Austin May Well Be the Most
Dog-Friendly City in Texas

As a dog lover, I'm always happy to see clients' faces light up when I tell them they're moving to
what may well be the most dog-friendly city in Texas. It's common in Europe for people to take
their dogs with them pretty much anywhere, but this idea is late to catch on in the United States.
It goes without saying that for your dog to be really welcome, good behavior and sound training
are a must, but there are plenty of places in Austin for Rover to put his best paw forward.

Go to dogfriendly.com to get a good sense of what that phrase -- "dog friendly" -- really means
in Austin. You’ll see that Austin is named in the top-10 Dog-Friendly Cities in the US. On the
Austin site, you'll find a list of more than 100 accommodations including hotels, motels,
residence inns, RV parks, and campgrounds that welcome guests with dogs. (This is nice if
you're from an extended family of dog lovers and need to find rooms for visiting relatives -- with
and without fur.) The site also lists local attractions that welcome your dog (including Zilker
Park), and has a directory of more than a dozen "off leash" dog parks in the city. Another great
web site to check out: http://romanreign.com/austin_dog_friendlyparkshotels.htm

There are all kinds of stores other than Pets Mart where your dog can shop with you, including
Half Price Books, Anthropologie, and Whole Earth Provisions among others. Dogfiendly.com's
list of Austin restaurants with outdoor seating areas where dogs are welcome includes all
manner of locations and cuisines from pizza to barbecue.

Two of my personal favorites for pet products and services include:

- Just for Pets at 3742 Far West Boulevard. This one gets an unqualified recommendation.
They're open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. The store offers full service grooming, in-home pet sitting, walking services, holistic
dietary consultations, and small animal massage training. (The massage training includes
geriatric massage for older pets and acupressure.) This is absolutely a resource for people who
want only the best for their animal companions.

- The Zoom Room at 7739 Northcross. This is an indispensable "go to" for all kinds of dog
training from agility to obedience and puppy training. It's a fun and sporty setting, with trainers
who help you really learn how to communicate with your dog and to develop an even stronger
relationship. The Zoom Room is also a terrific social atmosphere with a private indoor
playground, which is great to help your pet work off energy in really cold weather or on rainy
days. This is not a place to drop your dog off. You go there to play with your dog and maybe
learn something in the process.

The dogfriendly.com site also includes contact information for emergency vets and day kennels,
which is especially useful for people who are new to the city or in the process of moving.
Sometimes moving day gets exponentially easier just because you know your dog is some
place safe for the day.

Realtors pride themselves on offering wide-ranging services to their clients. As far as I'm
concerned, that means your dog, too. When your family moves to Austin, we won't just help you
get acquainted with the city, we'll make sure you know all the places where your dog is
welcome as well.


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