Walter at Walk with a Dog(c).webp

City of Grandview Heights Parks and Recreation

Dog Days

A dog's life in Grandview Heights

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It’s official – 2025 is Hot Pup Summer, and in Grandview Heights, there’s no shortage of places and events for dogs to take advantage of the season.

To uncover the best spots to spend the dog days of summer, we went straight to the source. Here is what a day in the life looks like for some of Grandview’s goodest resident.

Rona

Rona is a 4-year-old goldendoodle, and she likes to begin her mornings with a walk through Wyman Woods Park perimeter path and along Grandview Avenue. According to her owner, Taylor Tobias, she is “a COVID-19 puppy, and socially awkward,” but that doesn’t stop her from visiting dog-friendly spots around the neighborhood.

Rona meets new friends at The Little Grand Market, and she never turns down a treat at Grandview Grind. This past Easter, Rona tested her sniffing skills at the Egg Hunt for Pups, an Easter event where dogs hunt for treat-filled eggs, and she’s looking forward to making a splash at Dog Swim Day in September.

Paisley & Marcie

Each morning, 6-year-old retriever mix, Paisley enjoys exploring the lake trails of Quarry Trails alongside her owner, Chrissy Dang. On hot days, Paisley heads to the bottom of the Quarry Trail’s waterfall, where fellow neighborhood dogs are known to frequent.

Paisley and Dang also love The Little Grand Market, and Bada Bean Bada Booze is one of their favorite vendors.

“Paisley has human-like eyebrows!” Dang says.

A few months back, Paisley’s family grew when her new baby sister Marcie arrived. Marcie is also a retriever mix, and she is less than a year old. She loves accompanying her sister to The Little Grand and Quarry Trails, and although she is little, she is mighty.

“She loves picking up sticks that are twice her size,” Dang says.

Dang credits Grandview for making her dog-raising experiences so enjoyable.

“Grandview and Quarry Trails are two great places to have a dog. This was my first time raising a puppy, and these two areas gave her so much exposure and space to grow and be comfortable,” Dang says. “I can’t imagine two better places to have our dogs grow up and have fun.”

Parks in and around Grandview

Grandview has plenty of green space for dog owners to enjoy both in and around town. Public parks such as Wallace Gardens, Tarpy Woods and Grandview Heights Memorial Park are great places to bring dogs (just make sure they’re on a leash!).

Be mindful and read signage surrounding the parks, or check out www.grandviewheights.gov, as certain parks such as McKinley Field, C. Ray Buck Sports Park, Pierce Field and Wyman Woods Park (except for on the perimeter path) do not permit dogs.

Looking for nearby off-leash parks? Wheeler Memorial Dog Park is a short drive away. Located at 725 Thurber Dr. W., the park has 1.5 fenced-in acres and features paths, trees, benches and plenty of grass.

Godown Dog Park is located at 6099 Godown Rd. and includes separate areas for small dogs, shaded spots, walking paths, benches, water fountains for both dogs and people, waste disposal stations and dog wash stations.

Patios for pups

The Little Grand Market is new to Grandview, and, as Rona, Paisley and Marcie can attest, it is a fan-favorite for pups. The food hall is located at Grandview Crossing, and it features an array of local vendors, along with two bars and a coffee shop.

The food hall welcomes leashed dogs on its patio and park area, providing the perfect spot to socialize while keeping your dog entertained.

Winans Coffee & Chocolate is a dog-friendly coffee shop that offers a combination of signature drinks and handcrafted chocolates. The shop welcomes leashed dogs to relax with their owners inside the café or out on the patio. 

Another popular coffee shop that offers an outdoor space for dogs is Stauf’s Coffee Roasters. The shop offers breakfast items, baked goods and more, along with coffee and tea. Table service is unavailable, so bring a friend to watch your pup while you order.

The covered patio at Habaneros Tacos, Tequila & Mezcal is a great spot to enjoy happy hour alongside your pup. The restaurant offers a flavorful menu of Mexican cuisine and handcrafted drinks.

Walk with the Dog(c)

On July 17, the City of Grandview Heights Parks and Recreation Department is teaming up with CityPets614 Animal Hospital to host Walk with the Dog(c). Owners can leash up their furry friends and head over to Wyman Woods Park for a walk full of prizes and treats.

Pets check in at the first station, where they receive “Pawsports,” which are punched at each station. Vendors offer a range of activities that are enjoyable for both owners and pets. Pets can kick back with a dog massage or can get crafty at the paw-painting table, where vendors paint dogs' paws and put them on a poster for owners to keep.

“We also have some educational tables, such as a demo on how to trim nails or how to brush your dog’s teeth,” CityPets614 Practice Manager Abigail Potts says. “Just things that people should be doing with their dogs, but that can be a little nerve-racking.”

Of course, there are plenty of treats as well. Owners can get crafty at treat decorating stations, which offer fresh-baked peanut butter treats for participants to decorate with sprinkles for their dogs. Pups can also feast on doggy snow cones and other delicious desserts.

Once participants fill up their Pawsport with punches, they can bring it back to CityPets614 for a special prize.

“We don’t have any dog parks technically in Grandview, so this is a perfect time for people to come out and experience something like a dog park,” the City of Grandview Heights Parks and Recreation Programmer Matthew Rice says. “It’s a great way for pets to be introduced to other dogs and mingle.”

Save the date! Dog Swim

Each year, the City of Grandview Heights closes out the summer with the annual Dog Swim at Grandview Heights Municipal Pool, on the Tuesday after Labor Day. From 4-7 p.m., dogs rule the pool and CityPets614 offers a free ear cleaning service after the swim to prevent ear infections.

Introducing Grandview Heights’ K9 Hank

The newest member of the Grandview Heights Division of Police is now on patrol alongside his partner, Officer Joeseph Ford. Hank, a Belgian Malinois, serves as the Division’s first K9 Unit and is trained in narcotics detection, criminal apprehension and tracking, as well as building and article searches. K9 Hank and Ford received official certification through the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy and completed their first shift together on May 19.

Megan Brokamp is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mbrokamp@cityscenemediagroup.com.