A pet owner’s guide to living in the GTA

When you find a home that you love that can also accommodate your furry friend, you know you’ve lucked out! Most of our properties are pet-friendly and have access to pet-friendly amenities or green space so you and your pet can have the best living experience.

Today, being an urban pet owner is a breeze as there are so many pet friendly places around. Living in the GTA as a pet owner, you have many great options for groomers, daycares, and trainers. Going on a walk? Explore all the beautiful trails and outdoor spaces the GTA has to offer, and if your four-legged friend has more energy and needs to run, you’ll have no problem finding an off-leash dog park nearby. 

Whether you’re looking to pamper your pet or get some fresh air and exercise, you have lots of options to choose from. Below, we’ve put together a pet owner’s guide to living in the GTA by region.

Toronto

Toronto Skyline

Located off the lobby at both The Saint and 123 Portland, you conveniently have a pet wash station making wash time easy. 

There are dog friendly trails all around the city, such as the Beltline Trail, as well as parks with off-leash dog areas, such as Don Valley Brick Works Park. In the west end, closer to our new community coming to Etobicoke, Westshore, you have High Park. Right downtown behind the Flatiron Building, Berczy Park features a dog fountain installation featuring 27 dog sculptures and 1 cat, paying tribute to the neighbourhood pets.

Dogs around a water fountain

Photo credit: Jeff Hitchcock

When your pet needs grooming, Park9, Hounds of York, and Soulmutts are good spots that provide grooming services, as well as dog daycare, boarding, and walking. Soulmutts even has the largest private off leash space in downtown Toronto, with almost 10,000 sq ft of indoor/outdoor play area! Or, you can check out Glamour Pets, a mobile pet grooming service that can come to you!

Want to enjoy a drink with your furry friend or grab a bite on a patio when the weather is nice? Toronto has some dog friendly restaurants and cafes you can visit.

Durham

The Heights of Harmony single family homes

Streetscape image of The Heights of Harmony 

The 6 km trail at The Heights of Harmony is the perfect place for your morning run with your dog. With interconnected walkways and nature trails, you and your pet can have fun wandering down the 28 acre park within the community at The Heights of Harmony, which features lawns, hiking trails, sports fields, and amenities for pets.

Oshawa’s Waterfront Trail along Lake Ontario is another scenic spot for pet owners in the Durham region. For the more adventurous pets and owners, head to the Harmony Valley Conservation Area or Cedar Valley Conservation Area right in Oshawa to explore open fields, meadows, wetlands, and off-leash dog parks.

Outside view of K9 Central

Photo Credit: K9 Central

Touch of a Paw Spa is your one stop shop in Oshawa for pet grooming, food, and supplies. Touch of Paw Spa offers an exclusive line of pet food and supplies and has a full-service grooming spa for cats and dogs. Located in Bowmanville, K9 Central is another Durham location where you can access dog boarding, daycare, grooming, and training. They even have a swimming pool for dogs. 

Halton

A dog getting a bath

At North Oak, you have walking and hiking trails right in your backyard since Oakville’s extensive trail system comes right into North Oak, with a 1.5 km stretch running through the community. Along with having great parks nearby, including the Sixteen Mile Creek, Bronte Creek Natural Park, and Lions Valley Park, North Oak also has a pet wash station right onsite. 

The York region forest trails are great for long walks, just make sure to monitor which ones allow for on-leash versus off-leash walking. To find fully-fenced, off-leash dog parks in Oakville, you can search this map.

Also located in Oakville, you have The Dog House Spa and Salon, which does basic grooming and specialty services, like flea baths and nail filing. Worried about your pet while you’re at work? Rosie’s Doggie Daycare is a cage free, indoor and outdoor play area where your pet will get exercise, play time, fresh air, and build up socialization skills. They also have a full service grooming salon.

Peel

Dog laying in the grass at a dog park

The Peel region nature trails are perfect if you like hiking in the woods or running riverside with your pet. Albion Hills Conservation Area and the Bruce trail are some good options to check out. 

There are also many parks that feature leash-free zones around peel. Located south of Mississauga’s Centennial Park, next to Etobicoke Creek, Garnetwood Dog Park is a 1.5 acre, fully-fenced off leash area within a larger park. For water views, head to Lakeside Dog Park, which offers almost 7 acres of off-lease space along Lake Ontario, as well as a pedestrian path.

When you need to pamper your pet, head to Crowned Canines Dog Grooming Spa & Boutique, a cage free spa in Streetsville. This daycare offers a spacious playground, grooming services, carefully-crafted meals from Raw Performance Dog Food, and custom cakes. 

York

Rendering of a park at Union Village

Rendering of a park at Union Village 

Right by Union Village, there are plenty of parks, including Toogood Pond Park, Milne Dam Conservation Park, Bur Oak Park, Angus Glen Golf Club, and Upper Unionville Golf Club. You can also get active with your pet exploring the preserved wetlands, parks, green space, and walking and cycling trails around Union Village. 

Connected to many of the parks, you’ll have access to the York region nature trails. Looking for an off-leash dog area your dog will love? The Miller Avenue Off-Leash Dog Park in Markham has water for washing, poop bags, and an agility course. 

Whether you have a dog or cat, Furology has got you covered. This York region pet groomer provides different packages, from just a bath to full grooming. Within the charming town of Unionville, you can visit Claudette's Creative Clippins, which also does dog and cat grooming.

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