Dog Beach
 

I have tried searching the pet forum for locations of dog beaches (I know they won't be that close), but I got all kinds of responses that didn't fit the bill.

Does anyone know of any dog beaches within a two-hour drive? As in off-the-leash, let-them-swim beaches?

Venice Beach has a great one, but it's a little far for a day trip.

Davis Island
 

There is a dog park on Davis Island in Tampa. About an hour and a half drive. Google Davis Island Dog Park. I've been there but wasn't so impressed that I would drive that far to get there. There are also one's listed on google ... Ft. De Soto Paw Playground and Beach and Sand Key Dog Park in Clearwater, FL. They would be about 2 hours from The Villages.

Theres always a hose and the driveway for a cool down........................

Phanatic, thanks for the assessment. I've seen the google list. I was hoping for a personal assessment so we wouldn't go to great lengths only to find it unacceptable.

Paulandjean, dog loves to swim. It's good exercise for him. A hose he's not so fond of!

hope this helps!!
Top 10 Dog Beaches in Florida

My Aussie loves to swim as well - wish there was a local swimming hole they could go to.
Maybe we could clear one of retention ponds of gators and make it a doggie swimming hole? Wonder if there is anywhere around Lake Miona that might be suitable?

Smyrna Dunes Park at New Smyrna Beach. I think there is a charge to use the park ($3.50) but you can walk along the intercoastal waterway to the Ponce Inlet and fido can hit the water all along the way to the sea wall. Dogs are not allowed south of the seawall. Last time I was in that area there were 2 goldens that were having the time of their life playing in the surf.

VG

I agree
 

I would love to see some sort of swimming area in TV's for dogs.
I wonder if there are any dog parks slated for south of 466A. Maybe they could incorporate a swimming hole with of course a fence to keep out the gators.

SHARKS !:icon_hungry:

OH Boy,

Yes it would be terrific if there was another dog park with or without the swimming option south of 466A. Trucking up to the northern areas gets old fast. And with such a concern about the bodily functions that may occur on walks, it would be nice to have an option to go to a designated area where the dogs could get their exercise and neighbors won't be uncomfortable about their lawns.

Good point, but the dog haters won't want their money spent on a dogpark eventhough it is a logical solution to the question of where to exercise your dog! And yes I know there are a few, but the one south of 466 is almost a joke. They need a good area to run and fetch balls, not just lay around in the dirt.

just sayin it would solve a myriad I'd useless poop/pee/bark threads. :)

Maybe a cat park also.

Hmmmn. Do they have a cat park in TV? I was only familiar with the dog park. I don't really know that much about cats but, unless they are feral, I don't think they like to go to parks to mingle and they have far less need for the exercise as dogs do.

Me too, but that's probably a pipe dream. Plus it would have to be fresh water, not recaptured, as that's supposedly not good for the dogs.

We probably have a better chance of getting an indoor pool than a dog beach!

Virtual Geezer, thanks for the tip about New Smyrna. DH and I like to go on day trips. We were thinking a cooler, some sandwiches, and a dog beach. As long as it's his car the wet dog rides home in...

Have you ever watch Smack Down? That's what a cat park would be like! :boxing2: :boxing2: ............ :beer3: :popcorn:

Yes, I figured the cat park idea might be in friendly jest.

Honeymoon Island State Park has an area for the dogs. Look it up on Tripadvisor.com. It is about a 65 minute drive from The Villages.

There is an entrance fee since it is a State Park. Some visitors thought the possibility of rattlesnakes which is posted at the park would not be a good place to take their dog.

Personally, I think the dogs would be happier at home in the air conditioning but each to their own.

The dog beach at Howard Park Beach is excellent as the sand key one in Clearwater.

I was looking online for Howard Park Beach but can't find any mention of a dog beach. Can you please tell more about it--location, etc.? Are dogs allowed off leash? Is there a place to wash them off?