How Can You Find a Dog-Friendly Neighborhood (and Home)?

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.