Ahoy, land-dwellers! Seattle is heating up, and living near so much wet stuff is why we ruv this city oh so much. There are plenty of sniff-worthy, dog-friendly spots where the whole family can get wild, and we’ve narrowed them down to our top 6 favorite Seattle water activities for dogs. Have a splashin’ good time!
1. Seattle Dog-Friendly Paddle Boarding
Become one with the water while practicing the zen art of paddle boarding on Lake Union. Northwest Outdoor Center will allow your well-behaved pooch to ride the gentle currents of the beautiful water. Newbies are welcome as they offer lessons for beginners, too. Fur further fun, head to the Greenlake Boathouse where your well-behaved woofer can join you on a paddle board tour of Green Lake. If pup’s feeling the call of open water, paddle the Puget Sound with a paddle board rental from Ballard Kayak and Paddle Boarding. If you already own a board, maybe it’s time to invest in a SUP Dog Board Pad to provide some extra cushion for your co-pilot (and to protect your board from long-nailed paws).
2. Seattle Dog-Friendly Kayaking
Row, row, row your kayak, gently ‘round Green Lake! Greenlake Boathouse is your one-pup-shop for all your boating needs. They have kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, pedal boats, sailboats, row boats, and even water bikes. Your water dog can feel like a regular barkswain as you paddle, pedal, or merely float over the quiet water. Continue pup’s kayak kick with a paddle around Lake Union with Northwest Outdoor Center kayak rentals. Captain canine is also gonna wag his tail about kayaking the Puget Sound with rentals from Ballard Kayak and Paddle Boarding. The Puget Sound is a lil’ choppier than a lake, so this adventure is best saved for experienced puppers. Lastly, don’t furget to clean up after your BFF. It’s a small price to pay for a wet excursion your mutt will ruv—not to mention a huge courtesy to fellow pawrents.
3. Seattle Dog-Friendly Canoe Rentals
Your luxury Lassie is ready to be rowed around at a leisurely pace while she surveys her fave city: Seattle, duh! Sniff out the University of Washington’s Waterfront Activities Center, where doggos are welcome on their canoe rentals. With so many interconnected waterways, your pirate puppo can row around Lake Washington’s Union Bay, paddle through Portage Bay, and land in Lake Union. Extend your play on Lake Union with a rowboat rental at The Center for Wooden Boats. Your history ruff will ruv gliding across Lake Union in a historic row boat. Their peapod boats are a part of their Public Peapod Program and are FREE to the public with a reservation. If a hooman were to take enough sailing classes, they could even rent a sailboat and sail Lake Union with their pup…nudge, nudge.
4. Dog-Friendly Seattle Beaches
Locally referred to as “Doggy Disneyland,” Marymoor Off-Leash Dog Park in Redmond consists of 40+ acres, 5 river access points, and over 6 miles of winding trails.
Looking to stay closer to Seattle? Sniff out Magnuson Park Off-Leash Area in Sand Point, with 8.6 fully fenced-in acres and access to Lake Washington.
A smidge East of Seattle, check out Luther Burbank’s Off-Leash Park where pooches can frolic through the water to their heart’s content. If ur lil’ lapper is lookin’ fur more, sniff out Edmond’s Off-Leash Area, a volunteer-run park with water access and a fenced beach to race on. Before you go, brush up on dog park etiquette, because there’s nothing worse than a good doggo paired with a naughty owner.
5. Dog-Friendly Seattle Cruise
Sweet T-R-E-A-Ts for you and stellar views for both you and pup? Yes, pawlease. The Fremont Sunday Ice Cream Cruise services Seattle year-round with a 45-minute tour of Lake Union featuring “humorous narration and some funky background music.” Not to bury the lede or anything, but they offer ice cream treats and hot chocolate to munch on while cruisin’. Dogs are welcome, so we recommend keeping your sweet treat close (lest a wandering tongue might steal a lick).
6. Dog Pools in Seattle
Your doggo may naturally take paw-stretching leaps off docks to belly flop into the great blue, but that isn’t always the case. For those puppers who need a little extra push, sniff out assisted and self-swim sessions across the city.
SplashDog Canine Well-Being Center offers swim lessons and assisted pool sessions for paddlers looking to pup their skills, as well as for doggos recovering from owies. You can also book a swim session for just you and your mer-mutt.
The wet dog smell doesn’t stop there. Water Dog Spa is a mutts-ruv spot to relax and take a float. Well Springs K9, a rover rehab spot, offers a Mastiff-sized pool and self-swim sessions perf for a cooldown. Lastly, sniff out Bow Wow Fun Towne, a doggy daycare with open swims for social Shih-Tzus and private sessions for the pack. Move over Phelps, Princess has perfected her doggy-paddle!
What is your pup’s pawferred mode of water recreation? Woof at us in the comments! And don’t furget to tag us @SidewalkDog in pics of pup’s aquatic adventures so we can give you ALLLL the heart eyes.
Featured photo: Jeremy Perkins
Sidewalk Dog’s mission is to help dog parents spend more time with their puppers by discovering and sharing activities they can do and places they can go—together! Sniff out our award-winning newsletter and Instagram, then join our Dog-Friendly Seattle Facebook Group.
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