Adopting a puppy earlier this year has led me to explore Bend from a new perspective: through dog parks.

The off-leash areas at Alpenglow Community Park, Ponderosa Park and Pine Nursery Park are the ones I frequent most. Each has a designated area for small dogs. According to Bend Park & Recreation District, small dogs are less than 15 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh less than 25 pounds.

There was a time when Juno qualified as a small dog. She’ll always be a puppy in my eyes, but according to regulations, she became a big dog months ago.

Introducing her to the dog park with the other big dogs was intimidating at first. There were dogs twice her size, and she was understandably timid and unsure of how to react. But introducing her to these parks has allowed her to gain valuable social skills that, as the only dog in our home, would be hard to provide for her otherwise.

Alpenglow Community Park, 61049 NE 15th St., Bend

The off-leash area at 3.9-acre Alpenglow Community Park consists of four separate areas: the small dog park, the big dog park and two lawn areas. Recently, one lawn area was temporarily closed, allowing time for the grass to recuperate.

There’s an agility course in both the small and large dog areas, complete with an A-frame, tunnel, see-saw and weave poles. This was a feature I was particularly excited about when the park first opened, but I quickly realized it was more of an attraction for me than for my dog. I’ve noticed it’s the same for most other dogs, who are more interested in getting to know each other and take in all the smells than performing tricks on the agility course.

Nevertheless, the dog off-leash area at Alpenglow Park is at the top of my list. It’s close to where I live, but it’s also just the right size. The lawn area is perfect for a round of fetch, as well as a space for dogs to congregate and meet one another.

In addition to the south end’s double gates, which prevent dogs from escaping when others are entering, there are also double gates on both the north and east sides.

Ponderosa Park, 225 SE 15th St., Bend

The 2.9-acre dog off-leash area at Ponderosa Park is tucked behind the playground and a number of ponderosa pines. It’s long and skinny in shape and lined by the Coyner Trail on one side.

The open space at the entrance is a great place for dogs to congregate. There are also two other gates in addition to the double-gated entryway by the parking lot.

The north side of the off-leash area is generally less crowded and great for walking and working on recall skills.

Pine Nursery Park, Bob Wenger memorial off-leash area, 3750 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend

The off-leash area at Pine Nursery Park, named after pet advocate Bob Wenger, is the largest in Bend at 18.8 acres.

It’s located on the northeast side of the park and features a wide-open lawn, hiking trails and a restroom for humans. It was designed with a misting station in the shape of three red fire hydrants, which has not been operational this year, according to the park district.

In just one visit, I felt that Juno and I only scratched the surface of the off-leash area. It is massive. The fenced-in hiking trails wind through junipers and over lava rock, making a great training area to practice for more open and unfenced off leash-areas.

It almost felt too big, but it’s certainly one that I hope to return to as Juno matures and becomes more comfortable with larger dogs.

In total, there are nine dog off-leash areas in local parks in Bend. Aside from the lawn areas, one thing that all three of these off-leash areas have in common is that they are dusty. Wear closed-toed shoes and prepare for your pup to be a little dustier than when you left home.

Also, be sure to follow the general guidelines set forth by BPRD, such as keeping an eye on your dog at all times and removing your dog if it’s acting aggressively.

Find more information about Bend dog parks at dogpac.org or bendparksandrec.org/parks-trails/dogs-in-parks.