“When an eighty-five pound mammal licks your tears away, then tries to sit on your lap, it’s hard to feel sad.”

Kristan Higgins (author, In Your Dreams)

As a pet owner, I’m always searching for dog friendly places to bring my best pal, Eli.

A little bit about Eli, he is a 92 lbs. “force of nature”, becomes friends with any human who pets him, and loves other dogs big and small. He fears nothing, but can also be the biggest baby in the room. Eli has extensive amounts of energy which when controlled can be so much fun, but when left to his own devices can be a terror. Which is why I have found training techniques which allow us to enjoy the outdoors in a safe and fun way! On my days off, I love coming back to Hydaway and bringing Eli with me to run trails or go swimming. We welcome all dogs at Hydaway and encourage all owners to be in control of their pets while visiting our facility!

Eli and I enjoy running Lake Trail, Trail Too Far, and Lasso and then jumping into the water to cool down after. When we’re not on Liberty Mountain, we enjoy driving to Black Water Creek Trail or Percival’s Island downtown. On nice cool days you can find us at any dog friendly restaurant with outdoor seating. Some of our favorites include El Jefe, The Waterdog, Chipotle, and Millie’s. On weekends I like to work on projects and love to bring Eli on shopping trips to Home Depot and Lowe’s with me, we love going to the gardening section and looking at all the plants. Since I travel home to Charlottesville often, we always go to the Downtown Mall where Eli gets so much stimulation from all the people, dogs, noises and smells. A walk through the Downtown Mall always guarantees a long hard nap when we get home! Some of our next adventures include hiking Mount Pleasant, beach camping at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach, and rollerblading at Black Water Creek this summer!

 If you’re considering spending time in the outdoors with your furry pal, below are a few “dos and don’ts” for dogs in the outdoors:

• Do keep an eye on your dog at all times! There are all sorts of animals and plants in the outdoors (bears, hornets, and poisonous toads, bigger and more aggressive dogs) and if not deterred by a barricade or fence these factors could be a serious threats to our pups! The elements and temperature can also poise great danger to your pets, a good rule of thumb is if it is too hot or cold for you to be comfortable, it’s too severe for your dog.
• Do pick up after your pet! No, your dog’s waste is not good for the earth. Wildlife scat is beneficial to its ecosystem because they consume resources and nutrients directly from that ecosystem. Here’s a great article from Leave No Trace as to why you should be picking up after Fido!
• Do keep your dog on-leash! Unless your dog has an incredible re-call or you as an owner have voice control over your dog, I encourage everyone to keep their pets leashed. It can be such a danger and liability to lose control of your dog if not properly socialized or trained.
• Don’t forget the right equipment. Pet stores like Chewy have a variety of options for doggy backpacks which allows your dog to carry his own water, water bowl, etc. If your dog isn’t bred to swim, consider investing in a personal flotation device for your dog.
• Don’t start too young! Short walks and play time is recommended for small breed puppies up to 9 months and 16 months for large breeds. Kiddie pools are great for puppies and small dogs that enjoy water!
• Don’t start too hard! Start slowly with short distances, just like us dogs need time to build up their stamina and energy.

Always check the local rules before you go somewhere new with your dog, it keeps them safe and you prepared.

Finally, one of the factors that has made all of these adventures and activities possible for me and Eli is that he’s very well socialized and trained. I encourage every dog owner to go through some basic training before planning any outdoor adventure!

Hope you enjoy pictures of our fur-friends at Outdoor Rec!