Are there any areas of water that you can take your dog during the day? My boxer overheats very easy so I need a place where he can play in water or else he gets stuck inside all day. Anyone have any clues?

Popham State Park is open to dogs in the winter but the end of the beach near Fort Popham is open to dogs all year long. Low tide is best since there is little beach at high tide. Watch for people fishing for stripers, they don't care for dogs in the bait buckets :)

I would love to know of some freshwater lakes that are dog friendly in the Brunswick area.

matt

* in Old Orchard Beach, dogs CAN be on the beach BEFORE 10a.m. and AFTER 5 p.m. from Memorial day - Labor Day -- they can be unleashed but must be under Voice Control
* they can NOT be on the MAIN STREET of town from 10a.m. - 3 p.m. from Memorial Day - Labor Day as well
* we also have a Dog Park with separate areas for small and large dogs in Memorial Park across from the Train Station next to the Tennis Courts that is open all the time --
there is a water fountain there as well

Nancy says:Thanks Pat! The same holds true for
Ocean Park correct?

Dogs are allowed on Willard Beach 6 to 9 a.m. ONLY May 1 through September 30. The beach is closed to everyone after 9 p.m., including dogs. Dogs must under control -- use a leash if your dog is not under voice control.

Accordint to your pictures, you actually weren't at Bug Light Park, but I'm not going to post where you were becaue I don't want to see it overrun with people and dogs. I have to agree with the people who took you to task for sharing "their" dog spot. I no longer tell people about my great dog places because they have become overrun with people and dogs. I hate picking up after people who leave poop-filled plastic bags behind!!!!!!! There is constant pressure on popular places like Willard Beach to increase the restrictions on dogs, and I personally hate seeing it publicized.

Pine Point is a nice, big beach for dogs. June 15 to September 15: 6 - 9 a.m. off-leash, 5 p.m. on on-leash. Same rules at Higgins. Ferry Beach in Scarborough used to be a great dog beach, but now dogs have to be leashed on half of it at all times because of piping plovers.

Nancy says-thanks for the info. It was bug light for sure! I just didn't post the lighthouse pics, they didn't come out so good. Did I break the law being there at sunset??? the sign at Willard said dogs are allowed from 9pm to 9am. I was at the parking lot at the college. Maybe it is different at that end?

I'll take a chance and say it looked like Spring Point to me. Sorry to contradict you -- a lot of people get those two mixed up. No, you weren't breaking the law. SoPo has a few "semi-beaches" like that those two that are OK for dogs any time. But don't tell anyone.

I believe that sign near the college parking lot says "No dogs 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., May 1 - Sept. 30. People in the past took this to mean that after 9 was OK, so the City Council passed a law clarifying that all parks (including beaches) close at 9. The signs are confusing. Another one says anyone with a dog on the beach except between 6 and 9 a.m. May - Sept. is subject to a $1000 fine!

The only way to get an off-leash dog walk in the summer near Portland any more is to start out in Pine Point after 5 p.m., and take your dog off-leash when you hit Old Orchard. Sad. It's made me a morning person.

Nancy says-Thanks Mutt lover! Glad to have you here!

I know of a few great places in portland and around portland you can bring your dog to swim and play offleash muttlover but i dont want to share them because they will just get overrun. sorry.

Take your boxer to Hinkley Park in South Portland, it's on Highland Ave. Two fresh water ponds to swim in and nice walking paths through the woods.
This is a multi-use park, but allows dogs off leash and a lot of dogs go there.

In Bath, Thorne's Head at the north end of High St. has become a very popular area for dog walkers. It is maintained by the Lower Kennebec Regional Land Trust but is open to the public. Open dawn until dusk; friendly, well-behaved dogs allowed off leash; please clean up after them - particularly on the paths. The longer looped path takes you down to the Kennebec River - a good cooling off place for dogs and toes but be VERY careful about the current which can be swift and dangerous. My "water dog" just HAS to get wet, but I don't let him swim out further than a few feet and even then I watch him.

A great beach for dogs is the East end beach in Portland. Before 8:00 a.m and after 5:00 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day it is a full blown dog park. The rest of the year, dogs allowed all times. 727270

I should have said that the only way to get an off-leash BEACH dog walk near Portland in the evenings is to start out in Pine Point ... thankfully we still have a lot of other off-leash options around here.

Ryan, you sound a bit snarky. It' s very difficult for the local dog owners when places like Hinkley Park become big dog spots (don't take your dog there after 5 unless she likes crowds, and please have your dog REALLY under voice control if she's off-leash) and local non-dog lovers start talking about cracking down on dogs. One of my favorite places was shut down to dogs year-round because of too many referrals (including a dog trainer who told all her classes). I pick up a lot of poop-filled plastic bags from another spot, which I never used to have to do. Unfortunately there are a lot of irresponsible dog owners out there who make it tougher for everyone to maintain access.

for the record I caught the most guff for blogging Hinkley park here:
http://blogs.mainetoday.com/dogslife/001762.html

If your dog is not under voice control there is a dog park in Old Orchard Beach and two in Portland, one of which is 7 acres, and aside from the toxic waste (only half kidding) it is very nice!