Archive of the Category 'Pets'
Wrigleyville Wonders: Discover the Best Apartment Rentals Near Wrigley Field
When moving to Chicago, the limitless neighborhood options can sometimes feel overwhelming. Luckily, there’s some narrowing down a renter can do to ensure their apartment search runs smoothly.
Many habitable enclaves on Chicago’s northside have relatively affordable housing, scenic views, and excellent walkability. Though Wrigleyville might not be your automatic first thought, here are some incredible apartment buildings for folks looking to move in and around the iconic neighborhood.
2950 North Sheridan Road
Between the overlap of Boyston and Wrigleyville lies plenty of gorgeous apartment complexes for potential residents. 2950 North Sheridan is a luxury high rose just a few blocks from Lake Michigan, making it an essential building to check out.
One-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom floor plans are available, equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows, pre-installed cable and internet, and in-unit washers and dryers.
The building itself has quality amenities for residents to enjoy. These include rooftop terraces, a 24-hour concierge, and charging stations for any electric vehicles. If open floor plans and EV accessibility are necessities for your living situation, then 2950 North Sheridan may be the place for you.
3240 North Lake Shore Drive
Another apartment building nestled in Chicago’s Boystown is 3240 North Lake Shore Drive. This lengthy red-brick complex looks right over the lake, with studios and six-bedroom penthouse suites for all types of renters.
Though the building is massive, the interior is cozy and inviting. Some available apartments have 3-D virtual tours, allowing potential renters to see the living amenities without scheduling an in-person walkthrough. The apartments have been completely renovated, too, with updated kitchens and spacious dining areas.
There’s community storage in the basement for those needing extra bike and box space. 3240 is also a pet-friendly building, allowing you and your pet to enjoy the lakefront path together.
535 W Cornelia
Just four blocks from Wrigley Field is where this next apartment building lives; with both studio and large communal units available, this historic apartment complex is another great option for those looking to move to Wrigleyville.
Like the three buildings mentioned above, 535 W Cornelia is undeniably close to Lake Michigan, making it an ideal home for walkers, runners, and general outdoor enthusiasts. For those without cars, this apartment complex is within five minutes of pharmacies, restaurants, gyms, and grocery stores.
The building has many quality amenities, including bike storage in the basement, a package receiving room, recycling, and on-site 24-hour maintenance attendees. The apartments come with gorgeous hardwood floors and vintage-style kitchens, perfect for those turned off by modern renovations.
529-541 Wellington
If you’re not ready to go too far north, this property, which borders Lakeview and Lincoln Park, could be your ideal living situation.
529 Wellington lives off the vibrant Broadway avenue, close to public transit, restaurants, and retail stores. The building is filled with spacious studios and one and two-bedroom apartments. Studios come in four unique styles, with virtual tours for prospective tenants on the building’s website. If you’ve got a pet, these apartments are dog and cat friendly, as long as they don’t exceed the 40 lb weight limit.
The apartment complex has many attractive amenities, including bike storage, a laundry room, and communal outdoor space. Residents can also use 2950 N Sheridan’s exclusive gym, making 529 Wellington an affordable option for those needing consistent workouts.
Wrigleyville and the surrounding neighborhoods have plenty to offer new residents and longtime locals. If you’ve wanted to explore the community’s housing options, these four buildings are an essential place to start your renting journey.
6 Favorite Dog Parks On Chicago’s Northside
Chicago is a fantastic place to have a furry friend. There are miles of beach-front trails to walk through (including a doggy beach) and ample, secluded spaces for your pet to roam. Especially on the city’s Northside, dog parks are scattered throughout the verdant neighborhoods. Here are some of our favorite parks in Chicago tailored to man’s best friend.
Wiggly Field
Chicago’s first designated dog park, this furry-friendly area, is the go-to spot for dog owners in Lincoln Park. Located at the intersection of Wrightwood and Sheffield, this half-acre park is an excellent spot for rowdy dogs to get their exercise.
Though it’s affectionately known as Wiggly Field, the official city name is Noethling Park, there’s both an asphalt-paved and grassy area of the dog park, perfect for all types of play. Its been a beloved neighborhood staple since the early 90s, with gorgeous trees that create needed shade in the summertime.
For more about the park’s location and hours, check out the site here: https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/noethling-grace-park
Pottawattomie Dog Park
If you live up in Chicago’s farthest-north neighborhood, then you know about Pottawattomie Dog Park. This spot is a Roger’s Park favorite, with a .2-acre play area for dogs of all sizes.
This dog park has a variety of asphalt and pea gravel for dogs to play on. Amenities include doggy water fountains, benches for the owners, and many shaded areas. It might not be the largest park on the list, but the foliage and residential vibe give this spot a relaxed, homey feel.
More about Pottawattamie Dog Park is available here: https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/pottawattomie-park
River Park
If you live in Albany Park, you are probably familiar with River Park and its long bike path that follows Chicago’s eponymous river. Attached to the walkway is a smaller, quieter dog park that’s great for nervous pups.
Known colloquially as Paws Park, this dog-friendly area is located west of the Fransisco and Carmen Ave intersection. If you continue on the path towards the river, you’ll run into the designated dog park. It’s about a tenth of an acre wide but is generally quiet and devoid of overcrowding. After you’re done, you can take your dog through the scenic river walkway for some great exercise.
Find out the exact location and other park amenities here: https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/river-dog-friendly-area
Puptown Dog Park
Located in the glorious Margate Park, Puptown Dog Park gets its name from the neighborhood it resides in.
This park is entirely operated by dog owners in the Uptown area, consistently posting updates about missing items, open hours, and more. It’s about one-third of an acre and completely paved in asphalt and gravel. It’s a popular spot in the neighborhood, so expect ample socializing for you and your pup.
Check out more about Puptown Dog Park here: https://www.facebook.com/Puptown/
Portage Park
Off of Milwaukee and Irving Park road lies Portage Park, known as the original spot of the Six Corners; this residential area is the quintessential northside neighborhood.
Portage Park is the neighborhood’s name, but it’s also the title of the glorious park that resides in the area’s center. The new doggy play area lives in the north part of the park, adjacent to the tennis courts. The dog park is almost an acre in size, which is one of the biggest in the city. The park is operated by the Portage Park Dog Committee, which manages the park’s cleanliness and organizes dog meet-ups.
To find out more details about Portage Park and its doggy-friendly play area, check out this site: https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/portage-dog-friendly-area
Wicker Park Dog-Friendly Area
Wicker Park is a highly populated neighborhood on Chicago’s Northside. Its central location and bustling Milwaukee Ave draw tourists and residents alike.
The Wicker Park Dog-Friendly Area is inside the actual Wicker Park, right off Damen and Evergreen Ave. The dog area is a relatively tiny portion of the park, which generally suits smaller dogs best. Regardless, it’s a vibrant spot for dog owners and their trusted pups, perfect for socializing and sufficient exercise.
For more about this park, you can look here: https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/wicker-dog-friendly-area
If you’ve been struggling to find the right dog park in your neighborhood, there are more than enough to choose from. Here are some of the best northside parks for you and your canine to enjoy the summer. For even more dog pagerks to take your furry friends check out our new Northside Chicago Pet Guide.
Mental Health Benefits of Dogs & Adoption Locations in Chicago
Having a furry companion during the COVID-19 pandemic is an absolute blessing. For those of us removed from family and loved ones, an adoring animal can change the entire atmosphere of a living situation.
Dogs have always been my personal favorite pet because of their loving energy and endless affection. Their attentiveness and tenderness have a plethora of mental health benefits, too. If you’re looking to add a dog to your household, here are just a few of their positive health effects.
Mindfulness
Having a dog in the house can increase our mindfulness. With the stresses of a pandemic, many of us have been relying on certain tactics for necessary guidance. An increase of activities like yoga and meditating makes sense during such trying times. Petting, playing, or walking a dog can be similarly helpful to reconnecting with our bodies.
A primary focus in meditation is to be present in our body. Increasing mindfulness is a difficult task that dogs are known to aid with. “The benefits of interacting with a dog is the opportunity it provides to be more mindful – to purposely focus your attention on the present moment” (1). Increasing mindfulness is something sitting down and petting your dog’s fur can improve.
Even walking your dog can strengthen your mental health. Of course, exercising has a long list of proven benefits. But excluding the physical elements, the perfunctory nature of walking can make it “possible to recover the pure sense of being” (1). Doing an easy exercise to clear the mind is endlessly helpful for invoking body connectedness.
Loneliness & Depression
Humans are extremely social beings by default. Cutting off our daily interactions can be extremely difficult at times. Dogs can play an essential role in stabilizing our happiness while providing wonderful companionship.
The support of a furry confidante can be as stress-relieving as living with a close friend or family member. The “bond and companionship” of a dog can make a “huge difference in mental health” (1). With so many of us missing out on our in-person relationships, canines can be a great supplement for these interactions. The beautiful bond we have with our pups has an extremely positive effect on quelling or eliminating loneliness.
Structure & Routine
This is my biggest problem when it comes to quarantine. Some days feel inconceivably long, with no structure to divide up the hours. Taking care of a dog, or any household pet, solves this issue with their routine upkeep.
Dogs, especially, need care and playtime that need attention at specific times in the day. The days where it’s hard to be motivated might dissipate because you’ll “have to get out of bed to feed, exercise, and care” (2) for your pet. Just like mindfulness, supporting your animal requires focus and attention. Adding your pet’s upkeep into your daily routine, days that feel most daunting can become more manageable..
Balance is an integral part of our lives as human beings. Having everyday tasks and structure, like caring for a pet, are essential to positive mental health practices in quarantine.
Lowering Stress
There’s been many studies that show how petting an animal can reduce stress. Apparently, “just 10 minutes can have a significant impact” (3) on high stress levels.
The science behind it has to do with the cortisol in our body. When petting a dog, cortisol levels have been known to drop dramatically. With this, an increase in motivating hormones like serotonin occurs, which can decrease stress. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications often try to increase the levels of serotonin in our brain similarly. If medication isn’t your first choice, petting an animal can be closely effective.
Adopting in Chicago
Now that we know the mental health benefits of having a canine companion, you might be searching for a place to retrieve one. There are plenty of adoption centers in Chicago to visit for any dog lover. Here are some of the prime locations for adopting in the city.
Red Door Animal Shelter
Located on the far north side of Chicago, Red Door is a highly recommended animal shelter and adoption center. Utilizing private funds, the shelter is focused on relocating abused pets from dogs to rabbits.
There are several benefits from adopting at Red Door. They offer neutering, spaying, and admittance for their pets with the inclusion of pet food for any low-income families. With a vehement no-kill policy as well, this humane adoption location is perfect for any north side resident.
Check out their website at www.reddoorshelter.org
Chicago Canine Rescue
Founded in 2001, this dog rescue has saved and rehousing over 7,000 pets in the Chicago area. The dogs come to the rescue from various places around the area: other animal facilities, overwhelmed families, and rural partners to name a few.
Housing all pets in need of a loving home, this shelter has many great options for adopting. Especially for those averse to getting a puppy, the Chicago Canine Rescue takes in a large number of older dogs. As humane as you can get, this rescue shows an unprecedented amount of love for their animals.
Find more about the dogs, donating, and volunteering at https://chicagocaninerescue.org/
One Tail at a Time
Located right on the edge of Wicker Park, this rescue shelter has a tenacious mission to end pet homelessness. Started in an apartment in 2007, the project has grown into a quintessential adoption location in Chicago.
One Tail at a Time has a long history of intercepting city shelter and rehousing those abandoned dogs. They’ve hosted numerous vaccine clinics and often create temporary housing for sick animals. The persistence in finding dogs a loving home shows in their programs and accomplishments. With many dogs to peruse on their website, there’s definitely a pet for everyone at this rescue.
Check out adoptable pets at their website https://www.onetail.org/
Quarantine can be difficult, but you don’t have to go through it alone. There are animals across the city waiting for a comfortable home to scoop them up. With science backing up the obvious mental health benefits, finding a great dog is more important than ever. If you already own a dog be sure to check out our new pet guide for the Northside of Chicago.
Citation List
Tips to Help Protect Your Dog from Canine Influenza
Updated 03/07/2017 with dog flu information for 2017.
Canine influenza, also known as dog flu, has been an issue for Chicago dog owners since 2015. Although reports of dog flu cases have not spiked this year like they did in 2015, it has recently caused The Anti-Cruelty Society to halt adoptions of dogs. Fortunately, they have recently been able to allow dog adoptions again. According to a recent CBS article, more than 100 dogs have been infected by the dog flu so far in 2017.
The origin of canine influenza is unclear, but most believe that the virus came from Asia, mutated, and is now infecting dogs and cats.
Spring is just around the corner, and dogs and their owners will want to to be outside enjoying beautiful Chicago weather. Dog flu is similar to human flu, it can be spread through direct contact and symptoms may take several weeks to develop.
There are several precautions that you can take to better protect your pet:
- Instead of going to a dog park, take a long walk on the lakefront or on local trails throughout Chicago.
- Wash your hands frequently, especially after engaging with other pets.
- Instruct your dog-walkers to walk your dog separately and to wash their hands before entering your apartment.
- Try to avoid taking your dog to the dog beach, pet-hotels, day camps, pet stores or the groomer.
If you notice any change in your dog’s behavior, please contact your vet immediately.
Wirtz Residential is pleased to provide dog-friendly apartments in Chicago’s northside communities, including Lakeview, East Lakeview, Wrigleyville, and Lincoln Park, . Our newest Lakeview apartment community, 2950 N Sheridan, is also dog-friendly.
Wirtz at the Belmont Harbor Dog Beach
If you’re a dog owner in the Lakeview or Lincoln Park neighborhoods of Chicago, you have likely visited the Belmont Harbor Dog Park. The dog-friendly beach is located east of Lake Shore Drive at the north end of Belmont Harbor.
Wirtz is pleased to have donated to the dog park to help with recent improvements. The photo above shows a plaque that is on display at the park.
If you’re looking for a dog-friendly apartment in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, browse the seven Wirtz communities located in Lakeview.
Chicago Pet-Friendly Resources
Chicago is a great city for pets. All of Wirtz Residential’s Chicago northside apartment communities are pet-friendly, with a majority of them being both cat and dog-friendly.
We’ve written blog posts in the past about apartment living with a dog in Chicago and our favorite Chicago dog parks. Now, we’d like to provide some helpful online resources for pet owners in Chicago. Check out our new Lakeview Chicago Pet Guide.
Chicago, Illinois Dog-Friendly City Guide
This informative web site provides links to a variety of pet-friendly places in Chicago. From hotels to restaurants to stores and parks, you can find information about a variety of dog-friendly places around the city. We were surprised to learn that places like Navy Pier and Buckingham Fountain are dog-friendly. Check out all of their resources at http://www.dogfriendly.com/server/travel/uscities/guides/us/cities/usonlinecityILChicago.shtml.
The Anti-Cruelty Society
The Anti-Cruelty Society’s web site includes a section with local resources for pet owners. The Lost & Found Pets page includes recommended steps to take if you’ve lost your pet. It also includes a list of local shelters to contact. The Emergency Preparedness page provides information to help pet owners be ready for evacuations and other emergencies.
City of Chicago – Dog Registration
The City of Chicago requires all dogs four months old or older to be registered. The City of Chicago – Dog Registration web page includes all relevant information for registration, as well as a direct link to register your dog through the City’s online registration system.
BringFido.com
BringFido.com provides information for pet-friendly travel. Their Chicago section includes an interactive map highlighting dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, attractions, events and resources in the city. The site also features information about pet travel policies for many of the major airlines.
Looking for a pet-friendly apartment on Chicago’s northside? Search our apartment communities or give us a call at 312.943.7000.
Tips for Apartment Living with a Dog
Apartment living can be enjoyable for both you and your furry friend. Dogs of any size and breed can adapt to living in an apartment, though some require a bit more attention. Below are a few tips for apartment living with a dog.
Walks & Runs
Exercise is important for both people and dogs. Some breeds need more exercise than others. If your dog is energetic, be sure to take it for a walk or run a couple of times a day.
Dog Parks
Take advantage of the many dog parks in Chicago. Your dog will have a chance to run unleashed and socialize with other dogs. Check out our recent blog post to learn more dog parks in the city and how to get a permit for your dog.
Take Your Dog With You Shopping!
Stores like Home Depot, Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom and many local mom & pop stores welcome leashed dogs. During warm days, many neighborhood shops will put water bowls outside for your furry friend.
Breeds that Work Well in Apartments
If you getting a new dog, choosing a breed that has mild temperament, isn’t too large, is fairly quiet and doesn’t have too much energy may be easier to take care of. Breeds that tend to work well in apartments include Affenpinscher, Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Bulldog, Chinese Crested, Cocker Spaniel, Dachshund, Maltese Shih Tzu, Norwich Terrier, Pug and Yorkshire Terrier.
Larger breeds that have mild temperament and fairly low energy include Borzoi, Bullmastiff, Greyhound, and Scottish Deerhound.
More information about apartment-friendly dog breeds can be found on the American Kennel Club web site.
All of Wirtz’s apartment communities are pet-friendly. We invite you to contact us to learn more about our dog-friendly apartments.
The 5 Best Dog Parks in Chicago
All of Wirtz Residential’s apartment properties are pet-friendly. Having a dog in Chicago is great fun. There are lots of places throughout Chicago that are dog-friendly. The dog parks in the city give your furry friend the chance to run leash-free and allow you to get to know other Chicago dog owners.
Below are our picks for the five best dog parks in Chicago.
Montrose Beach (Wilson Avenue and Simonds Road)
If you were to ask a Chicago dog owner their favorite place to take their dog on a nice day, Montrose Beach is the answer you’ll probably get from most people. It’s a very popular spot for dogs and their owners. Dogs can run freely in the sand and cool off in Lake Michigan. The dog-friendly area at Montrose Beach is fenced off well, so it’s tough for dogs to escape. There’s plenty of parking and a handicap-accessible ramp as well.
Wiggly Field (2645 N. Sheffield Avenue)
No matter when you go to Wiggly Field, you’ll likely see at least a handful of other dogs and their owners. The dog park has a few different sections, so dogs are able to explore and run around in mulch, concrete and grass. Dog waste bags are provided and it includes a special time out area for dogs who get a little too carried away.
Portage Dog Park (4100 N. Long Avenue)
Opened in 2011, Portage Dog Park used to be a ball field. It’s sectioned off into one area for large dogs over 65 lbs and another area for smaller dogs. If you have a small dog and are concerned about it running around with lots of big dogs, Portage Dog Park is a great spot.
Churchill Park (1825 N. Damen Avenue)
The dog-friendly area at Churchill Park has a shaded area and a doggie drinking fountain. On really hot days, they sometimes have kiddie pools out for the dogs to play in too. There’s seating for dog owners and ample space for your dog to run around and socialize.
Foster Beach (Foster Avenue & Lake Michigan)
If you’re looking for a dog-friendly beach in Chicago that’s a little less busy than Montrose Beach, Foster Beach is the place. It’s known for being one of the cleaner beaches in the city as well.
What You’ll Need
Before you and your dog can enjoy Chicago’s dog parks, you’ll need a current Chicago dog parks permit. Have it with you when you go to a dog park. Your dog will need to have a park tag and rabies tag attached to its collar too. You’ll then just need to follow their pretty simple rules for usage of the dog parks. Click here for the Chicago Park District’s rules and permit information for their dog-friendly areas.
