Summer and fall are the best seasons to go on adventures with your dog. The weather allows you to be outside and active. But if you don’t live in a rural or wooded area, you can still go adventuring, even in the city.
Don’t be intimidated by the traffic and urban pack of city life. It just takes a bit more planning, and you can take your dog on adventures that are just as fun and fulfilling as their rural counterparts.
Get Dinner at a Dog-Friendly Restaurant
Outings with your dog don’t all have to be about getting them exercise. Sometimes they just want to hang out with you! However, most times – it’s you wanting to spend time with them. Sometimes we need to admit it, they are truly our best friends.
In some cases, dogs are even more than that and are regarded as emotional support animals. When your dog is legally registered as an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), there are certain legal rights to help you as an owner, like preventing discrimination based on disability. Plenty of restaurants, bars, and cafes in urban areas are dog-friendly. Some even serve canine food alongside human food on their menus.
It may be helpful to see who can write an ESA letter for you since emotional support animals and service dogs have a much easier time navigating commercial establishments without being kicked out.
Take Them to a Botanical Garden
Cities of all sizes have botanical and natural gardens waiting for you and your pup to explore. Whether the New York Botanical Garden, the Lewis Ginter Gardens in Richmond, Virginia, or the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle, Washington, there are over 600 public gardens in the U.S. They’re all an excellent outdoor adventure for you and your dog.
There will be squirrels to chase, new smells to smell, and other dogs to meet and sniff. While Fido has fun, you can learn about your region’s natural history and get a well-deserved screen break.
Hit the Dog Beach
Dog-friendly beaches are classic recreation for owners who love to get active with their dogs. Your little friend can run at full speed like you’ve never seen them before, especially if you have them cooped up in a little apartment all day.
Your heart will fill with warmth and pride as you see your pup living its life to the fullest, making friends, digging for sand crabs, and chomping at the incoming waves. Exercising your dog has been shown to improve its health outcomes across the board, after all. Here’s a list of the best dog-friendly beaches in the country.
Go on a Historical Walking Tour
Another less high-intensity but enjoyable activity is to take your dog on a historical walking tour. Whether it’s the Freedom Trail in Boston or the Ashville Urban Trail in North Carolina, learn about your city via your tour guide while your dog learns about it via their nose. All those new smells!
Go on a Doggy Road Trip
Finally, the best way to enjoy the city with your dog? Get out of it. Go on a day trip to a new dog beach, or pick an extraordinary outdoor destination and head there on the weekend. Exposing your dog to new sights and smells is excellent for their mental health.
Watch this to see the best dog-friendly vacations you can take:
Feeding Their Body and Mind
Physical health always takes precedence, but don’t forget about your dog’s mental health. Taking them to new places is great for their bodies and souls, and that matters.
