Is Washington a dog-loving place? (Seattle, Spokane: apartments, living in, pit bull)

[Algiz]

I've heard and read that there are more dogs than children in Seattle, and from my experience, people do seem to love dogs throughout the Puget Sound area, but I wonder if this love of dogs seems to carry through the entire state.

Or is it more a "west of the Cascades" kind of thing? Or is it an entire PNW thing? I ask this because when I travel with my dog all the way down I-5 and 101 through Oregon (not just Portland), I get the same reactions as I do in the Puget Sound area (very positive - people seek us out, in fact). I'm not familiar enough with Spokane and the east side of the Cascades to have any personal experience with people and dogs there, which prompted me to wonder if this is a statewide thing as opposed to a regional thing.

It seems to me it's more PNW than just Seattle, but I wonder what your experience is throughout Washington...

[Hemlock140]

We may not have been to every city in the state, but have been all over much of the east side of the mountains, and see dogs everywhere, just like here. They tend to be larger breeds though, probably due to larger lots, rural areas, and not so many small apartments as here in the Seattle metro area.

[notnamed]

Who doesn't like dogs? Aside from a small minority who have a fear of them. What would make a place non-dog loving? Having lived all over I haven't run into any place that is hostile to dogs.

[fluffydelusions]

Originally Posted by notnamed

Who doesn't like dogs? Aside from a small minority who have a fear of them. What would make a place non-dog loving? Having lived all over I haven't run into any place that is hostile to dogs.

This

[PS90]

Originally Posted by notnamed

Who doesn't like dogs? Aside from a small minority who have a fear of them. What would make a place non-dog loving? Having lived all over I haven't run into any place that is hostile to dogs.

Totally agree with this.

What could possibly have given you the idea that any specific place does NOT like dogs?

I haven't been everywhere, obviously, but I can't think of anywhere in this country that is known for it's hatred of dogs...

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by notnamed

Who doesn't like dogs? Aside from a small minority who have a fear of them. What would make a place non-dog loving? Having lived all over I haven't run into any place that is hostile to dogs.

I don't like them. I would be happiest if I never again came near another dog. However, I don't think there is any regional difference based on their like or dislike. If there were, there might be a place I could go where I wouldn't have to deal with them, and I have never found such a place. I think Washington and Oregon are as dog-friendly as the general population, no more, no less.

[Algiz]

Thanks, Hemlock - I've visited Spokane about a dozen times, and now that you mention it, I do remember seeing big dogs, much more than I remember the smaller dogs. I wondered if there was a similar simpatico between dog and person there as there is here on the west side. Perhaps so. I'll have to spend more time there and pay closer attention.

FluffyDelusions,

[ABK]

From my personal experience, people in Southeastern WA were a little afraid of and pretty prejudiced against German shepherds, malinois etc. They would never approach, they would cross the street and also make some comment behind our backs. People were showing up at our door claiming some black dog bit some other dog so it had to be our dog because he was black and big... I started getting a feeling my dog was discriminated based on his breed and color... Seattle was very different in that respect, very dog friendly and dog knowledgeable.

The most dog friendly place I encountered turned out to be Washington, DC. It was like night and day in comparison with WA. It was simply impossible to walk down the street without being stopped multiple times and told how beautiful the dog was. The cars were slowing down so drivers could say something nice, kids were polite and always asked if they could pet the dog, police officers liked to meet him, all parks were dog friendly, including the Capitol area. So many people found time in their busy days to stop, smile to the dog and owner and share a line about their own dogs, present and past. Our neighbors gave him Christmas gifts , even the mailman was his friend. My dog loved living in DC .

[oregonwoodsmoke]

The PNW is quite friendly to well behaved dogs who are kept under proper control and who come with an owner who scoops poop.

On the east side of the Cascades, we love our dogs, too, and dogs often go everywhere with their people. The under control part comes into play when loose running, livestock harassing dogs are shot and killed on the spot. Although shooting livestock killers happens west of the Cascades, too.

But both sides of the Cascades, some businesses have bowls of dog water set outside their door. Dogs are welcome inside many businesses (law doesn't allow them where there is food sold). There are places for dogs to run off leash -- while still supervised and under control.

Dogs allowed to run loose aren't welcome. Dogs with bad manners are not well received.

There are numerous rescues for dogs and cats and horses and they are well supported by the community.

I do have to say, though, that all the people, claiming pets are service dogs just so they can take their dogs where dogs are not permitted, are turning the sentiments of the public more against dogs. Which comes back again to the fact that well behaved dogs are welcome and badly behaved dogs with scammer self-centered owners are not.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by ABK

.......people in Southeastern WA were a little afraid of and pretty prejudiced against German shepherds, malinois etc. ..........

I've owned several German Shepherds and I've never had anyone in Washington or Oregon be afraid of them. It was different in Maryland, where some people would cross the street and more than once, I had a gas station attendant refuse to put gas in the car because there was a German Shepherd with me.

The most noticeable difference between the DC/ MD area and the PNW is that in the East, people all own purebreds (of a sort, often puppy mill purebreds). In the PNW, dog owners go for the muttskies much more often.

The shelter in MD was full of poor quality purebreds. The shelters here in Central Oregon have mutts, very often pit bull mixes. Its rare for them to have a purebred and they charge a premium price adoption fee for a purebred dog.

Other than a percentage of the population being afraid of the German Shepherds in MD, I didn't notice much difference in the welcome or attention the dogs received.