Natick Dog Park Opening Soon — Here's How To Prepare

NATICK, MA — Natick's first fenced dog park will open for business sometime this spring. And to prepare local dog owners, the group supporting the park will hold a dog park orientation meeting on Thursday.

The group Fun Informed Dog Owners of Natick (FIDO) will host animal training experts and town officials to instruct dog owners on things like proper behavior and how to stay up-to-date on shots and licenses.

Kelly McPherson, a FIDO co-chair, said that one important point will be showing park users what good dog behavior looks like in an enclosed space.

"We help people to understand how to look at your dog to see if they're being overwhelmed," McPherson said.

Also, expect some talk about poop-scooping etiquette.

Once open, Natick will have one of the few fenced dog parks in the area. Some parts of Callahan State Park in Framingham are designated for off-leash use, but there's no fence to keep dogs from running off. There are fenced parks in Needham and Medway, but they have restrictions on who can use them.

There's no firm opening date for the park yet, McPherson said. It's possible the park could open in April, but that's if winter continues to miss the area. The Natick Conservation Commission, the park's landlord, also still has to finalize park rules. As of Feb. 25, crews were still installing fences and finishing landscape work. The park is located near the Middlesex Path parking lot at 109 West Central St.

The park was funded in part by a $200,00 grant from the Stanton Foundation and another $50,000 raised by FIDO.

The dog park orientation meeting begins at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St. See more on the FIDO Facebook page.