The Barrington Paw Park is located within Haines Park in Barrington, Rhode Island. The dog park is only half a mile from 103 on Haines Park Road. Easy enough to remember. However, the dog park is hard to see with the naked eye from the road since it is located behind one of the baseball diamonds. It appears as though there is a second baseball diamond but it has become part of the dog park area. The parking lot is shared with the baseball diamond and shaded by the forest, which will keep your car cool in the summer.
Walking past the old baseball diamond in back you will arrive at the double gate to the park. The Barrington Paw Park, otherwise known as the Kimberly Perrott Memorial Dog Park, has two double gates located on opposite sides of the space.
Unlike a lot of dog parks, this one doesn’t have two different sections separating small and large dogs. It is simply a huge space for all dogs to run around. There are positives and negatives to this. Many small dog owners worry about their dog being bullied by the larger dogs and insist on a section with a weight limit. On the contrary, after talking to 
some of the patrons of the park, I found that it’s the small dogs running the show with their “Napoleon Complex”. The benefit to keeping all of the dogs together is that there is always another dog to play with. With separated parks, two dogs may be on one side while only one sits on the other, lacking a friend to socialize with. The Barrington Paw Parks singular section lets all the dogs play together making slow days more enjoyable. The size of the undivided space is another great benefit to this dog park. Dog owners can throw a ball as far as they want, giving their dog more exercise than they could in smaller parks.
Looking at the amenities of the park, it appears to be average. Barrington has dog poop bags provided which is always welcome, and trash cans for only dog feces. Unfortunately, there is only one place to sit in the park, a bench in dedication to Kimberly Perrott, and it is on the sunny side in the afternoon. The park could benefit more seats but with a lot of shade provided by surrounding trees, patron’s and dogs alike can stay out of the summer sun if need be. There are no lights for seasons with shorter days, and with the dog park being so isolated one of the patrons, Kathy Sullivan, claimed she might feel uncomfortable walking there alone in the late afternoon hours.
The space itself is fantastic for dogs and children alike to play. The park has both grass and sand sections which are taken care of by the town. The old baseball diamond, fence off from the dog park is the perfect spot for children to run around and have their own fun without fear of bothering foreign canine. Parents can let their children and their doggy children have fun, keeping a protective over both.
The Barrington Dog Park is a large space that fits majority of dog owners’ needs and for those who live close by, the perfect spot to bring dogs and children. Take a look for yourself and tell us what you think of the park below.
