Food trucks are part of Asheville's culture -- and now Asheville is getting a visit from a food truck for dogs! On Thursday, May 11 from 4 to 7 PM, "The Good Stuff Pet Truck" will be stopping at Azalea Dog Park, 395 Azalea Road in East Asheville. If you haven't been to this dog park, it is not far from the WNC Nature Center, in the recreational area behind the soccer fields.

The Good Stuff Pet Truck will be bringing along coupons and free swag. They'll be introducing new products and discussing the benefits of grain-free pet food. Also on hand will be a local dog trainer doing free demos.

For more information about The Good Stuff Pet Truck, visit: http://www.goodstuffpettruck.com/

Dog parks have good intentions -- but they aren't the ideal environment for every dog. The concept of letting dogs run free and unleashed together generally works well; however, dog owners who ignore warning signs from their own dogs or others can be asking for trouble.

PetPlace offers some wise "rules for dog park etiquette," including the following:

• Recognize the signs of aggressive behavior and be ready to remove your dog from a dangerous situation.
• Dog owners who use a dog park to exercise their dogs after they have been inside for long periods of time could be asking for trouble. Take your dog for a walk to release some energy before visiting a dog park. 
• Don't leave harnesses, prong collars, or choke collars on a dog at the dog park. These can cause injuries during play.

You can find other helpful tips here.

As for local dog parks, here are a few in the area:

Azalea Dog Park, Asheville, NC

Cleveland Park, Greenville, SC

Dogwood Park, Knoxville, TN

Fletcher Community Park Dog Park, Fletcher, NC

French Broad River Dog Park, Asheville, NC

Jackson Park Dog Park, Hendersonville, NC

River Walk Park Dog Park, Black Mountain, NC

Six Wags of Greer, Greer, SC

Waynesville Dog Park, Waynesville, NC

 Image: Holohololand, freedigitalphotos.net

Carolina Mountain Dog is excited to let you know that we've just published a new eBook called POOCH PATHS. This handy eBook offers descriptions, links, directions, and even insider tips for more than thirty dog walks and hikes in Asheville and beyond. You’ll find useful information about Asheville greenways, Bent Creek Forest trails, Blue Ridge Parkway trails, DuPont State Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and much more.

To ensure every dog owner can gain access to this valuable eBook, we’re making it available for a mere 99 cents!

The eBook is now available at the Amazon Kindle store here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IABRECC

It is also available in all other eBook formats, including PDF, here:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/649816

POOCH PATHS will soon be available through other major online booksellers as well.

We hope you find “POOCH PATHS” of use. If you like it, please post a good review so others know about it, too!

If you're looking for some wide open spaces to walk your dog on leash, consider Jackson Park in Hendersonville, NC. This 212-acre park, not far from downtown Hendersonville, has it all, including picnic shelters, playgrounds and walking trails -- lots of them. Some of the trails pass through lush vegetation and swampland, connecting via the Oklawaha Greenway with three other parks in Henderson County. The park also boasts many species of birds and plants.

An added bonus is a giant off-leash dog park, located not far from the first entrance to the park at 801 Glover Street. The fully fenced park features a covered seating area and plenty of flat grass for cavorting around with other pups. Large and small dogs intermingle here. A stream is nearby.

Note: Another city dog park, Pets' Own Place on Seventh Avenue, is located at 1019 Seventh Avenue East. This fenced dog park has two separate section for small and large dogs. There is also a waste bag dispenser, trash receptacle and a water spigot. The park is located across Mud Creek at the Oklawaha Greenway trail head. Parking is available off Seventh Avenue.

Image: Victor Habbick, freedigitalphotos.net

The new Conestee Dog Park is open in Greenville, SC, replacing the dog park in Cleveland Park.

The Conestee Dog Park is at the entrance of Conestee Park at 840 Mauldin Road in Greenville. The new dog park is twice as big as the dog park in Cleveland Park. 

Greenville’s newest dog park contains over 45,000 square feet of space with two vast areas for dogs big and small. This new dog park has water, shade, naturalized play and great long runs. Check it out!

Several years ago, Carolina Mountain Dog covered Fletcher Community Park (off Howard Gap Road and Hendersonville Road in Fletcher, NC) as an ideal "Pooch Path." The park features flat, paved and very walkable trails that run through the park and beyond to a lovely greenway, behind the park. Bordering the park is also Cane Creek, accessible from a crushed stone path, where dogs can splash around and get a cold drink.

Now, Fletcher Community Park is an even better doggie destination. The park has added the new Morris Broadband Dog Park, which consists of two separate large fenced in areas, one for small dogs and one for large dogs, where your pet can roam off-leash. The Dog Park can be accessed off the main trail that circles the park. 

Here's a tip to add an extra dimension to your visit. Go to the Blue Sky Cafe on Hendersonville Road (a minute away from the corner of Hendersonville and Howard Gap Roads) and take out one of their scrumptious wraps, salads or sandwiches and then picnic at one of the numerous tables set up around the park. It's a great way to get your dog out for a walk and enjoy lunch or dinner at the same time!

We've mentioned Azalea Dog Park as a POOCH PATHS destination before, but if you haven't been there lately, you'll find some improvements that make it even better.

The park has been reconfigured so that dogs over 25 pounds have a completely separate entrance. Instead of going through the small dog area as before, dogs can enter a separate gate into a large, fenced area. Dogs under 25 pounds enter through a second gate into the small dog area. In addition, a chronically muddy section between the two areas has now been fenced off, fencing that previously surrounded trees in the big dog area has been removed to allow for more space, and new lockers have been added to both areas to store drinking water for the dogs.

Azalea Dog Park is a great place for your dogs to work off their energy. Poop bags are generally available and you are encouraged to pick up after your dog. The dog park adjoins a pond and a small grassy area with a few picnic tables, and there are some hiking trails close by as well.

Insider tip: One of the good things about the location of the park is its proximity to the Swannanoa River. For a nice cool-down after romping at this dog park, exit the park and look for a gated pull-in, immediately on your left. Down a short path is a shallow river bed and gentle rapids where doggies love to splash.

Location: Use Exit 8 off of Route 240 and follow signs for the WNC Nature Center. The park is at 395 Azalea Road, a few miles past the WNC Nature Center. Continue on Azalea Road past all the soccer fields until you see the sign, Azalea Dog Park, on the left.

Image: anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How many pet stores have a friendly, inviting front porch with a rocking chair, a huge pet mural in the parking lot, and a bark mulched dog park in the back, complete with red hydrant?

That's what you'll find at the new Patton Avenue Pet Company, 1388 Patton Avenue (near Haywood Road) in Asheville. This new breed of locally-owned pet supply store aims to be a resource center for Asheville's pet loving community, says owner/animal lover Jenna Yarosh (shown in photo with Penelope, one of her three dogs). Of course, pets are welcome inside, but dogs will find their own little piece of heaven in the fenced-in dog park at the rear of the store, which is located in a brightly painted house. The dog park has a little "pee garden" with a fire hydrant, dog toys, a bench for humans, and plenty of space for some off-leash play.

Inside the store, you'll find a complete assortment of top-notch nutritionally appropriate pet food, free of meat byproducts, artificial coloring, additives and perservatives, and with a minimum of fillers. Also on hand is a wide range of supplies, accessories, treats and other pet products. Some of these products, such as the line of pet potions from GoodJudy, are available exclusively at the store. Patton Avenue Pet Company even imports humanely sourced moose antlers -- known to be the best chew sticks for dogs -- directly from Alaska, so you can get them at a great price.

The store offers a companion animal lending library which sits over a cozy fireplace, actively seeks products from local community sources, and will periodically hold training classes and adoption events. Artwork from local artists graces the exterior and interior. The store's hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday, 11 AM - 5 PM (closed Monday). Visit http://www.pattonavenuepet.com/ or call (828) 505-8299 for more information.

Grand Opening on January 14
Stop by with your pets for the store's Grand Opening celebration on Saturday, January 14 from 12 to 4 PM. There'll be free samples, free nail trims, free behavioral and nutritional consulting, and a contest.

During cooler temperatures, the temperate climate of the Upstate is particularly enjoyable. For a great dog-friendly destination, cruise over to Cleveland Park, a 122-acre park set alongside the Reedy River and close to downtown Greenville. 

First let your dog work off some energy at The Canine Corner at Cleveland Park, located right across from the Cleveland Park Animal Hospital on Woodland Way. This enclosed off-leash dog park is a sloping bark-mulched area with swings, benches, some shady areas, and a combination human/doggie water fountain. Then take a leisurely leashed walk (or bike ride) along one of the numerous flat paths in the park. Some wind their way parallel to the river.

This is a great fall and winter spot in a city that welcomes dogs. For more information about Greenville parks and trails, visit the CANINE CRUISIN' page.

Black Mountain is a charming, laid back town east of Asheville, right off Route 40. It's also remarkably dog friendly.

In Black Mountain, you'll find a small but nicely appointed off-leash dog park at the River Walk Park. It is a fenced-in, bark mulched area with shaded seating for owners and a water spigot for dogs. There is also a plastic doggie pool for splashing and cool-downs. It's known primarily to locals but anyone can use it. Just head for the Bi-Lo shopping center on NC 9, gong south out of Black Mountain. Go around the back and to the left of Bi-Lo and you'll see a parking area and the entrance to the dog park.

Another great dog-friendly spot is Lake Tomahawk Park. It's located at 401 S. Laurel Circle Drive, not far from the center of town. This lovely lake has a half-mile flat path all the way around it, perfect for a low-impact walk with your pal (on-leash, please).

While in Black Mountain, be sure to visit Bone-A-Fide Bakery in the heart of town at Cherry Street Square. The bakery features homemade treats and doggie birthday cakes, as well as dog food, soaps and shampoos, collars and leashes, doggie clothing, and gifts. Bone-A-Fide is open Monday 1-6 PM, Tuesday through Saturday 11 AM - 6 PM, and Sunday 1 - 5 PM. For more information, go to  http://visitblackmountain.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=36&TabID=58&uc=info&mode=dir 

Greenville, SC is a dog-friendly city, worthy of a visit with your pooch.

Dogs can go off-leash at Canine Corner at Cleveland Park, a fenced, mulched dog park on Woodland Way in Greenville. For leashed walks, try Falls Park in downtown Greenville (pictured here), right along the Reedy River. It features waterfalls, gardens, and the beautiful Liberty Bridge. For ambitious excursions, there's the Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail. It's more than 13 miles long and goes from Travelers Rest to Greenville, running along the Reedy River.

Many Greenville restaurants welcome dogs in the outdoor seating areas. If you're looking for special treats just for Fido (baked gourmet goodies as well as boutique items), head over to The Barkery Bistro, 118 North Main Street.

For lake recreation, Paris Mountain State Park is just four miles away from the city. Paris Mountain features 15-acre Lake Placid, hiking trails, and picnic and camping areas.

And if you're from the area and looking to adopt a pet, don't forget about the Greenville Humane Society.

Dogwood Park in Knoxville, Tennessee is considered one of the South's "5 Best Dog Parks," according to the May 2010 issue of Southern Living. The magazine says:

"Puppies are not overlooked here with a playground (constructed especially for little legs) that features a tunnel, puppuy jump, and inclined hill. Once your pooch is thoroughly worn out, he or she can drink up at a water fountain designed just for dogs. It's part of larger Victor Ashe Park, a 115-acre area that also includes a disc golf course, a children's playground, soccer fields, fishing, a 1.5-mile cross-country trail, and a paved greenway for biking or jogging."

Directions from I-40: From I-40, take the I-640 exit #385; take the Western Ave. West; head west on Western Ave; turn right onto Ballcamp Pk. at the Wendy's; turn right onto Bradshaw Rd; park will be on the left. (Note: I-40 has been reopened so travel to Knoxville from the Carolina mountains is easy again!)

For more information: http://www.ci.knoxville.tn.us/parks/victor.asp

If you live in or are traveling to the Upstate, you'll find a place near Greer where your dog can play all day. "Six Wags of Greer" is a privately-run dog park that features 3 very large fenced in play areas for small, medium, and large dogs -- complete with benches, toys, shade, and a running creek. It also includes two separate play areas for dogs that might do better playing alone, and one of those areas is outfitted with agility equipment.

You pay $5 for an "all-day pass" for your first dog, and $2 for each additional dog. It's a bargain even for a few hours of fun. The park is well-maintained and open 7 days a week from 7 AM to 8 PM. If no one's at the small shack on the property, just leave your money in the mail slot.

Six Wags of Greer is located on Highway 14, between Landrum and Greer, about 6 miles beyond the intersection of Highway 11 and Highway 14, heading towards Greer. The park will be on your right. Visit the CANINE CRUISIN' page for more photos of the park. (If you're using a GPS, put in the address 3671 Highway 14, Greer.)

The city of Asheville has some great venues for dog lovers. Two of them, Carrier Park and French Broad River Park, are along Amboy Road, close to each other, and include enough tree-lined paths by the French Broad River to make for a whole morning or afternoon of walking or biking with your four-legged friend.

Carrier Park attracts more of a crowd because of its facilities, but gently rolling paved and bark-mulched paths to the left of the picnic shelter lead away from the busy section, towards French Broad River Park. Walk along the sidewalk to reach the less populated area, and you'll notice a sign indicating the future home of "Karen Cragnolin Park." This is part of the ambitious "Wilma Dykeman Riverway Plan," named for a local writer/conservationist, and sponsored by the visionary organization, RiverLink. The plan calls for the eventual formation of a 17-mile continuous greenway linking the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers. It's an exciting and bold concept that encourages recreational use of the city's waterways.

French Broad River Park, beyond Carrier Park and to the left off Amboy Road, is a walker's delight. It has the added benefit of a fenced, 1-acre dog park on the premises. (However, there's a newer and larger dog park on the other side of town called the Azalea Road Dog Park, near the WNC Nature Center and not far from the Bleachery Boulevard shopping area.)

Walk or ride along the paths at either Carrier Park or French Broad River Park, stop to look at the water, and take time for you and your dog enjoy what Asheville has to offer.

For more information, visit the POOCH PATHS page.

Find out where to take your dog for a leisurely stroll in downtown parks and around lakes. Learn about the dog-friendly South Carolina Botanical Gardens. Find the best hiking trails in the Upstate. Visit a private dog park with three play yards. Discover which Upstate restaurants welcome dogs in their outdoor seating areas. All of this helpful information is in an issue of Discover Upstate South Carolina magazine, and we've provided a link to this great resource here. (Note: This is a PDF and the article about dogs in the Upstate begins on page 6.)

Despite the many local outdoor recreational opportunities, dogs must be leashed on Blue Ridge Parkway trails and in most forest and park areas. For off-leash time and socialization with other dogs, dog parks are ideal; however, there are not many of them in the region. The following is a list of official off-leash dog parks in WNC and the Upstate -- facilities that are fenced, maintained, and allow dogs off-leash. If you know of others, feel free to comment so we can update this list.

Note: Any time you visit a dog park, it is a good idea to have water, poop bags, and proof of vaccinations. Be sure your dog is well-socialized and will not be intimidated or cause problems in this environment.

(Photo: Dog Park in Boone, Watauga Humane Society)

ASHEVILLE, NC

Azalea Dog Park

Location: 395 Azalea Road (Not far from the WNC Nature Center. Continue on Azalea Road past all the soccer fields and the dog park will be on the left.)

Facilities: Two fenced areas, one small dogs and a large area for big dogs with a gazebo. Bring your own water. Insider tip: For a nice cool-down after romping at this dog park, exit the park and look for a pull-in near a dumpster, immediately on your left. Down a short path is a shallow river bed and gentle rapids where doggies love to splash.

More Information

French Broad River Dog Park

Location: Adjacent to the French Broad River Park, Amboy Road and Riverview Drive, West Asheville.

Facilities: Large fenced area. No separate area for small dogs. Water is available.

More Information

BOONE, NC

Watauga Humane Society Dog Park

Location: Don Hayes Road, between Rutherwood Baptist Church and the Boone Stockyard, about four miles from Boone off Old Highway 421 South.

Facilities: About 3.5 acres of fenced flat and hilly area. Separate area for small dogs, and another area for dogs with special behavioral problems. Water available. Note: Pre-registration required. Admission by pass only. Annual memberships and day passes available at the Watauga Humane Society. Insider tip: If you are not a Boone resident, you can still use this park for the day (12 hours) for only $3.00.

More Information

GREENVILLE, SC

Canine Corner at Cleveland Park

Location: 126 Woodland Way (Across from the Cleveland Park Animal Hospital and horse stables).

Facilities: Half-acre mulched park. No separate area for small dogs. Water is usually available. 

More Information

GREER, SC

Six Wags Dog Park

Location: 3671 North Highway 14 (4-1/2 miles north of Greer)

Facilities: A private 8-acre facility open to the public. Five fenced play areas based on dogs' sizes; includes a nature trail, creek, and agility equipment. Open 8 AM - 8 PM seven days a week. No appointment needed. Daily admission is $5 for the first dog, $2 for the second dog from the same family. Proof of vaccination required.

More Information

RUTHERFORDTON, NC

Waynesville Pepsi Dog Park

Location: Vance Street, off of Howell Mill Road (Below the Waynesville Recreation Center and soccer fields)

Facilities: Two fenced areas, one for small dogs. Bring water.

More Information