Updated: March 25, 2010 APP RELEASED!!
Download now the Dog Park Finder from iTunes! Also please REVIEW the app in iTunes, as this is the best way spread the word (hopefully a 5 star rating!)
We at DogParkUSA.com are glad to announce our effort to create a Dog park finder mobile iPhone application. The planning is in the early stages so we wanted to gather any input we could from all of you who regular use this website and all those who have iPhones (eventually we may port the app to the Droid and Blackberry platforms as well).
First we have a newsletter for anyone who is interested in the iPhone. It will be an infrequent list, mostly to let you know when the app is ready, and maybe a few key milestones as we get close.
Here are some screen shots of our released design.
The details still need to be worked out, but the search result might show the 5 star ratings you all have given the parks, as well the basic information.
Then by selecting one of these parks, we will give you the detailed information of the page, maybe even show a photo or two if we have them, and give a way to access the mobile map to give you detailed directions to the park. It might look something like this:
Long term we would also like to give users the ability to rate parks, write reviews and even submit photos from the phone.
Data Features
- 2000+ dog parks
- Hand Placed map markers
- Over 10 information fields including park fees, hours, fencing, address, park size, restrooms and other notes.
- Thousands of reviews, ratings and photos.
User Features
- View a list of nearest dog parks
- View a map of nearest dog parks
- Search for parks (both list and map views).
- Email us corrections
- Forward dog park info to a friend.
Pending Features
- Sumbit Photos for a park
- Submit a Review for a park
- Correct the dog park information
- Email to a friend
- View detailed website park information in the app
- Read full reviews or comments in the app
Let us know what you think, and join the newsletter as well. Thank you from DogParkUSA.com. Download now the Dog Park Finder from iTunes!
I tried so many times to install that application on my Iphone but I'm missing out on a software to open files, can you help me with something like that? I've had problems since I bought him, could it be something from the manufacturer ?
Us Android user don't have that luxury, any chance of developing an App for us as well?
I just got a new blackberry, is there an app available for my device?
COMMENT: iPhone app only at this time.
Can you make it available for Blackberry as well?
I do mobile pet photography, and I visit a lot of dog parks. This would be very helpful.
www.goldenvisionphotos.com
i was wondering where did u get this at.please let me know where.i need this.can i have this. thanks melissa medellin
EDITOR COMMENT: We are building the iPhone app and will release it soon.
2 Features:
1) It would be great, if in addition to the information about the parks themselves you could also find stores in the area carrying dog supplies/services. I know that often after a trip to the dog park (especially in the winter or spring) my dogs are a muddy mess because of the snow and rain. It would be great if I could locate the nearest dog shop that offered dog washing. Its not hard to imagine similar use cases for dog toys, doggy-do bags and vets (in case one of the aforementioned dog toys is swallowed).
2) I know at some of my local parks they often have meetups or other kinds of events on the weekends. It would be great if the organizers of these events could post event details so that others can find them.
I found this website that does pet friendly travel lodging routes. I wonder if your team could partner with them to provide a route builder with dog parks included:
http://www.petswelcome.com/search-by-route/
One interesting thing that may be a ways off in the making would be an itinerary bit that shows travel routes that include well rated dog parks (and possibly dog friendly hotels along the way).
Your site is the best I have found so far. I intend to use it a lot in the future as I travel around. Can't wait to see what your app looks like and hope it will be ported to Android as that is what I use.
Keep up the good work. Really terrific and useful site!
This will definitely be a free app. I can't believe I didn't mention that before. Make sure you tell you friends about it. Should be hitting the app store in March. :)
Sounds like a great app. Will there be a fee for it or will it be a free app?
Information I look for is where it is, with a complete address, (I can set my GPS). What the entry requirement are, (residence, permit, special rules...) My area parks have many of these requirements and it is very disappointing to drive 50 miles to find out you can not use the park.
since i am new to the iphone i have found the apps application VERY useful. also, i have been dying to find a dog park for my four dogs. I couldn't find any decent web-sites till yours. So the new iphone app would be awesome that way i don't have to depend on a computer to find a neat place!
You guys have the the most comprehensive and accurate list of dog parks available on the web. It's a shame you aren't already in the app store!
A major priority should be ease of which people can add ratings/comments from their phone. This will encourage live updating which will be much more accurate. People won't remember to write comments after they get home. The more people can do as they think about it the better (pics, etc.)
The user should be able to see from the initial search screen if the park is fenced or not - this is priority #1 for me being the owner of hunting breed dogs.
It looks like you already planning for integration into the iPhone's Google Maps app - good.
Please hurry, I'm about to move to a new city and this app will be invaluable to me. There is no viable alternative.
Progress is being made on the app, and yes we will be including our reviews and notes about each dog park. Many times we do know and include park closure notes which will then migrate to the iphone app data (may lag a few week between updates).
On the road map for a feature release is the ability to review a park from the app, as well as suggest a new park based on your current location.
We are very glad some of our initial ideas are being confirmed by all of your feedback.
Cheers -the Admin, DogParkUSA.com
I found this site from my iPhone. I think an app would be a good idea to find new locations and new parks that open. We have been looking for new places to take our dogs in the dallas area. Seems like new places keep popping up. A nice feature would be the ability to find out if the park is closed/open. I went to a park that opened last month only to find out it was closed for maintainence until April. A review of the park is a good idea.
We were in a part of Denver we were unfamiliar with today and was using iPhones to search for Dog Parks.
We found one, but it was pure mud. The option to have ongoing user comments / conditions would be great!
When we typed just dog parks into Google maps, it came up with many spots, however, when we went to the closest one, it turned out to be a doggy daycare and not a park.
I traveled from Chicago to Denver a week ago and used your website to locate dog parks along I-80 etc. It worked very well for us, however, an iphone app would have even better! I'll definately use it.
Blackberry App is needed please.
Hope that will come soon!
The only problem is, is that you have to join a dog park to use it, so visiting different parks to check them out or just because you are in the area would be futile.
EDITOR COMMENT: A good portion of dog parks do not require an application or fee especially in the larger metropolitan areas. It is quite possible to find dog parks while traveling that have open access to the public. This is a good point we will need to include information on whether a dog park is open access to the public or requires an application or fee.
We are planning on adding an in app map of individual parks and of the search results. Also the ability to suggest a park will be included, and we will update often as that is the sole focus of this web site and the app we will create.
This app will have most of the information that we have on the website, and we may even allow it to update in realtime (though that may be a version 2 feature) as well as submit photos and reviews of your favorite park.
Dog park iPhone app available from Eukanuba
Editor Note: True, it looks nice but doesn't have many parks, doesn't update often and doesn't have reviews, photos, park descriptions or even accurate location markers.
2 must haves.... Map with pins to locate the parks in proximity to your current location. AND ability to pinpoint where you are and suggest it if you find a park not on the list.
Sounds like a wonderful idea! We travel in the winter and it would be wonderful to be able to find a place for LadyGirl to run after being in the car all day. It would definitely need a map and info about water availabilty. Thanks!!!