We’re Meg and Malissa, two dog-lovers who know firsthand what makes this park so special, and we’re committed to preserving the things our members love while bringing new energy and ideas to its future. The dog park on Archer Road has gone by other names in the past – Must Love Dogs, and Dogwood Park – and we are excited to carry this special place forward as 16 Acre Wood.
The wide-open fields, shady oaks, pond, and natural surroundings are still here — along with plenty of squirrels and lizards for curious dogs to watch and chase. It’s a place where dogs can run, explore, swim, and simply be dogs while their humans relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Whether you’ve been part of Gainesville’s largest and most beloved dog park for years or you’re discovering us for the first time, we can’t wait to welcome you to 16 Acre Wood.
16 Acre Wood is a private, off-leash dog park in Gainesville, FL with 16 acres of shaded, fully fenced off-leash space, a swimming pond, sand pit, and room to roam. Enjoy 365-day daylight access, premium amenities, and a clean, safe environment where all dogs are vaccinated.
Amenities include
Park membership includes 365 days of daylight access. Members have key fobs that allow entry through a secure member gate. We offer amenities to make your visits easier and our staff is always available during office hours. Additionally, all dogs entering the park are vetted and up-to-date on vaccinations. We strive to make the park a safe and enjoyable home away from home for dogs and their humans!
Non-members are welcome during office hours with proof of rabies and DHPP vaccination; dogs over 7 months must be spayed or neutered. Day passes are $10 and the fee is credited toward a membership if you join the same day.
If planning to visit more than 3 times in a month, then a membership paid monthly is recommended for savings and added flexibility.
All dogs who enter the park must have up-to-date Rabies and DHPP/DAPP (distemper, adenovirus/hepatitis, parvovirus ± parainfluenza) vaccines. A titer test showing your dog maintains the appropriate level of immunity may be submitted in place of a current DHPP vaccination record.
Please contact management if there is a medical reason your dog cannot receive these vaccines.
Dogs coming into the park should be friendly (or indifferent) to both humans and other dogs. Aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. Given the large, off-leash environment and in order to maintain a safe and welcoming atmosphere, we cannot permit aggressive dogs into the park.
Please leave a collar on your dog(s) while in the park and/or have your leash with you in order to gain control over your dog if necessary.
Have a reactive dog? We’re planning a separate fenced yard near the parking lot, with its own entrance, that you’ll be able to book by appointment.
Anyone entering the park — a friend, family member, trainer, or anyone else — needs a liability waiver on file. If they haven’t filled one out yet, have them swing by the office first.
We’re clearing vines off the fence along Archer Road, raising the tree canopy so it’s easier to see across the park, and tackling the parking area if there’s time. Come for whatever part of the morning you can.
Bring: work gloves, trash or yard-debris bags, and a weed eater, pruning shears, or small electric saw if you have one. We’ll have water and Gatorade.
Several tons of sand arrive Monday. It’s been a long while since there’s been a fresh mound to dig in, so send us your photos once your dogs find it.
The floors and walls are done, so painting starts next week: inside the building, plus the outside decks and doors. No artistic talent required. Email us your availability and we’ll set up times.
People have shown up with mowers, gloves, trailers, ladders and a willingness to get dirty, and it’s gotten us open. A few things left still need money or hands, and we want to be open about exactly what we’re raising for.
What your donations are paying for
They’ve mowed, hauled, cleared brush, fixed things, and spent some very sweaty hours helping us bring this place back to life. We genuinely couldn’t have gotten this far without them.
These are the people who have put their own money behind getting the gates open again. Every donation, big or small, gets us a little closer.
You may have spotted the new 16 Acre Wood sign out front. It came in the wrong size, so a properly sized one is on the way, but we were too excited not to put it up anyway. Painting inside the building starts next week; the floors and walls took longer than we expected, and we think the result will be worth it. We’re also on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok (@16.acre.wood), so tag us in your park photos.
We can now confirm our prior training partnership won’t be resuming, and the park won’t receive any support from training sold through that referral. This is strictly a business decision, not a comment on anyone’s skill as a trainer. Going forward, every guest who enters the park — friend, family member, trainer, or anyone else — needs a liability waiver on file.
A big thank you to everyone who helped with mowing, to Dan for helping with the roof, and to Brent for the gutters. New floors and wall paneling are going in this week. After that it’s cleaning, priming, painting and setting up shop, and then we’ll share a timeline for daycare and boarding. It shouldn’t be long.
The lobby floor is rebuilt and walkable, and construction has started on the back half of the building. Once the whole floor is safe, we’ll start phasing daycare and boarding back in.
Key fobs are in hand and the membership software is running. We started renewing memberships on September 14, and $10 day passes are back for non-members.
The new magnetic lock and chip reader are running on the main gate. Old fobs don’t work with the new system, so we’re handing out new ones as memberships renew.
Alongside rabies, we require DHPP (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, parainfluenza), or titers showing immunity. That’s not the canine influenza vaccine, which we don’t require. Parvovirus is our biggest concern given how much ground we’d have to disinfect if it showed up.
Contractors have been through the main building and the first estimates for the roof and floor are in. WastePro dropped off a dumpster, the LLC paperwork cleared, and the business account opened.
Russell brought his mower out and members turned up with weed eaters. The grounds look like a park again.
Daycare and boarding shut first, then the park itself on August 7.
