OT - Pacific NW

[Rave]

What's a dog life like in the Pacific NW, specifically the Portland area? Is it a dog-friendly area? Are the hiking trails/parks/rivers/lakes safe for off-leash dogs? What about the dog sports scene? Any info you'd give to someone contemplating moving there is appreciated!

 

Thanks!

Laura

[Allie+Tess&Kipp]

There is a yahoo list for NW dog sports. A search of the archives there might be helpful. I am in Washington, so can't help except a google search...

 

I tried google and found these:

 

http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=dicih (Portland off leash areas)

 

http://www.oregonhumane.org/index.asp (OR human society)

 

http://www.movingtoportland.net/portland_pets.htm (Portland Oregon and pets)

 

http://www.osds.org/index.html (Oregon Sheepdog Society)

 

http://www.portlandpooch.com/ ("Portland Pooch, your guide to the Portland dog scene")

[RaisingRiver]

I live in Vancouver, WA - across the river from Portland. This whole area is very dog friendly - I swear there's a vet on every corner (as least on this side of the river).

 

There are LOTS of dog activities, there's agility goings ons throughout OR & WA all the time and flyball - but I only know about agility. Check out the Columbia Agility Club: http://www.columbiaagility.org/

 

I do know there are dog parks in portland - but not sure where. We have 2 in Vancouver. I haven't figured out the swimming holes yet (none of my dogs swim yet), but as there are many rivers around here, I'm sure there are places. I bet any of the agility folk could point you to the right places.

 

I'm still an agility noob, have never competed yet and only trained two dogs in the last year. Haven't started w/ my BC yet. If you're into agility, the barn I go to is SUPER AWESOME, even if it is in Vancouver, K-9 Agility is the name and the Columbia group knows them.

 

Oh, there is a NWDogActivities Yahoo Group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NWDogActivit...yguid=197804248

[Alaska]

Lots of good reasons to live in the Portland area with dogs.

 

There is also WAG (Willamette Agility Group), and all kinds of agility within driving distance in Seattle and environs ( links here ). Many great trainers, too many to list. Trials every weekend, many venues.

 

Beaches. Mountains. Generally lax attitude about leash laws. Clean air. Clean water.

 

Sheep too. Not sure how many sheep/trainers/trials relative to where you are now, but there are definitely a few, and we are talking ISDS here.

 

The NWDogActivities yahoo group is very active and useful.

[Beth G]

I live in Spokane, WA (we moved here a year ago)and there seems to be alot of people afraid of dogs in the area I'm in. Also alot of abuse. It just steams me. I'm not used to this. People tell me it's just this area though.

[Kat's Dogs]

Renton, Seattle, Redmond WA area, all pretty dog-savvy. Only bad thing is - dogs are NOT to set foot on the beaches around here. We have to go farther out (like long beach) to let the dogs have fun in the waves.

 

People also seem to know more about dogs in general here. The pretty much ALWAYS ask "can I pet your dog?" and then hold their hand out for sniff and so on. Great place to let a pup meet lots of nice people!

 

LOTS of training places. Everything from the 1,000 agility centers to the 10,000 obedience places and even some herding lessons!

 

It seems like we can take the dogs almost anywhere outdoors. Lots of the hikes and parks around here are cool with leashed dogs - and some could care less if your dog is leashed as long as you have good solid voice commands. In other words, some places "un-officially" let trained dogs off leash.

 

Well, that is what the Seattle WA area is like anyway - and we love it here!

[Rave]

Are the Oregon beaches dog-friendly?

 

What about specialty vets, like rehab, chiro, acunpuncture, holistic, etc...?

 

Thanks guys, keep the info coming!

[Alaska]

Yes to both.

 

There is even a list of Portland-area holistic vets recently posted to the files section of the NWDogActivities group. That group is very helpful for getting names of good vet specialists. Also, I know there are several good sports vets and chiropractic vets in the area.

 

A lot of people train at Brigands Hideout . There are trainers who do ISDS-style herding there (along with those who prefer other unmentionable pastimes).

 

I know nothing about this place but it looks to be another options for herding int the Portland area.

[BustopherJones]

The Pacific Northwest was only recently discovered by westward-bound Mormon wagon trains that missed Salt Lake City. They are now in the process of developing Pony Express outposts, and have launched major municipal efforts to bring running water to the tents and huts in which the immigrants are currently living. There is a long-term improvement plan to replace outhouses with indoor plumbing, and there are even rumors that mechanized 4-wheeled vehicles may be allowed on the same roads and horse-and-buggy units. It is advisable to keep children smaller animals in protective surroundings, as the wolves that are indigenous to the area still roam the trails (roads have not yet been introduced) at night looking for prey.

 

All joking aside, Portland is a magnificent city, with all the amenities one would find in any large city. There are typically more outdoor activity opportunities than one might find in some other urban areas; but the entirety of the Pacific Northwest has a natural beauty that is breathtaking, while at the same time offering anything that one would expect to find in any other urban area in the country.

[RaisingRiver]

Oh yah, it rains like crazy 8 months out of year.

Wet dog smell, muddy paws...

 

Frisbees don't always fly well in the rain and the outside agility equipment takes a beating.

 

Yes, there is beauty here... but there is rain.

I've lived here coming on 6 years now.

 

 

The place Alaska links to, Wolston Farms is 70 miles south of Portland.... kinda far. But I would imagine there are closer locations... LOTS of acerage in a radius around the metro area.

[Meg's mum]

Please come! I wouldn't say that to just anyone, but you're not anyone...afterall, you're one of 'us'

 

It takes a little while for the PNW to warm up to people...but having a dog hastens the time appreciably. Dog have people here rather than the other way around, and people without dogs are sort of 'strays'.

 

I picked this area out when I was 12 and arrived here when I turned 23. I have never regretted it for one day. There are only a few other places in the US that I would consider living:

the Sangre de Cristo Mtns of New Mexico/Colo., the Medicine Bow Mtns and the coast of North Carolina.

[smileyzookie]

Meg! My best friend is meeting a guy from seattle next week. She met him on e-harmony lol. We are planning a trip to Seattle probably next month or June. We should meet sometime! lol

[Meg's mum]

You betcha. But.... next month is June! lol

 

I'll be in Forida till June 2nd, and in St. Louis the 26th/27th. Don't think I'm out of pocket any other time. Just let me know.

[Rave]

Originally posted by Meg's mum:

It takes a little while for the PNW to warm up to people...but having a dog hastens the time appreciably.

Now that would take some getting used to ... everyone in the South thinks they're your uncle, which can be annoying at times...LOL.

 

I did join that yahoo list and am awaiting approval.

 

Thanks

[Allie+Tess&Kipp]

It takes a little while for the PNW to warm up to people...

 

Savvy real estate agents warn people moving to Washington State from California to get their license plates changed BEFORE they move up here. It has been like that since I moved back to Washington in the 2nd grade! (I was born here, and we moved around a bit before returning).

 

There is some saying about how if you move to the PNW, you need to bring your own friends. Eek. We are not that bad.

 

Allie + Tess & Kipp

[ccnnc]

Hmmmmm, since this is public, gotta ask if there's a change coming that will postively effect Nawth Karlina's economy?

 

Inquiring minds want to know -- do you need help packing?????

 

Colin

[Kat's Dogs]

Originally posted by Allie+Tess&Kipp:

There is some saying about how if you move to the PNW, you need to bring your own friends

No way are we that bad! Then again, maybe that is why so many people here have dogs.....

 

The rain is pretty sad though. You MUST have grass in the backyard because if it is just dirt - major problem with carpets! And everything you buy must be water-proof. That includes any Agility equipment you have.

 

From November until about now it rains every night and most of the days too. But you learn to live with it, and buy lots of raincoats! The rest of the time though, it is really sunny, not a cloud in the sky and 70 degrees! It is worth waiting for!

[Rave]

It's just an idea at this point Colin, nothing's set. But I'll hold you to your offer to help pack!

 

I don't mind the rain so much, has never stopped me before. I'm sure it's not as heavy as the T-storms/tornados/hail we get.

[RaisingRiver]

I grew up in Florida, so I know abut the T-storms. No rain like that except maybe once a year. The rest of the time is gray overcast and drizzle... CONSTANT drizzle.

 

You know who the tourists are here because their the ones holding an umbrella... never rains hard enough to whip one out.

 

Something to note, is the weather in Seattle is NOT the same as the Portland area. Similar, but a bit more dry then Seattle.

[Stafford]

Originally posted by Meg's mum:

It takes a little while for the PNW to warm up to people...but having a dog hastens the time appreciably.

My experience has been a bit different. We moved up to Portland from San Diego about ten years ago, and in general I've found Portlanders to be quite a bit friendlier and more likely to talk to strangers than folks from SoCal.

 

The dog-friendly factor can be a bit...weird...here. There have been some pretty heated battles over public off-leash areas, and while we do have them, some of them can be pretty crowded and are not places to which I'd want to take my dog.

 

However, there is a very big canine sports scene here. I'm currently looking for a new agility instructor, but I frequent and love the afore mentioned Brigands Hideout for sheep herding. I happen to think that my herding instructor, Dave Viklund, who gives lessons out of Brigands, is about the very best in the area. He's a real deal stock man, and made a living with stock handling before even getting in to dogs. He also has a great demeanor with dogs. He's very low key, and has great timing and body language. My favorite Daveism: "You have to be honest with the dog, then she'll be honest with you".

 

I also want to get in a plug for a great flyball team - the X-Fidos. http://www.x-fidos.org

 

We're not the most super competitive team around, but we have a lot of very nice folks and we always have a good time.

 

Anyhow, welcome in advance to the Great NorthWest!

[Meg's mum]

I was speaking for Seattle in my comments, I should have said so. I really can't speak to Portland other than it has great used book the mighty Columbia River close by and it is

kind to the fringe element of which I have been accused of belong to at various times.

[lrayburn]

The timing of this post is pretty convenient. I'm in Washington and Oregon this week for work. The weather has been unusually fabulous (no rain for a week now). The summer is supposed to be gorgeous but the other 9 months of the year must be hard.

 

It's a very dog oriented area. I've seen people with dogs everywhere - particularly in Seattle. The no-dogs-on-the-beach thing in Seattle is a little disappointing. It seemed to be a very dog-oriented area though with dog parks and agility training advertized.

 

I'm in Olympia and head out of Seattle tomorrow evening so let me know if there is anything I must see before leaving town! I can't wait to get home to my pups.

 

Lisa

[RaisingRiver]

Wow... my agility barn is like 2.5 miles to the West.

 

The aformentioned Brigands (which I've never heard of) is 2.85 miles East of my house! I have herding down the street!! Hmmm... guess I better go check it out, eh?

[Dixie_Girl]

I lived in Tacoma.......once. I asked a feller about the weather. He pointed and said see that mountain, thats Mt. Ranier. If you can't see it, it's raining, if you can see it, it's fixing to rain. I lasted 1yr. Beautiful country, nice places to see. But I will stick to my beloved south!

[Meg's mum]

Lisa,

If you're heading up to Seattle from Olympia on your way out then stop at the glass museum in Tacoma on your way up. Sit for a show from the glassworks if you can but look at the exhibit in the main hall. I fell in love with the glass sculptures there last weekend.

Other than that please come back again and let us locals know you're here so that you can meet our furry alter egos.

Heidi