dog park equipment Assorted dog park equipment - tunnel, table and hurdles at The Gates of Cedar Hill Apartments

Dog Park Equipment is now becoming a hot amenity with multi-family communities as a strategy to keep both their residents and canine-friends happy.

Take The Gates of Cedar Hill Apartments near Dallas in northeast Texas.

This is a beautiful gated community in Cedar Hill that goes beyond what many communities offer by providing their residents with more than just a place to live.

The appealing community also provides a clubhouse, swimming pool, volleyball court, fitness center, business center, on-site laundry facility, controlled access security and carports.

There's more. Nearly half of the US population owns a dog. And that number is growing. According to Statista, in 2000 there were 68 million dogs in the US. In 2017, that number of household hounds grew to 89.7 million.

This is one reason why The Gates also promotes itself as a pet-friendly residence. They make sure to provide amenities for pets too.

Not only does The Gates provide an enclosed place for dogs, but they recently added a Novice Dog Park Kit from The Park and Facilities Catalog.

The dog park equipment included in the package consists of a Rover Jump Over hurdle, Doggie Crawl tunnel, Paws Table for rest and relaxation and a Hoop Jump with three levels depending on the dog's ability.

According to Alicia Pierce, a manager at The Gates, "I love it and our residents love it!"

Rather than just a patch of ground for dogs, in a way, The Gate's is providing a fitness center for residents' dogs as well.

Like people, dogs need a place to work out as well.

Dog park equipment provides exercise, variety and mental stimulation

dog park equipment Hoop jump with three levels for dogs of different sizes and abilities

Here are some reasons why:

Think about the day in the life of a dog. Humans generally rise out of bed every morning, get out of the house, drive to work, spend their day walking around their place of employment, return home and then engage in other activities.

Unlike people, dogs don't have the opportunity to move around as much when they are stuck inside all day.

The challenge is that if these pets don't get any activity, they could display some very negative behaviors. That would include destroying items around the house like chewing on shoes or couches, constant barking, restlessness, jumping or excessively rough play. Conversely, a bored dog can also become a depressed dog.

In addition, an inactive dog may start to show excessive weight gain. That can slow them down and lead to the addition of even more pounds.

Dogs need activity just as much as humans, if not more. They are wired to run and jump.

According to the American Kennel Club, large breed dogs need as much as an hour of exercise per day. Smaller breeds, like bulldogs, maybe only need a short walk. (Experts recommend you check with your vet first before you engage in a continual exercise plan for them).

But just like humans, dog love variety and new challenges!

This is where dog park equipment comes in.

Even if you let a dog out in a backyard or enclosed area, at some point they might just become bored and lay down. After all, it's like a person playing catch with themselves. It quickly gets old.

Most dogs need some encouragement from their owners to move around.

Dog playground equipment is a perfect way to provide that stimuli.

Dog park kits create an instant canine playground

dog park equipment Rover Jump Over adjustrable hurdles

With a pre-packaged dog park kit, a dog can learn to jump hurdles, crawl up ramps, walk through tunnels or jump through hoops.

(By the way, The Park and Facilities Catalog offers a variety of Dog Park Kits with different components. Choose from Small, Novice, Small Dog Advanced, Seven-Piece Best in Show, Intermediate or Expert dog park kits. FYI - these products are treated with a special coating for dogs. We also provide dog waste stations, canine-themed trash receptacles and benches as well).

Some owners might be frustrated to learn that their dogs won't generally engage with this agility equipment on their own.

But that's the fun part! If you work with your dog (and provide them with some tantalizing treats), they will soon learn to jump, crawl and climb. In fact, they will look forward to spending time in their doggie playground with you.

That social interaction between a dog and owner is the key. Because one thing that dogs also love to do is play and spend time with their owners. Here's a perfect opportunity to make that happen.

Not only does Max or Mollie get physical exercise, but they get mental stimulation as well. As we stated before, dogs do like variety and challenges. It gets them excited.

Mastering a piece of dog park equipment like the Rover hurdle can be satisfying to them. Teach your dog to jump the hurdle. Then reward them with praise and treats.

What a great way to enhance a relationship between Phil and Fido or Lucy and Lola.

And as the saying goes, "A tired dog is a happy dog."

Multi-communities want to attract and retain residents. People love their dogs. Dogs love to exercise and play.

Adding dog park equipment, like The Gates did, is a smart way to connect those needs and keep everybody happy (and for some, wagging their tails).