New Tuscaloosa pet resort will offer playground for dogs, bar for people

Jasmine Hollie, The Tuscaloosa News
·2 min read
Good Dog Bar and Dog Park will open its first Tuscaloosa location later this month at 1706 16th St. The 15,000-square-foot venue will feature turfed indoor and outdoor play areas for dogs, a pet resort and a bar for people. [Photo by Clint Carmichael]
Good Dog Bar and Dog Park will open its first Tuscaloosa location later this month at 1706 16th St. The 15,000-square-foot venue will feature turfed indoor and outdoor play areas for dogs, a pet resort and a bar for people. [Photo by Clint Carmichael]

A new business offering a place for dogs and their people to enjoy will open this month in Tuscaloosa.

With existing locations in Birmingham and Auburn, Good Dog Bar and Dog Park will open its first Tuscaloosa location at 1706 16th St. The 15,000-square-foot venue will feature turfed indoor and outdoor play areas for dogs, a pet resort and a bar for people.

Good Dog's sister company, the Pawms Pet Resort, will be at the same site.

"It's the safest, most fun dog park you've ever been to," said Clint Carmichael, co-owner of Good Dog Tuscaloosa.

Good Dog Bar and Dog Park in Tuscaloosa will feature turfed indoor and outdoor play areas for dogs.
Good Dog Bar and Dog Park in Tuscaloosa will feature turfed indoor and outdoor play areas for dogs.

The Tuscaloosa native said he saw a need for more dog parks in the area and wanted to provide a space where community members can come together in a welcoming environment.

Carmichael said Good Dog's park will be free for all people to enter and guests won't be required to have a dog to enjoy the facility. Guests can also enjoy beer, wine and hard seltzers at the venue's bar.

Tuscaloosa didn't have a park dedicated to dogs until the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority opened the Will May Dog Park in 2014 within Sokol Park off Watermelon Road in Northport.

The Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports website, visittuscaloosa.com, lists the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk and Lake Lurleen State Park as prime places to walk a pooch. The Riverwalk is off Jack Warner Parkway along the banks of the Black Warrior River and Lake Lurleen State Park is at 13226 Lake Lurleen Road in Coker.

Good Dog will provide another option for Tuscaloosa residents who want to get their pooch some exercise, either indoors or outdoors.

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The dog park will feature TVs, dog pools, tunnels and plenty of toys. Dogs visiting the park must be current on their vaccinations, be older than four months and must be spayed or neutered if they are older than six months, according to Good Dog's website. Children will not be allowed in the off-leash park.

The pet resort will offer multiple services including boarding, daycare and grooming. The resort features large covered outdoor daycare yards with unique dog turf and play structures. This location will also board cats.

Carmichael said that being near the University of Alabama was part of his business plan.

"We want to be the (University of Alabama's) preferred pet resort," Carmichael said.

People can buy a day pass for their dog or sign up for memberships, which include perks like a members-only line to enter the park.

He said that 1% of all Good Dog's proceeds will go to Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter and West Alabama Humane Society.

For more information, go to https://gooddogpark.org/ or follow the company's Instagram page @gooddog_tuscaloosa.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Tuscaloosa pet resort will offer play area for dogs, bar for people