Tibetan terrier jumping over a hurdl

More Americans own pets than ever before. But pets, especially dogs, are not built to sit home all day. They need to run. Chase things. And they love to jump.

Here's an array of pictures showing dogs in flight. If you want to make your park more popular with the growing number of dog owners, The Park and Facilities Catalog has a full line of high-quality dog park equipment that will keep dogs busy and happy.

In fact, we will have these items on display at the

Dog playground equipmen

What do dog owners love? Dog parks and dog amenities where their dogs can burn off steam. There's a list of essential dog playground equipment that will make any dog park a success.

(By the way, here's a free and complete dog park guide on how to create your own popular play space for dogs and their owners).

If you are a park manager or a facility manager here is one number you really need to know - nearly

Here's a fun space with fun dog park equipmen

This Sunday, Feb. 22, is National Walking the Dog Day and to maximize the benefits for Max and Fido, owners are going to be on the lookout for the right park with the right amount of dog park equipment.

And park managers would be smart to offer it.

After all, there are about 80 million canines in the US. It is estimated that from 37%-47% of all households have a pet dog. That means nearly half of local residents have a dog at home that is just itching to get out of the house and play on that day. According to the National Recreation and Parks Association

Dogs enjoy a day with dog park equipment in a designated space

Adding dog park equipment to a park could make the local park manager a hero to dog owners for one simple reason.

Dogs were made to move. They want to exercise. They were originally bred to work - hunt, herd and protect. They were not made to sit on the couch all day.

Creating an off-leash dog park is one thing. But it's only a first step. Just like a child needs a playground and adults need a gym, dogs need something to do too.

And if they don't get some sort of exercise, just like people, they can revert to practicing some pretty bad habits.

For example, according the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, there are several benefits to keeping

Dog owner using a dog waste statio

We all love dogs. Our canine brothers and sisters. Who doesn't? But there are a number of very important reasons why owners should have access to a dog waste station in any public area so we can still appreciate our furry friends. It's THE most essential piece of dog park equipment.

Sure, as a dog owner you might pick up after Fido does his business. Well, maybe most of the time. But here's a startling fact: About 40% of people in the US don't pick up