The outdoor season is upon us, and dog lovers looking for opportunities to have some fun with their pets in the city will be happy to learn about My Sunday Dog Park at the De Jesus Oval, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, near 25th Street.

A joint effort of BGC and the BetterDog Canine Behavior Center, the park offers morning and afternoons sessions in an enclosed area, free from the dangers of traffic.

Some Sundays, BetterDog offers short sessions like introduction to agility training, for a fee of P500 for a two-hour session. The last Sunday of the month is dedicated to off-leash play for three hours, and is completely free, but requires prior registration on the website (www.betterdogph.com/bgcdogpark) and vaccinations for the animals. Park rules can be found on the website, which also announces schedules in advance.

Funny enough, other than the need for a venue for dogs to socialize and get some exercise, this partnership between BGC and BetterDog was born of the rather exasperating reality that the oval, which is already a favorite dog walking are for BGC residents, is often littered with dog poop.
“The fact is, people don’t pick up after their dogs, and just the signs won’t get them to do it,” says BetterDog’s Jojo Isorena. “This is educational, and helps us build a community of responsible owners.”

Dog owners must indeed pick up after their pets; there’s a trash bin nearby. BetterDog’s professional trainers are around to supervise interactions, keeping any aggressive behavior in check. Aside from registration for the off-leash event, owners must bring their dogs’ vaccination records and leashes, and must be responsible for their pets. All dog breeds are welcome.

“It’s a lot of fun and games,” says Isorena. “Just register, come, and bring your sense of humor.”