Fenced-In field for rent in Massachusetts?

April 28, 2017 9:42 AM

Where can I find a grassy field that is completely fenced in that I can rent for an afternoon in Massachusetts? I have two dogs, but one dog I can't bring to a dog park (he's reactive) but I'd like to run them outside.

I have 2 whippets, one is very reactive so I can't bring him to a fenced in dog park. The perfect solution would be a football-field sized area that his completely fenced in. I'm happy to drive to get there, the dogs are good in the car. Are there fields for horses I could rent for an hour? Cost isn't really an issue considering I can't find anything at this point.

Any suggestions are appreciated. As whippets they are insanely fast dogs, so I'd prefer to go to a closed in field and just let them run versus going to a park and taking my chances.

posted by Farce_First to Pets & Animals (8 answers total)

Have you considered indoor soccer fields? The dogs can go nuts and can't escape. They will be empty this time of year. They're all over the place -- Marlborough, Danvers. Also, how about tennis courts early in the morning? Again, not grass but they are fenced.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 9:50 AM on April 28, 2017

Generally, horse fences wouldn't be anything to stop a dog. Not even most covered riding arenas have tall enough walls that a dog wouldn't just jump over them.
posted by triscuit at 9:52 AM on April 28, 2017

Have you considered dog parks off-hours? There are lots of times the dog parks I go to are absolutely empty. If you have a dog park with good parking visibility, you can see new dogs in the parking lot and leave before they come in. There is a chance that a park near you sits empty for hours and hours at a time.
posted by Vaike at 12:41 PM on April 28, 2017

Response by poster: Some feedback:
1. The dogs are actually pretty good - I just don't want to take any chances. The dog with the issue is in training and has been for over a year.
2. Any fence seems to stop them - if it's in their visual field, they turn course. They're not jumpers either - they can do it, but we specifically avoided teaching them to jump.
3. I do the parks off hours when I can, but sometimes even at midnight there's other folks there - I'm in Cambridge and people keep odd hours

I'll look into the soccer fields, but am open to other suggestions
posted by Farce_First at 1:30 PM on April 28, 2017

I don't know the area but there are my general ideas:
- Indoor horse arena
- Doggy day care, if they can give you some solo time
- Indoor golf place?
- Rink that is used for broomball or hockey, but is now full of grass
- Warehouse (no grass but lots of space)
posted by ramenopres at 2:05 PM on April 28, 2017

My local park has a fenced tennis court that I've turned the dogs loose into occasionally - when there are no tennis players, of course!
posted by sarajane at 3:12 PM on April 28, 2017

When I worked at an animal shelter, that shelter had several very sturdily fenced, fairly large dog runs for this purpose amongst others. Maybe call around to animal shelters and see if they know of one you could borrow? Many shelters know each other so even if the ones you call don't have it they might know of someone who does.
posted by vegartanipla at 4:47 PM on April 28, 2017

I think Triangle Field at Tufts would work. It's fenced in and close to the size of a football field. It's used for kids soccer, but is usually empty otherwise. The field is at the powderhouse rotary between College Ave and Powderhouse.

Some of the other soccer/baseball fields in Somerville are completely fenced in, particularly Nunziato Field (next to a dog park) and Hodgkins-Curtin park.
posted by poodelina at 4:58 AM on April 29, 2017