Humans across SoCal love dogs.

I know this because I’m a dog named Bob living in Watts, and the city of L.A. spends more to protect stray dogs than it does to protect young people. (Really. Save the humans.)

Still, it can be hard to find a safe and fun place to play – free of leashes, traffic and those scary mail carriers armed with pepper spray.

So, for pits, pugs and Pekingese, here are the best bite-free bets for pets. (And you can take your humans, too.)

1. Best spot ever invented – Rosie’s Dog Beach

Rosie’s is the only legal dog beach in L.A. County. No fear of ducking and dodging expensive ticketing by cops or lifeguards here. This place is pure magic. The dogs are nice, not aggressive. (The ocean and sun chills everyone out.)

You can run off leash all you want, flee from the waves or splash in the sea, dig deep holes – a great way to cool off on hot days – swim or surf or kick sand in the face of your humans. Just don’t poop in the water.

There’s a cement bike and running path here, but for that part, you have to be on leash. The fresh drinking water is close to the parking lot. With a fairly long walk across the sand to reach the ocean, tell your humans to carry some water.

This is one of the few dog parks that has bathrooms for people. There are also outdoor showers where both dogs and people can rinse off the sand and sea.

Hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Address: 5000 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, 908033
Parking: Plenty of metered parking in a huge lot

2. Runners’ paradise – Redondo Beach Dog Park

This place is extra huge and wide open. Without any trees to crash into, it’s the favorite spot of racers – dogs who run just for the joy of it, fliers so fast they leave dust trails in the sky, chasers of other dogs and balls and sticks, jumpers and smashers and trick masters. In the back, right corner there’s an obstacle course – one of only two parks I’ve ever visited that had one.

Hours: Dawn to 9 p.m.
Address: 190 Flagler Lane off 190th St., Redondo Beach, 90277
Parking: Free parking in a lot and on the street

3. For gossip and gabbing – Home Run Dog Park

Dogs and humans love this place. Humans bring their folding chairs and spend hours lounging. Everyone introduces their dogs. When stuff gets hectic – as in a dog that keeps trying to mount you no matter how many times you grrrrr – humans actually take responsibility. Either they step in and pull their dog away or the other people there will scold them until they manage the problem.

There are beautiful trees that offer shade on a hot day. Wood tables provide places for dogs and humans to sit, and if you’re lucky, to get a snack. I’ve seen several dog parties here with decorations.

Time stops and you forget you have real-life responsibilities.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Address: 20357 Studebaker Road, Lakewood, 90713
Parking: Free parking on the street

4. Best spot to chill – Gayle Carter Uptown Dog Park

Longest hours anywhere for a late-night spot. This is a calm, beautiful and carefree little park surrounded by a larger park for your humans, a great place to come if you and your family need a break from a hectic schedule. After heavy rains, one small area might turn into a big puddle. But that can be fun, too, if you’re into mud baths.

Hours: Dawn to 10 p.m.
Address: 4600 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, 90805
Parking: Free parking on the street

5. Top park for your human – Polliwog Dog Run

It’s often referred to as a dog park, but that’s an exaggeration. It’s just a narrow strip of ground. It’s operated by Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation, and they call it a “dog run.” It also has all sizes of dogs in the same place.

But dogs always put our humans first and Polliwog Park is a great place for people tiny and tall. There are eight acres of grassy hills that I actually ran and tumbled down, a big lake with fountains and ducks, an outdoor theater and a little place they call a Botanical Garden that you can walk through filled with wildflowers, butterflies and squirrels.

Hours: 6:30 a.m. to Sunset
Location: At the top of the hill on the west side of Polliwog Park
Redondo Avenue and Manhattan Beach Boulevard,
Manhattan Beach, 90266

Most promising – Ross Snyder Dog Park

Poor dogs, like poor people, get a lot less resources. It’s not fair that some dogs have to travel so far to other cities to get a park.

The east side of South Central L.A. just opened its first dog park operated here by Los Angeles City Parks and Recreation.

This dog park doesn’t benefit from all the funding, staffing and support that the other parks listed in this Top 5 get that are located in wealthier communities. Comparing it doesn’t seem fair. But here I go anyway.

Because I live close to this park, I want it to be great. There is a drinking fountain with fresh water and trash cans with plastic bag dispensers attached. It’s clean. They planted new trees that will eventually grow.

But… the ground surface is astro turf, so that has me thinking – where does all the pee go?

It feels claustrophobic with a maze of fencing you have to walk through if you come from the main entrance to the park on 41st Street. I was dragged inside because I refused to get trapped in that fencing. It’s better to enter from the back of the park off East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. People aren’t careful about closing the gates, so you could escape if you’re a runner.

On one side is a giant beige wall. I heard one human say it reminded them of a prison yard.

I have only met one other dog here in all the times I have gone, so I think other canines agree with me.

It’s at the back corner of the park behind two soccer fields. I loved running on the soccer fields more and messing up soccer practice. This is a great place to bring your humans if they like to play or watch soccer.

The recreation center also has youth sports leagues, an after-school program and a summer day camp, but dogs aren’t allowed, so that’s disappointing.

Ross Snyder Recreation Center
1501 E. 41st St., L.A., 90011
Very limited free parking in a small lot.
Parking on the street is also free, but hard to find.

Dog Park Essentials

These elements make up a good dog park:

1. Ground surface that’s pawsitively comfortable, easy to clean and dries out quickly, such as sand, packed dirt or low-cut grass. Avoid wood chips and astro turf.
2. Separate sections for big dogs and little dogs. Why do people expect a 16-pound dog with little legs to survive with a crowd of 80-pound pits, overly-affectionate Golden Doodles and rambunctious huskies? Those dogs run like they’re on meth.
3. Double fencing at entrances with secure latching on both sides to protect dogs from bolting out into the street or unfenced sections of a park.
4. A fresh and clean source of water.
5. Maintenance and respect. Parks that aren’t free from s#*t should be avoided. Waste carries diseases, worms and parasites that your dog can catch.
6. Posted rules are a good sign.
7. Trash cans and plastic bags should be available in several locations. Signs should remind people to pick up after their dogs. We would do it, but we don’t have opposable thumbs. We are very clean and discreet animals when it comes to excrement. It’s bad enough we have to go in public. Don’t humiliate us by leaving it there.

Keep the peace

Redondo Beach Dog Park asks visitors to look out for these signs that a dog fight could happen:

1. Posture – Dogs’ body language tells you whether we are feeling fear (tucked tail, cowering), anger – (bristled hair, ears laid back, bared teeth, growling); anxiety or submission (going down on our stomach, rolling over, allowing a dog to mount us. Watch us carefully, since changes can happen in an instant. Protect us from being abused or attacking others.
2. Packing – Several dogs in a tight group can quickly escalate into a fight. We don’t like to feel closed in or trapped unless we are completely trusting of who we are surrounded by. Break up groups at the first hint of tension.
3. Possession – Whether it’s their human, a ball or a snack, most dogs protect what belongs to us. Be vigilant when another dog might be testing boundaries.
4. Provoking – People, if your dog is continuously annoying, playing too rough or is aggressive toward other dogs, attach them to a leash, and lead them away at least 30 feet to cool off. If that doesn’t work, leave the park. Sometimes, we’re just having a ruff day (get it?)
5. Stay close enough to control or protect your dog. Keep a collar or harness on your dog, so you can pull us away or attach a leash quickly.
6. If a fight breaks out, don’t reach in toward teeth. Pull your dog away from behind. Make sure to always have a collar or harness on your dog, so you can pull them away. If needed, you can distract the dogs with a blast of water, a loud whistle or a pocket air horn.
7. If your dog is not in the fight, remove them to a neutral area.
8. Stay calm and firm. Panicking or yelling only escalates the conflict.

Places to avoid for now

1. El Dorado Nature Center & Park in Long Beach off the Spring Street exit of the 605 Freeway charges $8 for parking, so the dog park isn’t worth it. But for free you can access the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals spcaLA Marketplace at 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach, 90815. Buy all your dog food, treats and toys here and 100% of the profits go to animal shelters. As a dog who was found alone and hungry on the street as a puppy, this is a priority for me. Plus, after buying 10 bags of food, the next one is free. And the prices here are lower than the corporate pet supply stores.
2. Bixby Dog Park, 130 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, 90802 is covered in nasty, pee-soaked, uncomfortable-for-paws wood chips. If this park was improved it’s a perfect spot in the heart of a dog-friendly neighborhood.
3. Hollydale Dog Park, 13401 Rancho Camino Drive, Paramount, 90723 has so much potential, with great water fountains, packed dirt surface perfect for running and a few great physical challenges to try. But there was a lot of s#*t. Please people, don’t mess things up for everyone else.
4. El Segundo Dog Park, 901 E. Imperial Ave., El Segundo, 90245 has the most beautiful trees ever. With a few upgrades – a water source and more places to access plastic bags and trash cans – this park would deserve a try. Don’t come if you or your human are sensitive to loud airplane noise. This park is next to Los Angeles International Airport.

Editor’s Note:

• Alignment of photos was changed for better placement, photos were added and tags were added on Tuesday, June 13.