by Chelsie Rohlen

Pets, namely dogs, are a great way to feel not so alone in the big olʼ city. Not only can a wagging tail upon arriving home make you inexplicably happy, but a loyal hound can inspire you. Be prepared to wrongly blame allergies as you wipe away a little tear upon seeing your dog run freely in the yard, unencumbered by the painstaking reality of the world. Okay, maybe itʼs not that poetic, but they can add some sporadically needed drama with shoe chewing, food stealing, trick learning resistance. Since you love the local, why not pass it on to your canine? Here, we walk you through the steps of keeping your dog local, from the acquisition to indulgent doggie treats.

1. If you donʼt already have a dog, rescue. A pet can be the perfect addition to your family, spicing up weekends that hitherto may have consisted of you, your laptop, an endless stream of Buzzfeed articles, and re-watching of The Wire. Sad, but in ATL, over 90,000 dogs and cats are euthanized yearly in animal control facilities. Be a hero and pick out an animal of your own. Surely one of them will like you.

All Atlanta rescues are great rescues, but for suggestions, get your lion heart over to the Atlanta Humane Society, Atlanta Pet Rescue, Atlanta Small Dog Rescue, Atlanta Bully Rescue, or the Barking Hound Village Foundation Rescue. Or, If youʼre interested in breed-specific rescues, hit the P.A.W.S website to check out available adoptable animals and other breed rescues like Adopt a Lab and Golden Retriever Rescue.

2. If your new friend doesnʼt already have one, pick a name. Duhhhhhhh. A couple unique suggestions:

• Wu Tang Clan name generator. It worked for Childish Gambino. Kind of. (Ed. note: I tried it, and it definitely produces some catchy names and great pseudonyms if you want to discreetly name a pet after someone. Just call me ʻProfound Mastermindʼ, yʼall.)
• World of Warcraft pet name generator. Sooo, this exists.

3. Dogs are often scary similar to humans. And humans like, love snacks. People live for snacks. Just to show your new pet some love, make a pit stop on your pet care spree and give him a little treat to hold him over.

For the healthiest dog snacks, try Big Daddy Biscuits or Taj Mahound (both totally safe for human consumption, should your desires tempt you).

4. Pup looking a little overgrown? Stop and get him trimmed up, shaved up, and shaped up. For a more thorough groom, head over to Kelseyʼs Dog House in Buckhead or Clean Dog in Inman Park. For mobile grooming (theyʼll come to you): Intown Hound Mobile Pet Grooming.

5. Get that critter some swag. For the best collars, check out: Inman Park Pet Works. For the best tags: Fetching Tags keeps it sassy and local with hand made tags. Better yet, hit the collar decorating event theyʼre co-hosting with Highland Pet Supply on June 29th and 30th.

6. Make sure heʼs got the essentials. To get your dog healthy via good nutrition and some real fun toys, check out: Intown Healthy Hound in Grant Park (they offer delivery!) or Kirkwood Feed and Seed.

And lastly, vital tips to being the best dog parent in the A:

Gotten comfy with the hound yet? Time to take him out. For hiking with your pet (on a leash, of course), our top pick is Sweetwater Creek Park. And while this yearʼs event has already passed, the Atlanta Dog Jog is infamously a great time for your dog to make some pals.

Best dog friendly patio, hands-down? Midway Pub. How they get away with it is a mystery, but the patio is dog-friendly. And very, very beer-friendly, too.

If your dog is really being a bitch (sorry, had to), Meredith Minkin at Canine PhD in Inman Park will whip her into shape.

For spayin', neuterin', and all the genuine, straight from the heart care you could ever want for your pets, visit Annie Price and Co. at Ormewood Animal Hospital (a Scoutmob employee favorite).

Need relief for a vacay? Weʼve got your covered for doggie daycares on all sides:
• East Side: Wag-a-Lot
• West side: Green Dog
• Downtown: Bark ATL
• Sandy Springs/Dunwoody: Fido Fido
• Midtown: Barking Hound Village
• Decatur: Pet's Playhouse on Ponce

(Side note: if youʼre into questionable holidays, National Dog Day is August 26th. Prepare to kick your animal parenting skills into overdrive.)