CANINE CENTRAL: SHIRLINGTON
Dogs are everywhere in Arlington, but there are a few neighborhoods that bark it up a notch and can easily claim “dog magnet” status. Chief among them is Shirlington, says
RE/MAX broker Lisa Dubois (herself a rescue dog owner), where businesses like Dogma Bakery cater to canine tastes, and restaurants with patio seating are supremely dog-friendly. The water bowls that line the promenade along Campbell Avenue are a telltale sign; Copperwood Tavern even provides custom copper dog bowls and house-baked dog treats.
It’s all part of a culture built around the adjacent dog park along Four Mile Run, which attracts dogs and their owners from miles around, including D.C., Maryland and points farther west in Virginia. Much more than your typical romp, the dog park offers acres of green space, a water fountain for four-legged visitors, strategically placed plastic bag dispensers and even a designated “small dog play area” for puppies, toy breeds and medium-sized mutts.
Dogs rule during the Village at Shirlington’s annual Wags n’ Whiskers pet expo, a summer event featuring dozens of pet vendors, contests, portrait photos, live music and on-site pet adoption. Fur-Get Me Not, a doggie day care, boarding facility and dog-training academy, is right around the corner on South Four Mile Run Drive. So is the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, located on South Arlington Mill Drive.
Many thanks to MRIS and to the following real estate professionals who provided input for this story:
Marcia Burgos-Stone, RE/MAX Allegiance
Karen Close, Karen Close & Company, Century 21 New Millennium
Vivianne Couts, The Couts Group, Coldwell Banker
Lisa Dubois, Chrissy + Lisa, RE/MAX by invitation
Will Gaskins, The Gaskins Team, Keller Williams Realty
Coral Gundlach, Century 21 Redwood Realty
Evan Lacopo, Wydler Brothers Real Estate
Matt Leighton, Century 21 Redwood Realty
Kathy LoGiodice Fong, Shepard Fong Associates, Keller Williams Realty
Diane Lewis, The Lewis Team, Washington Fine Properties
Julie Rice, The Gaskins Team, Keller Williams Realty
Natalie Roy, Keller Williams Realty
Michelle Sagatov, Michelle Sagatov Realty Group, McEnearney Associates
Keri Shull, The Keri Shull Team, Optime Realty
Ron Smith, Smith Schnider
Theresa Sullivan Twiford, Smith Schnider
Carol Temple, Coldwell Banker
Alexandra Fielding Wilson, Long & Foster Real Estate-Christie’s International
Ann Wilson, Ann Wilson Homes, Keller Williams Realty
Steve Wydler, Wydler Brothers Real Estate
Julie Zelaska, Smith Schnider and Liberty Properties