Dog-Friendly Chattanooga: Your September Lineup

September in Chattanooga means the heat finally breaks, the patios fill back up, and there’s an actual reason to get your dog off the couch. Here’s what’s worth marking on the calendar this month.

McKamey Pool Pawty - Saturday, Sept 12

McKamey Animal Center’s annual Pool Pawty is back at Lakesite Community Pool, with five separate swim sessions so pups aren’t all cannonballing in at once. Admission runs per dog, not per person, so bring the whole crew. If your dog’s never done a proper end-of-summer pool day, this is the one to try it at.

The Riverwalk, minus the midday heat

Sixteen miles of paved, dog-friendly path along the Tennessee River, with plenty of stops for water or coffee. September’s the first month all year where you can actually do the whole thing without your dog melting into the pavement by mile two.

Patio season is back

Chattanooga’s brewery and restaurant patios open back up to dogs in a real way once the heat lets up. It’s worth calling ahead since policies vary spot to spot, but there’s no shortage of places downtown and on the Southside happy to have a well-behaved pup at your feet.

Dog parks, if your pup needs to run it out

Heritage Dog Park, Greenway Farms, and a handful of others around the city all have separated large-dog and small-dog areas, worth the drive if your dog’s got energy September walks won’t burn off.

Paw-safety reminder

Even with cooler air, pavement holds heat. If you can’t hold your hand on it for five seconds, it’s too hot for paws. Stick to early morning or evening for anything on asphalt.

However you and your dog spend September, we’d love to see it - tag us @slobberbones_pet. And if a big outdoor month means your dog’s coming home dirty more often than usual, our self-wash bays are walk-in, no appointment needed.