New to Austin? ATX Dog Guide!
Welcome to Austin! We’re glad to have you! If you’re reading this you’re most likely a dog parent that treats your dog like your own kid! We totally get that, Austin is the BEST city to own a dog. There is so much to do! So let’s start with some basics! We like to say that Central Austin is broken up into 4 quadrants! North of the River, South of the River, and divided East and West by 35! Most people don’t do a lot of traveling north or south of the river but it’s worth exploring all over!
Restaurants: Almost all restaurants are dog friendly but its worth it to check ahead on Google, Yelp and their own social media/website. Most won’t let you inside but we are known for large patios which can be very dog friendly. My best piece of advice? Make sure your dog can handle other dogs and crowds before you go!
Bars: It’s hard to find bars that don’t allow dogs (some might just require yall to stay outside) - Breweries like Nomadic and bars like Little Woodrow’s Southpark Meadows DO allow dogs inside (for those hot summer days)
Hiking: There are TONS of hiking trails all over, people here hike year-round!
Water sources: HERE is where it gets tricky. In general, the water is NOT SAFE for dogs. Exceptions can be made out near Onion Creek and some other small watering holes but in general we don’t recommend you let your dog swim, specifically in the summer (toxic algea) — the city has gotten good about making announcements and if you follow different city and dog groups on FB and IG accounts, we all typically share the same knowledge! K9 Water World in San Marcos and Jumpin Jack Ranch pool rental are safe and rentable water sources for the summertime!
Dog Parks: FREE Dog parks are few and far between but can be found (Norwood, Mary Moore, Onion Creek, West Austin) but paid dog parks that have staff, drinks, food etc have been popping up over the last few years. The WateringBowl is in far South Austin, Mutts Cantina (almost open) is in far North Austin, YardBar is central North Austin and the Neighbors is in South Austin. All of these options are outdoor only but Work and Woof has an indoor option on Saturdays!
Work Spaces: Desperate to get out of the house? There are LOTS of places to come work that aren’t necessarily coworking spaces that allows dogs, most often people work at places like Meanwhile Brewing, Cosmic Coffee, Radio Coffee, Spokesman, etc. There are also a few coworking spaces left in Austin. Work and Woof offers coworking in 3 ways, use it without a dog, bring your dog with you into an office while you work OR drop your dog off to play while you work out of an office on-site!
Vets: There are LOTS of Vets in Austin. They range from chains like VCA, Thrive and Banfield, to holistic vets like ROOTS and others like PAZ which has 4 locations. If you are looking for low cost, try Emancipet or Prickly Pear which is a vaccine only clinic! You can always reach out to us on IG: @workandwoofatx for more suggestions!
Dog Daycares: Looking for a place to get your dogs energy out? We totally get that, we are a dog daycare after all! Depending on what you are looking for there are a ton of options! Barkin Creek specializes in under 35lbs, there are more traditional crate and rotate options like Jackie’s Play and Stay or if you’re wanting crate and kennel free, Work and Woof has 17,000 sq ft and we are a crate and kennel free option with hourly, half day and full day options! If we’re not right for you (or too far away) we can make other recommendations!
Some top IG accounts to follow for dog parents:
Whether you are new to Austin or just need more guidance on what it’s like to be a dog owner here, we’ve got you covered! Work and Woof has been rated one of the top dog daycares in Austin for the last 2 years but beyond that we THRIVE on helping parents enjoy Austin with their dog and provide fun activities and options for parents here! Enjoy Austin, it’s a great place to be!