Puppies!  Puppies everywhere!

It’s time to make some moves.

Our dogs have been waiting all summer for us to get out and play with them!

We have come up with a list of 8 fun things you can do with your dog this fall.

1. Nature Walks – there are plenty around the valley, or even maybe in your own backyard
2. Pumpkin Picking – check your local patches and call to ask about bringing a dog in, some of them are dog-friendly!
3. Playing Frisbee at the park – be safe always and stay away from busy streets or other busy areas.
4. Taking a trip to a lake up north to see the fall colors – go where the trees are!
5. Trying a new sport like Parkour, outdoor rally, outdoor agility, or herding – check out our fun outdoor class page…
6. Join in on a Flyball team.  Flyball is a great competitive sport that uses a ball with relays and jumps. If your dog is athletic and driven to retrieve, this is the sport for them! Look up Flyball teams in your area.
7. Bake fall dog treats using pumpkin or squash with maple flavoring – YUM!
8. Run through a corn maze together!

Enjoy this Arizona Fall weather by getting out and trying one of these!

Make a Difference Day will be celebrated on October 28, 2023 this year.  We hope you can all get out and help in your local community to make a positive change in someone’s life.  Being dog lovers, we thought it would be fun to come up with some ways that we can also make a difference in our local dog community!

Whether you have time, money or expertise to share; here are some positive ways you can help out the pets and neighbors in your area.

• Fostering a dog in need of adoption
  • Fostering gives satisfaction to both the dog in need and the family who loves him.
  • There are many homes out there that are taking in more dogs than they can hold, and they could use the help.
• Volunteer at an adoption event
  • The dog community in the Valley is very active. There is never a shortage of adoption or fundraising events around that could use your help.
• Volunteer at your local Humane Society.
  • If time is what you have, then you are a valuable asset to your local Humane Society.  The one step of getting involved is just a small step for you, but can help more pets than you can imagine.
• Donate to a no-kill shelter
  • If you have a busy life and can’t fit another thing on your calendar, helping out financially might be an option for you.
  • Check out ways to help the AZ Humane Society here.
• Participate in dog education training or classes
  • Get to know how dogs think and how they fit into your community. If you are leery of dogs or other animals, this can help you feel more comfortable and perhaps lead to some great relationships!
• Help out a senior neighbor by taking his or her dog on walks
  • There are a lot of dogs who live with elderly that don’t get to leave the house much. You can give a dog a small piece of joy with just a short walk to the park.
• Take your dog to a local senior living center or to visit a senior neighbor
  • If you have a dog that loves people and is well liked by all your friends, you might be able to give some joy to seniors at a local senior living center.
  • Call around to your local facilities first to see if they allow dogs. You just might be surprised at how much fun it can be!
• Help maintain your local dog park
  • If you live by a park, you probably have local dogs that frequent the area. You can be helpful by cleaning up things around the park that might be a danger or hazard to a dog; trash, old food left from picknickers or small toys left behind by children.
  • Bonus, you can do this on your own time and get exercise too!
• Teach kids how to interact with others’ dogs
  • If you have children, you can teach them an appreciation for others’ dogs. If your kids see you treating others’ animals with respect, they will follow suit.  This helps everyone in the community by creating more animal lovers!
• Integrate your dog into your own fitness routine
  • Your dog wants to spend time with you. Whether you take a short walk, run through the city, hike in the mountains, or paddle board down the river; your dog might want to join you.  This helps build the bond between you and your dog and lets others see how fun having a dog can be.

AZ Dog Sports frequently mentions opportunities around the Valley where you can get involved.  Stay tuned to your local area events and keep in touch with us!  We are always willing to answer any questions or help direct you to becoming a bigger part of the dog community that we love.