Dog forests in Finland have doubled in number in just two years, as owners seek safe places where their pets can run freely without meeting other dogs, chasing wildlife or disappearing after a reindeer.
There are now almost 120 fenced dog forests across Finland, compared with around 60 in 2024, according to figures reported by Finnish public broadcaster Yle. New sites continue to appear at an average rate of around two per month.
What Finland’s dog forests are
A dog forest (koirametsä) is usually a large, securely fenced woodland area that can be booked for private use. Unlike an ordinary dog park, only the person making the reservation and their chosen companions are allowed inside during the booked period.
Most are operated by private landowners or businesses. Owners normally reserve a time slot online and pay for access, giving their dogs the opportunity to explore the forest without a lead and without unfamiliar animals nearby.
The model offers more space and privacy than conventional dog parks, particularly for dogs that are nervous, reactive or still being trained.
According to Yle, Finland’s highest concentration of dog forests is in Uusimaa, the region surrounding Helsinki. However, their popularity is also spreading to more sparsely populated parts of the country.
Finland’s northernmost dog forest opens in Ivalo
The country’s northernmost dog forest recently opened near the centre of Ivalo, in Finnish Lapland. The two-hectare site is located on land rented from the Municipality of Inari and costs from €27 per hour, depending on the number of dogs.
Local entrepreneur Elina Mantila said the enclosed area allows owners to release their dogs without worrying that they will run after wildlife or reindeer.
“Keeping dogs loose in the reindeer-herding area is always a major risk,” Mantila told Yle. “You have to fear that the dogs will go after game or reindeer.”
The forest is intended for hunting dogs, companion dogs and animals used in organised activities. Mantila said that, despite the abundance of woodland around Ivalo, the area previously lacked a large place where dogs could roam freely and safely.
For some local residents, this is the main attraction. Dog owner Ritva Silparanta lives surrounded by forest but said walking dogs in a reindeer-herding region usually requires long leads and constant attention.
Why forests are not automatically available to dogs
Finland may be one of Europe’s most heavily forested countries, but owners cannot simply allow their dogs to run loose wherever they choose.
Under Finland’s Hunting Act (Metsästyslaki), dogs outdoors must generally be kept on a lead, or be immediately available to be placed on one, between 1 March and 19 August. Outside that period, permission from the landowner or holder of the hunting rights is still required before a dog can be released on someone else’s land.
The rules are designed partly to protect wild animals during their breeding season. In Lapland, owners must also consider the risk that dogs may chase reindeer.
Fenced areas specifically intended for dogs are among the exceptions provided by the legislation, making dog forests a practical way to offer animals greater freedom while respecting wildlife and property rules.
Dog forests also provide space for training
The Finnish Kennel Club (Suomen Kennelliitto) says owners increasingly need safe areas where dogs can behave naturally and practise skills such as returning when called.
Teaching recall is difficult without a sufficiently large space in which a dog can safely be released, the organisation’s communications manager Liisa Suoninen told Yle.
A survey commissioned by the Kennel Club found that one in ten Finnish dog owners considered dog forests important. Suoninen expects demand to rise as more owners become familiar with the concept and begin asking for similar facilities in their own municipalities.
For many Finns, having a forest nearby is therefore no longer enough. What they increasingly want is a forest their dog can briefly have all to itself.
