DuSable Dog Park

You just can’t beat free! DuSable is open to residents and non-​residents alike, unlike so many parks in the STL area. They have long hours, too.
I will absolutely be back. My ‘lil guy loved this place, and played with plenty of dogs. According to the Saint Charles govt. website for the park, the «small dogs» side is for dogs 25 pounds and under, whereas the «big dogs» side is for dogs 25 pounds and over. That said, there was quite a bit of mixing, and these «rules» definitely weren’t followed while I was there. Didn’t bother me any, though, since my tiny Chihuahua mix wound up playing with a Pitt mix more than anyone else, and we stuck with the «big dogs» side for the most part.
Anyway, when you visit you’re bound to find dog shit everywhere, despite tons of shopping bags being tied to the fences all around the parks. Fortunately since it was cold when we went, it was mostly frozen anyway. It was also quite muddy in spots, with several pools of water several inches thick. But hey, you can’t beat free! Apart from the dog poop, the park was very clean and perfectly sized for a mostly-​unleashed afternoon of fun.
Oh, a tip: bring a towel! Your dog’s paws will surely be muddy after coming here, and that’s if they don’t manage to completely wallow in the watery mud pit from head to toe.

This place is tucked away off the beaten path but worth the trip. Both sections of the park that were open were quite spacious and there were great grassy areas to run and play. There were lots of dirt/​muddy areas too, but I’m guessing the land is still recovering from the tons of recent snow. There was a great mix of dogs, and folks with medium-​sized dogs moved between the two areas fairly often, so don’t feel pressured to stick to just one side.
We saw one guy drop off his dog and then go sit in his truck in the parking lot instead of staying inside the fence and watching her. This was frowned upon by everyone there, so please don’t be *that* person!
This place would have normally received ¾ stars because of the condition of the grass (nonexistent in many places) and random mud pits, but since it’s one of the very few dog parks in St. Louis that is FREE, I’m a happy camper.

I love dog parks, and my dogs enjoy them too. Haha.
The park is always clean, the fencing is very secure, the «man trap» door is very safe for the puppies, and there is a good «creeper» to «normal» person ratio. I am comfortable with my wife going there without me.
The St. Charles City Police patrol regularly.

I confess, we have a small, very spoiled dog who really doesn’t think she’s a dog — she thinks she’s a princess. It’s not that she doesn’t like other dogs, it’s that she doesn’t feel that she has anything in common with them. So, being the helicopter dog mom that I am, I went out to check out DuSable Dog Park before I would let my little baby girl anywhere near the place.
Immediately, I was impressed. It is clean, well-​manicured, and free of anything that would be dangerous to dogs. There are three fenced-​in areas — one for large dogs, one for small dogs, and one that is open which I assume is to let the grass grow before they put dogs back into it.
Satisfied that it was good enough for our little girl, we took her over on a Sunday when it was a bit crowded. There were probably 30 little dogs on the little dog side, but we went in anyway, figuring we could fend off a little dog or two if we had to. We didn’t have to — all of the owners were very respectful of other dogs, which kind of surprised us (because you know how some people are — treating their pets like humans and all!). The dogs were running around, but the owners were right there making sure that they didn’t bother any other dogs or owners.
Our dog stayed very close to us for a while, and then branched out where she was walking around (not running, as that is not ladylike). She was getting a little sniffy with some other dogs, which we hadn’t seen her do before. She wasn’t making any BFFs, but she did wag just a little bit.
The big dog side had a lot of dogs in it, and they were well-​segregated from the little dogs. Each side had places to sit, and people also brought their own lawn chairs. Each area has plenty of water for all the dogs, and two of the areas have picnic tables under small shelters.
The only thing I’d change is that the big dog and the little dog sections share one gate to get in. Although all of the big dog people were respectful and held their dogs back when a little dog came through, it would have been better to have the gates on opposite sides.
We’ll definitely go back, and maybe our dog will become more friendly with the other little dogs, and maybe we’ll learn to be less protective… nah!

Yeah I’m going to say that this is a super awesome dog park with pretty good attendance of both small and big dogs.
Sandy’s review pretty much sums everything up. It’s great for both our 80 pound Chow /​Akita mutt and little Pekingese. One thing of note is that one of the areas has a pavillion in it, so I wonder if you can actually reserve it and have a dog-​friend picnic!

Oy, I had to knock this place down a star based on my last visit. They have some serious drainage problems in the big dog area. Makes for one gigantic mud puddle — aka DOG MAGNET. Plus, it was gnat central. I could only stand it for about 20 minutes before I decided I’d eaten enough of them and it just wasn’t worth it.
There are people working to improve the park, including asking dog owners to sign a petition to solve these drainage problems. They suggested having a donation box/​online donation tool if you want to help support improvements. I’d be all for that!
Plus. if you’re going. PLEASE don’t bring your small children. This is a place for dogs to play. which usually involves running packs and creating gigantic doggy tumbling messes. Kids in strollers DO NOT belong, particularly if you’re going to freak out every time my dog comes up and thinks about sniffing Precious Junior.

Best. Dog Park. In St. Louis Metro.
Large dogs/​small dogs are separated, friendly people and friendly officers.
Please pick up your dog’s poop and they also have a group on fb you can join. Sometimes you can find out if people will be there or not, before you arrive.