Dog Playgrounds Welcome Humans

For most dog owners, their canine companion is a veritable part of their family. When looking for a multifamily community to call home, dog owners make pet-friendliness a top priority. While many multifamily properties don’t allow dogs for fear of messes in communal areas, damage to units and disturbance to other residents, those that do allow dogs have a unique opportunity to market the property as a safe haven for pet owners. By attracting dog owners, a property can build a friendly community of dogs and people alike, which for pet owners who rent, makes a property much more attractive than a more restrictive one.

Dog parks are quickly becoming a top-desired amenity, and installing a park or playground for dogs can also help foster a sense of kinship among fellow dog-owning residents. Dogs and people are both social animals, so a dog playground is not only be an attractive selling point, but a place where residents can meet other like-minded pet owners and dogs can work off the excess energy that might otherwise be directed at scratching up floors or chewing on unit fixtures.

Discount Playground Supply, a company that primarily offers commercial playground and sporting equipment for children, has begun to offer a unique variety of outdoor playground equipment for dogs. Whether a property is suited for full agility course or just a few pieces of play equipment, Discount Playground Supply offers individual components that can be combined to create everything from a sprawling agility course to a small, dog-friendly green space.

Some of the company’s unique offerings include a bi-level water fountain, which dispenses water at both human and dog heights; a dog fire hydrant, which mists overheated dogs in hot climates or during summer months; a “poodle parking” leash post, which allows owners to safely tie up their pets when they need both hands; and an elevated dog grooming table, which can encourage residents to groom dogs outside, lessening the risk of excess pet hair inside the property.

Agility courses are offered in pre-selected kits or by individual pieces. A community with square footage to spare might opt for the Best in Show Course, while a smaller property may choose a couple of hoop jumps or barrels for dogs to work off their energy.

Prices range greatly, with a Small Dog Jump Hoop priced at $289 and the elaborate Expert Dog Park Kit priced at $9,625.