Both you and your leashed buddy can get exercise while enjoying the fresh air at one of Las Vegas’ dog runs & dog parks. There are lots of offleash fenced areas for your dog to safely meet new buddies. Please note that owners of dogs off their leashes in any county park, when spotted by a Park Police officer, will be given a one time warning unless your dog poses a threat, at which time you will be cited. If you are stopped a second time for an off-leash violation the fine is a $250 ticket.

Joy is not the only thing you are giving your dog while petting it! It’s no secret that most dogs adore the hands-on attention they receive as we pet, scratch, groom, and care for them. What you might not know, is that petting or “touching” your dog has many more benefits, other than the obvious, displayed by your dog’s response.

Many studies have proven that an animal’s physiological response to touch is comparable to the response of a human. This means that petting your dog not only provides physical pleasure, but can stimulate a healing response that affects them emotionally and mentally, as well as, physically. (Sadly, studies have also shown that lack of touch can devastate their well-being, as well.)

Dogs are carnivorous mammals presumed to be wolf descendants. Since prehistoric times, dogs were domesticated as guardians and companions; they were valued for their intelligence, docility and ability to bond. The Bible references them as flock guardians and home watchers. Then, semi-wild canines wandered about devouring dead bodies and street remains. Specific characteristics bred for specific functions created pure, mixed and partially domesticated varieties: sporting, companionship, guarding, tracking or herding.

The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term encompasses both feral and pet varieties and is also sometimes used to describe wild canids of other subspecies or species. The domestic dog has been (and continues to be) one of the most widely-kept working and companion animals in human history, as well as being a food source in some cultures. There are estimated to be 400 million dogs in the world.