Dog friendly parks & things to do with with your furry friend in Halifax

Like 53% of all Canadians, I myself have a furry 4-legged canine friend that we refer to as Norm, pictured below, one of the 3 that we have had the joy to have throughout the years. As dog owners & followers of the teachings of famous Dog Whisperer Caesar Milan, we too realize that the best way to have a fulfilled, balanced, happy & healthy dog is to give them the same things we as people need: exercise, a purpose, & social interaction with other people & other dogs.

So if you & your tail wagging friend are new to the Halifax area & are wondering what is available for you to enjoy with your bundle of fur, here are some great areas for you:

Three Dog Bakery - we all love to spoil our best friends some times. This bakery is all about that: all natural freshly baked treats, food, & even cakes.

Planet Paws -  They supply a wide selection of the best quality natural foods and pet health care products in Dartmouth as well as a natural space that provides educational resources for you and your companion animal from their friendly local staff. Working in conjunction with Shubie Park, the Planet Paws foundation, offers $1.00 per bag sold to the maintenance and upkeep of the natural beauty of Shubie Park helping to make your contribution to saving the environment affordable and easy.

Paws In The Park - The owners of Paw Prints Doggy Day Care have openned a private, 6 acre fully fenced in dog park on the Lucasville Road - and they are looking for members to sign up to join. For more information, email pawprints_63@hotmail.com

Off Leash Parks -

Point Pleasant Park - located in the Southend of the Halifax Penninsula, the park offers on & off-leash designated trails. 

Shubie Park - located off the Waverley Road in Dartmouth, the park also offers on & off leash designated trails & open areas for which you & your dog can have some fun. For a map of the designated off-leash areas in the park click here

From November 1st-May 1st, there are 28 sportsfields around HRM that are open from 5am-10pm for off leash use.  There are approximately 7, that are open from June 1st-November 1st. Each of the sportsfields are marked with signs, often found on the fencing, designating whether or not off leash use is permitted.

Halifax Regional Municipality's Rules for using Off-leash designated areas in public parks

Looking for something a little different, check out these fun filled activities to enjoy with your dog:

Flyball - is a racing sport of obstacles for dogs. Leitish offers flyball training/classes. Video of flyball

Mushing - HRM Urban Mushing is a group dedicated to enjoying the sport of Urban Mushing with their dogs & meet regularly for training and running of their pets with sleds, dog scooters and bikes. The group is not organized for competitive mushing, but train for the joy of improving the runs we can do with the dogs. All breeds are welcome as any breed of dog can enjoy these fun activities with their people. They offer basic harness training and activities that can improve skills of both dog and handler. Video

Agility - Canine Agility is the training of a dog to negotiate an obstacle course. It is "a game; a diversion, amusement, fun or enjoyment experienced". Agility is a wonderful way for people to experience another side of their relationship with their dogs and to improve their dog's confidence, skill levels, and self image. Happy Paws & Leitish both offer agility training.

Leitish Caning Academy also offers Disc dog, Tracking, & Water dog training & classes.

There are also many doggy day cares through Metro Halifax which offer a variety of services & amenities, check with their rules & regulations to see which one suits you & Fido the best.

Here are links to some:

http://www.happyhoundsinhalifax.com  Halifax

http://www.jollytails.ca  Halifax

www.campbowwow.com/ca/ns/dartmouth/pricing/day-camp  Dartmouth

http://www.happyhoundsinhalifax.com/ Halifax

http://www.pawprintsdoggydaycare.com/  Bedford

http://www.thechewedslipper.com/  Sackville