Come here, Spike and Rover and Max.

Dakota County commissioners are throwing you a big bone.

Not only are they going to keep open your favorite dog park, they're also looking for other places where you can chase squirrels to your heart's content.

That's right, dog lovers. After giving the Dakota Woods Dog Park a test run for three years, the board has decided to make it a permanent fixture and wants to find at least a couple of other large patches of open county land where dogs can roam without a leash.

"From Day One, it's turned out just to be a phenomenal use of our resources to serve a portion of our population," said County Commissioner Joseph Harris, whose sprawling and largely rural district includes the dog park.

The board has asked staffers to look for other potential dog park locations, which could be included as part of Dakota County's master plan for its park system. Harris said he expects some possibilities to emerge by fall.

Dakota Woods is one of four off-leash parks in the south metro area. The largest is at Cleary Lake Regional Park southeast of Prior Lake, which offers 28 fenced-in acres with a wetland pond. Schwartz Pond Park in Rosemount also has an off-leash area.

Alimagnet Dog Park, 7 leafy enclosed acres in Burnsville's Alimagnet Park, won national recognition three years ago when Dog Fancy magazine ranked it the third-best dog park in the country.

Those responsible for Alimagnet used the $10,000 award to install a new fence, and recently put up lights courtesy of a $55,000 gift from an anonymous donor, recreational supervisor Garrett Beck said.

Most dog parks require users to buy a permit, and Dakota Woods is no different. Last year, dog owners bought 640 annual passes to the park (at $40 each) and registered more than 13,500 visits, making it not only popular but also profitable.

Despite the fact that the dog park is in Empire Township south of Rosemount -- the heart of the county, but somewhat removed from its population centers -- many patrons visit the park two to five times a week, said Beth Landahl, park operations supervisor.

Dakota Woods includes 16 acres of woods and prairie with a walking trail that connects the different terrains. A fence surrounds the site, which also includes amenities such as picnic tables and portable toilets.

"People like this area because of its size," Landahl said. "They have both an opportunity to run their dogs in open areas, as well as go for a walk with their dogs down wooded trails."

Kevin Duchschere • 952-882-9017