Ever wondered what city is the best place for a dog to live? Want to move there with your favorite pup? Now you can! We'll give you a list of the best cities in the US to live with your dog.
Nowadays, people can live just about anywhere if they have a remote job. So if you don't have to live where your work is, why not choose your favorite place to live? Or better yet, choose your dog's favorite place to live.
There are so many great places to call home across the US, but some have more of the amenities you are looking for. If the quality of your dog's life is pretty important to you, you may want to choose one of the topmost dog-friendly cities in the United States. But if you choose one of those cities, how do you know which one is dog-friendlier than another? Which ones have more dog-friendly restaurants, and which ones have better dog parks?
We've done a little research to help get you started in finding your potential new hometown. And we'll tell you a little bit about what makes each of these cities so special. Then you can weigh the facts, and decide which city is the best fit for you.
And of course, there are tons of small cities across the US that didn't make the cut because we only considered larger cities across the country. So take our list with a grain of salt, and use this as a starting point in finding your new hometown.
If you're looking for other great articles about dog-friendly activities and places, plus pet-parenting advice, check out the Blog at LocalPetCare.com.
The Top 7 Most Dog-Friendly Cities in the United States
Since there are so many factors that play into which city is the dog-friendliest, we are putting our top 7 dog-friendly cities in alphabetical order. It's up to you to figure out which one is the winner.
- Albuquerque, NM
- Asheville, NC
- Austin, TX
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Las Vegas, NV
- Portland, OR
- Tucson, AZ
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque is a great place if you're looking for those hot, sunny days and dry weather. It's the largest city in New Mexico, has amazing mountain views and sunsets, lots of fun festivals, is a great place for Foodies, and a great place for families to raise children.
The city has a total of 33,000 acres of public parks and it only rains about 60 days per year. So there is more than enough time and places to take your pup outdoors for some great exercise and fresh air. Whether you're into hiking with your dog, or you're ready to sit back on the park bench while they run and play with the other canines, there are tons of great outdoor spaces to bring your dog.
And don't forget to check out all of the dog-friendly restaurants in Albuquerque. You can try out O'Neill's, The Grove Cafe & Market, or Kelly's Brew Pub. They will all welcome your pup with open arms onto their outdoor patio seating.
Find Pet Care Pros in Albuquerque, MN!
Asheville, NC
Asheville, NC, is a hip, fun, thriving city with amazing restaurants, a great arts and culture scene, and tons of live music. This city has 250 acres of pet-friendly green spaces. And you can enjoy other pet-friendly activities like hiking, kayaking, and paddle boarding.
Asheville has beautiful mountains, mild weather, tons of quaint boutique shops downtown, and is a great place to raise your family... Including your fur babies. And don't worry, there are plenty of great restaurants that provide outdoor patio seating where your dog is allowed to sit by your side.
Not only can you take your pup for a hike in the parks here, but you can let them run around off-leash in the city's various dog parks like French Broad River Dog Park and Azalea Road Dog Park.
Austin, TX
Austin, TX, is known for being fun, unique, and exciting. This city has a great food scene, tons of yoga lovers, and gorgeous pet-friendly places to visit like Zilker Botanical Gardens. You'll enjoy the Colorado River, and kayaking with your adventurous pup. And you can visit dog-friendly restaurants like Banger's Sausage House & Beer Garden or Hops & Grain Brewery.
This city has tons of dog parks like Red Bud Isle Off-Leash Dog Park and Norwood Estate Dog Parks. There's even a local food truck called Bow-Wow Bones that serves natural dog treats for all of the canines out and about town. And with a city this big into yoga, you're sure to find some great Doga classes too! Dog + Yoga = Doga… you get to bring your pup along! Sounds awesome, right?
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs is such a popular city to live in these days. Its population is growing like crazy because everyone wants to move to the mountains… including our dogs! Not only are there plenty of off-leash dog parks like Bear Creek Dog Park and Cheyenne Meadows Dog Park, but you'll also find tons of dog-friendly hiking trails like Mount Rosa Trail, Palmer Park Outer Loop Trail, Gray Back Peak Trail, and so much more!
If you're looking for a great city to live in that has the great outdoors mentality with plenty of mountain hiking, this might be the place for you! On top of dog-friendly outdoor activities, you can sit back and enjoy a meal with your pup by your side at one of the many pet-friendly restaurants like Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar or Pub Dog Colorado.
Las Vegas, NV
Did you ever think Las Vegas would be on this list? This city does actually rank in the top dog-friendly city in the US. It's warm and sunny with very few rainy days, so you and your pup can run around outside all the time! There's plenty of mountainous hiking surrounding the Las Vegas area. And according to smartasset.com, this city actually has the 7th highest number of dog parks per 100,000 residents in the United States.
And have you ever eaten at the restaurants in Las Vegas? They're to die for! Not only does this city have incredible dining options, but tons of them provide dog-friendly patio seating for you and your pup to enjoy together. And with such dry weather, you can sit outside at a restaurant most of the year.
Portland, OR
Portland is another fun city known for its quirkiness! Not only does this city love being weird, but it loves its dogs. You and your pup can enjoy the Sellwood Riverfront Park—especially if your dog is the type who loves swimming and splashing. This gorgeous city might be a bit rainier than some of the others on this list, but that means its greenery is much lusher.
Your dog will love hiking and going to dog parks like Lynchwood Park and Mt. Tabor Park. And don't forget about the amazing dog-friendly restaurants, bars, and cafes like Java Hound Coffee Bar, Laurelwood Public House & Brewery, and Pizza Jerk. Portland has just about everything you and your pooch could want or need.
Tucson, AZ
Tucson has 350+ days of sunshine per year, compared to the US average of 205 days. This city has super dry weather, warm temperatures, beautiful mountains, gorgeous sunset views, and lots of desert landscape. If that sounds like your type of place, then you're in luck! Tucson is quite the dog-friendly city.
You'll love the many dog parks and off-leash areas like Palo Verde Dog Park, Purple Heart Park: Ivan's Spot, and Smiling Dog Ranch at George Mehl Foothills Park. Of course, you'll have to check out some of the best dog-friendly restaurants in town like Dogs-N-Donuts, Ghini's French Caffe, and La Cocina. And I don't know about you, but I give Tucson bonus points for having a dog-friendly donut shop.
Honorable Mentions
There were so many great dog-friendly cities that we didn't have time to dig into them all. But a few more "honorable mentions" were:
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Tampa, FL
These four cities also provide tons of dog-friendly restaurants, dog parks, and dog-friendly spaces. There's no way you could go wrong with any of these picks.
Which City is the Most Dog-Friendly in the US?
Now that you've seen what we had to say about each city above, which one do you think is the winner of them all? And which city is going to be your new favorite hometown?
For more great articles about dog-friendly activities and pet-parenting advice, check out the Blog at LocalPetCare.com.