Off-Leash Etiquette

Today is a breathtakingly gorgeous Sunday. The sun is shining, the weather is brisk but windless and it’s a perfect day in Vancouver to hit the beach with your pooch.

Luckily, I know an unofficial, off-leash stretch of beach that is a well kept secret. It’s a zen destination to enjoy a quite walk in nature (seal and heron sighting are common) when you’re just not feeling up to the barking, racing and hijinks of the official dog beach. So I bundled up in my toque and puffy jacket and hit the beach with the Nickster.

It was just the walk I was craving. A seal stuck his nose out of the water to investigate us as we walked by the ocean, the dogs and owners we met were relaxed and friendly and all was good…until the very end.

As we were nearing the end of the walking area I noticed an off-leash Boxer with an aggressive stance walking towards us. Since my little, trouble-making Terrier is not a big fan of boxers I immediately leashed him up and called to the Boxer’s owner that my dog is not Boxer friendly. She completely ignored me and they kept on walking towards us. The Boxer was still off-leash and starting to approach us like we were prey. I called out again, louder. She stared blankly at me and then reached to take her earphones out. Seriously? Earphones?? So I stated the problem again, she finally leashed her dog and we walking civilly around each other, both dogs on short leashes.

A few weeks ago a Pitbull named Pandora was stabbed to death on Kits Beach. Her death was senseless (and will be the topic of my next post) and involved an altercation between her (leashed) and a barking, aggressive, off-leash Pug.

So, the moral of my story is that it’s a lovely, bonding experience, taking our pups for an off-leash walk or hike but we have to, as responsible dog owners, have our eyes and ears open at all times. We can’t be tuning out the world when walking our dogs, especially if you have a dog with issues (like I do). A warning growl, aggressive body stance; we need to be present to pick up those cues to keep our pups and other pups safe.

Wishing everyone a lovely day in the sun, frolicking safely and happily with your canine companions!

An Emerald Lake

There is no more magical dog friendly hike than Joffre Lakes, BC. Its emerald lakes are breathtaking and the perfect place for canines to chase a few squirrels and take a dip after a long hike…

Nature’s Heart

Keep close to Nature’s heart…and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. – John Muir

Ryan & George

This one is for the ladies. Ryan Gosling playing fetch with his beautifully unique rescue dog, George. Enjoy!

Yoga/Doga

Summertime is here and the more time spent out of doors, the better. I love seeing dogs accompany their owners on summer adventures and below is Miss Lily, a rescued Terrier/Chihuahua mix, proving that you really can take your dog anywhere.

Lily joined her mom’s outdoor yoga class and was the perfect yogi. Calm, Zen, and not one bark!

Summertime at the Beach

Angus, the Beagle, is one of my favourite Dogz in the Hood. Such a laid back cutie and always looks like he’s wearing black eye-liner. It’s an awesome look for Mr. Angus.

Hey, Angus! You like hanging out at the Dog Beach?

“I DOES! IT MAKES ME SMIZE!!!”

Dogz in the Woodz

Off-leash hiking with your dog is such a fun, bonding experience and a great way to keep fit for both humans and canines.

Make sure your pup has good recall, bring along some water and snacks for him or her and you are good to go!

Below are some of Vancouver’s best dog-friendly hiking trails for you and your furry companion to explore:

http://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/?sort=&filter=dogs#list

Kayaking

I love taking my dog with me on as many summer adventures as I can so he recently came kayaking with me.

The first thing I did to prepare for Nick’s kayaking trip was to buy him a Ruffwear life-jacket. Ruffwear is an awesome brand of well made, long lasting doggie outerwear. He seemed happy and comfy in his jacket, important as you don’t want to force your dog to do something uncomfortable or scary for him or her.

He did seem a tad confused when we first entered the kayak but he quickly settled in on my lap, taking in the scenery and it was all smooth sailing after that.

Kayaking with Nick was a fun experience for me and I’m pretty sure it was a great, adventurous day for him. The more experiences and adventures that include your dog, the better life will be for them and the stronger your bond will be as well.

Wishing you a summer of adventures with your pooch!

Sofia Sabo of Bow Wow Haus Daycare

I’ve always thought  that running a doggy daycare would be a wonderful career choice so I decided to meet up with Sofia of BWH Daycare to ask her a couple of questions about her business.

My first question was how did Sofia get her doggie daycare started? Sofia began with a dream and then a vision of what she wanted. However getting to the next step and actually finding a place to rent/lease was not so easy.  She was frustrated to find out that as soon as a potential landlord realized her business was a doggie daycare, rejection soon followed.

When Suji, the owner of Bow Wow Haus offered Sofia the separate space in the back of her West End store, it was a perfect fit for Sofia’s pack of small dogs and that’s where she set up shop. She has now been there for a little over two years. An ideal location for seawall and Stanley Park pack walks.

Next I asked her what she likes most about her job? Sofia answered with “Do you have all day? I love Love Love each & everyone of these little monkeys! I love how excited they get when they see me, lots of wiggles, wags and kisses! And we all love our three hour adventure walks in Coal Harbour and the West End, especially when the sun is shining!”

If you’re looking for an outstanding daycare to help socialize and entertain your pup, check out BWH Daycare on the link below:

http://bowwowhaus.ca/daycare/daycare-bwh-west-end/

Lily in the Park

Little Lily loves her weekly 5k run in Stanley Park with her mom, Louise and I.

She is 6 pounds of high energy, fearlessness and street smarts, and she is one of the most entertaining running partners I’ve ever had.

A highlight of Lily’s run is her visit to Beaver Lake in the centre of the park. Once there she loves to chase after ducks and terrorize Canada geese. Though the geese are about four times her size she still manages to intimidate them and I’ve seen her send a whole flock running into the water on more than one occasion.

She is completely confident and clearly has no idea of how small she actually is.

A true Terrier.