Hundeauslaufgebiet Wannsee-Düppel

The Wannsee-Düppel dog exercise area is a gently hilly stretch of woodland on the Pfaueninselchaussee, and one of the areas that give Steglitz-Zehlendorf its roughly 640 hectares, the largest share in the city. Bus 316 stops right on the corner. The Pfaueninsel directly opposite, however, is off limits for dogs entirely.

A Hilly Woodland on Pfaueninselchaussee

This area also goes by two names: The Berlin Forests refer to it as Wannsee-Düppel, while the Berlin Street and Locality Directory lists it as Hundeauslaufgebiet Königstraße (Königstraße Dog Exercise Area), and depending on which source you consult, you might look in two places. It refers to a gently hilly woodland area on Pfaueninselchaussee, and it is one of several sub-areas that, together with the Grunewald section and the Düppel area, bring Steglitz-Zehlendorf to around 640 hectares. This is the largest share of all Berlin districts, explaining why so many dogs are out and about in the southwest. Access is unusually convenient for a woodland area: Bus 316 travels from S Wannsee to Glienicker Brücke and stops en route at the Pfaueninselchaussee and Königstraße stop, directly at the area. Further along the same line is the Nikolskoer Weg stop, and anyone who gets off there will find themselves between Blockhaus Nikolskoe and Glienicke Palace. The terrain itself is manageable and more suitable for a quiet stroll than for hours-long tours; those seeking longer walks should go straight to Grunewald.

The Pfaueninsel Next Door is Closed to Dogs

A tip that saves many excursions: While Pfaueninsel is only a short ferry ride away, it is completely closed to dogs. The park regulations of the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation expressly prohibit dogs and other animals on the island, without exception. So, if you’re out and about with your dog in this area, stay on the mainland side. Within the exercise area itself, the usual conditions apply: the dog must remain within range and be callable at all times, otherwise, a leash is required here too. Fenced areas and designated nature reserves are exempt, and dogs are only allowed in the water at marked dog bathing spots. Outside of the signposted areas, leashes of a maximum of two meters are mandatory in the forest. Muzzle requirements do not apply to ordinary dogs; they only apply to dogs classified as dangerous, which are allowed to run without a leash exclusively with a bite-proof muzzle in designated areas. Digging holes is also forbidden here, and chasing wild animals is punishable. There is no fixed fine catalog for leash violations in Berlin.