Fenced Dog Parks and Dog Swimming Spots Near Wassenaar and The Hague

Overview: every spot in one table

Fenced dog parks: where can your dog run safely?

In Wassenaar itself there's no fenced dog park. There are plenty of off-leash areas, but none is fully enclosed. Park De Wittenburg and the beach have no limit on the number of dogs. Elsewhere, such as Park De Paauw and Backershagen, you can have up to four dogs off-leash per person. All the spots and rules are in our Off-Leash Dog Areas in Wassenaar guide.

In The Hague, dogs must be on a leash almost everywhere except in designated off-leash areas. The municipality is refurbishing and adding to these:

• Asmansweg: a new off-leash area by the power station, with a sand play area.
• Oranjeplein: the fence has been repaired.
• Allard Piersonlaan: a new field is coming.

The current off-leash areas are on The Hague's official dog map. For bigger green off-leash areas, which aren't fenced, try Clingendael (designated parts), the Scheveningse Bosjes (parts), the Haagse Bos (several areas run by Staatsbosbeheer) and Madestein (the grass field between Oostmadeweg and Madepolderweg).

A bit further away, on Molenpad in Zoeterwoude, there's a free fenced field of about 500 m². It has a 1.5 m fence with a double gate, a small pool and some toys. The dog school that describes it says it's suitable for puppies.

Dog swimming spots near Wassenaar

1. The sea at Wassenaar. The whole beach is an off-leash area, water included. The only exception is in summer (15 May–15 September), when dogs aren't allowed on the stretch at the Wassenaarse Slag beach cafés between 09:00 and 19:00. See Dogs on the Beach in Wassenaar for the details, plus what to know about seawater and currents.

2. Meijendel, Waalsdorp entrance. At the car park by the Waalsdorp entrance (Oude Waalsdorperweg) there's a small off-leash area with a dog swimming pond. It's the only off-leash spot with swimming water that Dunea mentions for Meijendel. Once you cross the cycle path, the leash goes back on.

3. Klinkenbergerplas, Oegstgeest. According to Nationaal Park Hollandse Duinen, there's a dog beach on the far side of the lake. The municipality says dogs must be on a leash unless signs say otherwise, and are never allowed on the swimming beaches, lawn or play zone. So follow the signs on site. The municipality also warns that blue-green algae can appear here outside the summer season.

4. Katwijk beach, section C. North of the outflow, dogs are allowed on the beach all year, off-leash.

Not a dog spot: the Vlietland recreation area (Leidschendam) has no dog beach. From 1 April to 1 October dogs aren't allowed on its beaches and must be leashed on the lawns.

An indoor pool for dogs? We found no indoor pool within about 20 km of Wassenaar where dogs can swim just for fun. But Zwembad Haasbroek in Zoeterwoude holds a yearly “Hondenplons” (dog splash day) at the end of the outdoor swimming season in September, when dogs get the pool for a day.

Blue-green algae: always check before swimming

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is dangerous for dogs. They take in the toxins by drinking the water or licking their coat.

• Check zwemwater.nl first. It shows the water quality at official swimming spots from 1 May to 1 October.
• Not sure? A green, blue-green or paint-like layer, or floating scum with a bad smell, means no swimming.
• Symptoms after swimming? Vomiting, drooling, trembling, wobbling or drowsiness mean you go to a vet immediately. Symptoms can start within minutes to a few hours, and there's no antidote. Small dogs are at higher risk.
• Rinse your dog with clean water after every swim.

Where can my puppy play safely?

Puppies want to play, but a busy off-leash area full of big, unknown dogs isn't a good first experience. What works better:

• A puppy class with structured socialisation. There are several around Wassenaar and The Hague, for example Puppyclass (at the Waalsdorperlaan car park) and OhMyDog (at the Bosjes van Pex and in Scheveningen, for puppies aged 10–16 weeks). Ask how they handle play time. Not every class does free play, and that's often a good thing.
• Play dates with one or two calm, vaccinated dogs you know, in a garden or a fenced field.
• Quiet times at a fenced field, such as weekday daytime.
• Hold off on busy dog areas until your puppy has finished the full vaccination course. Ask your vet when that is.

For more on the socialisation window (3 to 16 weeks) and calm places in Wassenaar, read our Puppy socialisation guide.

Frequently asked questions