Dive into the vibrant community of dog lovers and enthusiasts on Sniffspot's blog, where members share stories, tips, and experiences, fostering a supportive network for canine enthusiasts to connect and learn.
From 2009 to 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in the development of public dog parks. Designated spots for canine exercise have become commonplace in every major city in North America — many pet owners won’t even consider renting an apartment that doesn’t have its own fenced-in pet area for their canine companions.
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Thousand Oaks, California has been a safe haven for Sniffspot host, Jen, since childhood. Having grown up in busy Santa Barbara, Jen, an introvert from an early age, would seek out solitude and serenity away from tourists attractions and droves of people visiting from elsewhere. “My grandparents own 60 acres about a 30 minute drive from here, and I grew up spending every summer and every holiday visiting them on the ranch,” Jen explained. “In Santa Barbara, we wouldn't go to the beach on the weekend because that's where everybody was, so you'd find places off the beaten path where the tourists weren't. For me, the ranch was just my happy place.”
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Ellen is the host of Country Pasture Getaway, one of Sniffspot's most popular sniff spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great sniff spot host.
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Just 20 minutes outside of the busy city of Portland, Oregon, and settled right on the banks of the Columbia River, you’ll find what countless visitors have flocked to the area in search of – mountain views, crisp, clean air, and running water for miles. What you might not expect to find, however, is a hidden oasis designed just for dogs and their people, owned and operated by a farming couple and enjoyed by visitors on two legs, and four.
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Fran is the host of Ranch Setting, one of Sniffspot's most popular spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great Sniffspot host.
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This is the story of a family and dog rescuing each other.
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From 2009 to 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in the development of public dog parks. Designated spots for canine exercise have become commonplace in every major city in North America — many pet owners won’t even consider renting an apartment that doesn’t have its own fenced-in pet area for their canine companions.
Read more
Thousand Oaks, California has been a safe haven for Sniffspot host, Jen, since childhood. Having grown up in busy Santa Barbara, Jen, an introvert from an early age, would seek out solitude and serenity away from tourists attractions and droves of people visiting from elsewhere. “My grandparents own 60 acres about a 30 minute drive from here, and I grew up spending every summer and every holiday visiting them on the ranch,” Jen explained. “In Santa Barbara, we wouldn't go to the beach on the weekend because that's where everybody was, so you'd find places off the beaten path where the tourists weren't. For me, the ranch was just my happy place.”
Read more
Ellen is the host of Country Pasture Getaway, one of Sniffspot's most popular sniff spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great sniff spot host.
Read more
Just 20 minutes outside of the busy city of Portland, Oregon, and settled right on the banks of the Columbia River, you’ll find what countless visitors have flocked to the area in search of – mountain views, crisp, clean air, and running water for miles. What you might not expect to find, however, is a hidden oasis designed just for dogs and their people, owned and operated by a farming couple and enjoyed by visitors on two legs, and four.
Read more
Fran is the host of Ranch Setting, one of Sniffspot's most popular spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great Sniffspot host.
Read more
This is the story of a family and dog rescuing each other.
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Dianne is a creative professional who has no shortage of ideas, physical space to call home, and desires to beautify and improve her surroundings. Born and raised in Oregon, Dianne lives with her husband, Dale, in a home that was built in 1896, and both have been making improvements to the place since they moved in 24 years ago. “I’m semi-retired from a sales/marketing career, and a mixed media artist who also loves to decorate,” she said. “We already loved the character of our home, but the boring metal beige barns in the back were drab. Dale is usually going along with my crazy decorating ideas, so I hired several muralists over the years, mostly through Craigslist, to work their magic on four of our accessory buildings and barns.”
Liz is a lifelong animal lover, and has been surrounded by four-legged friends her entire life. Her childhood was spent with dogs in the home, and her teen years were spent riding horses, an interest she took with her well into adulthood. “I rode Hunter Jumpers and competed with my Quarter horse as a preteen and teenager,” she explained. “As an adult I competed in Dressage with my Lipizzan. My husband and I met during this horse-crazy time. He put up with and supported my animal obsession.”
Rick and Lynn P., and their daughter Zoe, are dog lovers who knew Sniffspot was for them as soon as they heard about it. “In September of 2019 I saw a Sniffspot advertisement for property owners to become Sniffspot hosts,” Rick recalled. “Since Lynn and I both love dogs, we loved the idea of providing a safe and secure option for dog owners to let their dogs run free.” The couple, who work full-time; Lynn as an educator, and Rick as a computer technician onboard a ballistic missile submarine, money wasn’t the motivating factor behind hosting, but having some free time and a property suitable for entertaining dogs just made sense for the pair.
Andy comes from a dog-loving family, and has had canine pals in his life since he was a kid. “Me and my brother have always had dogs ever since we were young. My family is Bolivian but me and my brothers were born here in the United States. My parents had two Yorkies and we pretty much grew up with them,” he said. After their parents passed, the two looked for dogs of their own, and ended up with a stray beagle and two German Shepherds who utilized the huge yard his family has shared for 15 years.
From 2009 to 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in the development of public dog parks. Designated spots for canine exercise have become commonplace in every major city in North America — many pet owners won’t even consider renting an apartment that doesn’t have its own fenced-in pet area for their canine companions.
Key Takeaways
This is the story of a family and dog rescuing each other.
In September 2021, Miranda got a call from the Family Dogs New Life shelter. She had previously fostered a bully breed through the organization, and they wanted to know if she’d open her home to a new dog.
Shoshana grew up as the child of two dog trainers. When the time came to bring a dog into her adult life, she was excited about the opportunity to raise a puppy of her own! She did her research and settled on a Shiloh shepherd: a breed with German shepherd and malamute ancestry selected for a gentle nature. (“I loved the idea of a large, fluffy dog who didn’t drool,” she said.)
“He’s a really good guy, he really is,” Sadaf says of her young Malinois, Shaun, who she lovingly describes as a goofy jock. Shaun loves to chase his soccer ball so much his trainer once remarked that he should be on her soccer team. Time outdoors and an outlet for his athleticism was one of the reasons their trainer recommended Sniffspot to Sadaf. He also needed plenty of space to relax and explore, as city life in Seattle can be stressful for him.
When Laurie lost her long-time best friend, an independent terrier mix named Angus, after 16 years she was devastated. Just before COVID-19 hit, she started looking to various rescues for a new dog to share her active lifestyle.
Louise joined her pitty sister Koko (now passed) when she was 8 weeks old. She was raised by Nicci and her former partner in the mountains of California and has been on many adventures. Running to catch frisbees, daily hikes, and chasing off wolves and coyotes meant Louise had both of her knees replaced before she was 5 years old. Long walks and chasing squirrels became the replacement.
Gouri grew up in a small village in rural India in a family of farmers. Surrounded by lush green vegetation, open spaces, and few vehicles. There were generally dozens of dogs coming and going, living their best outdoor lives in close proximity to humans who fed them. When she and her husband moved to Seattle for their careers in cancer research, living in the city took some getting used to. Gouri knew she wanted a dog in her life, so she started to volunteer with her local shelter. She wanted to learn what to look for in a dog, and how to prepare for bringing a shelter dog into her home.
Lifelong animal lover Leticia has always felt connected to canines. She grew up with dogs of her own and recalls that she used to be the person people would reach out to when a pet was abandoned. “I was the house where someone would come and say ‘hey, we’ve got this dog’ and I’d have a backyard full of them,” she said of her efforts to help as many pets as she could. “I’ve always been the dog person. I’m just a sucker for them.”
Traveling with your dog can be a wonderful experience — but that doesn't mean it's stress-free. Luckily, it's never been easier to find dog-friendly hotels at all price ranges, meaning there are options to fit every type of traveler.
Traveling with your dog can be a rewarding experience, but what do you do when adventure calls you to a place that’s a bit too far for a drive? If you're a pet-owner who want to jetset with your pup, then you’ll want to find the best dog-friendly airlines.
We know dog owners navigate the world a little bit differently. Whether they're planning a family outing or a week-long getaway, dog-friendly travel has its challenges. From pet policy changes and extra fees, finding dog-friendly travel isn't as straightforward as you might think.
Relocating to a new home can be a daunting task, especially when you have a four-legged friend to consider. So, we analyzed responses from Sniffspot users to get their best dog-friendly moving tips and advice.
With the percentage of households with dogs rapidly rising in the USA, it's never been more important to know the most dog-friendly cities. An estimated 65 million households in the US own at least one dog, and pet lovers value their pets feeling welcome where they live.
Does your dog ever growl when you walk by their food dish? Maybe they get possessive of treats, carrying them far away and giving you side-eye when you start to approach — or snarling at your other pets or children if they get too close.
As almost every dog owner is aware, the nose of a dog is an amazing thing. Just as they can pick up sounds we can’t hear, their sense of smell and ability to pick up scents is well beyond ours. In fact, dogs have 40 times the number of olfactory receptors as humans.
More than 80 million Americans rely on their service dogs to help them navigate the world. Task-trained assistance animals perform a huge range of life-changing—in many cases, life-saving—services: These dogs act as eyes for visually impaired handlers, provide mobility support, alert to seizures and blood sugar crashes, interrupt anxiety attacks, remind their people to take medications, and so much more.
You thought your dog was house trained. Your home was clean from puddles of pee, those dreaded middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks were behind you, and you loved every minute of dog ownership… until your four-legged best friend started using the bathroom inside again. What’s going on?
Ah, poop. We humans think it’s disgusting… but many of our dogs seem to love the stuff. If you’re wondering why your canine companion tries to eat feces (either their own or that of other animals) you’re not alone!
Do you have a water-loving dog looking to burn some energy? There are countless dog parks to visit throughout our country — but some of them become far too hot in the midday sun to be safe for your pets to play. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best dog water parks throughout the United States! At these locations, your pup can frolic, splash, and swim to their heart’s content.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Does your dog destroy every toy you give them? Is your house littered with remnants of fabric and stuffing of all different sizes? Are you tired of investing in “indestructible” toys only for your pup to still dismantle—or worse, get bored of—them in just a few days?
You’ve been told your dog needs regular exercise. There’s a reason “walking the dog” is a classic daily activity: Frequent excursions give your pup a chance to experience the world, maintain a healthy weight, and — most importantly — spend time with you! Consistent physical activity can also improve their strength, muscle tone, coordination, and mental ability over time.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Many dogs have gotten a bad reputation over the years for being "dangerous breeds." Rottweilers are among them. Like pit bulls and other large, blocky-headed types of dogs, these powerful and beautiful animals are often assumed to be aggressive.
Your dog is reactive. They’ll see another dog, person, or other stimulus in the environment (like a car or bike) while out on a walk and suddenly go crazy at the end of their leash. The barking, lunging, and growling feels embarrassing for you — and it’s clear that your pup isn’t having a great time either.
Does your dog display reactivity to other pets or people? Maybe they’re a new rescue pup and are still settling into your home. Or they were sick growing up, so you missed their critical socialization period. Possibly they’ve had a bad experience after being raised as a normal puppy.
Do you have a reactive dog or suspect you may have one? You’re not alone!
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Looking for a space to play with your dog no matter what the weather’s like outside? Look no further than our list of the best indoor dog parks in the United States! These climate-controlled spaces are growing in popularity as pet ownership increases throughout the country. As a bonus, many of them also offer dog training, boarding, grooming, or daycare services on the premises.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered! It’s hard to narrow down, but we’ve put together some of the best off-leash dog parks throughout the country so you can plan your next adventure — along with a checklist of what to bring, what to know beforehand, and some frequently asked questions.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog in Las Vegas? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at the best local dog parks to plan for your next adventure in Sin City.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered!
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog in Portland? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at the best local dog parks and plan for your next adventure in the City of Roses.
Discover the German Shepherd Dog, a breed celebrated for its intelligence, loyalty, and versatility. Known for its impressive size and smooth, graceful movements, German Shepherds excel in various roles, including as guide, therapy, bomb detection, and police dogs, while being a devoted family companion.
Discover the Labrador Retriever, a breed celebrated for its playful nature, affectionate temperament, and trainability. Labradors are known for their friendly demeanor and adaptability, making them perfect family companions and versatile working dogs.
Discover the Golden Retriever, a breed celebrated for its affectionate, playful, and trainable nature. Considered a large dog, Golden Retrievers were originally bred in Scotland for hunting and retrieving game beginning in the 1860s.
Discover the American Staffordshire Terrier, a breed celebrated for its playful, friendly, and loyal nature. Considered a medium-sized dog, American Staffordshire Terriers were originally bred in the United Kingdom for baiting bulls, fighting, and hunting beginning in the 1800s — though they're known as gentle, playful lovers today.
Discover the Australian Shepherd, a breed celebrated for its trainable, playful, and affectionate nature. Considered a medium dog, Australian Shepherds were originally bred in the United States for herding beginning in the 1950s.
Sniffspot is a unique community
In a “me first” world, we put dogs first. We love dogs, we have dogs, we try to give dogs as much overflowing joy as they give us. We believe that dogs have inherent worth, and we care deeply about their well-being. As long as we share a place on Earth, we believe dogs have an inherent right to live a fulfilling, joyful and rewarding life.
We believe a more dog-friendly world is a better world. Dogs evolved and were bred in a world where they could run free in fields and forests. Modern society doesn’t carve spaces out for our canine companions and, as a result, dogs in the modern world are having all kinds of problems, like obesity, reactivity, and anxiety. We are coming together to provide safe spaces that allow dogs to let their instincts rise back to the top, to go wild and free, and to just be dogs again. Healing is a beautiful thing to witness.
Read more here about our community and the joy that it brings.
It is important for most dogs to have off-leash exercise and plenty of opportunities to explore. Engaging in natural behaviors like sniffing and running is valuable for your pet's mental health! Since letting dogs off leash in city parks can be dangerous for the surrounding community and wildlife — not to mention can lead to issues with animal control or park authority departments — public dog parks are a legal way to let dogs have off leash exercise.
But the free and open nature of public dog parks can have drawbacks. While the popularity of dog parks has been skyrocketing in the United States, so has the number of professional trainers who caution against their use. The top risks associated with public off-leash dog parks are that:
Many dog behaviorists discourage visiting public dog parks and recommend Sniffspot's private dog parks. With Sniffspot, dogs can get their exercise safely — without worrying about other dogs, people, or potential disease transmission — because our private dog parks only allow one guest to book at a time and are not open to the public. This solves the above issues!
Many owners are drawn to dog parks because they want to socialize their pets. We're inundated with messages of the “perfect” friendly dog. Our social media feeds feature viral videos of animal best friends that echo the cutesy movies we loved as children — but they often show a false reality.
While dogs are social mammals, it's typically not natural for them to regularly engage in play with strangers. Dog sociability can be viewed as a sliding scale:
Ultimately: It's perfectly normal for our dogs to not want to play with other pets outside of our families. Sniffspot was actually inspired by a dog-selective rescue who wasn't able to get any time off leash in a city environment, making it difficult to meet his basic needs amongst the hustle and bustle.
Even a previously social dog might develop a behavior issue (like fear reactivity) due to a negative interaction with another dog at a public dog park. Perhaps they get subtly bullied, feel overwhelmed, or are even bit — and they decide to preemptively try to keep other dogs away from them. Now your social dog is selective or even aggressive toward others.
While some dogs seem to let those negative interactions roll off their back (especially if they've been well socialized since puppyhood) others are affected in lasting ways. Each dog and situation is different.
Public dog parks also increase the chances of pets sustaining injury or developing infection.
While many dog-dog injuries at dog parks are accidental — canines can be mismatched in size, inadvertently break skin while wrestling with untrimmed nails, or simply come on too strong without realizing — others are overtly aggressive.
Even friendly dogs can start fights by failing to recognize another pet's signals of discomfort. Resource guarding over food and toys can turn into a dangerous scuffle. Sometimes heightened arousal from being in a large social group elevates even a typically clear-headed dog's prey drive.
No matter how hard a city works to keep their parks clean, it's impossible to fully eliminate all infection risk. This is especially true in dog-designated spaces that see dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of different canines each week.
There's no way to confirm that every dog entering an off-leash space has been fully vaccinated — and bacterial diseases like leptospirosis often thrive in wet, muddy terrain that's been torn up by paws.
Young puppies and elderly dogs have the greatest chance of getting sick.
While dog parks certainly come with their risks, it would be unfair to claim they're always a bad idea. Public dog parks do serve an important community service in cities.
Some areas lend themselves to safe interactions better than others — large plots of land with acres to maneuver are less dangerous than fenced-in city runs, for example — and responsible owner involvement can make a world of difference.
Dogs enjoy Sniffspot dog parks for all kinds of different reasons — spanning from physical exercise to behavior modification training to agility or other dog sports practice and more. Whatever your primary goals, there is a Sniffspot dog park for you!
There are many different types of private dog parks available. Sniffspot hosts offer locations like designated training yards; expansive fields; large, fully-fenced off-leash dog parks; indoor facilities with lights and other amenities; dog sports courses complete with agility equipment; pools and natural water features; and more. Some even have niche amenities, such as a park splash pad and dog-friendly potable water fountains.
You can filter Sniffspot dog parks by size, fencing, and distractions that might be present via our dog park locator. If your dog doesn't have a good recall, you can visit one of our fully fenced dog parks. If your dog is reactive to other dogs, you can visit one of our off-leash areas where there are no dogs audible or visible nearby. You can also filter locations to avoid other domestic animals and people! Each listing includes the park hours of operation — and by reading reviews you can understand the status of condition, for example, if a section of the fence is in poor condition or there are any park maintenance issues.
While public dog parks have a number of safety issues, such as aggressive dogs, disease transmission, and general cleanliness (often as much an issue with the person in charge as with their dog) Sniffspot dog parks are much safer environments to let your dog express their natural behaviors.
With Sniffspot, all bookings are private — the only park users at a given time are the dog owners who signed up and dogs they bring with them in their own group. Additionally, we require all dogs to be vaccinated (or have equivalent titers). Hosts are in charge of keeping their park areas clean, and many go out of their way to provide visitors with exceptional experiences. It's a win-win for everyone in the community!
Perhaps most helpful to know exactly what you're getting into: Sniffspot dog park locations are vetted and reviewed by guests, so you can find the perfect place for you and your dog — whether they have behavioral struggles, special needs, or any other specific considerations. 93% of reviews on Sniffspot visits are 5 stars and many spots have been reviewed hundreds of times.
As always, make sure to check weather conditions before visiting.
Yes. Many Sniffspot dog parks are designed to be a designated off-leash area! That said: Not every Sniffspot private dog park location is completely fenced in.
All dogs are different, and we expect our guests to be safe and responsible — especially if their dogs do not have strong recall to be able to remain under voice control. Off leash dogs should always stay within the designated off-leash dog park property. This is important to have an enjoyable time and be respectful to the hosts, neighbors, and community as a whole!
No, there will not. Sniffspot only allows one booking at a time — and any host dogs are required to be kept away from the spot during visits.
We also enforce buffers between bookings to ensure you aren't arriving or leaving at the same time another park user is present.
You can browse all of our Sniffspots here using our dog park locator. You can easily view information about the spots, including open times, park entrance details, and current conditions.
Each host sets their own price, so you can check the cost per hour on the specific Sniffspot dog park listing. Most are between $5 - $15 per dog per hour.
Prices vary based on size, fencing and amenities, such as water or drinking fountains for dogs, park benches, WiFi accessibility, and so on.
We require that all dogs have basic vaccinations or equivalent titers. We require rabies vaccination, the equivalent of current rabies tags.
We do not allow dogs with a bite history.
We do not have limits for dogs per owner or dogs per adult handler, though some individual park hosts set person per visit limits.
Adult supervision is required at all times.
Dog owners are responsible for picking up pet waste to keep park areas clean (many Sniffspot private dog parks provide pet waste stations).
We require that guests sign our waiver and agree to follow park rules and policies before visiting park sites.
You can learn more about how you can earn up to $3,000 per month sharing your land here. It is just as lucrative as dog boarding or other dog services — with less work for you! Park planning can be as simple as opening up your existing yard.
Being a Sniffspot host can be incredibly rewarding both financially and personally.
We love dogs — but our modern world is built for us humans, not for our canine companions. Tightly packed cities, small public dog parks, and less time in nature have increased the rates of problem behaviors like leash reactivity, fear aggression, and anxiety in our pets. Sniffspot is a way to combat this mental and physical health crisis! By providing a safe environment, you can enable local dogs and owners to breathe a collective sigh of relief as they get to engage in natural behaviors (like sniffing, running, and playing) in a private space free of potential dangers they can't escape at city parks or on the sidewalk.