Calgary parks
Weaselhead Flats and Glenmore leash rules
The Weaselhead is where the Elbow River slows into the Glenmore Reservoir, building the bars, channels and marsh the City describes on its page. It is also, the City notes, the best spot in its park system to see a black bear. North Glenmore Park borders the reservoir's north side; South Glenmore Park wraps the south side and includes the Weaselhead. All three are leash-on, and the Weaselhead adds a pathways-only rule.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
Pathways only
Stay on the path, and keep the leash short.
The Weaselhead Flats page lists hiking trails and pathways, birds and wildlife, and asks visitors to follow all regulations. The specific dog rule sits on the City's dog off-leash areas page: no dogs are allowed off the pathways in the Weaselhead Natural Environment Park, in order to protect sensitive wildlife habitat. The same page states that every area within a natural environment park, asphalt pathways included, is on-leash unless a sign designates it off-leash. The Weaselhead does not appear on the off-leash locations list.
North Glenmore Park and South Glenmore Park follow the plain citywide rule. Neither page mentions dogs and neither park is listed as off-leash, so the leash stays on, and no longer than two metres on any pathway. Both parks list playgrounds, which the City treats as no-dog zones with a five-metre buffer. South Glenmore also lists a bicycle pump track and hiking trails, and North Glenmore an ice trail and skating rink for winter.
- Leash on in all three parks
- Dogs stay on Weaselhead pathways
- Leash capped at two metres
- Five metres from any playground
Training for it
An on-leash natural area is still a serious classroom.
People hear on-leash and assume there is nothing to train for. The Weaselhead argues otherwise. The City's page notes a wide range of birds and wildlife, and the possibility of a black bear, on trails where a dog must stay on the path within two metres of its owner. Add the pump track and cross-country skiers on the Glenmore side, and we are preparing a dog to hold a slack leash beside us, with an owner willing to turn around when wildlife is close.
Loose-leash walking is the skill these parks reward most, and recall is a training goal we take seriously anywhere a clip could fail. On-Leash Foundations, two weeks at $1,865 plus GST, covers loose-leash walking, heel, sit, stay and down, and the place command, and comes with lifetime phone and email support. Functional Off-Leash, three weeks at $3,030 plus GST with a Micro or Mini Educator remote collar included, works on recall around distractions, with owner education included.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Can dogs go off leash in the Weaselhead?
No, nowhere in it. The Weaselhead is not on the City of Calgary's off-leash list, and the City's dog off-leash areas page says every area within a natural environment park is on-leash unless a sign designates it off-leash. That page also bars dogs from leaving the pathways there.
Are dogs allowed at Weaselhead Flats?
Yes, on a leash and on the pathways only. The City states that no dogs are allowed off the pathways in the Weaselhead Natural Environment Park, in order to protect sensitive wildlife habitat. On a pathway, the leash must be two metres or shorter.
Are dogs allowed at Glenmore Park?
Yes, with a leash on. Neither the North Glenmore Park page nor the South Glenmore Park page mentions dogs, and neither park is on the off-leash list, so the citywide rule holds. The City also keeps dogs five metres back from the playgrounds that both parks list.
Is North Glenmore Park off leash for dogs?
No, it is fully on-leash. North Glenmore Park is not listed among the City's off-leash areas, so the leash stays on, including on the pathways. Its page lists an ice trail, skating rink, tennis courts and picnic sites, which is plenty of distraction to train around.
Keep reading
Steady on the reservoir paths
Wildlife, bikes and skiers on a two-metre leash is a real skill. Book a consultation and we will work on it with you.
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