The Psychology of Successful Dog Bathing

"Can I wash my own dog? It can't be that hard can it?" These are the words that I hear everyday as I go about my business working at the Pooch Parlor in Northern Idaho. Each time I walk a customer through this process, I find myself wondering why in the world something so simple is so doggone hard to explain. Washing your own dog may seem simple, but - only if you think and speak 'dog' - the language of your own dog. I run a shop for full service and self-service dog grooming and bathing, and I LOVE it! There are dogs, and owners, of every size, every breed, and every temperament that come in to use the self-service doggie wash. Most owners are excited, some are scared, and some are cocky, but no matter who they are, or what they do for a living, there is nothing quite as intimidating for them as washing their own dog in public! The thought of doing this can give even the most confident person, performance anxiety, and for good reason! It is a true test of trust and tolerance and friendship for the person and dog companion. And, on a very basic level, it is an honest mirror for the owner, and how he or she deals with life, and with conflict. The likelihood of a successful experience for both is completely dependent upon the psychological relationship that exists between them, and, to a large extent, the ability of both to comprehend the body language of the other. You may be surprised to know that I have found that dogs are supremely better at reading their humans than their humans are of reading them. It is this relationship between human and canine, that shows itself without modesty during bathtime, and, keeps me coming to work day after day with a smile on my face. My clients have been giving their dogs baths in my shops for 10+ years now, and, each year is more entertaining than the last when it comes to watching regular people washing their own regular dogs. The average person that comes through our doors is highly successful, which usually means - intelligent - and, because like attracts like, so is their dog. And, so why oh why, they ask me, should this simple task of cleaning their dog be so difficult? I ask them time and again, "Well, how well do you speak dog?" Invariably, their reply is a blank stare. So, this is the time to ask yourself, "How well do YOU speak dog?" There is a lot to say about the theories of why dogs and humans behave the way they do, but I'm going to get back to the practical things to look for while bathing your own dog. The bottom line to remember is that your dog's energy and personality traits are a mirror to your own. Take this into consideration when attempting to get him into the tub and have him be happy about it. 1. Deciding when to bathe your dog. Timing and Personality traits: Timing is important. Look at your own needs regarding timing to know how your dog will react. Are you the kind of person that is up for anything anytime? Or do you need to accomplish your day in a scheduled, systematic way? How do you do with new experiences? Do you find them refreshing and fun, or do you feel fearful until comfortable with a new activity? Your dog is going to deal with the bathtime experience in the same way you deal with life experiences. Remember that your dog is going to reflect your own personality traits - not necessarily the traits you show the world, but the traits that are truly inside you. a. Fun-loving, extroverted, and social humans. If you enjoy regular physical activity, then so will your dog. For this type of person and dog, I suggest you take your dog out for a bout of exercise before the bath. In the city where I work, we are fortunate to have a designated beach on the lake just for dogs and their humans - dogbeach. There is a long path to run or walk on, and there is a large beach area to swim and play in. This is the perfect scenario for pre-bath timing. The dog can choose to get muddy, run, socialize, or just enjoy being outside. In any case, the dog is able to spend big reserves of energy outside in a fun way, just like letting human children play before naptime. If you love exercise, do something like this with your dog before taking him into your own tub or a professional facility for a dog bath. A common fault of the social dog and owner: Just because you are friendly, out-going person does not mean everyone wants to accept your friendly, and out-going gestures. It's hard to fathom, I know, but it is true. If you have a very social dog (if you are a social person), it is easy to forget that many dogs (like their owners) are not social and do not appreciate the social requirements (like butt-sniffing) of others. Please remember to respect their space when in public or otherwise. Keep your dog restrained and under control, even if your dog has the friendliest intentions. b. Non-social, active, or inactive humans. If your personality is not conducive to social interaction, then I still suggest that you walk your dog or do something that is comfortable within your life that involves light exercise before bathing your dog. Taking a walk with your dog does wonders to alleviate excess tension or stress for both human and dog. By getting rid of stressful energies during a walk, it does not present itself during bathtime. Getting exercise is especially important for those humans,( I mean dogs), that are highly nervous. I recommend giving your dog Valerian root (liquid form) or Rescue Remedy (liquid or spray) orally 30 minutes before the bath. Both of these products are natural remedies to calming down jittery nerves- and it works great for humans too. If timing is important in your life, take your dog to a self-service bathing facility when the least amount of people are there, usually early or late in the day. A common fault of the non-social dog and owner: they communicate poorly within their own species and with other species. Many people that tend towards isolation, often do this because they never figured out how to communicate effectively in human society. Their dogs typically have the same problem. I have seen it happen many times that owners of aggressive dogs unwittingly encourage their dog's unwanted behavior, when they think they are doing the opposite. They do this by projecting their worrying thoughts about the 'what-ifs' of a social situation. Dogs of this type of owner act out their dog interpretations of their human owners signals. The dogs often pick up the 'what-if' fears of the human as the request of their human, actually creating the 'what-if' behavior to occur. Without human intervention and boundary setting by the owner (requiring advanced communication skills), it is quite common for this type of dog to exhibit increasingly aggressive behavior. Most owners are dismayed by their dog's aggressive behavior, but they simply lack the skills required to communicate what behavior they will and won't allow from their dog. I recommend that if you have a dog that is displaying increasingly aggressive behaviors to consult a professional dog behaviorist or trainer. Just a few simple tricks will convey an accurate message to a dog that is most likely misunderstanding your expectations. Language barriers for humans and dogs. Its no surprise that miscommunication between owner and dog happens often. If you are a human that is finding you don't understand why your dog does what he does, remember, you are learning a whole different language and culture. Give yourself time and give your dog time to understand each other. Just don't expect your dog to act like a human, especially during conflict. It takes time and practice for anyone to learn a new human language. It's no different learning dog language. We all know how to interpret a human smile in society. When a dog pulls his lips back over his teeth, it typically doesn't mean he's happy! Would a human dream of greeting a new acquaintance by sniffing their butt? Right! But, in doggie language, that's the equivalent of shaking hands. A dog that shakes his head to get the slobber off of his mouth is no different than a person smoothing his slacks or dusting off his shirt to look more polite. The differences are huge, so give yourself and your dog a break if you have hit a communication block wall. 2. Deciding where to bathe your dog: There are not a lot of choices when it comes to bathing your dog. A. You can use your own bathtub at home which requires no human socializing - hard on your back, it's very messy with extended after cleaning, and potentially traumatizing to human and dog. B. Bring your dog to a self-service doggie wash shop - easier on your back, requires some basic social skills by owner and dog, can be noisy and hairy, requires no after cleaning, and it does cost more than just the shampoo. C. Tie the dog to a fence and wash him with a hose in the yard (hopefully on a hot, sunny day) - not easy on the back, hard on the dog with cold water, potentially traumatizing for nervous dogs, but does not require human or dog socialiaing. D. Wash the dog in your nearest lake -which is very popular in my neck of the woods - hard on the back, requires advanced human and dog social skills, is potentially harmful to the environment, and how clean can you really get a dog in lakewater? Regardless of where you wash your dog, take into account your own physical limitations, and your dog's physical limitations. Is it worth wrecking your bathroom and hurting your back to wash your dog at home? For the clients I see, the answer is a definite, no! Emotional requirements are often a factor for dogs. For instance, (in general) Labrador retrievers have no issue being bathed in a lake (even though they don't get clean), but they often resent being restrained in a tub with a sprayer hose pointed in their direction. For a farm dog that has never been away from home, tying them to the fence is a better solution than trucking them to the city and asking them to have manners in a grooming shop, or in a populated lake. At least next to the fence, even with cold water, they are comfortable with where they are and what is expected of them. My vote is, of course to find a self-service doggie wash facility. The equipment is professional and easy to use, the water is warm (most of the time) and typically the dogs get treats when they walk out the door, which makes them happy campers. So, for those that want to know about washing your dog at a laundradog facility, here you go: 2. Getting your dog in the tub and getting him to stay there! At this grooming shop, the average dog that comes in for self-service is around 100lbs. All the dogs are washed at waist level where they stand on a grate in the tub. Getting them in the tub can be a trick. It's kind of like asking a human to put ice skates on, and stand on the ice and not worry about how to do it. The easiest way for dog and human is to not give the dog time to decide whether or not he wants to. (Not the easiest task for shy or overprotective owners). The owner is given a large choker chain or cloth noose which goes around the dogs neck. Leading: We have the owner quickly lead/pull the dog up the stairs with another person on the other end of the dog to give a quick boost on the butt end. The dog is on the grate, and in the tub before he has decided to be worried about it. Once the dog is in the tub, the owner hooks them in (not something you can do in your tub at home) to a variety of metal hooks inside the tub. Choking: The dogs that are new to having a bath will sometimes turn in the tub and pull on the choker chain. We prefer the choker chain to a regular noose because the dog quickly learns with a choker that he is in control of whether or not he feels the choking sensation. The second the dog realizes he controls his own choking, AND realizes his owner is going to allow him to learn this (this is very difficult for the overprotective and/or mother types of owners-most all of us!), the pulling behavior stops. With a regular cloth noose, or one that does not self-regulate, the dogs will pull and pull and often never learn that they have the control over their own pulling more than any other behavior during the bath. Owners feel like they are directly causing their dog injury and should rescue them immediately when they hear them coughing and sometimes gagging. It is natural to feel concern over your dog choking, but it helps to think of the dog's pulling and coughing similar to putting a toddler into his crib for a midday nap. Many human toddlers HATE taking a nap and will cry hard enough to cough and gag. If parents rescue them from their cribs when this happens, they are reinforcing this coughing behavior for their child. Parents that monitor the crying, and coughing from a safe distance where the toddler cannot see them, soon find that their babies submit quietly to naptime without expecting to be rescued each time he utters a sound. Naps and baths may not be pleasant to begin with, but they are both essential habits of life. Dogs have the same learning behaviors regarding rescue. Owners that react with excessive concern over the pulling (as the dog is expecting), or crying and screaming tantrums, find they are only encouraging more pulling and tantrums from their dog. This point is so crucial that it is worth repeating. The more upset and worried the owner gets over the dogs behavior, the more they get of that dog behavior. If the owner is calm and without fear - and projects this to their dog, it is not long before the dog understands that pulling on the chain is only hurting himself, and that tantrums are a waste of their energy. When the owner believes everything is fine despite pulling and tantrums, the dog does too, and he stops the undesirable behavior accepts that today is bath day! So many nurturing owners find this part difficult, but try to remember, when you expect your dog to learn how to control his own anxiety, he will learn, but it requires that you LET him learn. The best ways to learn to control ones own anxiety is to actually go through the experience of having the anxiety and dealing with it. If you are the type of owner that cannot allow your dog to experience this emotion without taking over and stopping the experience, your dog will learn to go into an anxious state more and more easily because of the reaction that he can expect from his owner. This becomes upsetting for both dog and owner and as you can see becomes an escalating cycle. If you allow your dog to go through this experience of the bath, anxiety and all, you will see that they will calm down and before you know it, you have a dog that allows you to bathe him! And having clean dog is essential to most dog owners. When your dog does calm down, i.e. quits pulling on the noose and allows the bath experience, that is the right time to express heightened emotion of happiness through praise and treats. If you take this time to praise your dog, it won't be long before your dog asks to be washed with a happy, wanting-to-please attidude. However, as with any rule, there are a few exceptions: old, very young, asthmatic, and dogs with neck or throat problems should be closely watched if they exhibit excessive pulling on the choker chain. Ignore or not to Ignore: Most of the time, I recommend to owners to simply and quietly ignore their dogs protesting to get the behavior to stop (and it does), with the only exception being a small puppy (like a yorkie) or an old and fragile dog. Both the young and the old dogs that are not used to baths can injure their tracheas or create a medical problem (like asthma) if their nervous behaviors are allowed to escalate. It is in this circumstance that I tell the owners to use a harness to hook the dogs in the tub or in the case of a small and wild puppy, to use a sink or bucket in which they can immerse the dog in warm, soapy water. Puppies are wired to swim and that's what they do if they find their bodies in water. Swimming is easier to work with than a freaking out jumping bean. If you do choose to ignore your dog's protesting to the bath, REMEMBER to give lots of praise when the dog show's signs of acceptance and/or begins to calm down. Drying Your Dog: Drying a dog depends on the type of hair, type of temperament and grooming experience the dog has. If you have a shorthaired dog, towel drying is generally adequate. In the grooming shop, we use high-power dryers that blow the water out of thick or double-coated dogs like shepards, collies, and huskies - and in this case - standard poodles. Put cotton in the dog's ears before you begin as the dryer is loud. Make sure there is a minimum of play in the noose or chain that connects the dog to the tub, as the more room the dog has to throw a tantrum, the more room he'll use. Start the dryer on the back end of the dog and aim the dryer side to side moving towards the head until the water is not dripping off the dog any longer. Most private owners go home with their dogs still dripping because of the tantrum factor. This is where the above information comes into play. The majority of dogs are nervous at first, but they quickly learn that the air is only loud, not painful. If the owner stays calm, the dog will quickly find this state during the drying process. There are a few more minor steps that do occur in the grooming shop, such as brushing, nail trimming, anal expression, ear plucking and cleaning, teeth brushing and scaling and more. You can check out more 'how to' information on these specific techniques at www.thepoochparlor.net. Regardless of who you are or what you do for a living, the chances of your dog having a pleasant experience during the bath is highly dependent upon the ability of the dog's owner to understand his or her own needs regarding life and society. Consider all the factors, energy reserves of your dog - spend them before the space wherever you go will increase your odds for success. Consider how much you actually do know about dog language. Above all else, remember that you, the owner, are in charge, and that if your dog is temporarily distressed with a new situation, you have to stay calm long enough to allow your dog to understand and accept the experience. It's a curious notion that a human would have to delve into the basics of his or her own psychological needs to give their dog a great bath experience, but if you do that, you and your canine friend will have many years of happy and successful bathing experiences. Author DuAnn Lustig-Chambers has been grooming since 1997 and owns Pooch Parlor Pet Groomer Training Academy in Sandpoint, Idaho. Author: DuAnn Lustig-Chambers Owner/Instructor/Dog Behaviorist Pooch Parlor Groomer Training Academy 210 Triangle Dr. Ste. D Ponderay, ID 83852 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DuAnn_Lustig-Chambers Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1787144

Where Can I Take My Dog? To The Beach?

It is hard to imagine many places a dog is happier than at a beach. Whether running around on the sand, jumping in the water, digging a hole or just lying in the sun, every dog deserves a day at the beach. But all too often dog owners stopping at a sandy stretch of beach are met with signs designed to make hearts - human and canine alike - droop: NO DOGS ON BEACH. Below is a quick traveling tour of America's beaches with each state ranked from the most dog-friendly (****) to the worst (*). DOGS ON ATLANTIC OCEAN BEACHES (traveling North to South) The rocky coast of Maine (***) is mesmerizing to look at but doesn't leave much room for sandy beaches. Dogs are generally banned from the beaches at the many small state parks along the Maine coast, but dog owners will find more friendly sands on the town beaches. Around Portland, the state's biggest city, and the tourist towns of the Southern Coast dogs are often allowed on the beach anytime Labor Day to Memorial Day and in the mornings and evenings during the summer. The spectacular Acadia National Park is one of America's most dog-friendly national parks but does not allow dogs on its beaches. It is lucky for dog lovers that New Hampshire (*) has only 18 miles of coastline. State beaches and parks don't allow dogs on the sand at all. If you must stop in New Hampshire, try the Grand Island Common in New Castle or Foss Beach in Rye during the off-season from October to late May. Around Boston, the beaches of the North Shore are off-limits to dogs during the summer but other towns in Massachusetts (****) are more generous - dogs are usually allowed year-round with restrictive hours in the summer. Cape Cod, however, is the best destination for beach-loving dogs in New England. Cape Cod National Seashore, America's first national seashore, allows dogs on the beach anytime outside the swimming areas (and not on the trails). The curviture of the Cape limits sightlines down the beach and gives the park the impression of being comprised of a series of dune-backed private coves. The two tourist islands off southern Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, are both extremely dog- friendly - on Nantucket, dogs can even take the shuttle to the beach. The beaches of Rhode Island (**) are kept dog-free during the summer but if you take the ferry to Block Island, dogs can enjoy the black sand beaches throughout the year. In Newport, you can take your dog on the fabled Cliff Walk (poop bags are provided at the trailhead) through the backyards of America's rich and famous. The hike begins at Bailey's Beach, which welcomes dogs from Labor Day to Memorial Day. The sandy beaches of Connecticut (*) are not known for being dog-friendly. But many aren't that friendly to people either, with restricted access being common. If your dog is hankering to try the benign waves of the Long Island Sound, stop in Groton. Dogs are not allowed to experience America's most famous beach at Coney Island in Brooklyn. The further east you go out on Long Island the more dog-friendly New York (**) becomes but whether on the north shore or south shore you can find a place to get your dog to the sea. Dog owners must pass on the prime destinations at Jones Beach and Fire Island National Seashore until reaching the Hamptons, where the tails of surf-loving dogs will start wagging. Many towns in the Hamptons offer dog- friendly sand and at Montauk, on the very tip of Long Island, several beaches allow dogs year-round, including Gin Beach on the Block Island Sound. The wide, white- sand beaches of the Jersey shore are some of America's most popular and there isn't much space for a dog to squeeze into in the summertime. Most of the beaches in New Jersey (***), including the Sandy Hook Unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area, open to dogs in the off-season. Summertime visitors should take their dogs to Island Beach State Park, one of the last undeveloped stretches at the Jersey Shore. Pets are allowed on the non-recreational beaches in this ten-mile oasis. Dogs will never get to trot down the historic wooden planks of the Atlantic City boardwalk, however - no dogs are permitted on the beach or boardwalk of the Grande Dame of America's seaside resorts. Dogs are also not allowed anywhere in the Victorian village of Cape May but dog lovers can travel south of town to Sunset Beach, a sand strip at the southernmost point of the Jersey shore that is actually on the Delaware Bay. In the water offshore of "Dog Beach" are the remains of the Atlantis, a unique concrete ship built to transport soldiers in World War I. Off-season, the sandy beaches in Delaware (****) are a paradise for dogs. Two state parks, Cape Henlopen and Delaware Seashore, both welcome dogs between October 1 and May 1. During the summer season dogs can also share the beach with their owners on select stretches of sand in Delaware state parks. In Cape Henlopen, the 80-foot high Great Dune is the highest sand pile on the Atlantic shore between Cape Cod and Cape Hatteras. The concrete observation towers standing as silent sentinels along Delaware beaches were built to bolster America's coastal defenses during World War II. Summer vacationers can take dogs on the Dewey Beach town beach in the mornings and evenings. Along the Delaware Bay just north of Cape Henlopen you can find several beaches that offer frisky wave action and wide swaths of sandy beach - and best of all there are no restrictions against dogs on the bay beaches. The Assateague Island National Seashore is the prime destination for dog owners heading for the beach in Maryland (***). The undeveloped dunesland permits dogs year-round on the beach and in the campgrounds (but not on the short nature trails). Keep your dog alert for the wild ponies that live on the island. Its neighbor to the north, Assateague State Park, often celebrated as one of the best state parks in America, is off-limits to dogs. If you are not roughing it on your trip to the Maryland seashore, nearby Ocean City allows dogs on the beach and boardwalk between October 1 and May 1. Traveling along the Chesapeake Bay, dogs are banned from the thin beaches in Maryland state parks. Exceptions are the small beach in the former amusement park at North Point State Park and the beach north of the causeway at Point Lookout State Park. There is plenty to like for beach-loving dogs in Virginia (***). Canine romps on the clean, wide sands of Virginia Beach's "Strip," the commercial oceanfront from 1st Street to 40th Street, can't begin until the day after Labor Day but during the summer dogs are allowed on residential beaches above 41st Street before 10 a.m and afer 6 p.m. Dogs can jump in the ocean anytime at Cape Henry on Fort Story, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Chesapeake Bay. Fort Story is an active military base, the only installation devoted to coastal operations, but its uncrowded, pristine beaches are open to the public and dogs. Just to the west is First Landing State Park, where canine swimming is allowed on unguarded sandy beaches. Check for seasonal restrictions against dogs in these places. Just off-shore are views of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, one of the seven modern engineering marvels of the world. Each span of the 17.6-mile crossing utilizes more than 2,500 concrete piles to support the trestles. Except for designated wildlife areas, dogs are permitted on the beach year-round virtually everywhere on the Outer Banks in North Carolina (****). Cape Hatteras Natonal Seashore has only four swimming beaches (in season) on its entire 70 miles of protected coastline which leaves plenty of open sand for the dog to roam. Seafaring dogs can reach Ocracoke Island and Cape Lookout National Seashore by ferry or private boat for many miles of more undeveloped, dog-friendly beaches. The northern part of the barrier islands has been rapidly developing in the past decade but where you can still find access to the beach, unleashed dogs are sill allowed year-round in towns like Duck and Corolla. Mainland North Carolina beaches on Cape Fear are almost as dog-friendly; most swimming beaches restrict dogs only during the day in the summer. South Carolina (****) ranks among the most dog-friendly beach states on the Atlantic seaboard. Get away from the people and commercial beaches and there is plenty of unrestricted sand for dogs in the Palmetto state. Most of the smaller towns allow dogs on the beach under voice control and only Myrtle Beach (from 21st Avenue North to 13th Avenue South) bans dogs completely. One of the best places to take dogs here is Hunting Island State Park. More than one million visitors (human) come here each year, 85 miles south of Charleston, to enjoy three miles of unspoiled beach. Georgia (**) doesn't sport much coastline and many of the beaches on Georgia's barrier islands and the Golden Isles are under control of resorts and most welcome dogs except during the middle of the day in summer. Cumberland Island National Seashore permits dogs but is accessible only by private boat. Savannah's beach at Tybee Island is closed to dogs. Florida (*) ranks among the most dog-unfriendly of states. Entire counties and regions ban dogs from the beach. There are so many prohibitions already against dogs on Florida beaches that when they change, it is typically in favor of dog owners. For the Atlantic beaches, the northeast part of the state around Jacksonville (Amelia Island) offers some of the best beaches for dogs in the state but heading south below Daytona, dogs are almost universally banned from the sand. Jupiter, on the Treasure Coast, is one place you can find a break from the ubiquitous NO DOGS ON BEACH signs. Fort Lauderdale has thrown dog owners a tiny bone - they have set up a 100-yard long Dog Beach (at Sunrise and A1A) on Saturdays and Sundays only from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. DOGS ON GULF OF MEXICO BEACHES (traveling East to West) The Gulf Coast beaches in Florida (*) offer precious little for dog owners. Dogs were once associated as closely with the Florida Keys as conch shells but today you have to look hard for a beach to take your dog. Anne's Beach in Lower Matecumbe and Sombrero Beach in Marathon are two safe places. In Key West the "Dog Beach" is at Waddell and Vernon avenues but there is really just enough sand to accommodate one good beach blanket and the little amount of swimming available is treacherous over coral outcroppings. On the Suncoast, seek out Bonita Beach Dog Park north of Naples, the excellent Fort DeSoto Dog Beach and Park in St. Petersburg and the Dog Beach on Honeymoon Island in the Dunedin area. Head for Franklin County, though, where dogs are allowed on all the public beaches - and the only county in Florida to allow dogs to run free. On the Florida Panhandle the Gulf Islands National Seashore is the only national seashore that bans dogs completely. It is the same story in town after town on the Gulf of Mexico across Florida. Near Panama City, dogs can reach the water on Carrabelle Beach and Bruce Beach. At Saint Andrews State Beach, a past winner of "The Best Beach In America," dogs can hike the sandy nature trails and run on the beach of the Grand Lagoon. It isn't actually the Gulf of Mexico or the Best Beach In America, but you can them from here. For dog owners, Alabama (*) may as well not even have the few beaches it does on the Gulf of Mexico. In Mississippi (**) dog owners need to stay on the western coast in Hancock County; dogs aren't allowed around the populated Biloxi beaches. People don't seek out Louisiana (*) for its sandy beaches; most of the coastline is made up of bayous. Grand Isle State Park is the only state park with access to the Gulf of Mexico and dogs are allowed in non-swimming areas here. In Texas (***), Padre Island is America's longest barrier island and there is plenty of room for dogs on its 113 miles of sand. At Padre Island National Seashore dogs are allowed anywhere except on the deck at Malaquite Beach and in front of the Visitor Center at the Swimming Beach. Galveston Island serves up another 32 miles of mostly dog-friendly beach. DOGS ON PACIFIC OCEAN BEACHES (traveling North to South) Dogs on leash are allowed in all Washington (***) state parks, often on the beach, but not in many swimming areas around Puget Sound. No dogs are allowed on beaches in the city of Seattle. The uncrowded Pacific Coast beaches are some of the dog-friendliest in America - even Olympic National Park, which bans dogs from almost all of its 632,324 acres, opens some of its remote coastal beaches to dogs. Dogs are allowed on almost all beaches on the Washington coast as long as they remain out of the active swimming areas. All of the beaches in Oregon (****) are public. You can step on every grain of Oregon sand for 400 miles and, in the rare exception of a ban due to nesting birds, your dog can be with you all the way. One beach dog owners won't want to miss is the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area with its 40 miles of sandy shore. These are the biggest dunes in the United States - as tall as 500 feet and reaching two and one-half miles inland at their widest point. Northern California (****) would get plenty of votes from beach-loving dogs for having the best beaches in America. Only a beach here and there restricts dogs from its sand on the North Coast. Even in the highly populated areas, concessions are made for dog owners. In Marin County a "Dog Beach" has been set aside on the north end of Stinson Beach and many towns allow dogs on the beach under voice control. San Francisco ranks among the dog-friendliest of beach cities. Take your dog to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and have your pick of several designated dog-friendly beach areas. At Baker Beach, dogs are allowed to romp off- leash. Further down the coast, dog owners will want to visit the Monterey Peninsula. Dogs are welcome to run on the Carmel City Beach and can slip into the water near Monterey and Pacific Grove as well. At Big Sur dogs can enjoy one of the prettiest secluded beaches on the coast a Pfeiffer Beach. Skip Santa Cruz and there are plenty of opportunites to get your dog on the sand in California's Central Coast, especially on unnamed beaches. Heading south on the California coast the water warms up and beach restrictions on dogs increase accordingly. There is still sand time for dogs in Oxnard and Ventura but things are getting bleak as dog owners reach Santa Barbara. In Los Angeles County the beaches are for people. In Southern California (**), San Diego is the place for sand-loving dogs. Several popular beaches have set aside "dog beaches" that attract hundreds of dogs. Every day is a beach day for dogs in San Diego. DOGS ON GREAT LAKES BEACHES (traveling West to East) Possessing the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in the world, there is enough water in Lake Superior (**) to easily fill the other four Great Lakes to overflowing. Lake Superior is known for its cold water and rugged shoreline but there are some sandy beaches scattered across its 300 or so miles of southern shores. Other beaches are more of the cobble variety. Most of the shoreline is sparsely populated which bodes well for finding a dog-friendly beach. In Michigan, the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore allows dogs on the beach from Twelvemile Beach Campground to Au Sable Lighthouse and at Munising, dogs can dig in the sand at Miners Beach. At Sand Point, dogs can play on the beach until the trail begins to climb the cliffs. In Wisconsin, dogs are allowed on the beach in Ashland and in Minnesota, dogs can swim in Lake Superior at Duluth's Park Point Beach. Dogs will have to admire the spectacular dunes and sandy beaches of the eastern shore of Lake Michigan (**) mostly from the car as dogs are not allowed on Michigan state beaches and most county and town beaches. In-season, the metropolises of Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin are even more restrictive. Chicago has recently gotten its first official dog beach at Montrose Avenue. Belmont Beach is not an official Chicago beach so dogs are allowed on this small patch of sand in a fenced area. In nearby Evanston licensed and vaccinated dogs are allowed on Dog Beach but a beach token is required for non-residents from May to October which costs $80 to $100. Your best bets to dip into Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake totally within the United States, are the national lakeshores and the state parks of Wisconsin's Door County. At the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore dogs are restricted to the easternmost beaches at Mt. Baldy and Central Avenue until October when all beaches open to our four-legged friends. In the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, dogs can swim in the waves of Lake Michigan backed by some of America's larges dunes on all beaches except Platte Point Beach, the D.H. Day Campground Beach and the Manitou Islands. Dogs also cannot make the Dune Climb up hundreds of feet of sand. Lake Huron (*) features 3,827 miles of shoreline, characterized by shallow water and many sandy beaches. None of this will matter much to your dog, however, since the Lake Huron beaches in Michigan are mostly closed to him. Alpena is a rare exception. Dogs are allowed on the resort destination of Macinac Island, however. Although its shores are the most densely populated of any of the Great Lakes, there is plenty of opportunity for a dog to explore Lake Erie (***). The smallest of the five lakes, Erie waters average only about 62 feet in depth and warm rapidly in the summer for happy dog paddling. Ohio, especially around Cleveland, is the most restrictive of the Lake Erie states. Try some of the smaller town beaches in Ohio and New York, most of which permit dogs outside of designated swimming areas. Some of the best Lake Erie beachfront is in Presque Isle State Park, the most-visited state park in Pennsylvania. Your dog can can hike the sandytrails past the swimming beaches and enjoy the waves on the long, unsupervised sretches on the northern end of the peninsula. Not many people have settled most of the hundreds of miles of shoreline of the south side of Lake Ontario (*) in New York. There aren't many beaches and not many bans on dogs - as long as they don't try to swim with the humans. Copyright 2006 I am the author of over 20 books, including 8 on hiking with your dog and the widely praised The Canine Hiker's Bible. As publisher of Cruden Bay Books, we produce the innovative A Bark In The Park series of canine hiking books found at http://www.hikewithyourdog.com. During the warm months I lead canine hikes as tour leader for hikewithyourdog.com tours, leading packs of dogs and humans on hiking adventures. Tours, ranging from one-day trips to multi-day explorations, visit parks, historical sites and beaches. My lead dog is Katie, a German Shepherd- Border Collie mix, who has hiked in all of the Lower 48 states and is on a quest to swim in all the great waters of North America - [http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Katies%20Blog/Katies%20Quest.html]. I am currently building a hikewithyourdog.com tours trailer to use on our expeditions and its progress can be viewed at [http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Teardrop%20Trailer/Building%20A%20Tour%20Trailer.html]. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Gelbert