Dog Friendly?

The advertisement reads “Dog friendly,” but is it really? There is dog friendly and then there is truly dog friendly. Many dog loving owners these days are not willing to leave fido at home alone, so finding a special place that truly accommodates to the canine and their family can be a challenge. Asking questions and getting referrals is your best line of fire but prepare yourself to dig deep. Just because it says dog friendly does not mean that you will be welcomed with open arms as you arrive with your three Great Danes.

I cannot tell you how many places I have called about their policy with regards to being “dog friendly,” only to find out that they are only dog friendly if your dog is less than 10 lbs. Admittedly; stating that you are dog friendly is an advertising ploy so it may take a magnifying glass to read the small print before you will have the real goods on a place. That is unless one of your dog loving friends has told you about a specific place. But if being referred is may not be enough, many places change policy a lot so what you hear from a friend may not be the most relevant information about a fascility.

It is much like finding out that “view” does not mean that your hotel is located on the beach that you will be viewing. Dog friendly can mean many things to many people. It could mean friendly as far as the outdoor patio, or friendly if one is small enough to be in carried around in a bag. Perhaps you have conjured up a wonderful image of yourself and your German Shepherd running down a gorgeous beach together as free as the wind, having the time of your life. But in reality you discover that your dog must be on a leash and that pristine white beach is strictly off limits to canines.

Traveling with your dog can be wonderful; but it can be a whole lot of headache as well. Before you go; call ahead and confirm that a facility will indeed accommodate your dog/dogs. If you plan to visit parks, events or site seeing destinations be sure that you check these for their level of friendliness to the canine specifies as well. It may be a great deal of homework and research but it will pay out tenfold when you have asked all the right questions before arriving. It is always best to ask first rather than finding out that the answer may be no once you get there.