For those of us that have dogs, we have all experienced the feeling of wanting to take them everywhere with us when we go out. Unfortunately, due to certain laws and regulations, the list of place we can actually bring them along is not as long as we would like it to be. I personally have a Shiba-Inu that I love and care about very much, and I feel bad whenever I go out to have fun and she’s stuck at home alone. So, I’ve decided to take some time out of my day to research some places our non-human friends are allowed to  tag along with, and share those places with all of you!

1. Dog parks: They’re a great place for you to take your dog if he or she is usually the only dog in the house. Although our dogs love spending time with us, they like to interact with other dogs, just like we like to interact with other people. Here’s a good article on how to find the best dog park for your dog in the L.A. area from eHow: How to Find the Best Dog Parks in Los Angeles 

2. Dog Beaches: Most beaches don’t allow dogs to be off their leashes due to the risk of them doing their business in random spots in the sand, but there are a select few beaches that allow your best friend to run wild and have some fun in the sun. Hautedogs is a great website that has a list of off-leash dog beaches in Souther California: Off-Leash Dog Beaches

3. Restaurants with outdoor seating: Most restaurants that have outdoor seating won’t have a problem with you bringing your dogs along for your meal. Although depending on how your dog is trained, it might be quite torturous to watch you eat a delicious meal while she just sits there. To find these restaurants, you can use search services such as Yelp to check if they allow pets.

4. Doggy daycare: If your plans are set and you are definitely unable to take your dog with you, doggy daycare is not a bad idea most of the time. However, you should make sure that the daycare center will treat your best friend well. The doggy daycare that I usually take my dog is called GoDogLA. They pay close attention to your dog and do not keep any of the dogs in cages. You can visit their website at: godogla.com

Our dogs show us a lot of love, and honestly, their lives, comprised of mostly eating and sleeping all day can be quite boring. Taking them out on a trip once in awhile is fun, good for their health, and most importantly will make them happy. 

-Frank