Ms. Susan is our guest today.
We thought she has some fantastic insight into dog friendly stuff.
Ms. Susan Melony is a traveling entrepreneur based in Kansas
City. She's a lifelong dog lover, and is passionate about helping both pets and
humans live the healthiest lives possible.
If you have a dog, or maybe
multiple dogs, and you’re planning an upcoming move, you know how difficult it
can be to find just the right place. This is especially true for
urban-dwellers. When you live in the suburbs or somewhere rural, you don’t have
to worry as much about choosing the right place for your pet, because you
likely have a yard and plenty of green space.
When you live in a big city or
urban area, it’s much more challenging. You have to find somewhere that’s going
to offer the outdoor facilities you need, plus you want your pup to feel right
at home. Dog lovers often enjoy being surrounded by other like-minded people.
Just having a dog in a dog-friendly neighborhood can be a great way to meet
people, and it can be a way to encourage yourself to get out and about when
you’re new to the area.
There’s also the issue of the
home itself you choose. If you live in a big city, you’re probably a renter,
and there can be pretty tight restrictions on dogs in these situations.
Wag! Walking, a dog walking
service often puts together lists of the best dog areas in some of the nation’s
biggest cities.
According
to Wag!, a dog-friendly neighborhood will include features like outdoor
trails, dog-friendly restaurants, groomers and pet shops.
So, along with those general
features, what should you look for if you’re planning to move and you want a
neighborhood and a home that are dog-friendly?
Observe
Before choosing a neighborhood,
you might want to visit it a few times and see whether or not there seem to be
a lot of dogs out and about. This can be a good indicator of how landlords in
the area feel about having dogs, as well as how your neighbors might feel. You
probably want a landlord as well as neighbors that not only allow for dogs but
enjoy having them around.
Typically, the idea is that if
you observe a neighborhood you’re thinking of moving to, and you see a lot of
other dogs there is going to be a general atmosphere of
caring about
pets. It can be a good environment for you and your beloved pet.
If your dog ever runs away and
you live in a dog-friendly neighborhood with other pet lovers, they’re also
going to be more likely to actively help you find him or her.
Sidewalks and Trash Bins
Two practical elements that are
often noticeable in a dog-friendly neighborhood are sidewalks and trash bins.
First, you want to be able to take your dog for a wide, well-lit sidewalk
including when it’s early morning or late at night. Garbage containers are
important because you want to make sure you’re cleaning up after your pup.
Even better than a neighborhood
with trash containers is one that includes doggy stations with disposable bags,
and a bin for disposing of what your dog leaves behind.
Along with these two specifics,
overall walkability is good too. You want a neighborhood where you’ll feel like
it’s logistically easy to take your pet with you as you go about your
activities for the day, such as on the weekends. While most
big
city neighborhoods are going to have some traffic, you might not want too
much traffic, especially if you’re going to be out and about quite a bit.
Are Dog Parks Nearby?
Even with sidewalks and
walkability, dog parks are important to have as well. If you find a
neighborhood where there’s a centrally-located dog park, it’s probably an
indicator that it’s a good choice for you.
You also
want to see not only dog parks, but dog parks that seem to be teeming with
activity. Check out the dog park and see the temperament of the dogs and their
owners, and also look for things like how well owners are cleaning up after
their pet.
Dog-Friendly Shops and Restaurants
Finally, we touched on this
above, but
dog-friendly
shops and restaurants can be great to have when you’re choosing a
neighborhood as well. For example, is there a pet supply shop nearby? What
about a veterinarian?
A lot of restaurants,
particularly in urban areas, are also becoming more dog-friendly. This might
mean they allow dogs on their patio, and some even go as far as offering items
on the menus for your pet. If you find a truly pet-friendly neighborhood, you
might find that you’re regularly socializing with other dog owners and you can
meet some new friends in the process.
Contributing writer: Susan Melony. I am being compensated to help share information about Dog Friendly Neighborhoods and ideas. Two French Bulldogs only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.
