Calgary is a great city for dogs, and those who love them. Dog friendly Calgary has to be one of the most welcoming cities for canines in Canada, and has more that 150 designated off-leash areas. There are some fun places to shop for your pooch, great hiking all through the city, and all those fabulous mountains and parks to explore together just a short drive away. Calgary has a lot to offer our four-legged friends. Here’s a guide to help newcomers to the city fit right in with their dogs when they arrive.
Dog friendly parks galore. Calgary is a city full of parks, and dogs are allowed off-leash on an amazing 17 percent of that parkland. Nose Hill Park in the north of the city is a fantastic spot to head with your canine; It is the third largest urban park in Canada, spanning 11 square kilometres, and has lots of trails to explore. River Park in the south of the city offers diverse terrain to bound around, including a river and nearby beach area. If your dog tends to go rogue and is better fenced in, then you’ll love fully fenced Sue Higgins Park (also in the south of the city) where you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the trails without fear of your dog running away to explore the city solo.
Bow wow boutiques. Love to spoil your dog silly? No problem. There are many stores to shop at, in pretty much every neighborhood in the city. Doodle Dogs is a fab place to pick up toys, accessories, clothing and treats for the dogs in your life, and what’s neat is that they focus on Calgary-made and Canadian-made dog gear. Doggywood Ltd sells all manner of cool dog related gear, and also throws doggie birthday parties (or bakes dog friendly cakes if you’d prefer to throw your dog a party at home). Urban Dog Market sells hip gear and healthy treats, but also offers a small-dog daycare service.
Dog friendly patios. In a stroke of brilliance, the owner of the Vin Room (which has two locations in the city) has not only allowed dogs on their patios, but has provided dog beds, dog bowls modelled on champagne glasses, and all manner of other cool stuff. Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall was the first patio in Calgary to be granted a license to allow dogs. Starbucks in Kensington also allows dogs on their patios, and you can even order a “puppacino”for them.
Longer hikes. Because we all know that a tired dog is a happy dog (and that dogs are great at motivating us to get out there and exercise) hiking with your pooch is always a great idea. A 30-minute drive from the city is Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park which has long gorgeous trails, many of which are cleared of snow in the winter, meaning this is a great place to head year round. Just outside Canmore is Grassi Lakes Trail, which takes you on an easy four kilometre loop around pretty turquoise lakes.
Looking to bring your furry friend with you on your next Calgary trip? We have the best dog friendly Calgary suites. In fact, most of our suites in Calgary welcome pets, so you can both have a perfectly luxurious stay with us. Contact us to see how we can meet your needs, and those of your treasured companions.