About Frihund

A useful starting point for your next walk

Frihund brings dog parks and designated off-lead areas into one searchable directory. Its purpose is to help you find a candidate, compare the available information and reach the source before travelling. The European guides use local place names and languages; Norway has its own directory at frihund.no.

Frihund publishes this directory independently of the public bodies and map contributors whose records it uses. We do not operate the parks or inspect every location. Questions and corrections go to info@frihund.eu.

Where a listing comes from

European listings combine OpenStreetMap dog-park records with public datasets where available. Examples include Vienna’s dog areas, Denmark’s GeoFA recreation data and the Helsinki metropolitan area Service Map. These sources differ in geography, detail and update frequency. A country with fewer listings may simply have less complete source data.

Each park page links to its source and gives the dataset, licence and retrieval date. OpenStreetMap data is credited to its contributors under the Open Database Licence. Municipal records retain their own attribution. A Google Maps photograph or place link is supplementary information, not proof of public access or current facilities.

What Frihund adds

We put differently structured records into common fields so you can search by place or address, view nearby options and compare available details. Nearby records that describe the same place are merged using location and name checks; the combined record keeps its source references. This reduces repeated map pins, but automated matching can still miss a duplicate or merge neighbouring areas incorrectly.

The coverage table is calculated from the directory after those merges. Fencing is counted as yes or no only when the stored field explicitly says so. An unknown field stays unknown; we do not infer a secure enclosure from a name, photo or the word “park”.

What the checks do not establish

Record checks and matching a map place are not on-site inspections. They do not confirm that a gate closes, a water tap works, a park is suitable for a particular dog or an off-lead rule still applies. Some records identify a broad area rather than its entrance. Always check the route for access before navigating to a pin.

“Retrieved” means when the source data was collected for Frihund. It does not mean someone visited the park that day. A source’s modification date is a separate fact, and it may be earlier. Photos may also predate changes to a site. Where dates or details are absent, ask the operator rather than assuming that conditions are unchanged.

How to check a listing before a trip

1. Read the address, source and available facilities on the park page.
2. Follow the source or operator link for current access, hours and restrictions.
3. Check the entrance and signs when you arrive, especially if fencing is essential.
4. Keep another nearby option in mind if the area is closed, crowded or unsuitable.

Our guide to choosing a dog park works through concrete examples and the questions each record leaves unanswered.

Corrections and editorial responsibility

To report an incorrect location, closure, access restriction or missing park, email info@frihund.eu with the Frihund page URL, the change and the date you noticed it. A public operator notice or source link helps distinguish a lasting change from a temporary condition. Please do not send personal details about other visitors. Reports can be checked against the source before an update.

Guides are published by Frihund. They explain how to use the directory and prepare for a visit; they are not individual park inspections. We do not present imported records as first-hand reviews. Advertising is kept outside European park records, search, maps, contact and privacy pages. See our privacy information for advertising and map providers.