Expert Info
on 14 Sep 2018
Hello,
I'm planning on moving to Houston with the family next year and had a question regarding dogs. I have two big dogs and wanted to know how dog-friendly the city is. Can you walk your dogs in places other than designated dog parks? Are there any national parks where you can walk dogs off lead/leash. Finally, have you moved with your dogs and how have they coped with the heat in summer? We currently live in the countryside where most dog walks are off lead/leash.
I also have a 7 yr old Daughter but think she will have fewer issues adjusting than the dogs.
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Hello,
As long as your dog is on a leash you can walk them almost anywhere outside such as on the sidewalk, however, parts of Houston are not really designed for pedestrians. There are some parks that will specifically say no dogs allowed but most will allow you to have the dogs on a leash. There are also dog parks run by the city of Houston or by Harris County and I know of a few subdivisions/neighborhoods that have dog parks where you can allow your dogs off the leash. You can bring your dogs with you to the pet store or to the hardware store but those are the only stores I can think of that dogs are allowed in. No one deals well with the heat. Unless we are at the pool or splash pad we only spend time outside in the mornings or evenings. It frequently feels like 105 F/40 C so we all hide in the air conditioning in the afternoons. If you know what area of Houston you will be in I'm happy to help.
Thank you. This has been extremely useful. We are looking at Katy and Cinco Ranch area.
It really depends on which part of Houston you intend to live in. It's very hot and humid in Summer but lovely in the winter. It gets so hot in Summer that your dog's paws can actually get burned on the pavements so you need to be careful. There are plenty of dog walking areas in the newer neighbourhoods where you can let your dog off it's leash as long as it doesn't 'worry' other people. I have found that most people outside in neighbourhoods are either walking their dogs or jogging/exercising so you will be ok in general. If you have any favoured areas I can certainly do some more research for you amongst my fellow Real Estate professionals who know every area like the back of their hands. Especially good school districts for your daughter. It doesn't always follow that good neighbourhoods have good schools.
Take care - Tony