Dogs can now frolic untethered in the back yard of a house in Roanoke's Fishburn Park.

The city announced Wednesday that after months of discussion on the issue, it has opened its first official, public off-leash area in the park located across from the Shenandoah Life building on Brambleton Avenue Southwest. The off-leash site is behind a house that sits on the west end of the park.

The half-acre parcel, which is clearly marked with green posts and comes with a list of rules, will be monitored and is only being opened on a six-month trial basis for now. Fishburn Park has been a focal point in the debate, because it's been a place where dogs have run free unofficially for years.

The stipulations on the first established off-leash site did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of Nate Jones, a Roanoke dog owner who started a group to lobby for such an area.

"I'm ecstatic," said Jones, who owns a springer spaniel named Norah. "It only took us two years to do this, and around here, that's pretty good."

Jones said he applauds the city parks and recreation department for listening and establishing a way to at least give an off-leash area a try.

He said his organization, the Roanoke Dog Owners Group, plans to help monitor the site and answer questions.

"I think that parks and rec understands that if you do it correctly, you can minimize the risk," Jones said.

John Robbins takes his American bulldog, Big Boy, to Fishburn Park almost every day.

On Wednesday, Big Boy got to explore the half acre without Robbins leading him on a leash.

"He loves to play, he loves to chase," said Robbins, 38, of Roanoke.

Robbins isn't worried about Big Boy attacking other dogs or being attacked because he believes most dog owners are responsible.

"Most people are smart enough that if their dog is aggressive, they keep them on a leash," Robbins said.

The city went into the planning and opening of the dog park with skepticism because of issues such as dog fights, said Steve Buschor, the city's parks and recreation director.

"We talked to other localities and we heard about problems such as dog fights, dogs that have bitten children and people not cleaning up after their dogs. But we want to be proactive, too. This is a way to get a head start and see if it's a fit for our community."

Buschor said the city and Roanoke County have discussed off-leash areas, and the Fishburn Park site is a regional site because it's the first in either locality.

During the Fishburn Park trial run, the city will inspect the area and will also log public comments. Regulations to be enforced include:

• A prohibition on aggressive dogs, female dogs in heat, unattended dogs and puppies younger than 4 months old.

• All dogs must have current license and vaccination tags.

• Only dogs are permitted.

• Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

• One dog per pet owner is allowed.

• Owners must clean up pet waste and dispose of it immediately, and they must fill in any holes their dogs dig.

For more information, call the city Parks and Recreation Department at 853-2236.

Staff writer Amanda Codispoti contributed to this report.