Fairbanks....Dog Friendly? (Kenai, North Pole: rentals, buying a home, neighborhoods)

[wilsonma]

I've been doing lots of research on Fairbanks. I am single, have no kids but I have two large dogs (german shepards). When I was checking craigslist almost all of the houses for rent were dog friendly. Yes! But how true is that?
My dogs are indoor dogs but we walk two miles twice a day here (Ohio) and I would love to keep that up in Fairbanks. I figured I could bundle up in some layers and bundle them up in some layers and we would be okay. Ohio is cold and snowy....but not as cold and snowy as Fairbanks.
I worry though. Will they get frost bite (I know they make shoes for dogs, but what about their ears and noses)? Some salts used on roads and drives can be dangerous if they eat it or can burn their feet? Are there sidewalks in most neighborhoods?
I've been searching for training clubs, trainers, boarding kennels and animal hospitals. I've found some, but not a lot. Can anyone lend some advice? Thanks!

[hc5831]

I'm pretty sure rentals are as pet unfriendly as it seems. Which is why we didn't plan to move until we had enough money to buy our own place there. The winters are so harsh that pets are indoors a lot, which causes a lot of damage.

Fairbanks has a dog park:

Fairbanks Dog Park

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op-bo5yJOis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VzQ0wgKl84

There are also lots of trails. Seems dog friendly enough to me.

[gobrien]

It may not be as snowy in Fairbanks as you'd think. It is not as moist as the lower parts of the state so it doesn't get as much precipitation. It is cold though. I don't have a dog so I can't offer any advice but I know there are tons of dogs up here.

[paladinking]

The dog is man's most faithful friend.when i was Very young , i know this sentence.

[usafracer]

I hate to say it but most of the places that accept pets are dumps. My wife and I looked for weeks trying to find a place that was not trashed that would accept pets. We ended up buying a home in North Pole. We have dog booty's for our dogs feet. Even with them they still dont want to go out for long when its cold. BTW it was -38 this morning.

[RedJacket]

Fairbanks is dog friendly. In fact, there's even a gal there who welcomes every new dog with a gift basket of biscuits.

Her name is Abbie.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Fairbanks....Dog Friendly?

When we were in Alaska, roaming around, we did not find a place in Alaska that was not "Dog Friendly". Well.......perhaps inside that four star restaurant in Girdwood.

[Lakester]

Don't know about around there, but on the Kenai there's alot of trapping and a few dogs get caught in them. Might want to look into how to release a dog from a leg hold trap and get a trap opener. Story in the Redoubt Reporter about it.

[rwjoyak]

Check out the following C-D thread - http://www.city-data.com/forum/alask...elson-afb.html - for info on vets and kennels in the Fairbanks area. You might want to contact one or more with questions about how best to handle german shepherds' wintertime exposure in the area. The thread only lists phone numbers and not email addresses, but if you have free long distance you could try calling some of the listed folks. Or do quick calls to get email addresses for longer followups.

I'll second Floyd's response in that thread about Karl Monetti. We knew him when we lived up there, and I think he was a very knowledgable and compotent vet besides being a great guy. He's retired now (with a second career as a guitar maker) but could be reached by email at karl@monettiguitars.com, and might be willing to answer your questions. Also see his website at http://monettiguitars.com/.

[wilsonma]

Oh thank you guys so much!
Sometimes my mind works in overdrive with worry. I want to be confident that I'll know what to do if we encounter a moose or get caught in a trap. It helps tremendously to know there are people who I can talk to and that can help ease my worried mind.
We had our first snow accumulation here in Ohio today. The dogs and I had such a blast playing in it this morning!
In this area it is very hard to find a place that will accept dogs. And the ones that do charge an arm and a leg. Some of the cheaper rentals will take dogs, but only one or there is a weight limit. Or then they hear the words German Shepards and they hand up the phone.
My dogs are certified and titled in Obedience and Good Citizen. They are lisenced and up to date on shots. And I worked in a grooming shop for years so they are well groomed. If a landlord stays on the phone long enough to hear these things they have been known to change their minds.
Again, thank you guys for pointing me in the right direction and for some great advice!