Dog parks are surging in popularity. Since 2007, these pet-friendly parks have grown by 89 percent. Nearly every major city in the U.S. now has at least one dog park. Americans love dogs and dog parks give them a place to let their dogs run free while also meeting like-minded individuals.
If you’re in charge of designing and building a dog park for your community, you’re probably wondering what it needs to be a magnet for dog owners. Below are our best tips for designing an effective dog park.
Work with the Right Landscape Architect
First thing’s first. Choose an architect who has experience building dog parks, and work with an equipment supplier that has experience with dog parks. This will insure a great design with the best possible equipment available.
Cunningham Recreation, for example, offers individual pieces and complete dog agility courses that include doggie crawls, dog hoop jumps and jump overs. And we keep dog owners in mind by providing them with comfortable seating and shade structures. We want them to have fun, too!
Familiarize Yourself with Dog Park Accessories
Your conversations with your architect will be more productive when you understand the different types of equipment available. Get familiar with the following types of dog park accessories:
- Weave posts
- Dog walks
- Stepping paws
- Doggie crawls
- Doggie teeter totters
- Hoop jumps
- Jump overs
Cunningham Recreation offers dog agility packages that give you fun and exciting components for dogs of all sizes and breeds. This is a simple solution for those who don’t care to hand pick specific types of equipment.
Think of the Humans, Too
Don’t forget that it’s not just dogs who will be using your space. Pet owners need to feel welcome as well, otherwise they may choose a different park to spend their time at. A few things to include are park benches, picnic tables, shade structures, trash receptacles and water features (they double up as drinking fountains for thirsty pets!).
Start Designing Your Dog Park Today
Dog parks can be so much more than a green space surrounded by a fence. Cunningham Recreation can help you design the perfect place for people and their four-legged friends to spend their free time. Contact us today to learn more about putting together a dog park for your community.
