How to Be a Tourist with Your Dog: The Bay Area, Northern California

Though we completely love Chicago and think it's an amazing city, we secretly dream of living in the Bay Area with its beaches, hiking, and beautiful scenery (we even eloped in San Francisco!). Here is Sophie confirming everything amazing about Northern California and how to enjoy it with your favorite pooch!

The Bay Area is an incredibly dog friendly area of Northern California. Sophie wanted to share some of her favorite places to visit!

Visit Fort Funston

The dog beach to visit when in San Francisco! Fort Funston offers trails to hike and a beach to run on. It is off leash doggy paradise. On weekends the places is full of owners and happy dog fetching and enjoying the water. The dog community is currently organized to protest the proposed new laws which all but ban dogs from Fort Funston and other similar parks/beaches in Northern California. In the meantime, we continue to enjoy and love Fort Funston.

Short Road Trip to Half Moon Bay:

After Fort Funston take a drive up CA 1. It is a scenic highway overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Drive to Half Moon Bay, an incredibly dog friendly town 30mins from San Francisco. There stop at one of the many pet friendly restaurants. Our favorites include Sam's Chowder House and the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. The pups always get belly rubs and bowls of water from the friendly waiters.

While you are there, the pups can take a quick deep at Pillar Beach another dog friendly beach with very calm waters (great for a good game of fetch while you wait for a table).

Attend a Rescue Walk Fundraiser or Pet Friendly Day in the Bay

Numerous rescues host walks throughout the year. In addition many of the Bay cities host big events for dog owners in the Park including Bark in the Park in the South Bay, San Jose CA. A well attended yearly event with dozens of vendors, rescue groups and numerous demonstrations including flyball, agility and herding. 

Go on a Hike with your pup!

 Enjoy one of the numerous dog friendly hiking trails (most do require leashes). Sophie’s current favorite is the Pulgas Ridge Trail in San Mateo County. It even has an off leash area at the top of the hike!

 Another favorite hike is the Windy Hill Preserve in Portola Valley. Sophie thinks a nice 3 mile loop around this Preserve is the perfect way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. For information on great hikes in the Bay Area, we rely on: http://www.bahiker.com/doghikes.html

You can read more about Sophie and her fantastic, active life here. And as one reader pointed out, it's always a good idea for pit bull owners to research beforehand as some areas might not allow pitties.
We have reached the deadline to submit posts for the contest, and our last post will run Oct 14. Sirius Republic is donating 2 collars and we will have a random drawing of all the submitted 'How to Be a Tourist with Your Dog' posts to have 2 collar winners. Winners can chose from a standard collar, or an 'Adopt Me' collar to promote your foster or adoptable dog as modeled by foster dog Levi. 

 And we will still be donating money to the rescue of choice for the 2 posts with the most comments. We will announce the winners Oct 21.

In case you missed them, you can also read our other Tourist with Your Dog posts showcasing Milwaukee,  Upstate New York, New York City, Austin, Florida, Portland, Richmond, Seattle,  Kansas City, Nashville, Alaska, and Chicago. And you can read about roadtripping the 7 Wonders of Illinois with 4 large dogs, boating to the Bahamas with a pit bull, specific tips for roadtripping with a large dog (NYC to rural Tennessee), Chicago Dogs Sidetrip to Harbor County, and Destination "Dog Mountain" in Vermont.

Things to Do with Your Dog in Chicago: Movies in the Park

 Since our winters are so terrible, Chicagoans really know how to make the most of summer. It's always so great to see everyone out and about, and of course, finding fun things to do with our pooches. This year they cancelled the big outdoor movie series in Grant Park and instead decided to have smaller outdoor movie events in the local neighborhood parks. Which was to our advantage because this meant we could bring the pooches.
We loaded up on Orangina and fresh-baked pastries from the local Polish bakery. And Mr. B made sure to bring his favorite pink toy.

We have found that comforters work as the perfect picnic blanket because they are that much more comfortable. We use a shower curtain liner underneath if the grass is damp. They showed the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World which is based on a comic book and stars Michael Cera.It was actually a really good movie. It was funny because Miss M fell into a deep sleep during the movie and was so confused to wake up in the middle of a park on a blanket.

As we're prepping for fall, we realize how much we're going to miss about the summer and all the outdoor activities. But I guess this just makes us that much closer to next summer.

Advice for New Pit Bull Owners

 When I "accidentally" adopted my first pit bull, Miss M, I really didn't know what I was getting into.Even with all the research I had done to prepare Miss M for success, it didn't prepare me for initial experiences of people scooping their dogs out of our way, mumbling under their breath as we passed, and the time a crazy man--wearing a cape in the middle of summer--yelled in her face that she shouldn't be in public places with children.
Though, luckily, things really haven't been like this as much for us anymore. 

 I was reminded of these experiences when we received an email from a couple who just adopted a young pitbull pup. They were already receiving negative comments before they even adopted:
Since we decided that we were open to adopting a pit, we have gotten some interesting reactions. One person said of a pit-lab mix we were considering that it would be "conflicted: happy as a lab and aggressive as a pit. It would never know what it wants." We went to a petstore that we *love* to get toys and supplies for our new baby, and the owner told us we should never play tug with our pit bull puppy, as it's an "aggressive breed" and "even though there are no bad dogs, just bad owners, you don't want to bring out the aggression." I did not mention to him the study showing that tug is actually a *fine* game to play with your dog, regardless of breed (http://maryhuntsberry.com/blog/2011/scientific-study-dispels-tug-myth/).
So, all of that said, we are bracing ourselves for more comments like this and are looking for ideas about how to respond. We will be going through all the obedience classes with our pup, and hope to get her Canine Good Citizen Certified... all that is a ways away, though, and we are wondering what we can or should say in the meantime.  
Have you dealt with these kinds of comments, and how do you balance the desire to educate people with the frustration that people are so closed-minded? 

Make our Dogs More Approachable

 We have found that when our dogs are 'geared up' they become that much more approachable. People are drawn to dogs with backpacks, bowties, even bandanas. And of course, Mr. B does much to dispel the myth by just walking around with his stuffies still intact. Once people come over to talk to our dogs, we're able to show them the true nature of pitbulls.

Be That Much More Responsible and a Good Role-Model

 We know that when we go out with our dogs, we are 'representing all pitbulls'. So many people will judge the entire breed based on what they see from our single dogs. We have to be that much more responsible and we need to be that much better trained because we know any misrepresentation from our dogs will impact the entire breed.
If anyone were to say anything negative about our dogs, I make them do a fun trick, like: waving, circling around me, or standing at our side. Even foster dog Levi who doesn't know many tricks now is learning to sit nicely at corners. I think people seeing us working with our dogs like that also does change perceptions.
We also don't let our dogs play on leash because usually that will result in the 'hungry gremlin noise' which is their play voice, but people thing it means aggression.

Outweigh the Bad with the Good 

 I have found by doing most of the things above, we have so many more positive experiences. We love when people come rushing over with their cell phones to show us photos of their own pooches, when heads turn to check out the pooches as we're walking by outdoor eating areas, and when people yell out "Those are beautiful dogs" as we walk by. Interestingly enough, we were at a neighborhood festival with some friends the other weekend who told us it was interesting to see people's reactions to the pooches: how some people are really excited, while others walk by in disgust.
Disgust? Really?
I honestly never saw that. So maybe there are some people out there who despite everything won't be changed, but I don't even really notice. I'm too distracted by all the positivity surrounding our dogs.

I do know we are lucky enough to live in an area with a lot of pitbull positivity, but we were hoping to hear some other experiences. If you have a breed that is misinterpreted, how do you deal with negative comments and the desire to educate people with the frustration that people are so closed-minded?
And if you have another breed of dog, how do you get people to overcome negative stereotypes that might be associated with your breed?

Chicagoing: Enjoying An Old-Fashioned Vaudeville Carnival

 The other weekend we awoke to find an old-fashioned, vaudeville carnival landed smack dab in the middle of our local neighborhood park. Flanked by a view of the Hancock on one side and the a huge historical church on the other, the 2 big top tents, carnival midway, rides and fire-blowers transformed our local Chicago neighborhood into something more magical.

 This was the first year for the Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements festival in Eckart park. The big tents had indie music and European circus acts, and there was also a small section of Renegade crafts, Farmers Market booths, carnival midway games and rides, and vaudeville performers roaming the grounds.

 We were extra excited we just received our new Gatsby-esque Silly Buddy polka-dot bowties (worn as a pink 'hairbow' by Miss M) and the pooches dressed appropriately for the occasion. Of course, a couple of pit bulls in bowties had a lot of people curious, and they received a lot of attention and petting. Coupled with their good posing and behavior, some people even thought they were part of the acts.

 We even had our friend Nabi from Sociabulls join Miss M for an early morning walk to benefit rebuilding the playground at Eckhart park. Though Nabi was all smiles, Miss M didn't seem so happy about having to get up so early in the morning.
Though some of the carnival workers were charmed by our pups and gave them each a small plush toy (which was later reclaimed by Mr. B).

SociaBulls Explore Chicago Nature

Despite looming threats of an impending storm, it was so great to see 18 dogs and their owners up early on a Sunday morning for our weekly SociaBulls walk. We have been rotating locations which allow us to explore even more of our fantastic city. This week brought us up to a perfectly uncongested  trail meandering along the Chicago River and flanked by fantastic trees and greenery.

I had heard about all kinds of wildlife living in the city, including 60 wild coyotes, which often make their home in these types of city parks. Though we only saw renegade squirrels which provided some extra excitement for the pooches.

 I had actually lived in this area for several years (when I first adopted Miss M!), but I had never known about this trail. It's amazing how much our city has to offer that I never knew existed, and a secondary benefit of our group is being able to see so many places.

 Next week we are planning on having a complete contrast as we head back to the lakefront urban skylines.

How to Be a Tourist with Your Dog: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 We have loved following the adventures of GoPetFriendly as they've been traveling around the nation with their 2 adorable pooches. And since we've recently ventured into roadtripping with the pooches, we were quite excited to see this recommendation for nearby Milwaukee. Nestled along Lake Michigan there is plenty to do with the pooches, including: pet-friendly paddleboats, strolling the riverwalk, pooch-friendly outdoor dining, and even a photo opp with "The Fonz".

We were excited to see that Ms. M and Mr. B had such a great time on their recent road trip to St. Louis. Now that they have their first hotel stay under their belts (collars), we're hoping to inspire them to jump back in the car make the short drive north to spend a weekend exploring Milwaukee.

View from Veteran's Park

Like Chicago, Milwaukee sits on the shore of Lake Michigan, so fantastic scenery is a given. But, what Milwaukee has over it's neighbor to the south is it's intimate, more walkable nature. You can easily explore the nooks and crannies on foot, which is perfect when you're traveling with dogs!


Start in the Historic Third Ward, and you might never want to leave. This neighborhood had undergone a major make-over and is now the hippest part of the city. Old warehouses have become, or have been replaced by, lofts and condos and the shops and eateries have followed. The Milwaukee Public Market is a highlight, selling produce, seafood, meats, cheeses, vegetables, candies, and flowers from local businesses - and their pet friendly sidewalk tables are perfect for a little people watching!

Inside at Milwaukee Public Market

Outdoor tables at the Public Market

If you haven't stuffed yourself at the vendors in the Market, cross the street to The Wicked Hop for lunch. With their covered outdoor seating, it's the perfect place to relax in the shade and enjoy the icy cold beverages that made Milwaukee famous.

Covered outdoor seating at The Wicked Hop

When it's time to walk off lunch, head toward the lake. A path will take you though the festival grounds, past the art museum, and up to Veteran's park. If you make it as far north as the Juneau Park Lagoon, look for the pet friendly paddle boats!

Resting tired paws on the lakefront

Milwaukee Art Museum

Before you're too tired, make your way west to the river and take a stroll on the River Walk. This pedestrian walkway overlooking the river is a popular hang out, with dozens of restaurants and bars providing outdoor seating with a view. Watch for John Hawks Pub - they have pet friendly outdoor seating.

John Hawks Pub on the Riverwalk

Be sure to get a picture with one of Milwaukee's most well-known residents - Arthur Fonzarelli! He was happy to have his picture taken with Buster and Ty, hooking their leashes over his famous thumbs. Aaaaaye.

Posing with The Fonz

Milwaukee has a nice selection of pet friendly restaurants and plenty of pet friendly hotels where the pitties will be welcome. Though we stayed in the Winnebago at State Fair Park the last time we visited, the next time I'd love to try the Aloft Hotel or the Iron Horse Hotel.


Before you pack up and hit the freeway, take a cruise up North Lake Drive to one of Milwaukee's must unexpected features - the old stone mansions built next to the lake back in the day.

Amy and Rod Burkert run the award-winning pet travel website, GoPetFriendly.com and write about pet travel as they explore the US and Canada with their dogs, Ty and Buster. Their blog, Take Paws, is an encyclopedia of pet travel tips, pet friendly destination advice, and humorous tales of the couple's dog friendly adventures.

Today is the last day to submit Tourist Posts for our contest. We will run all the posts and have an extra week after the last post has run to conclude the 'contest'.
And as an added incentive, Sirius Republic is donating 2 collars and we will have a random drawing of all the submitted 'How to Be a Tourist with Your Dog' posts to have 2 collar winners. Winners can chose from a standard collar, or an 'Adopt Me' collar to promote your foster or adoptable dog as modeled by Levi. And we will still be donating money to the rescue of choice for the 2 posts with the most comments.

In case you missed them, you can also read our other Tourist with Your Dog posts showcasing Upstate New York, New York City, Austin, Florida, Portland, Richmond, Seattle,  Kansas City, Nashville, Alaska, and Chicago. And you can read about roadtripping the 7 Wonders of Illinois with 4 large dogs, boating to the Bahamas with a pit bull, specific tips for roadtripping with a large dog (NYC to rural Tennessee), Chicago Dogs Sidetrip to Harbor County, and Destination "Dog Mountain" in Vermont.

Living European with Dogs: Sitting in Squares

One of the biggest things we noticed when we were traveling was how well Europeans use common space. Everywhere we went there would be a 'Square' where people would gather, even well into the night, eating, people watching, or just sitting.

Of course, most of the squares had some kind of water feature, statue or monument. But the cities definitely felt alive having so many people gathering in one common space.
In Chicago we have a couple of squares, and when we lived near Lincoln Square the square was actually integral to Miss M's CGC training. I used to take her there to practice sit-stays and down-stays among all of the distractions. We love this quaint little square with its ornate lampposts, fountain, and German restaurants.

This also inspired us to check out the square in Logan Square. We picked up some Orangina and fresh baguettes from La Boulangerie and spent the afternoon just sitting. There is a huge monument in the center, and we decided to dine there. It kind of reminded us of Rome where everyone just lounges allover--even sitting on the lion sculptures.

And of course, there's our current standby Wicker Park with its flower gardens, big fountains, and nearby Big Star tacos. The park packs in so much in a tiny space, but plenty of great photo opps. 

I think since most of us don't have our own backyards, these types of common spaces are really important. Do other cities have these types of common spaces? And Chicago people--any other squares that we're missing?

Leave it to Levi: Episode #1 Levi's does Chicago

Since we've been fostering Levi, we think our life has become a bit like Leave it to Beaver. Levi is always doing wacky things, just like the Beaver, Mr. B is sage older brother Wally, and Miss M gets to be Eddie Haskell.
And just like a sitcom, we did a crazy amount of things in one day, and everyone had their own storyline.
In our last episode,  the pooches joined our friends from The Puppy Mill Project to protest against a pet store that is also breeding and selling pit bull puppies. And Mr. B learned to read!

Meanwhile, Miss M was reminiscing about her very first home as we were strolling through the Southport neighborhood. She remembered every store that leaves dog treats out. And she is plotting to make her return.

 At the same time, like any young-blooded dog, Levi was excited to check out the infamous Wrigley Field. Not so much for the flying baseballs, but for all the bridal parties out to give him attention.

He has been learning much about charming people from Miss M (aka: creepy neighbor Eddie Haskel)

Finally we wrapped up the day by heading over to Renegade Craft Fair where the pooches didn't check out the booths as much as they checked out the people.

And here is our live-action episode shot with iPhone's 8mm application:

P.S. Saturday is Puppy Mill Awareness Day and The Puppy Mill Project wants to have a big showing as they protest at 3404 N Ashland from 1:00-3:00. We have always had a lot of fun, and we're hoping to be able to be there. You can learn more here.
P.P.S. In celebration of his birthday, our friend Buddy at Silly Buddy will be donating a portion of the proceeds for the month to The Puppy Mill Project to help put an end to puppy mills. We've had some sneak peeks of our pooches in their Silly Buddy collars, with more photos to come later.

SociaBulls do Historic Urban Parks

 We never expected our little group to grow so quickly, but we were so excited to have 20 pooches join us for a Sunday morning stroll. Always wanting to look his best in case he meets his new family, Levi dressed appropriately for this turn-of-the-century park in a dapper bowtie thanks to his buddy Buddy. This view from the boathouse makes you feel like you're not even in the city:

We loved having a mix of great dogs and their owners always working to improve their dogs' skills. With several returning and some new pooches. From Nabi, Maize, and first-time walker Carra:

 To new member Zoe, and returning Buddy and Natsu:

We loved meandering through the park with the lagoons and weeping willows with Billy (who is unfortunately itchy), Izzy, whose mom picked this scenic route, and Marley.

 Returning members Dude and Willie, and  first-time walker Rudie.

 And little Levi, Red, and newly adopted Ollie:

After our walk we ran into a police officer friend of ours who mentioned that he had seen our group walking, and he was amazed to see so many dogs walking well together without 'starting anything'--especially since so many of them were pitbulls. Hearing this, it is great to know people are noticing and having new thoughts about bully-breeds and that we're also modeling good training behavior. Here are Torre (still perfect attendance!), Lola, and Floyd all quite pleased with themselves.

We also love how the walks are becoming a family event. We have noticed during the first walks it will usually be one family member, but on returning walks people are coming in pairs. Just like adorable Jack with his family.

We love having this group where we have the support to continue working with our dogs.