Dogs Leave Paw Prints On Your Heart…

I know this because I was a dog owner for 15 years. She was my 70 pound baby. Kima was a Husky-Chow-Rottweiler-Wolf.  A real mix by all standards, nevertheless, she was this girl’s best friend for many years.  As I now sit in my over-sized chair, working from home, I think of how she was by my side no matter what, unless of course, she was chewing through the fence boards to make her way out of the yard so she could chase a stray cat, terrorize the neighbor’s bunny, or if she was munching on a peacock (yes, I said peacock) or bringing me gifts of live possums into the living room. She was always at my feet, with an unconditional love. She relocated with me 8 times over the years, and she now rests peacefully here in Vegas.  In honor of National Dog Day, I thought it was fitting to share some local places that value our furry friends as much as they do us, two legged folk.

Downsizing our yard from over a half acre in California to a small cinder blocked fenced patio sized space, didn’t leave much room for Kima to roam, so we looked for alternative pet friendly (leash free) locations and activities. If you haven’t yet checked out Desert Breeze (Dog) Park, I recommend you do, it was one of our nearby favorites. Desert Breeze is actually where we met Kima’s furry friend Ash, and her owner, who eventually became my housemate for a couple of years. I had posted an ad on Craigslist for a roomie, and because you don’t know what kind of crazies you will meet on Craigslist (please be careful), we met at Desert Breeze Dog Park. The dogs hit it off (and as a dog owner, you know how important it is for the pets to get along) we realized it could work out, and so Ash and her owner moved in. The dogs really enjoyed each others company and I found having a second dog in the house made for fewer social trips to the dog park. I’ve included a site with some of the other dog friendly parks in Las Vegas.

Sometimes I would met up with friends and bring the pooch along. As I searched for new places to eat out, what I found was, dog friendly restaurants were few and far between, unless you were looking for fast food (and I don’t eat fast food). I was pretty disappointed with the selection, so I kept searching.  I was able to find a list of 37 dog friendly restaurants (that includes the fast food options) with outdoor tables on a site called BringFido.com.  Sometimes after a walk we would stop for coffee; Holley’s Cuppa in Mountain’s Edge has outdoor seating and a great chai tea, I just needed to pack Kima’s water bowl if we were stopping there.

Just across the parking lot from Hollie’s is a little place called Barking Dogs, it’s a pet bakery, boutique and self and full service grooming salon. I usually groomed Kima at home, so we never tested out the grooming services, but my niece takes her dog there all the time. It’s a cute little place, with treats and specialty items, and they take a holistic approach to your dog’s overall health. It’s a cute place, a nice alternative to the big chain places. As an alternative for grooming,  mobile pet grooming seems to be big in Vegas, a convenient option, especially if your furry friend was like mine: so excited to take a car ride, she would jump out of the moving car, if the windows were open wide enough.  As I write this, I wish  I could remember the name of the mobile company I would see every day on my way to work as we raced down morning traffic on Blue Diamond.

Kima was a runner (and a free spirit) and could magically get out of most fenced areas, so vacationing without her or even working sometimes out of the house for long periods of time, would be cause for concern wondering if she would be home when I returned. I couldn’t kennel her because of her magical Houdini disappearing act, so I often had friends and family helping out when I was away. I recently met a women, who I now consider a friend, who does pet sitting, and de-cluttering while you are away. If Kima were still with me, I would definitely call on Amanda of Declutterbug Plus to pet sit in my absence.

When Kima’s senior years started affecting her ability to do things, like the 5K American Heart Association Walk, and we needed an emergency Vet on a Saturday afternoon, because she had collapsed (I thought she was having a heart attack, It ended up she was just overly exhausted) we found Durango Animal Hospital. From our first visit to her regular dental cleanings, I always felt like Kima was in great care there; I highly recommend their services.  (By the way, great tip- they even recommended getting her pet prescriptions at Target or a local pharmacy to save on the expense of getting them directly from the Vet.) When she passed away, they even sent me a card expressing their condolences.  I refer them all the time.

Growing up, a pet was an animal (that lived outside) and not so much of a focus as they are now where people actually do live and plan activities with pets. As I Googled National Dog Day, I found this short article that was referenced on a radio broadcast this week, titled More Young Women Choosing Dogs Over Motherhood, it’s pretty interesting to hear the statistics of “Women (who) are not only having fewer children but are also getting married later. The federal data behind the report show that over the past seven years, the number of live births per 1,000 women between ages 15 and 29 in America has plunged 9 percent. At the same time, research by the American Pet Products Association shows the number of small dogs — under 25 pounds — in the United States has skyrocketed, from 34. 1 million in 2008 to 40.8 million in 2012.” The article goes on to say, “There are more single and unmarried women in their late 20s and early 30s, which also happens to be the demographic that buys the most small dogs.” As an unmarried woman without children, I have always had the belief system, that having a pet was a lot easier than having a child. 

Coincidence or not, dogs are not only man’s best friend, but woman’s best friend too. However, ladies, if you do have a 2 legged best friend gearing for the attention you once gave your 4 legged friend, and there is an engagement ring on your finger and marriage is in your near future, there are ways to incorporate your pup into your wedding ceremony, Wedding Bells Chapel, might be your Las Vegas option (it was the only venue I stumbled across that was pet friendly, but I wasn't looking.) As I searched for restaurants, I came across plenty of hotels and motels that were pet friendly in Vegas. Just remember you get what you pay for when you stay in some of these dog friendly rooms.

To all my Facebook friends who posted pictures of their favorite furry friends yesterday for National Dog Day, I hope you find these links useful as you spend time in Vegas with your pup. I’ll be posting other useful links soon. Check out some of these cool places, as the time spent together with you pup will leave paw prints on your heart long after the memories of repairing a broken fence board disappear.

Feel free to share your favorite pet friendly facilities, we love the exchange of information and to hear about Las Vegas local’s favorites.

Written by Nickel Lowman