Henrico County Recreation and Parks lets dogs play off leash in exactly two places: the dog parks at Dorey Park and Short Pump Park. Everywhere else in county parks, your dog needs to be on a leash. Parks are open dawn to dusk, every day of the year.
Since there are only two county dog parks, one on the east side and one on the west, this post covers both in detail. It also focuses on the skill that matters most once you're inside: telling real play from a fight that's starting.
Dorey Dog Park (eastern Henrico)
- Where: Dorey Park, 2999 Darbytown Road, Henrico, VA
- Size and fence: 1 acre, with a 6-foot enclosed fence
- Layout: two areas, one for small dogs and one for larger dogs
- Hours: the park is open daily from dawn to dusk
- Official page: henrico.gov Dorey Park
Dorey Park also has a pond with a walking trail, wooded paths, and a connector trail to the Virginia Capital Trail. That makes it easy to pair a short dog park visit with a calm, leashed walk. Don't take your dog into the spray park, where pets are not permitted.
Short Pump Dog Park (western Henrico)
- Where: Short Pump Park, 3329 Pump Road, Henrico, VA
- Layout: separate areas for small and large dogs
- Surface: synthetic grass made for dog parks
- Hours: open daily, dawn to dusk
- Official page: henrico.gov Short Pump Park
There's a picnic shelter next to the dog park that's first come, first served; the county says it doesn't take reservations. On hot days, synthetic turf can heat up, so feel it with your hand before a long play session.
Henrico's dog park rules, in plain language
Both parks post the same regulations:
- You are legally responsible for your dog the whole time.
- The dog park is only for dog owners and their dogs.
- Have your dog's current license tags with you. Your dog should be free of contagious disease and parasites.
- Handlers must be 16 or older and must keep their dog in view and under control.
- Children 15 and under must have an adult with them.
- Not allowed: dogs in heat, sick dogs, aggressive dogs, gum, smoking and glass.
The main skill: reading play versus trouble
From a trainer's point of view, the most useful thing you can bring to Dorey or Short Pump isn't a toy. It's knowing what you're looking at.
Good play usually has:
- Loose, curvy bodies and silly, bouncy movement
- Play bows
- Role reversals, where the chaser becomes the chased
- Built-in pauses, like a shake-off, a sniff, or a quick drink
Signs to step in calmly:
- A dog freezing, going stiff, or staring hard
- One dog trying to escape, hide under a bench, or stay close to its owner
- A group of dogs chasing one dog with no breaks
- Mounting or body-slamming that doesn't stop when the other dog moves away
The consent test: gently hold the more pushy dog by the collar or harness for a few seconds. If the other dog comes back to play, they were both having fun. If the other dog leaves, help your dog end it and take a short sniff break along the fence.
When you step in, keep it boring. Call your dog in a happy voice, reward them, and move to the other side of the park, or out to a leashed walk around the pond at Dorey.
Etiquette worth adopting
- Wait at the gate if a crowd forms. Walk the fence line until it clears.
- Take the leash off once you're inside the double gate so your dog isn't tethered while loose dogs crowd around.
- Use the small dog area for small dogs. It protects them from being bowled over.
- Leave high-value toys at home if any dog there might guard them.
Dogs who should sit this one out
Some dogs are happier and safer without the dog park:
- Reactive or fearful dogs. Fence-line crowds are hard for them. Start with a calmer plan in reactive dog training in Richmond.
- Puppies who haven't finished their vaccines. Ask your vet when your puppy is ready.
- Dogs who are sick, in heat, or have a history of fights. Henrico's rules prohibit these.
Better options: a leashed walk on Dorey's trails, a one-on-one playdate with a dog you know, or training sessions that teach calm focus around other dogs.
Vaccines, licensing and your vet
Henrico asks handlers to carry current license tags and keep dogs free of contagious disease and parasites, so check with your vet that vaccines and parasite prevention are current before a first visit to Dorey or Short Pump. On hot days, ask your vet about paw care too, since synthetic turf heats up, and call them if your dog seems sore or unwell afterward.
Before you go
- Check the county park page for hours or notices
- License tags and rabies tag on your dog's collar
- Your vet has okayed dog park play
- Leash, waste bags and water
- Recall practiced at home this week
- A handler 16 or older will be in charge
- Touch the turf at Short Pump on hot days
- A plan to leave if things feel off
Heading east or north instead? see Richmond city dog parks and Hanover County dog parks with time-out pens, or our regional guide to dog parks around Richmond.
Getting started
Fun at Dorey or Short Pump starts with a dog who listens to you at home. Our in-home dog training in Richmond sessions build recall and calm greetings right where your dog lives, so a visit to the park goes better.
Want a dog who comes back when you call at Dorey or Short Pump? Call or text (804) 885-2424, or book a consult.
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