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Dogs truly are man’s (and woman’s) best friend—in fact, half of American households own pets, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Many people love their dog like a family member and look forward to seeing their wagging tail every day after work. Though many people would do anything for their canine friends, few consider their pets when making decisions about where to live. However, there are significant benefits of a dog park in the community, and taking that into consideration when planning your move might end up being more valuable than you think.
How Can Your Dog Benefit from a Dog Park in the Neighborhood?
These are some major benefits of dog parks for your pooch:
1. Dog Parks Improve Dog Socialization
Proper socialization is incredibly important to your dog’s wellbeing and its ability to bond with your family. Being alone while you are at work or running errands can affect your dog’s mental health, and even affect their ability to behave. Allowing your dog to play with other dogs in a safe environment helps to relieve your dog’s anxiety and stress after a day away from you, and also gets them accustomed to public spaces and interactions with other people.
2. Dog Parks Allow You to Develop a Better Understanding of Your Dog
A community dog park allows you to better understand how your dog will behave in certain situations. By observing your dog’s interactions with other pets and other people, you may be surprised to learn new things about your pup. These new observations may change how you interact with your dog.
For example, you may assume that your dog would be skittish around groups of people. However, after going to the dog park regularly, you find that she behaves well. This allows you to bring her to dog-friendly restaurants, outdoor events, and friends’ homes instead of leaving her home. Alternatively, you may find that your dog does best with other dogs and needs continued interactions to become more comfortable with people.
3. Dog Parks Can Boost Your Dog’s Physical Health
Canine obesity is a real issue, and it can be difficult for dogs to stay in shape. This is especially true when you consider the fact that many breeds require up to three regular walks per day. Allowing your pup to run and play at a dog park provides them the opportunity for exercise that they otherwise would not get. Just like humans, dogs need a variety of activities to stay healthy.
What Are the Human Benefits of Dog Parks?
Dog parks are not just great for pups, they are beneficial for humans, too. In fact, there are several significant advantages to having a dog park close to your home.
4. Dog Parks Build A Tight-Knit Community
Dog parks are a great way to bond with your neighbors. You will instantly find something you have in common—your beloved pets—and the casual nature of the area makes it a great place to make new friends. As an adult, this opportunity cannot be overlooked. Dog parks can also be great places to learn about dog-friendly events. You may find more opportunities to get out and socialize with your dog in tow, just by taking a trip to the park.Dog Parks Promote Active Lifestyles
5. Dog Parks Promote Active Lifestyles
Going to the dog park rather than letting your dog out in the yard fosters a more active environment for humans and dogs alike. In walking to the park and back, as well as playing with your dog, you will likely find that you are more active overall. You can continue to build on this benefit by participating in even more activities that keep you active, like running, biking, hiking, and more.
6. Dog Parks Can Lower Your Health Risks
By building a more active lifestyle, you stand to gain several health benefits. In fact, having an active dog has been linked to lower cholesterol, better heart health, better mental health, and an improved immune system. With the opportunity to bring your dog to the park comes a better chance that you will remain happy and healthy.
So, how do dog parks help the community? Essentially, they have the potential to increase your family’s quality of life in many ways. The positive influence of their presence is undeniable.
Dogs & People Love Hillwood Communities
Residents at Hillwood Communities, both human and canine, just love visiting our dog parks, making them some of our most popular amenities. Expect to see more dog parks (like the ones at Pecan Square and Harvest) included in our lineup of amenities at future Hillwood Communities.
