With summer around the corner, it’s the time for adventures with your dog! Taking your dog to different environments can socialize your dog and increase your bond. But wait, there’s more!  Training in locations other than your living room or the classroom will help to generalize commands, improve impulse control, and enhance manners. Remember, the distractions you will be competing against will require higher value treats. So, bust out those hot dogs and head to one of my favorite dog friendly places in the Philadelphia area!

Wooded Parks: For when you want to get away from it all…

FDR Park “The Lakes”- 1500 Pattison Avenue
https://www.facebook.com/fdrpark/
This park is perfect for a stroll on the paths around the lakes with plenty of distractions to work through. Baseball fields, parks, and open fields are busy with children, bikers, and joggers. There are also many events held here. Great for stay work, relaxing at the picnic tables, or loose leash walking. Get creative and practice some agility on objects you find in this park or check out the skatepark for some extra tough perimeter stay work! 
 
Wissahickon Valley Park
http://www.fow.org
Blue Bell located at 842 Walnut Lane has its own parking lot and a large field to sunbathe, read, or practice long leash recalls. Miles of trails loop through, engulfing you in nature and shade on the hot days. At the lowest point of the park runs a creek that your dog dip their paws in to cool off.
 
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum – 8601 Lindbergh Blvd 
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/John_Heinz/
This is the perfect place to take a break from city life and enjoy nature. Paved paths surround the marshland with wildlife all around. Perfect for long leash recalls, loose leash walking, and stay work… as well as leave-it work with all of the turtle watching!

Tyler Park – 101 Swamp Rd, Newtown, PA 18940 
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/tyler/
Open fields, waterfalls, babbling creeks, covered bridges, forest trails… the list goes on an on! Tyler park has a wide-range of terrain to practice cues on. One of our favorites is working distracted stays around the many trail riders and horses traversing through the park. 

Freedom Park – 86 Union Street, Medford, NJ 08055
http://www.medfordtownship.com/content/275/349.aspx
Take a break from city life and head out to one of the largest off leash parks in the area!  You can choose from group play with other dogs in the designated dog park, work recalls privately in one of the open fields or practice agility on their open course obstacles. There is also a wooded trail and creek to take a dip if it gets too hot! 
 
Timber Creek Park – 1731 Chews Landing Road, Blackwood, NJ 08012
http://www.camdencounty.com/service/parks/timber-creek-park/
Picture nine acres of dog park…. fenced in! At Timber Creek, you can work on your recalls, stays and focus cues without a long lead… but still feel like you are deep in the woods. You can walk the fence perimeter or safely traverse the wooded trails that run through the middle. Additionally, the area outside the dog park boasts a river for swimming and plenty of additional land for running and exploring with your pup! 


Restaurants & Bars: When you want to grab a bite…

American Sardine Bar – 1800 Federal Street
http://americansardinebar.com
Their outdoor patio is dog-friendly. Practice your stay and focus work while enjoying one of their many delicious choices!

Bainbridge Street Barrel House – 625-627 S. 6th Street
http://www.barrelhousephilly.com
Plenty of sidewalk tables and places to hang with your pup while you enjoy a craft brew. Work on your place and leave-its while neighborhood dogs stroll by.

Bridget Foy’s – 200 South Street
http://www.bridgetfoys.com
Their outdoor patio is dog-friendly. Practice your stay work with the busy South Street crowd as your distraction!

Cantina Los Caballitos – 1651 E. Passyunk Avenue
http://cantinaloscaballitos.com
Enjoy a margarita outside under one of their umbrellas. Practice your leave-its when you inevitably drop one of their delicious tortilla chips. 

Catahoula Philly – 775 S. Front Street
http://catahoulaphilly.com
Enjoy some cajun & creole style cuisine with your furry friend. Catahoula’s outdoor patio is dog friendly as well as their happy hour. The gastropub is named after the Catahoula Leopard Dog!

Chapterhouse – 620 S. 9th Street
https://www.yelp.com/biz/chapterhouse-café-and-gallery-philadelphia-2
Get some work done or grab something to drink while your pup works their stay in this large, dog-friendly cafe. 

Parc – 227 S. 18th Street
http://www.parc-restaurant.com
Enjoy a cheese plate with your pup. With plenty of outdoor seating, there are numerous opportunities to work on all your focus cues with Rittenhouse Park as the backdrop. 

Varga Bar – 941 Spruce Street
https://vargabar.com
Their outdoor tables are dog-friendly. On a busy corner and a pet store nearby, you will have plenty of distractions to help refine on your stays.

Wedge & Fig – 160 N. 3rd Street
http://www.wedgeandfig.com
The back garden seating area is dog-friendly. Enjoy a drink and cheese tasting outside while refining your place cue. 

…. and for a beautiful trip out of town:

Crossings Vineyard – 1853 Wrightstown Road, Newtown, PA 18940
https://www.crossingvineyards.com
Catch a wine-tasting with a dog-friendly winery! Leashed dogs are allowed inside and on the grounds. A great chance to work on stays and heel as you peruse the tasting room.


Watch for pop-up dog events!

Dog Day Afternoon – El Camino Real 
Sunday, June 4th  |  1-6pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/753426738154047/
Celebrate Philly Beer Week with Street Tails Animal Rescue, Tito’s Vodka and El Camino Real. Founders of GoPetFriendly.com and full-time travelers, Amy and Rod Burkert, will be there to answer your most vexing pet travel questions, discuss the gear they use to keep Ty and Buster safe and happy on the road, do live product demos, hold drawings for some fantastic pet travel gear, and give away goodie bags to the first 50 pet lovers who stop by!

Queen Village K9’s Monthly Yappy Hours – Multiple Locations
Multiple Dates
http://qvk9.org/events/yappy-hour/
Enjoy a dog-themed “Yappy Hour” at a dog-friendly bar with dog-themed drink specials. Raffle proceeds benefit QVK9 and the Mario Lanza Dog Run. Donations for animals in need will be accepted as well. 

Tito’s Vodka Dog Happy Hour – Morgan’s Pier
Monday, August 7th |  4-8pm
http://www.morganspier.com/events/2017/8/7/titos-vodka-dog-yappy-hour
Bring your pet to the pier! There will be speciality cocktails, adoptable dogs and so much more! Proceeds go towards the PSPCA.

**Please remember, Philadelphia has leash laws requiring dog’s to be on a six-foot leash while in city limits (excluding officially designated dog parks)**