Finding Dog-Friendly Areas In A Hurry

Trying to find a dog friendly area in a hurry can seem like it warrants a trip to the emergency room. Trying to do it in a place you're not familiar with is the inevitable situation, and makes everything even worse. Think chewed car seats, piddle on the upholstery or in your running shoes, and a driver who's more distracted than a vet with a vampire bat.

Luckily, there are a few easy ways to find dog-friendly areas in a hurry. No matter whether you need to stretch your legs, have a toilet stop, or just get out of the car before you lose it altogether.

First of all, don't settle for any park and think you can trust your dog off leash... You need to find a proper dog park to use, preferably with a fence or other containment system that keeps you and Fido safe from traffic, and where you won't pick up a hefty council fine before you even have time to crack out the poo bags.

The search for an off leash dog park begins where most good searches do: online. (OK, we might be biased, but try to find anything useful on your GPS or an old-fashioned road map when the fur friend needs a run and you can't remember how to spell the suburb you're in?)

Load up your phone with a good mobile app catering especially for dog owners, or check out the location of a few local parks online before you leave the house.

Another trick to keep in mind is that most dog parks don't have actual addresses. This can make it difficult to take your pet there for an afternoon of running around, unless you're in familiar territory.

In order to figure out where the park is, you will need to get directions. Most people associate their local dog park with a landmark of some sort. If the park you select has directions or a landmark listed, half of your job is completed and you'll be skipping all the way to the carpark.

If you're already out and about, passers-by should be familiar enough with the dog park to guide you the rest of the way. Take your pet and enjoy the afternoon running off some of that pent-up energy. And don't forget, enjoy the time with your best friend while you're there… that's why you went to so much trouble to find a dog-friendly area in the first place!

Download the best pet-friendly mobile app in Australia at Take Your Pet -- and never waste time looking for dog-friendly areas in unfamiliar places ever again!