Tacoma Metro Parks built this kid play area, which is totally awesome, and part of it is a water park. I don't go to this park very often, but today I noticed that it had like the coolest dog water fountain I had ever seen.
Now that's dog friendly!
Dog friendly places are where you know it's okay to have your dog, so long as your dog is okay with whatever else might be there. You know what I'm saying?
It's like when I walk my dog, I know which houses have dogs and probably don't mind if my dog makes a little wee wee on their lawn. (I always pick up the #2.) I know which houses are dog friendly. Hey, yeah, and I know which ones aren't!
The entire world is like that. To find the dog friendly places, sometimes you have to look for them and sometimes they just surprise you.
Did you know that fancier hotels in the US are more likely to allow dogs? Yep. Think about little old ladies with teacup pooches in their purses. Cheap American hotels won't let you have your dog there ... fancy hotels will. Not always, but most of the time.
And the dog/fancy hotel works with larger dogs. Many times I have had to upgrade the hotel to find one that's dog friendly. I should add that this rule applies in all places BUT Canada. But in Canada a cheap hotel is likely to allow dogs. Don't know why that is.
It's also easier to fly with your dog in Canada, so long as you depart from Canada. So, I used to drive up to Vancouver and fly over to Calgary, rather than fly from Seattle to Calgary.
Dogs enjoy wide-spread acceptance in Canada, within reason.
When you get a dog, though, it's like the rest of your life consists of bouncing from one dog-friendly place to another. From your house, to the dog park, etc.
Ah, heck, though I do have to admit that I appreciate the City of Tacoma putting this dog fountain in. It's in the park behind Norpoint Center. If you know Northeast Tacoma, you probably know where this is.
My dog's name is Zoozoo, and she is a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. If she is an indication of the breed, this is not a good breed for the novice dog owner. She's a handful. She would chase cars and scare people if I let her. I don't let her.
Anyway, she gets doggone thirsty when we play frisbee at the park. Just saying.
Jimmyjumpnjive April 2012
