By Monica DeVore
Knoxville has hit high marks in establishing beautiful dog parks to benefit both our four-legged friends and their loving owners. Did you know Knoxville was named Dog Fancy Magazine’s (the world’s most widely read dog magazine) Dog Town USA City for the Southeast in 2011? WOW!
Knoxville and Knox County made a commitment to make our community a favorite of pet lovers. It began in 2007 when Dogwood Dog Park at Victor Ashe Park was opened and many more have been added since then. Explore some of the history and locations of our local dogs parks.
Across the nation, dog parks have become an increasingly popular benefit for communities. They vary in design and size, but all share the same goal: provide a place where your dog can run about freely and socialize with other dogs.
What better place to enrich our pets’ lives than a gathering of their own kind? Just a few benefits of an outing to a dog park include:
Physical and mental exercise.
Your dog can run around off-leash, fetch endlessly, snoop out new smells, or mingle and wrestle with buddies. Similar to our toddlers, they’ll probably snooze for hours after the fresh air and fun!
Maintain their social skills.
Dogs are highly social animals and enjoy time with their own species. They get used to meeting unfamiliar dogs, and get practice using their own communication skills. These can be integral against the development of fear and aggression problems…with other dogs and humans!
The benefits of dog parks are just as remarkable for pet owners. They can exercise their dogs with little effort, bond and play with their dogs and practice training skills. What better entertainment than watching a group of ecstatic frolicking dogs! Entertainment and fresh air in the company of other passionate pet lovers are certain to always bring joy.
Before you head out for your dog park day of fun, here are a few things to consider from the Animal Humane Society.
Outdoor Knoxville provides an extensive list of local dog parks here with location and details.
Let’s go! Looks like FIDO wants an outing!
