A Reactive Dog's Guide to the Pacific Northwest
Exploring parks, trails, and destinations with Markus — one adventure at a time.
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It's stressful travelling with a reactive dog.
You want to visit new parks or trails, but it's hard to know what to expect. Does it get busy? Are the paths narrow? Will other dogs be off-leash? Maybe you're tired of other dog owners saying things are fine because their dog is friendly.
We get it.
As a rescue dog, Markus developed reactive tendencies and he doesn't do well in confined spaces like dog parks or narrow paths where he's forced to be in close proximity to other dogs. Good thing we live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where the expanse of the great outdoors is more his style.
Our mission is to empower reactive dogs in the Pacific Northwest to experience what we get to call our backyard. It won't always be easy, but we hope to pave the way by sharing our experiences at new parks or trails from the perspective of reactive dog owners. Our hope is that you and your pup will get to explore openly, free of anxiety, because you know what to expect.
On a trip to Portland, we hiked the Henline Falls Trail in Oregon. Although the trail is a farther drive south of Portland and the road was bumpy with pot holes, this low-trafficked trail has quickly become one of our favourites in the Pacific Northwest.
Located near Lillooet, the Seton Lake Lookout is a quick but challenging hike that offers breathtaking vistas of the surrounding landscape, including a hairpin turn, Seton Lake and the majestic mountains behind.
If you're like me, you're all about those easy-win hikes. You know what I mean - the low effort/high reward type hikes. If you're looking for one of those, the Rosario Head Trail was easy to do and the view at the end is absolutely outstanding.
On a trip to Sunshine Coast, British Columbia, we stopped by the Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park for a hike. The actual hike takes about 2 hours with a dog, but you'll likely spend more time taking in the best part of the hike: the views.
If you've heard of Lighthouse Park, you likely know about its view. Located on the coast of West Vancouver, Lighthouse Park is a great spot for a hike that ends up at a beautiful viewpoint by a lighthouse.
While driving through the state of Oregon, we stopped to visit one of its greatest and most beautiful parks, the Crater Lake National Park. The depth of the lake gives it a very striking blue colour, making it one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
Located near Lillooet, the Seton Lake Lookout is a quick but challenging hike that offers breathtaking vistas of the surrounding landscape, including a hairpin turn, Seton Lake and the majestic mountains behind.
On a trip to Sunshine Coast, British Columbia, we stopped by the Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park for a hike. The actual hike takes about 2 hours with a dog, but you'll likely spend more time taking in the best part of the hike: the views.
If you've heard of Lighthouse Park, you likely know about its view. Located on the coast of West Vancouver, Lighthouse Park is a great spot for a hike that ends up at a beautiful viewpoint by a lighthouse.
Our stroll along Qualicum Beach East Beach with our reactive dog Markus was a serene yet potentially challenging experience due to the popularity of the spot, allowing for a buffer zone on grassy stretches but requiring vigilance amidst the beach's allure and stunning sunset views.
If you're like me, you're all about those easy-win hikes. You know what I mean - the low effort/high reward type hikes. If you're looking for one of those, the Rosario Head Trail was easy to do and the view at the end is absolutely outstanding.
From the quaint boutiques and inviting cafes in downtown to the views of Puget Sound at Brackett's Landing and Marina Beach Park, Edmonds is a charming coastal town that offered a delightful experience that captivated us with its welcoming atmosphere.
Picnic Point Park in Edmonds, Washington, is an enchanting beach getaway that offers a serene escape. With the invigorating scent of sea air, panoramic ocean views and soothing sound of crashing waves, this beach is a gem that provides a tranquil coastal paradise.
Marina Beach Park in Edmonds, Washington, features well-maintained spaces for picnics and benches to enjoy panoramic views of the water. The park includes an off-leash park for dogs to play freely and enjoy beach access.
On a trip to Portland, we hiked the Henline Falls Trail in Oregon. Although the trail is a farther drive south of Portland and the road was bumpy with pot holes, this low-trafficked trail has quickly become one of our favourites in the Pacific Northwest.
While driving through the state of Oregon, we stopped to visit one of its greatest and most beautiful parks, the Crater Lake National Park. The depth of the lake gives it a very striking blue colour, making it one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
As part of our two-week road trip, we made stops in Eugene and Hood River, Oregon. In this update, we cover our stay at the Best Western at Hood River, Oregon!
As part of our two-week road trip, we made stops in Eugene and Hood River, Oregon. In this update, we're covering our stay in Eugene, Oregon.
With all that's happened this past year, it's miraculous to think that we had just returned home from our road trip at exactly this time a year ago. This week, we're revisiting the trip and what we got to do before the borders closed down.
This week, we leave Springdale and finally conclude our two-week road trip series with a few stops - at Bishop and Redding in California, Lake Tahoe, Crater Lake and Hood River in Oregon.
We’ve heard so much about Lake Tahoe that when we realized we were passing through the area, we wanted to make a stop just to see what all the hubbub was about. We were blown away and had a great time at Lake Tahoe.
We've been in the middle of our 2-week road trip series beyond the Pacific Northwest. We've started our return trip home from Arizona with a stop at Zion National Park in Utah and this week, we pick up a couple hours north at Bryce Canyon National Park.