If you’re trying to figure out where to take your dog in Kansas City, there are plenty of great options for you and your pup to explore together. Kansas City has many dog-friendly hiking trails, parks, places to swim, coffee shops, restaurants, and pet shops you may not know about. In this blog, we will discuss our favorite places to visit with your dog, as well as advice on turning every outing into a socialization and training opportunity.
Every outing can be used as a socialization opportunity
It’s important to socialize your puppy by going out and being exposed to new people and pets, and experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells of public places. By providing your puppy with positive experiences, you can help prevent fearful and aggressive behaviors from developing later in life.
Public areas can be great for teaching obedience commands
With all the stimuli and distractions in public areas, it’s a great place to teach your dog strong obedience skills. Some obedience skills that you can teach your dog when out in public include:
- Down stays, which are a useful command to help your dog stay calm and focused around many different distractions. Just remember to always bring treats as a reward.
- An Autosit, which is when your dog automatically sits for attention, instead of trying to get attention through naughty behaviors. This can include jumping up and pawing at others. When autositting, your dog will still get all the attention that they crave, while learning to appreciate some personal space.
- Loose leash walking, where your dog learns to walk calmly by your side, even with lots of distractions around.
- A reliable recall, which teaches your dog to come back to you when called, even in loud and busy areas with plenty of temptations.
Now that we have discussed some socialization and training opportunities. Let’s go over some of our favorite places in Kansas City that you can explore with your dog.
Dog Friendly Restaurants
Kansas City has many dog friendly restaurants with outdoor seating including:
- The Taco Republic offers mexican food with an outdoor patio
- The Char Bar, which offers barbeque with outdoor seating on turf.
- The Brewery Emperial, with multiple locations, they are beer gardens with outdoor seating
- The Chicken N Pickle, which unsurprisingly has many chicken based items on the menu, with outdoor seating and pickle ball courts.
Dog Friendly Breweries
Kansas City has many breweries, with our list having dog friendly patios and located near parks with trails to explore with our dog.
- Alma Mader Brewery, which is located near Penn Valley Park
- BKS Artisan Ales, which is near Swope Park
- Brew Lab, located close by Meadowbrook Park
- Strange Days Brewery is located nearby the Missouri Riverfront Heritage Trail
Dog Friendly Hiking Trails
Hiking trails that you can explore with your dog in Kansas City include the:
- Loose Park Loop which features a Civil War Monument and a japanese garden
- Swope Park Trails includes eight hiking trails and a dog park
- The Little Creek Trailhead, which has an eight mile trail through shaded woodlands with a small waterfall
- Berkley Riverfront offers a leisurely stroll and is located near Bar K, which offers food, including a doggy menu, and fenced dog parks
- Hidden Valley has a 3-mile hiking trail through shaded and wooded areas
- Liberty Memorial Park Loop, which laps around Penn Valley Park
Dog Friendly Parks
- St John’s Dog Park has separately fenced areas for small and large dogs
- Penn Valley Dog Park also has separate off leash fenced areas
- Waggin Trail Dog Park has an agility course, with separately fenced areas for small and large dogs
- Shawnee Mission Park has a huge off leash 44 acres, which is perfect for exploration with your dog
- Swope Dog Park has separately fenced areas for small and large dogs
Dog Friendly Swimming Areas
- Shawnee Mission Dog Park has a swimming beach nearby its fenced dog parks
- Line Creek Trail is a popular place for swimming in its creek
We are here to help
Do you need help teaching your puppy high-level obedience and manners, or would you like to discuss any behavioral concerns you may have? Beyond the Dog, Kansas City offers personalized board-and-train programs and virtual training programs. You can schedule a free consultation with our Pet Behavior Team to discuss your training goals and receive a personalized recommendation.
