| Summer brings with it the possibility of heat stroke, sunburn, drowning, porcupine encounters, fleas, heartworm and a variety of injuries. Don’t rely on your urbanized dog to tell you when something is wrong. Do the planning for your dog. He’s not a stealth wolf – he’s more like a two-year-old child.
Before heading out of town, check to see if there are flea or heartworm problems where you’re going and if so, make an appointment with your vet. On warm days, schedule your dog walk for the early morning or later in the evening. Do not run your dog hard and leave the Chuckit at home. Have drinking water available for your dog at all times, and a spray bottle is good for warm days, too. Take your dog in water that you know it can handle – don’t throw it in the Bow during spring runoff and expect it’s going to be able to extract itself from the situation.
Reduce the likelihood of a porcupine run-in by avoiding dog parks once the sun begins to set. It’s also a good idea to keep a dog first aid kit with you on trips and source out the location of a nearby vet. Pet first aid training is well worth the money. Oakland Educational Services (www.oesl.com) offers weekend classes and you get to bring your dog with you to practice what you’ve learned.
Dog’s Night Out
Long, cool summer evenings are the perfect time to check out all of our city’s parks. Don’t get stuck in the rut of walking the same route every day with your dog. Within Nosehill Park alone, there are dozens of paths to explore. Pearce Estate Park Interpretive Wetland is right by the Zoo and open to dogs. Mix it up with some on-leash and off-leash parks. Clean up after your dog. Not only are piles of droppings disgusting for park users, thoughtless dog walkers give all dog owners a bad name and you risk a $250 fine. A full listing of off-leash and on-leash parks is available on the city’s website, www.calgary.ca.
Disc golf makes for a dog-friendly evening activity. Your dog can tag along while you attempt to throw a flying disc into a basket or other target – perhaps not the best sport to try if you’re bringing a retriever, though. Google "Calgary disc golf" to find a location or the local disc golf association.
Many cafés along 17th Avenue and in Kensington are dog-friendly too. Proper dog etiquette for these kinds of outings includes keeping your dog leashed off to the side of the patio, not allowing your dog to beg and periodically making sure your dog is OK. Don’t park him in the sun, and don’t bring him if he’s high strung.
If you’re interested in getting into a dog sport, tracking, search and rescue or flyball, check out www.albertadogs.com/dog_activities.htm to get hooked with some local dog activities.
Weekend Getaways for Dog Lovers
Taking your dog out of town requires vehicle preparation. Get a crate or a dog barrier for the back. Don’t pull a classic Albertan and throw your dog in the back of your pick-up. It’s unsafe and illegal.
Best Camping
Cypress Hills is one of the best places to camp with your dog. There are no bears, dozens of camping locations and even more hiking trails. Located in southeast Alberta, Cypress Hills is less than a five-hour drive away.
Best Day Out
Canmore’s off-leash dog park, located at Quarry Lake Park, is Alberta’s most beautiful off-leash park. Take the main drive through town, go up on Three Sisters Drive, hang a right on Spray Lakes Road towards the Nordic Centre to find this park – it’s a left turn just after turning on Spray Lakes Road. The park has an extensive path system beyond the off-leash area. Be responsible with your dog since this park is home to wildlife corridors, habitat patches and salamander ponds. Pack a lunch and make a day out of it.
Best Long Weekend Away
Nelson and Rossland are two of the most dog-friendly towns in BC. Despite being a solid six or seven hours away.
Rossland is home to some of the best mountain biking and hiking trails in Canada and pretty much every local resident owns both a bike and a dog. The Alpine Grind is a cute little café serving up organic coffees, homemade baked treats and delicious breakfast and lunch options. This local gem even allows dogs on its deck – so long as your dog gets along with its resident dog. Many of the accommodations in Rossland are dog-friendly too, like the Red Barn Lodge.
Nelson, famous for its long-haired draft-dodgers, is not surprisingly friendly towards dogs. There are plenty of off-leash parks and dog beaches. Alpine Motel and the Pogi House are two places to stay that welcome pets. If you need a break for some people-only activities, All Play doggy daycare is right downtown and takes out-of-towners.
Got More Time?
Take a road trip to Southern Ontario for dog camp. Dog Paddling Adventures guides dog owners and their dogs on one- to six-day canoeing and camping trips. |
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