Gwangju Dog Park 'Pet Theme Park' {광주애견테마파크}

Socialsing a dog in Korea can be really hard. Unless you have friends nearby who own dogs, the chances of your dog being able to play with other dogs is slim. There are dog cafes in the bigger cities that allow you to bring your dogs to them (like this one in Gunsan) but cafes and parks that have outdoor space for big dogs to romp and play are few and far between. I was so happy to hear about the 'Pet Theme Park' dog cafe in Gwangju which features a swimming pool, air conditioned indoor area and a really big fenced off outside area. 

The Dog cafe is located about 20 km west of the centre of Gwangju, so isn't in the city itself so it might be harder to get to without your own car. But if you have a friend with a car or your dog is small enough to take in a carrier on a bus & taxi, the trip is definitely worth it!

There is even a big swimming pool for the dogs when it's really hot. When I was there, the pool area was closed off for what looked like a private lesson for a very sweet looking spaniel. I think the pool is open to all when it's really hot.

Here's a quick video I made of Shadow having a grand old time with his new Corgi friend (as well as two Huskies). It also gives you a bit of an idea of what the inside of the cafe looks like. There are snacks and drinks available to purchase, as well as coffee and tea to order.

The whole cafe is set up in such a nice way, with lots of scented candles and soaps which really make it smell wonderful, rather than 'doggy' as most dog cafes can't help bit smell like disinfectant and wet dog. The cafe also offers a 'dog hotel' service and the accept dogs of all sizes to stay. I think the prices for overnight stays are around W30 000. For the use of the cafe it was W7 000 per dog (at least for my dog it may be less for smaller dogs) and W7 000 per person. It's a little pricier than other dog cafes, but it was worth it for the huge amount of space they have for your dog to run around safely. 

Here is their (Korean) website: Gwangju Dog

Here is their Facebook Page: Pet Theme Park

Address: 300-1, Daesan-dong, Gwangju

Tel: 062-941-5880

Dog Park in Jeonju, South Korea

Having a dog here in Korea means that we have had to sniff out all the local dog friendly places to spend afternoons and weekends at. We were surprised to find an awesome Dog Cafe in Gunsan (click here to read more) that allows you to bring your dog to play with the other pups, and so were even happier to find out about this dog park in Jeonju. 

This park is located in the Southern part of Jeonju, above and away from the busy road in the apartment laden Hyojadong 4-ga area. There aren't many places where dogs can run around freely, and off leash, and so this park has been a wonderful find for us and our black Jindo pup, Shadow (you can read more about him by clicking here).

***UPDATE as of a few weeks ago the police have been monitoring this park and banners have been up to warning people that any dogs off leash will be fined W50 000. Someone complained about all the dogs 'running wild' and ruined this wonderful place for everyone. People still take their dogs here but everyone is on edge worrying about the police. It's terribly sad and I hope we are able to do something about it soon.

The park is busiest on the weekends, with Sundays being it's most popular day. There is a small convenience store on the road below the park where you can load up with coffee and snacks and then just enjoy the afternoon while your pooch has a ball playing with his new friends. 

There are also public bathrooms where you can fill up water bottles for your dog.

Sometimes the smaller dog owners can get a little 'iffy' of bigger dogs, but there has always been at least one bigger dog for our pup to play with. Last weekend he developed a particular fondess for this golden lab (pictured below). 

Address

300-1 Hyoja 4-dong, Wansan-gu, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do

Do you know of any other dog parks or dog friendly places here in Korea? Please drop me a comment below, I'm always looking for new places to take my pup!