Liverpool dog adventure park, Zoomies Zone, has doubled in size and now has its own rainwater swim pond

A Liverpool adventure park for dogs has doubled in size in its first year thanks to a growing fanbase of four-legged customers.

Zoomies Zone in Halewood opened in August last year with one two-acre secure area for dogs to run and have fun in their own exclusive space.

Now owner Anne McKenna has added a further two zones, including one specifically for smaller breeds and puppies, and a hugely popular rainwater swim pond.

Anne says the response from owners since they opened has been “astounding.”

“Initially it was mostly for reactive dogs who don’t get on with other dogs, so walking them in a public place is really difficult and letting them off the lead is absolutely impossible.

“Dogs need to be off lead and able to have a proper run so this was a safe place for them.

“But we’ve evolved into a much bigger adventure park, and there’s a lot more to it than just a field for dogs to run around – there’s agility, sensory features, the pond for paddling and swimming, and we have lots of planting and trees so it’s a beautiful space.”

One of the most unusual aspects of the park is its city location and they were able to convert land already owned by the business into the two extra zones.

That means there is now the original Adventure Zone, plus a new Activity Zone and Action Zone.

Within the Adventure Zone, Anne responded to requests from owners to create the USP of a rainwater swim pond.

She explains: “We had a shallow dip that used to fill up with rainwater, and the feedback we got was that the dogs loved it but it was never deep enough for them to swim in. 

“This year we decided to invest and got it properly dug out to make it deeper with embankments so it slopes in for safety and dogs can paddle around the outside or go into the middle where it’s a bit deeper.

“It’s fenced off so it’s optional but most people who book that zone do it because their dogs like water. If you go to the beach you can be worried about big waves or sinking sand, but this is a smallish enclosed space that’s only two or three feet deep at most.

“It’s deep enough to swim but shallow enough that someone could easily wade in and help them if needed.

“Since we opened it we’ve had lots of people who’ve said, ‘I didn’t know my dog liked water’, or ‘I didn’t know my dog could swim’ so it’s a really great experience.”

Anne also recognised that little dogs still need plenty of exercise but usually not as much space as medium-sized or larger dogs.

“That’s why we made the Activity Zone, which is specifically for small dogs. It’s about a third of an acre, fenced off, with low level agility-type equipment, gentle ramps, small jumps, hoops and tunnels.

“We get lots of puppies and young dogs who’ve maybe never been off a lead before and that can be quite stressful so this is perfect for them and puppies can graduate to one of the other zones as they grow.

“The third zone is our Action Zone, which is around two acres and a good all-round space, so if someone isn’t sure about water or it’s their first visit, the Action Zone is the space to start.”

All three zones are on the same site in Halewood and Zoomies now attracts a variety of owners and their dogs.

“We get reactive or nervous dogs, multiple dog owners, owners with mobility issues, pregnant women who are worried about being pulled over by dog, and owners who just see how much fun their dogs have here,” adds Anne.

“They get exclusive use of the space for the time they book, which is mostly an hour session although we do have a limited number of 30-minute slots, more in yellow zone because it’s small dogs who generally don’t need as much exercise. 

“We understand how important it is to be inclusive too, so our Activity Zone has a self-binding gravel path that takes you from the entrance so it’s pram and wheelchair friendly.”

For more info on Zoomies Zone click here.

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