It’s summer in Texas. If you’re a dog, it is now officially the season to start sneaking up on the couch for a lazy climate controlled afternoon nap. But don’t despair, our neighborhood offers all kinds of nearby outdoor pet friendly activities for you and your pooch this summer.
You can restaurant-hop with by jumping on the free McKinney Avenue Trolley with your dog and take a ride through Uptown to the many dog-friendly restaurant patios. Then, take the trolley back downtown and walk to the Klyde Warren dog park. Or maybe scoot over to the Katy Trail and relax at the Ice House or check out the nearby Mutts Cantina.
Oak Cliff is home to some great local options for dog friendly trails. The longest trail is the 2.5 mile loop at Kiest Park. The Coombs Creek Trail is a 1.5-mile trail that starts near Hampton and runs northeast along the creek. Lake Cliff, Kidd Springs, Founders Park and Martin Weiss loop are all a mile or less. And don’t forget about the 12 Hills Nature Preserve nestled in the heart of North Oak Cliff.
Just a few minutes away in the shadow of downtown is one of our favorite places to feel removed from the big city, the Texas Buckeye Trail located in the Great Trinity Forest. The trailhead starts at Bexar Street. Spring is the time to see the buckeyes in bloom, but it is a beautiful canopied trail during the heat of the summer. Another favorite of the dogs is the Cedar Ridge Preserve.
Ever want to just laze around in the pool with your dog at a water park? Here’s your chance! Mark your calendar:
Wags and Waves 2015 will be held at Hawaiian Falls Water Park on Saturday, September 19th. The waterpark ends their season by letting the place go to the dogs. Literally. Wags and Waves benefits Cat Matchers, Dallas Companion Animal Project, DFW Rescue Me, Feral Friends and Legacy Boxer Rescue. There are Costume Contests, Pet Tricks, Vendors, Goody Bags, Food, separate activity pool areas for large and small breed dogs.
Paws in the Pool at Crawford Park in Cedar Hill on Saturday, August 15, 2015. Your pooch can run and play in the water, receive some tasty treats and make some frisky new friends. All proceeds from these events directly benefit The Friends of the Tri-City Animal Shelter.
We’ll be having fun in the kiddie pool until August gets here…
Don’t forget about those neighborhood walks to get snow cones. Dogs love snowcones! There’s Aunt Stelle’s on Clarendon and the snow cone/ laundromat on Jefferson and Rosemont. They will all give you a plain snowcone on request.
For more summer time info and tips on how to keep your pet safe during the summer heat, seasonal summer dangers to Fido, how to spot heat stroke, and how to make our dog comfy on 4th of July check out our links.
Need more to do?
More local dog parks:
• Bark Park Central: 5 am-11 pm (closed Mondays), off-leash
• North Bark Park: Dawn to dusk (closed Tuesdays), off-leash
• Wagging Tail Dog Park: Sunrise to sunset (closed Mondays), off-leash
• White Rock Lake Dog Park: 5 am-11 pm (closed Mondays), off-leash
• My Best Friend’s Park at Klyde Warren Park: 6 am-11 pm, off-leash
• Urban Dog Run at Main Street Garden: off-leash, no set hours
• Meadows Dog Park: 5 am-midnight, off-leash
• Travis Dog Park: 8 am-9 pm, off-leash
• Griggs Park: no set hours, open park (Off-leash not allowed)
• Downtown Dog Park (Off-leash not allowed)
• Central Dog Park at Central Christian Church: Open all day, off-leash, separate areas
• Mutts Canine Cantina: 7 am-11 pm, off-leash, small dog park and big dog park. Please note: this is a new restaurant/dog park concept. You can pay $10 for a monthly membership with unlimited access to the dog park or you can pay $5 per visit. Dogs are always allowed on-leash on the dining patios, however. Owners can sit on the patio while Mutts employees look after pet.
More dog-friendly hiking trails:
• Katy Trail
• White Rock Lake
• Bachman Lake Park Loop Trail
• Cedar Ridge Preserve
• Turtle Creek Trail
• Kiest Park Loop Trail
• Trinity Levee Trail
• Fish Trap Lake Loop Trail
• Glendale Park Loop Trail
Dog-friendly restaurants:
• Bolsa
• Breadwinner’s Café
• Café des Artistes
• Cane Rosso
• Chicken Scratch/The Foundry
• Company Café (off of the Katy Trail)
• Dalat
• Deep Ellum Brewing Co.
• DISH
• Hunky’s
• Katy Trail Ice House (off of the Katy Trail)
• Marie Gabrielle Restaurant and Gardens
• Mercat Bistro
• Mutts Canine Cantinas: joint dog park/restaurant, and has special dog menu
• Saint Ann Restaurant & Bar
• Three Sheets
• Uptown Pub
• For an extensive city wide list list here.
Dog-friendly places to go:
- Home Depot and Loews
- Half-Price Books
- Lucky Dog Book Store
- Katy Trail
- Klyde Warren Park
- Bishop Arts District
- Dallas Farmers Market
- TopGolf
- Dallas Heritage Village
- Main Street Garden (has a dog park)
- McKinney Avenue Trolley