Rainy Day Guide

If you have an energetic dog, bad weather can be your worst nightmare. Being cooped up in the house all day is sure to cause some boredom and potentially even some bad behavior. So where can you take your dog in Salt Lake City when the weather is less than ideal? Here are some of our picks:

Go For An Indoor Walk

While you technically could take your dog anywhere that is considered dog friendly, our top picks for indoor walks are Scheels in Sandy and City Creek Center in downtown Salt Lake (closed Sundays). Both locations are sizable enough to feel like your pup can get some exercise, while also providing some unique elements to keep your dog’s attention.

Not only does Scheels boast a massive aquarium and full size ferris wheel inside, it also offers a large variety of taxidermy and an impressive dog section. Add in the fact that their employees adore pets and it’s easy to spend a couple of hours in there!

City Creek Center is a mall unlike any other and the large glass doors and retractable glass ceiling make you feel like you are outside even on the worst weather days. However, the real focal point of this mall is the actual creek that runs through the middle of it! Dogs are discouraged from getting into the creek, but your dog will probably be entertained enough just watching the fish swim along. In case of an accident, poop bag stations are scattered throughout the interior. Most stores are dog friendly if you decide to do some shopping for yourself. Pro tip: Lush always has a water bowl sitting outside their store!

Go For An Indoor Swim

It’s sort of hard to believe that we live in a world with dog pools now, but it’s amazing! Barley’s Canine Recreation Center offers a 21ft by 41ft indoor dog pool. It’s not only great for the bad weather days, but also for teaching your dog to swim. The initial visit is $25 for an hour and an instructor will get into the pool with your dog to ensure he or she is comfortable. Once the trainer is confident in your dog’s ability you can come back and swim anytime for only $15 per hour. To make life even easier, Barley’s offers towels and a dryer for use after you’re done in the water.

DogMode is another option for an indoor doggy pool. Their pool is similar in size at 20ft by 45ft. With a dock at one end, this is a great place to practice or train for dock diving! Their initial swim test visit is also $25 and open swim after that is $15 per half hour.

Play With Other Dogs at Doggy Daycare

Doggie daycare is a great option when your dog needs to run off some energy for several hours. Every daycare has some sort of indoor play area but some even offer a covered outdoor area! There are a lot of great doggie daycares in the Salt Lake City metro but we personally choose to use Central Park Pet Retreat. Not only do their facilities look NOTHING like a warehouse, but they have a splash pad in back for the beautiful days. It’s great to get your pup some socialization and playtime while you are still being productive- plus they let you split daycare packages into half days!

Enjoy Some Brews and Barks

If you’re dying for a pint on a rainy day, don’t rule out bringing your dog along. Fisher Brewing and Campfire Lounge both offer covered patios which can provide some shelter from the weather. Fisher has heaters available while Campfire Lounge has several firepits. Be sure to have your dog’s current rabies and license tags!

Sip On Some Coffee

Due to Salt Lake health code, in order to find any sort of coffee shop where your dog is allowed inside requires you to drive a bit. If Park City is more your style, head on up to Hugo Coffee Roasters located inside the Park City Visitor’s Center. Their branding features their namesake- a dog named Hugo! Keeping with the spirit of the dog, Hugo’s also donates a portion of their proceeds to rescue organizations in the Salt Lake area.

Another great option for coffee is Peace on Earth down in Provo. Not only does this place buck the Utah Country stereotype with their coffee, but they also serve beer and wine too!

And if all else fails… ball inside the house.