With beautiful year round weather, stunning beaches, great dining and retail options, and countless activities, San Diego is the perfect place to live for everyone……including our four legged friends! In fact, according to Realtor.com, San Diego is the 5th Most Dog Friendly City in the Country! The rankings were based on the percentage of dog owners as well as access to numerous pet related amenities, such as parks, groomers, pet stores, etc. With 63% of households having dogs and almost 1,000 pet related businesses, it’s no surprise that San Diego is the ultimate city for your pooch! Here is our handy pet directory for San Diego to keep your beloved pet happy and healthy!
Pet Stores and Bakeries
We want to give our dogs the best of everything. Whether it is food, toys, accessories, or more, we love to spoil our pets. San Diego is filled with great boutiques, bakeries, and pet supply stores. Many offer healthy foods and eco-friendly toys. These are our favorite spots to get all of our dog treats and necessities:
- Bow Wow Beauty Shoppe (1735 University Avenue)
- City Dog (550 Park Boulevard)
- EarthWise Pet Supply (1051 Market Street)
- Howlistic (930 West Washington Street)
- Kensington Pet Supply (4153 Adams Avenue)
- Paw Pleasers (2818 University Avenue)
- Pet Me Please (3401 Adams Avenue)
- Unleashed by Petco (308 Washington Street)
Pet Groomers
Not only do you want to make sure your dog always looks its best but it also helps keep your dog happy and healthy by properly maintaining their coat, nails, and teeth. If you do not have time to groom your pet at home or have a dog with an unruly mane, there are plenty of experienced and highly qualified pet groomers located throughout San Diego. Here are some local groomers to send your pup to for some pampering:
- Art of Fur (2834 North Park Way)
- Furry Friends Dog and Cat Grooming (3537 Adams Avenue)
- Hairy and Merry (2400 Kettner Boulevard)
- Wildside Unlimited (1919 India Street)
- Yuko Dog Grooming (2979 Upas Street)
Pet Photography
Your dog truly is another member of the family. Add their photo to your wall of family portraits to let everyone your visits your home know how much you love your pooch! Check out these award winning pet photographers to turn your dog into a furry model for the day:
- Allison Shamrell Pet Photography (3251 Adams Avenue)
- Colleen’s Custom Pet Photography
- Fetchlight Pet Photography
- OH MY DOG! Photography (3824 Ray Street)
- Westway Studio
Pet Sitters and Walkers
Whether you work full days or need to go out of town for business or vacation, you want to make sure that your pet is taken care of while you are away. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise and socialization when you are at work by hiring a dog walker. If you need to leave San Diego for a couple days, make you beloved pooch more comfortable by allowing them to stay in your home with a pet sitter instead of at a boarding facility. Here are some great local dog sitters and walkers to keep Fido happy every day:
- Rover.com San Diego Dog Sitters
- My Urban Dog
- Sarandipity Pet Care Services
- Spoil ’em Rotten Pet Sitting
- Unleashed Dog Fitness (3710 Crane Place)
Dog Parks and Beaches
Dogs are allowed in all San Diego municipal parks as long as they are maintained on a leash that does not extend past 8 feet. If you want your dog to be able to stretch their legs, run free, and roll in the grass with other dogs, check out one of the many off-leash areas available throughout San Diego. All off-leash dog parks are designated on this helpful MAP. The following our favorite parks to take Fido:
Balboa Park – includes:
- Grape Street Dog Park (1998 28th Street)
- Morley Field Dog Park (Morley Field Drive & Alabama Street)
- Nate’s Point (2500 Balboa Drive
- Capehart Park (Soledad Mountain Road)
- Charles L Lewis III Memorial Park (4750 Home Avenue)
- Kearny Mesa Community Park (3170 Armstrong Street)
- Nobel Park (8820 Judicial Drive)
- Ward Canyon Neighborhood Park (3905 Adams Avenue)
In San Diego, your dog can also enjoy a day at the beach! For most beaches in the metro area, dogs must be leashed at all times and are allowed on the beach starting in the evening and until 9:00 am the following morning. However, there are two great beaches that allow dogs off leash! Just remember to always pick up after your pet at any of the San Diego beaches to ensure that our furry friends are always welcome to enjoy the surf and sun in the future!
- Dog Beach (5156 West Point Loma Boulevard)
- Fiesta Island (1590 East Mission Bay Drive)
Pet Rescue and Adoption in San Diego
Don’t have a family dog yet or are looking to add another four-legged friend to your family? Save a life and rescue a dog! There are many great organizations in the San Diego area that work tirelessly to rescue dogs and find loving homes for them. Make a difference in a homeless animal’s life and find a best friend for you and your family at one of these animal adoption organizations:
- The Barking Lot
- Animal Rescuers Without Borders (ARWOB)
- Helen Woodward Animal Center
- The Rescued Dog
- San Diego Humane Society
- Second Chance Dog Rescue
For more tips on San Diego and our wonderful communities, visit our website!