bask in the boundless joys of canine camaraderie amidst the breathtaking beauty of Vancouver Island.