Hesitating in front of an unfamiliar platform, a dog follows a treat to step up.

Once it gets a bit more used to it, it even navigates low obstacles.

[Cho Ju-hye / Tankong's Guardian]
"She found it a bit difficult, but since it's something she doesn't usually do, I think she did pretty well considering."

The "Healthy Dog, Healing Day" event, where guardians and their companion dogs walk and exercise together, was held.

It is a program where participants move along a trail and experience five fitness courses featuring balance pads and obstacles.

Families who adopted shelter dogs also participated.

Two-year-old Moka met Anna's family in December of last year.

Moka, who tends to get nervous when strangers or other dogs are nearby, did not move easily at first on this day either.

[Anna / Moka's Guardian]
"At first, because the space was unfamiliar and there were other dogs around, she couldn't do much, but after some time passed, the staff helped out, she loosened up, and in the second half, she was doing even the difficult things smoothly."

Dogs are not forced onto equipment; if they find it difficult, the difficulty level is lowered to retry easier movements first.
Treats and other methods are also used to encourage movement.

[Park Hyo-young / Event Planning Director]
"By succeeding in getting up there, we can instill a sense of confidence in the dogs."

What caught the guardians' eyes was not just the exercise movements.

[Anna / Moka's Guardian]
"She's a friend who usually doesn't sniff around much. But she was sniffing the surroundings, stepping on fallen leaves, and stepping on soil. I saw many new sides of her today."

The location where the event was held on this day is the newly created dog-friendly garden, "Pet Garden."

Plants that encourage scent-tracking, such as herbs, were planted, and natural materials like stones, wood, and gravel were used so that dogs can experience various senses while walking and resting together with their guardians.

[Anna / Moka's Guardian]
"She usually doesn't get along well with other dogs either, but since we had to walk together and move together, she was moving along. It was fascinating."

The changes the guardians hoped for were different for each of them.

Nunsol likes people, but is still clumsy around other dogs.

[Jung Jin-sil / Nunsol's Guardian]
"When walking on a leash, she keeps picking fights with other dogs. So I hope she can socialize a bit with dogs."

Right next to it is a dog playground.

Opened in 2023, this place was recently expanded from approximately 843 square meters to 1,319 square meters through renovations.
Entrances and play facilities were also reinforced.

However, some reactions showed that the distance is a burden.

[Jung Jin-sil / Nunsol's Guardian]
"It's so far that I probably won't be able to come often unless I get a car."

[Cho Ju-hye / Tankong's Guardian]
"It's not very easy to come with Tankong, but I still want to come if I get the chance on the weekend."

A park is not just a place to run around to your heart's content.

A place to sniff around, walk slowly, experience unfamiliar things, and rest together.
There are now a few more ways for companion dogs and their guardians to enjoy the park.

(Reported by Sim Yeong-gu | Video by Park Woo-jin and Hwang Se-hoe | Edited by Yoon Ye-ran | Design by Cho Eun-sol | The Intern: Kim Hye-won | Produced by Knowledge Content IP Team | Production Support: Seoul Metropolitan Government)